Year 12 psychology competition: nature and mental health

Video submission and poster showcase
Enter now
Three female psychology students standing on the beach, next to a large rock, looking out to sea on their field trip

Year 12 psychology competition: nature and mental health

Video submission and poster showcase
Enter now

  • Video submission

  • Poster showcase on campus

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Take part in our psychology competition and put your insight, creativity, and curiosity about the human mind to the test. This challenge is open to Year 12 students from schools and colleges across the UK, and the winning team will receive £150 in Amazon gift vouchers and certificates, courtesy of the School of Psychology .
You'll create a two‑minute video exploring the question “how can nature help improve our mental health?” and present a matching poster at our on‑campus showcase.
Whether you choose to draw on psychological research, explore the implications of a key theory, or take a more imaginative approach, this is your chance to show your understanding of psychology and share your ideas with others who are just as curious about how the mind works.
 
The competition question:
How can nature help improve our mental health?
 
. How to enter  
& Timeline
  • You will need to submit your video by: 22 May 2026
  • Finalists will be announced: 12 June 2026
  • You will need to attend the on-campus presentation event on: Friday 26 June 2026 
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Criteria and eligibility

Eligibility 

  • Only current Year 12 students can compete.
  • This competition is open to applicants currently studying at a school or college in the UK.
  • Please see the terms and conditions for the full entry criteria.  
     

Scoring criteria and judging

Videos and presentations will be scored by members of staff in the school of psychology based on the following criteria
  • Strength of the argument 
  • Use of evidence 
  • Clarity and originality of the presentation 
Finalists will be announced: 12 June, 2026 

Terms and conditions

Applications

  • Applicants must fulfil the eligibility criteria at the time of the submission deadline. 
  • Applicants  must be enrolled at a sixth form or further education college in the UK and studying full or part time at the time of the submission deadline. 
  • Shortlisted applicants will need to travel to the University of Plymouth for the on-campus presentation event on Friday 26 June.
     

Submissions: 

  • Submissions must not be shorter than 1 minute or exceed 3 minutes in duration.
  • The judge’s decision is final.
  • Any entries judged by the panel not to have met the given criteria will not be judged.
  • Entries cannot be created using generative artificial intelligence (AI) or plagiarised from any existing body of work.
  • Video formats submissible are .mov and .mp4.
  • Links to files will be accepted if files are too large at submission, please contact office.psy@plymouth.ac.uk.
  • If you have any questions relating to your video submission please contact office.psy@plymouth.ac.uk.
  • Students’ real-world examples cannot include the names of specific people currently living or deceased.
  • The student’s submission must be completely original independent work.
  • All information must be accurate and supported by psychological theory and/or research.
  • Entries must be submitted by 22 May 2026.
  • All contest entrants must read and approve of the terms, conditions, and rules of the contest per the submission form.
  • If a contest entrant is under 18, their parent or legal guardian must also read, approve of, and sign the terms, conditions, and rules of the contest per the submission form.
  • A teacher must also review the competition rules and approve the student submission to ensure the submitted content follows competition rules. This teacher would ideally be a psychology teacher, but any teacher at or outside of the student’s school is eligible for this review.
     

Further information 

Travel assistance may be offered to shortlisted applicants but cannot be guaranteed. If shortlisted, please indicate that you would like help with travel costs.
 
 

Information for teachers

You can register teams of 2–5 students from your school or college. Schools from across the UK are welcome to participate. 
Please note that shortlisted students will need to attend the on‑campus poster showcase at the University of Plymouth on Friday 26 June, where they will present their work to staff, students, and fellow competitors.
This competition offers an excellent opportunity for students to:
  • develop research, communication, and presentation skills
  • gain experience of university‑level thinking
  • engage with academics and explore pathways into Psychology.
Contact us
If you’d like more information, please contact us at outreach@plymouth.ac.uk. 

Event photography and video

Please be aware that some of the University of Plymouth's public events (both online and offline) may be attended by University staff, photographers and videographers, for capturing content to be used in University online and offline marketing and promotional materials, for example webpages, brochures or leaflets. If you, or a member of your group, do not wish to be photographed or recorded, please let a member of staff know.