1. What is The Brilliant Club?
The Brilliant Club is an award-winning charity organisation that exists to widen access to the UK’s
most highly selective universities for pupils from backgrounds that traditionally have not sent many
students to university. We do this by placing researchers from university who are studying for their
PhD, or who already hold a PhD, into schools where they deliver tutorials to pupils in small groups,
similar to how students study at university. We work with primary and secondary schools, as well
as sixth form colleges. Over the last year, we have worked with over 6000 pupils and over 250
schools across the UK .
What is the Scholars Programme?
The Scholars Programme is the name of the programme which places PhD researchers in schools
to teach tutorials to pupils, based on the researcher’s specific area of study. The pupils undertake
six tutorials over the course of two months. After the tutorials the pupils tackle a challenging final
assignment pitched a level above their current Key Stage. They also visit two of the UK’s most
highly selective universities, one at the launch of the programme, and another to celebrate their
final assignment and graduation. On those trips they will experience study skills sessions and
information, advice and guidance sessions about university, held by university representatives.
The Scholars Programme timeline
Our tutors
Tutors at The Brilliant Club are either studying for or
hold a PhD, the highest level of research degree. The
Brilliant Club finds PhD tutors who are passionate
about learning and keen to share their research.
Examples of programmes they deliver include ‘Why do
Catalans want to be independent?’, ‘Understanding
Viral Infections’, ‘We Shall Overcome: the US Civil Rights
Movement’ and ‘Introduction to Volcanology’.
IAG = Information, Advice and Guidance