Please see below for more information about widening participation summer experiences - please note that the ACU grants and Dialogues on Disability programme are not running this year but we hope they will run in 2024. Details of last year's programmes remain for reference only. We will update this page when we have further details.

Unfortunately, King’s will not be running the Summer Education Abroad Programme in 2023. Widening Participation students interested should certainly consider our range of Global Summer Experiences in combination with the Broadening Horizons Award. We hope to begin to plan a new Summer Education Abroad Programme ready for summer 2024, and will share further information on this here when it is available, mostly likely in late 2023.

Below are presented exciting summer opportunities open to students who meet the King's Widening Participation criteria.

Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) Global Summer School Grants (not available in 2023)

What is it?

The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) offered 20 grants of up to £2,000 each for undergraduate students from ACU member universities in the UK to attend summer schools during summer 2020. Up to two King’s students will be nominated for this award, with a final decision resting with the ACU.

Award and report

The maximum grant amount in 2020 was £2,000. This is to be confirmed for summer 2021. This is intended to contribute to registration fees, travel to and from the summer school, and visa and vaccination costs. Successful applicants are responsible for arranging their own flights, registering for the summer school in question, and making their own visa and vaccination arrangements.

The total cost of flights plus registration fees will exceed £2,000 for some of the summer schools, so applicants should carefully check the costs for each school using a currency converter, such as xe.com.

Successful applicants will be required to submit a short written report about their experience to the ACU within a month of their return.

Eligibility*

Grants are available to students who meet both of these criteria:

• Are registered on an undergraduate course
• Are ordinarily resident in the UK

In addition, students must also meet at least one of the following criteria:

• are in receipt of the King's Living Bursary
• • are in receipt of a means-tested NHS bursary, which has a contribution deduction of up to £1,963 (we will need to see your bursary entitlement letter)
  • have taken part in Realising Opportunities, K+, or a Sutton Trust Summer School (find out more on our Social Mobility & Widening Participation webpages)
  • are mature learners doing their first degrees
  • are care experienced, young carers, or estranged students
  • are holders of the Sanctuary Scholarship
  • are Gypsy, Roma, or Traveller students
  • are students on the Extended Medical Degree Programme or the Enhanced Support Dentistry Programme
  • Be the first person in their family to go to university
  • Be a care leaver

* If you are unsure if you are eligible to apply, please email studyabroad@kcl.ac.uk.

Where could I go?

In the application form, you will be asked to pick a first choice and an optional second choice of summer school. Please note that the dates, content, and costs of the summer schools vary, and all details can be found on the ACU Host Universities webpage.

The available options are as follows:

• Christ University
• Daffodil International University
• Kyambogo University
• Lovely Professional University
• Nanyang Technological University
• NSBM Green University Town
• Queen’s University
• SRM Institute of Science and Technology
• Stellenbosch University – General Elective Programme
• Stellenbosch University – Doing Business in Southern Africa
• Stellenbosch University – Learning, Sustainability and Community Engagement
• Stellenbosch University – Public Health
• Universiti Putra Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur Summer Business Programme
• Universiti Putra Malaysia - Putra Agriculture Summer School
• University of Auckland
• University of Gibraltar

Due to the current civil unrest in Hong Kong, King's have taken the decision to not send students to Hong Kong in Summer 2020. Please do not select the Chinese University of Hong Kong on the application form. Any applications selecting this institution will not be considered.

How and when to apply

You will need to download and complete this application form, and return it by email (studyabroad@kcl.ac.uk) to the Global Mobility Office. Application deadlines will be updated in January 2021, so please do check back.

Applications will be shortlisted by the Global Mobility Office at King’s using this marking criteria (pdf), and the ACU will then carry out the final round of selections.

Successful candidates will be notified by the beginning of April and will then be required to register for their choice of summer school.

Student experiences

Two King's students attended Stellenbosch University in 2018 through the ACU Summer School Grants. One of these students said:

'My summer school at Stellenbosch was an amazing opportunity! I left having learned a whole lot about South Africa as a nation and place, with a group of new international friends and a desire to see more of the world.'

Also check out the below video which was made by Meran Annalingham who also received the ACU Summer School Grant and attended Stellenbosch University's summer programme. Meran graduated form King's in 2018 with a BSc in Political Economy.

Further information

For more information, please contact the Global Mobility Office.

Download the ACU Summer School Scholarships application here.

Please note this programme is not running in 2023

The purpose of the initiative

This is a fully funded programme for disabled students at King’s that aims to share knowledge around educational, cultural, political and social aspects of disability through different cultural contexts. The programme explores support for disabled people, and the role of Higher Education Institutions, NGO’s, government and industry in ensuring inclusion. This year’s programme will have particular focus on developing – Inclusive teaching & learning strategies.

