What ages do you work with?

Our core focus is students aged 14–18 applying to top universities. We also run a Youth Programme for younger students from age 11–12, building subject foundations and extracurricular depth before applications begin. We work with mature students applying for Master's, MBA, and PhD programmes too.

What countries are your students from?

Our current students come from over 20 countries across Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Asia. Many are based in the UK; many study abroad and apply internationally.

What universities do your students typically apply to?

The UK (Oxbridge, LSE, Imperial, UCL, Warwick, King's, Edinburgh, Durham), the US (Ivy League and equivalents — Stanford, MIT, Chicago, Northwestern, Duke), top European universities, and selected Asian institutions. We help students apply to multiple systems in parallel.

Are you online or in person?

Both. We have a physical London HQ and work remotely with students worldwide via video. Through our network, we can also arrange internship placements with partner organisations — useful for students preparing applications to competitive courses where genuine work experience matters (Economics, Computer Science, Law, Medicine).

Do you guarantee admission?

No. Anyone who guarantees admission to a top university is misleading you — admissions decisions are not in any consultancy's control. We commit to giving the student the strongest possible application within their abilities and timeline.

Which programme should I choose?

It depends on the student's age, current grades, target universities, and how much time remains before applications. The simplest first step is the 1-hour consultation — a senior advisor will give you an honest recommendation, including "do nothing yet" if that's the right answer.

What's the difference between the one-year and two-year programmes?

The one-year programme covers a full application cycle: school work support, exam prep, extracurricular development, personal statement, interviews, and final decisions. The two-year programme adds a strategic foundation year — long-term planning, earlier extracurricular building, and steadier exam preparation — which is what separates strong applicants from exceptional ones.

What does the group course include?

Cohort-based admissions preparation across the year, including group sessions on personal statements, interview skills, university selection, and admissions strategy. It does not include one-to-one mentoring or subject tutoring.

Do you offer payment plans?

Yes. Programme fees can be paid in instalments. We discuss specific terms during the consultation.

What is your refund policy?

Full terms are in the contract issued before any programme begins. In short: consultation fees are non-refundable; programme fees follow a tiered refund schedule depending on how much of the programme has been delivered. Ask in your consultation for a copy of the standard terms.

How early should we start?

Earlier is almost always better, especially for Oxbridge, US Ivy League, and competitive courses (medicine, law, computer science at top schools). Two years out is the comfortable window. One year out is workable. Six months out is tight but possible.

What if my child isn't sure what to study?

That is one of the most common reasons families come to us, and it is something we plan for explicitly. Early sessions focus on subject and career exploration before any commitment is made to a target list.

Do you work with students who have learning differences (ADHD, dyslexia, etc.)?

Yes. Several members of our team have specific experience with neurodivergent students and the practical adjustments that help. We coordinate with school SENCos and parents where useful.

Who will my child actually work with?

Every student has a lead mentor who manages the overall plan, plus subject tutors as needed and specialists for interview prep, personal statements, and extracurricular development. Our founder is personally involved in case strategy for most programme students.

How much time per week does a programme student spend with A&J?

It varies by stage and student. Typical programme students have 1–3 hours of structured contact per week (mentoring + tutoring), plus async work between sessions. Intensity rises in the months before exams or application deadlines.

What is the King's Award for Enterprise?

The King's Award for Enterprise (formerly the Queen's Award) is the most prestigious business award in the United Kingdom, awarded annually by the British monarch for excellence in innovation, international trade, sustainable development, or promoting opportunity. A&J Education received the award in 2024 — the only university admissions consultancy ever to do so.

A&J School Limited is a registered company in England (No. 12096702) and on the UK Register of Learning Providers (UKPRN 10089726). Education consultancy itself is not a regulated profession in the UK; we comply fully with consumer law, GDPR, and safeguarding standards.

How do I book a consultation?

Use the form below or email hello@aandjeducation.co.uk. We aim to reply within one working day. The consultation fee is paid in advance and the call is scheduled at a time that works for you. See the pricing section above for the current rate.

A&J Education, 200 Upper Richmond Road, London SW15 2SH, United Kingdom. Phone: +44 (0) 208 243 8985.

All insights

Application advice

Extracurricular Activities for Top University Applications

Name: A&J School Limited
Address: 200 Upper Richmond Road, London, SW15 2SH, GB
Telephone: +44 (0) 208 243 8985
Rating: 5.0

By Sunny Jain26 April 2026·4 min read

Universities are not impressed by long lists of school clubs. The strongest applications show genuine depth in 2–3 areas, with measurable outcomes. The weakest applications show breadth across 10 clubs that no one ever led.

