How to make your application to study bakery at degree level stand out from the crowd
If you’ve ever dreamed of turning your creativity and love of food into a career, a bakery degree could be the start of something amazing. Whether you want to work in an existing bakery or set up your own venture, our foundation degree in patisserie technology is perfect.
Here are three key things that can make your UCAS application stand out.
1. Show that you’re passionate about the course
A genuine love for baking goes a long way. Universities aren’t looking for the next celebrity pastry chef, they’re looking for people who care about the craft and want to grow.
Your passion might show through:
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Baking at home for fun
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Experimenting with recipes or decorating techniques
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Following bakers, chefs or food trends online
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Watching baking competitions or tutorials
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Taking part in school or community food events
It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been baking for years or you only recently fell in love with patisserie, what matters is that spark of excitement and curiosity.
2. Be eager and enthusiastic to learn
A great bakery student is someone who turns up excited to try new things, ready to learn from mistakes and willing to push themselves creatively.
You can demonstrate this enthusiasm by:
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Talking about what you want to learn on the course
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Showing you’re open to new skills, techniques and styles
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Mentioning times you’ve practiced, improved or explored something new
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Highlighting your commitment to developing as an artist and a baker
Your attitude is just as important as your ability. Tutors love applicants who are motivated, upbeat and ready to get stuck in.
3. Mention any experience you have, but don’t worry if you don’t have much yet!
Work experience in a café, bakery or kitchen is great to mention, but it’s not essential, and it definitely isn’t a barrier. We welcome students from all sorts of backgrounds.
If you don’t have any direct experience, try to draw from the experience you do have. For example,
- Have you worked a part-time job that has helped you with timekeeping and balancing multiple workloads (valuable skills for a baker!)
- Perhaps you already study on a creative course such as hair and beauty or art and design, and you feel you can translate your artistic skills into baking
- Good at maths? This could benefit you in scaling up recipes and figuring out your profit margins if you want to run your own business some day
So whether you’ve decorated cakes as a hobby, worked part-time in hospitality, or simply experimented at home, include it - but don’t worry if your experience is limited. Your potential matters more than your past.