There are some questions that come up again and again, and while many of them are answered comprehensively in the registration booklet and on the website, it IS a lot of information to sift through, so here you go…

What do i need to bring?

Bring closed toe shoes! These are essential for labs. Also warm clothing and a waterproof jacket if you have one. You will need a little bit of cash, just for free-time activities such as swimming or trips to CadburyWorld.

How do I get to Hands-On Science from the airport?

We meet every flight students arrive on, and we deliver back to every return home flight. It’s free and friendly. Don’t panic!

Do I have to share a room?

Nope. Each student has their own room, which comes with bed linen and two towels for the week. If you think you’ll need more than two, bring your own extras…

Do I have to share a bathroom?

Yup. There are multiple showers etc in each bathroom, and the water heating is pretty good, but you need to be considerate of others…

Can I be on the same floor as my friend?

Of course you can. It helps to let us know who your friend is early on, so when you send in your registration let us know who you’d like to room beside. On the other hand, you’ll make so many new friends in the first five minutes, it won’t be as much of a concern as you might think….

How careful is the supervision? ( this is a parent question…)

Obviously Hands-On Science is mixed, but we recognise that these young people ARE young, and we have been given a huge responsibility to look after them. So we separate boys and girls, there’s supervision on each floor from senior or postgraduate students, and so much to do on any given day the students are VERY TIRED by the end of it. There are heaps of social activities which take into account the wide range of ages and interests of the students attending.

Why didn’t I get the project I wanted?

Each project has a limited number of places, and we allocate on a first-in-best-dressed system. If your application is the fifteenth one for a project that only takes 14, we will have to put you in another of your picks… for some unfortunate people, all of the projects they’ve chosen are already full by the time their registration gets to us. In that case we will work very hard to find space in a project that is closely related to the ones you have chosen. We do try very hard to place everyone satisfactorily!