DofE Award Conditions

To complete a DofE programme the following 20 conditions must be met:

Enjoy your expedition!

  1. Your expedition must be by your own physical effort, without any motorised or outside assistance.*
  2. Your expedition must be unaccompanied and self-sufficient.
  3. Your expeditions must be supervised by an adult who is able to accept responsibility for the safety of you and your team.
  4. Your expedition must have an aim.
  5. You must be properly equipped for your expedition.
  6. You must have completed the required training and practice expeditions.
  7. At least one practice expedition must be undertaken at each level of the programme, in the same mode of travel in a similar environment to the qualifying expedition.
  8. You and your team must plan and organise your expedition.
  9. You must be assessed by an approved accredited Assessor to the DofE.
  10. There must be between four and seven people in your team (eight people may be in a team for modes of travel which are tandem).*
  11. You must be within the qualifying age of the DofE programme level.
  12. Participants must be at the same level of assessment.*
  13. Your team must not include anyone who has completed the same or higher level DofE expedition.*
  14. Your overnight accommodation should be camping.
  15. Your expedition must be the minimum number of days required for your DofE level.
  16. Your expedition should normally take place between the end of March and the end of October.
  17. Your expedition should be in the recommended environment for your DofE level.
  18. You must do the minimum hours of planned daily activity for your DofE level.
  19. You should cook and eat a substantial meal each day.
  20. You must create and deliver a presentation after your expedition to complete the section.

Don’t forget that all your team must meet these conditions!

If you or one of your group has individual needs that mean one or more of the above conditions cannot be met, don’t worry! It is possible to apply for a variation to these conditions to enable you or them to participate in a DofE expedition.  Simply chat to the A to Z Expeditions team and we will advise you of what is possible.