Participants will actively contribute to the development of new policies and take part in a week long programme of discussion groups, tours, workshops and interactive sessions with students from other countries including Brazil, Mexico and Germany at Humboldt University in vibrant Berlin. One of the first programmes of its kind in the world, this is a fantastic opportunity to share and explore global perspectives on disability and build long term relationships with students from across the globe

Established in 2013 the programme has previously included participants from King’s, the Delhi University (India), the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Humboldt University (Germany) and Federal University of ABC (Brazil). The 2018 programme follows a successful visit by students from India, Germany, Brazil and the UK to Mexico City in 2017. (News story)

Download the APPLICATION FORM and send it to studyabroad@kcl.ac.uk once completed.

Eligibility

The opportunity is open to all disabled students currently studying at King’s. For more details, please see the FAQs below.

Key Dates

Please check this page in early 2021 for updated information on deadlines and information sessions.

FAQs

Am I eligible to apply?

This programme is open to all disabled students currently studying at King’s. Students must be enrolled on a King’s undergraduate or postgraduate course at the time of application. Successful applicants will be required to provide evidence of their disability, long term medical or mental health condition or specific learning difficulty in order to take part in the programme. This is to ensure that the staff supporting the programme are fully aware of the impact your disability may have on your engagement with the programme, can discuss the appropriate support requirements to aid participation and liaise with the host institution to ensure your specific needs are able to be met. If you have particular support needs and would like to discuss whether these can be supported by the host Institution before you begin the application process, please contact disability@kcl.ac.uk.

What is the application process?

Should you require support at any stage of the application process please email studyabroad@kcl.ac.uk and someone will be able to assist.

Please complete the application form available here. If you prefer you can submit a video or podcast of answers to the questions. Please do not exceed the word count guide listed on the form.

Application deadlines and guidance will be updated in early 2021.

How many places are available?

There are a total of four places available on the programme. Two staff will also accompany the group.

What are the selection criteria?

Criteria for an ideal applicant:

• be open to experiencing new cultures

• an active interest in disability issues and the representation of disabled people

• be mature, responsible, and open-minded

• have had limited travel experience

• be able to demonstrate good ambassadorial skills

Students will be judged against the following selection criteria in their applications and at interview:

• Interest and engagement in disability inclusion (20%)

• Character and ambassadorial qualities (20%)

• Cultural sensitivity and curiosity (20%)

• Transformational effect (I.e. how will the programme impact your learning and confidence?) (20%)

• Engagement and leadership (20%)

The selection panel will be made up of members of the Disability Advisory Service, Global Mobility and KCLSU.

How will the candidates be selected if there are more applicants than places?

At the first stage, students will be selected upon the merit of their application in relation to the criteria above. In the second stage, students will be selected against the same criteria at interview.

Is there an induction process?

All successful applicants must attend a pre-departure induction session which will take place in Mid-June. This will be an opportunity to meet the rest of the group and staff that will be accompanying you on the trip. The session will prepare you for your Berlin experience with important information and guidance.

What costs do I have to consider?

The following costs are all covered by the programme and you have to pay nothing for these:

• Flights

• Visas

• Basic travel insurance

• Accommodation

• Group meals

• Airport pickup and drop off in Berlin

• In country transport to planned activities

• Activities and excursions

You will need to cover the cost of:

• Additional travel insurance (if needed)

• Vaccinations

Where will I be staying?

Accommodation is to be confirmed but will be located in central Berlin. Rooms will be allocated upon arrival and you may be expected to share a room with another student of the same gender.

How much spending money will I need?

You will probably need around £100-200 spending money, depending on your lifestyle and preferences.

Can you arrange airport pick-up?

You would need to make your own way to and from the airport in the UK, however transfers will be arranged in Belin from the airport to the accommodation.

How long will the flight be?

Typically flights will take around two hours direct.

What will the climate be like?

August is one of the hotter months in Berlin with average temperatures of 18 degrees C.

Who will accompany King’s students on the trip?

Students will be accompanied by members of the King’s staff from the Disability Advisory Service and Global Mobility. Staff from Berlin will also support you during your visit.

What do I do if I need personal care support?

If you feel that you may need additional personal care support in order to participate, please detail your requirements in the application form. We will work with you and the host institution to determine what support will be possible.

How will I obtain a visa?

If you are not sure whether you will require a visa, please contact Global Mobility for advice. If a visa is required you will be required to complete the relevant online application. King’s will process your completed visa application for you if required. Please Note: You should check your passport’s validity to ensure that it will cover the duration of the programme. It should have at least 2 blank pages and be valid for a minimum of 180 days.

If you would like to discuss any of these opportunities further, please email us at studyabroad@kcl.ac.uk and you can arrange to speak with a member of team via email or MSTeams.

You can find out more about Widening Participation activities on our Social Mobility & Widening Participation webpages.