Year 12 Access and Application Support Programme
Are you in Year 12 and considering making an application to a competitive university? This programme will support you.
On this page
Applications for this year's programme are now closed. Applications for the 2026 programme will open in November 2025.
What's involved?
Through a series of online sessions and an in-person stay in Cambridge, this programme will enable you to get your questions answered, clarify a few myths, and make an informed decision about the university to which you might like to apply and the subjects which you want to study. Overall, the programme should build your confidence to help you make a competitive application to a University of your choice, while helping you to form aspirations for the future. While this programme will include some specific details about the Cambridge application process if, after this programme you decide that Cambridge University isn't for you, the programme will still help provide you with the confidence you need to make a competitive application to another University.
2025's programme was as follows:
| Date | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| w/c 27th January | Weekly tutoring begins | Ten weeks of tutoring delivered by Tutorbility to support participants with their studies (see below for more details) |
| 5th March | Why Cambridge – an introduction (online) | A session to welcome you to the programme, introduce Cambridge University, and explain the collegiate system |
| 12th March | Cambridge and University Myth Busting (online) | A session to dispel some of the common myths associated with Cambridge using real life experiences from our students |
| 19th March | Applying to Cambridge (online) | Details about the application process for Cambridge and what to consider now |
| 9th-10th April | Visit to Cambridge | An opportunity to visit King’s College and experience college life with an overnight stay, as well as a Personal Statement workshop and in-person academic sessions. Current students will be on hand to answer any questions and participants will also experience a night in College accommodation. |
Tutoring
For the 2025 programme, we again partnered with Tutorbility to provide participants with tutoring to support their A Level studies.
Founded by King's alumnus Chinedum Franklin Okolo, Tutorbility is an educational company with a team of students tutors from Oxford, Cambridge and Russell Group institutions who provide tailored tutoring and education consultancy services. The mission of Tutorbility is to guide ambitious learners towards their dream universities and future careers by using tutors who were recently in the same shoes as our prospective students and achieved stellar academic records with As and A*s. With a steadfast commitment to personalised and relatable support, they share the keys to academic success, igniting the potential of the next generation.
Through Tutorbility, we are able to provide participants with tutoring for ten weeks to support their A Level studies in a subject of their choice. Participants will receive one hour of tutoring per week.
How much does it cost?
This programme is free to attend, and the in-person stay will include accommodation and meals. Support with travel costs is available to those participants eligible for Free School Meals. Students who are not eligible for Free School Meals but for whom cost would be a barrier to participation are encouraged to get in touch, as some financial assistance may be available on a discretionary basis.
Where will the event take place?
The programme will take place online, ending with an in-person stay at King's College, Cambridge.
Eligibility criteria and selection
To be eligible for this programme, you must be:
- At a state school within the King's College Link Area in the North East of England. This includes schools in Darlington, Durham, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Northumberland, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees, East Yorkshire, Kingston-upon-Hull, and York. If you are unsure if your school is included, please do get in touch.
- In Year 12
- Predicted / on track for AAB or higher at A Level (or equivalent at IB)
We hope to offer this programme to as many people as possible; however, in the event of oversubscription, we will prioritise students to whom the following applies (in accordance to the King's College Widening Participation Strategy):
- Living in care or care leavers
- Eligible for Free School Meals
- BAME background
- Living in POLAR4 quintile 1 and 2
- Living in IMD quintile 1 and 2
- No parents with background of higher education
How to apply
Applications for this year's programme are now closed. Applications for the 2026 programme will open in November 2025.
