The programme sends all the information to the Students' Union or JCR (Junior Common Room) of each institution, including application forms to be completed by each team.

The producers encourage all the universities and university colleges to apply for the programme, and all teams who apply are asked to sit a test paper. The twenty-eight teams with the top scores in that test are the ones who will appear on the series each year.

The shows are recording at ITV's studios in Manchester. There are thirty-one shows in a series, and they will usually be recorded in three blocks, the first in June, the second in July and the third in October.

It doesn't cost teams anything to take part. There is no entry fee, and their travel expenses and hotel accommodation will be paid for by the programme.

The only prize is a trophy, which the winning team keep for a year before handing it on the next champions. No cash prizes are offered at all, and everyone is proud that the students compete just for the fun of it, and for the honour of their university.

The series transmits on BBC2, usually from September to April.

Unfortunately, ITV does not usually distribute copies of the programme on VHS. Probably the easiest way to obtain a copy is to persuade a friend in the UK to make an off-air recording for you.

Jeremy Paxman is the currently presenter. He is generally regarded as the UK's foremost television journalist, and is also the main presenter of Newsnight, the UK's leading current affairs programme. Jeremy's predecessor as University Challenge presenter was Bamber Gascoigne, a journalist, author and broadcaster who hosted the show from 1962 to 1987.