Link Area Access Programme
Are you in Year 12, at a school in the King's College Link Area, 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 open! Information about how to apply can be found at the bottom of this page. The deadline for applications is 5pm on Monday 5th January 2026
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.
The 2026 programme will be as follows:
| Date | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| w/c 26th January | Weekly tutoring begins | Ten weeks of tutoring delivered by Tutorbility to support participants with their studies (see below for more details) |
| 4th March | Online session | An online session designed to help develop your academic skills, helping to bridge the gap between school and university level study |
| 11th March | Online session | An online session designed to help develop your academic skills, helping to bridge the gap between school and university level study |
| 18th March | Online session | An online session designed to help develop your academic skills, helping to bridge the gap between school and university level study |
| 13th-15th April | Visit to Cambridge | An opportunity to visit King’s College and experience college life with an overnight stay, with a range of academic sessions helping you to further develop your academic skills. The residential will also include sessions on applying to Cambridge, Super Curriculars and Personal Statements, and Interviews. Current students will be on hand to answer any questions and participants will experience two nights in College accommodation. |
Tutoring
For the 2026 programme, we again partnered with Tutorbility to provide participants with tutoring to support their A Level studies and develop their academic skills.
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
- Be studying for academic qualifications* such as A Levels, or International Baccalaureate (IB)
- Predicted / on track for A*AA or higher at A Level (or equivalent at IB)
*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 three 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 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 order of priority (in accordance to the King's College Widening Participation Strategy):
- Care-Experienced Students or Forced Migrants
- Eligible for Free School Meals
- Estranged Students
- Young Carer
- From an Underrepresented Ethnic Group
- 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 open! To apply, please complete this application form.
The deadline to apply is 5pm on Monday 5th January 2026. All applications with references received by this deadline will be considered equally; late applications will not be considered.
Please note that the application form asks for the details of a teacher who can provide a reference to support your application, so ensure you allow sufficient time for your chosen teacher to also complete the reference form.
If you are selected, we will then send you confirmation and permission forms to confirm acceptance of your place.