What top universities actually want

Depth and progression in one area. A student who has done Model UN at school, then at regional level, then at national level, then chaired a conference — that's a story.
Real, measurable achievement. "Doubled membership of the debate society from 25 to 60" beats "led the debate society well".
Connection to academic interest. A prospective Economics applicant who runs an investment club is more credible than one whose extracurriculars are all in unrelated areas.

Academic and intellectual

Subject-specific competitions and Olympiads

Mathematics Olympiad (UKMT, IMO)
Physics Olympiad
Chemistry Olympiad
Biology Challenge / Olympiad
Computer Science (UK Bebras, BIO, IOI)
Linguistics Olympiad
Astronomy & Astrophysics Olympiad
Philosophy Essay Prizes (John Locke Institute, Royal Institute of Philosophy)
Economics: Royal Economic Society Essay Competition, Marshall Society Essay Prize

These are gold for academic universities. Strong placement (top 100, top 25, gold/silver medal) is a meaningful signal.

Independent research and writing

Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) — see our EPQ guide
Research papers in collaboration with university faculty (rare but possible)
Op-eds in school or local newspapers
Contributions to academic blogs
Self-study courses (Coursera, edX, MIT OCW) — but only if you can demonstrate outcomes

Leadership

School leadership

Head boy/girl, deputy head boy/girl
Head of house
School council chair
Editor of school newspaper / magazine

Subject society leadership

President / Chair of a subject society (Maths, Physics, Debate, Model UN, Investment, Tech)
Secretary, Treasurer (lower weight than President)

External leadership

Local council youth representative
Student union role outside school
Volunteer organisation leadership

Academic competitions

Debate and public speaking

ESU Public Speaking Competition
World Schools Debating Championship qualification
Mace, Schools Mace, Oxford Schools, Cambridge Union
Toastmasters

Model United Nations

Local conferences (entry level)
National conferences (e.g., MUNiCorn UK, Oxford International MUN)
International conferences (Harvard MUN, Yale MUN, BIMUN)
Chairing roles
Best Delegate awards

Mock trial / mooting

Bar Mock Trial Competition
ESU Mooting Competition
Schools' Law Society debating

Sport

For students with serious sporting commitment, it counts:

High-impact

National-level competition (county team, England age-group)
University 1st team standard or higher
International representation

Moderate-impact

Captaining a school 1st XI / 1st XV / 1st team
Multiple-year commitment to school sport
Coaching younger players

Arts and music

Music

Grade 8 with Distinction in instrument(s)
ABRSM Diploma (DipABRSM, LRSM, FRSM)
National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain
Soloist performances at concerts
Composition published or performed

Drama and performance

Lead roles in productions
Devising your own work
LAMDA Diploma
Edinburgh Fringe shows

Visual art and design

Submitted work to Royal Academy / National Gallery competitions
Solo exhibition
Design portfolio for Architecture or Art Foundation applications

Writing

Foyle Young Poets Award (or shortlist)
Tower Poetry Competition
Published work in literary magazines

Service and impact

Volunteering counts when it's sustained and tied to genuine impact.

Strong examples

Long-term tutoring of state-school students (especially via SHINE, the Scholars Programme, Tutorfair Foundation)
Founding a charity initiative with measurable outcomes
Sustained involvement with a local cause (homelessness, refugee support, environmental conservation)
Online teaching resources reaching meaningful audiences

Less strong (without depth)

Charity galas (one-off events)
Two-week voluntourism trips abroad
Hours-counted volunteering with no leadership

Entrepreneurial and self-directed

Real-world projects

Founding a business with revenue
Building software products with users
Running a YouTube/podcast/blog channel with measurable audience
Open-source contributions (for prospective Computer Science applicants)

Less strong without outcomes

"Started a business" with no revenue or product
"Built an app" with no users
"Founded a charity" with no donations or activities

What we tell A&J students

Three rules:

Pick 2–3 areas and go deep. A national-level Mathematics Olympiad medal plus a 3-year run of the school Investment Society plus a strong EPQ is a stronger application than 10 random clubs.
Document outcomes. Numbers, awards, public-facing artefacts. The Common App's 150-character description forces concision; if you can't summarise the achievement in 150 characters, it's probably not concrete enough.
Tie at least some of it to your intended degree.

The honest summary

A good extracurricular profile is curated, not crammed. Depth and outcomes matter more than breadth. Tie at least one or two activities to the academic direction the student is going.

For a sober read on the activities your student should be doing in Year 11–13, book a consultation.

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A-Levels are the UK's main pre-university qualification — typically three subjects taken over two years from age 16 to 18. Here's how they work and what universities care about.

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