The World of Words Residential event is organised in collaboration with Christ's College, Cambridge for students who attend UK state schools in Year 12 England/Wales, Year 13 Northern Ireland and S5 in Scotland, to find out more about the University of Cambridge, student life and explore a variety of academic sessions themed around languages, literatures and cultures. There are around 100 places available for this programme.
Applications for 2025 are now closed. Applications for next year's event will open early 2026.
This page contains information on: What's involved; eligibility criteria; and information on nominating students (teachers) or applying for a place (students).
Students can make an individual application (to be accompanied by a teacher reference), and we will also accept direct nominations from teachers. Please see below for full information.
What's Involved?
The programme will take place from 7th-8th April 2025 and involves staying overnight here in Cambridge, during which you will attend various academic sessions exploring languages, literatures and cultures, which will cover subjects perhaps already familiar to you as well as those you are yet to explore. We particularly welcome those who may be interested in more than one possible university course at this stage, or know you are interested in these areas but perhaps have not narrowed down to a specific university degree.
You can expect sessions available on a variety of subjects delivered by experts in their fields, and if selected for the event, you will be able to make a choice of the three academic sessions to attend during your stay. Sessions will be wide-ranging include those exploring literature both from the English-speaking world and others; perhaps an opportunity to explore hieroglyphs; European and Classical languages, their histories, cultures, and beyond. As such, we are looking to identify students with strong backgrounds and interests in languages and/or literature.
You will also have the opportunity to interact with current undergraduate students in these disciplines, to find out more about living and studying at Cambridge, as well as meeting other young people from around the country with similar interests.
How much does it cost?
This event is free to attend, and will include accommodation and meals (dinner on the first night, and breakfast and lunch the following day). You will stay in undergraduate accommodation and have your meals in the same spaces as our own students, providing you with the chance to get a real taste of university life here at Christ's and King's. Travel costs are not included, but students for whom this would be a barrier to participation are encouraged to get in touch, as some financial assistance may be available.
Students who are care-experienced/in local authority care, refugees, and those currently eligible for government-funded free school meals are automatically eligible for financial support for their travel costs.
Top tip: 16-17 railcards get you 50% off fares and often pay for themselves in a couple of journeys, and sometimes even the first one!
Timetable
The schedule for this event typically starts in the early afternoon of Monday 7th April 2025 and the event will finish around 15:30 on Tuesday 8th April 2025.
We are keen to encourage students from all corners of the UK, not just those within a shorter distance of Cambridge, and so you should not let distance put you off as we may be able to offer some additional support. If you would be travelling particularly long distances such that arriving in central Cambridge by early afternoon on the first day will not be possible, we may be able to offer you an additional night of accommodation on Sunday 6 April at Christ's College. This will be included as part of your offer of a place, if selected, and priority for these will be based on travel time/distance (where we have fewer rooms than people who may need them).
The event stay may fall in the school term in some areas, and therefore selected students will need permission to miss school on those days if applicable.
Eligibility Criteria and Selection
To be eligible for this event, all students must:
- Be studying at a UK state school (a school that does not charge fees)
Students at independent schools including on bursaries are not eligible for this event. Home-educated students are welcome to apply, though you still need to meet the other criteria outlined and be able to provide a reference to contact
- Be in Year 12 in England or Wales, Year 13 in Northern Ireland, or S5 in Scotland
- Be studying for academic qualifcations*: such as A-Levels, International Baccalaureate (IB), Highers (planning to progress to Advanced Highers in S6)
- On track/aiming for AAA or higher at A-Level, 776 in the IB at Higher Level (41-42 points overall), or A grades in Highers
*Please note that Applied A-Levels, Level 3 Diplomas/Certificates (such as Criminology) and BTECs are generally not suitable qualifications for applying to Cambridge and therefore will not be accepted as suitable qualifications for this programme (if the student does not also study 3 A-Levels alongside these). You can find out more about entry requirements for Cambridge here. This programme is not suitable for students considering the Foundation Year.
We are looking to identify students with a strong interest and background in languages and/or literature, and so in addition to the above, you should also meet one of the following (1) or (2):
(1) Be currently studying a relevant subject at A-Level, Higher or Higher Level (IB), which might include a language (ancient or modern) or English Literature, or other essay subjects such as Classical Civilisation
(2) Where not currently studying a language or literature subject at A-Level, IB HL or Highers, then strong performance* at GCSE or National 5 in English (Literature) or a modern or ancient language would be expected
*Strong performance to mean having achieved top grades in such subjects
Selection
We are looking to identify students with a strong interest and background in languages and/or literature.
This event does not have strict subject requirements, but last year most of those selected for this programme were studying at least one of:
English Literature, English Language^, a modern or ancient language (e.g. French, Spanish, German, Latin etc.), History, Classical Civilisations or Ancient History, Religious Studies or Philosophy.
^Please note English Language is not suitable for students wishing to study the English Tripos at Cambridge - you will need English Literature (or, Literature & Language combined).
If you are interested in this programme and not currently studying a subject like the above at A-Level, IB HL or Scottish Highers, but believe you are taking an alternative subject that would also be relevant, please contact us for further guidance.
Did you know? Some of our courses at Cambridge don't require specific subjects, so if you are studying non-literature/language subjects at the moment, this does not mean you couldn't apply to a range of such courses for university study, and is why we welcome applications from those with interests in this area and previous strong performance at GCSE or N5.
Places for this event are limited - though large in number! - and as such selection will be made primarily on academic grounds, but widening participation criteria will also be considered, where relevant. In addition, we are particularly keen to identify students with little or no family tradition of higher education, those whose schools don’t send many applicants to Cambridge University, and students who’ve spent any time in care, for example. You can read more about the contextual information Cambridge uses in its undergraduate admissions process here.
Student? How to apply
So you'd like to apply? Great!
Please complete the below application form by 5pm on Monday 10th February 2025. Your chosen teacher will have a slightly later deadline of 11:59pm on Wednesday 12 February 2025 to complete a short supporting reference, but the sooner you submit, the longer they have to complete it! All applications with references received by this deadline will be considered equally, and we hope to confirm places by the evening of Friday 1st March. Late applications will not be considered.
You will hear from us whether you are successful in obtaining a place or not. We strongly encourage you to consider an application if you meet the outlined criteria, even if you are not 100% sure - you don't know unless you give it a go!
If you are selected for a place, we will then send you confirmation and permission forms to confirm acceptance of your place.
Applications for 2025 are now closed. Applications for next year's event will open early 2026.
Teacher? How to Nominate a Student
Whilst students can choose to applying individually, we also welcome teachers to make nominations directly for students they would like to encourage for an opportunity such as this. Teacher nominations need to be received by 5pm on Monday 10th February 2025.
Before making your nomination(s), we do ask that:
- You double check other staff members are not also making (the same) nominations!
- The student you are nominating will be free to attend the event if selected
- You have obtained consent from the student you are nominating, to do so, as you will need to provide some information on their behalf.
If the student is successful in being offered a place for the event, their place is only confirmed upon receipt of the relevant confirmation and permission forms we would send them at that stage.
Separate nomination forms will need to be completed for each student - note that you will need to finish and submit one form before completing the next. If having issues with the form, try an incognito or different browser.
Applications for 2025 are now closed. Applications for next year's event will open early 2026.
Get in Touch
If you have questions about this programme, applying or nominating, please email Ellie at slo@kings.cam.ac.uk.
