Year 12 Residential

• An opportunity to experience what it is like to be a university student
• Spend a night in student accommodation
• Develop essential skills required to be a successful university student
• Collaborate and work with other students on a group project
• Prepare to make the transition from school/college to higher education
• Have a great time!

Please note: there is no academic-led sessions during this residential.

Come along and experience being a student at the University of Leicester, immersing yourself in our campus as well as visiting the historic streets of the city of Leicester.

You’ll have the opportunity to stay in our newest accommodation blocks and experience what it is like to share a kitchen with like-minded students.

If you’re keen to learn all things Leicester, experience student life and meet new friends this is the residential for you!

The full programme will be shared with students ahead of attending the event.

Nothing! Our residential visits are entirely free to participate in, including your accommodation, travel and food!

To be eligible to attend our residential, students must meet the below criteria:

• You must be living permanently in the UK.
• You must have attended a non-selective state school for your secondary education (11-16, non-fee paying school).
• You must be able to be in Leicester by 9.30am on Wednesday 30 July 2025 to attend the first session.
• You must be interested in studying a subject which is currently offered by the University of Leicester at post-18 level.

Priority will be given to students in the following order:

1. Students who meet two or more of the priority criteria.
2. Students who meet one of the below priority criteria and attend one of our partner school or colleges.

Priority criteria (in order of priority)

• You live in a neighbourhood with a high level of multiple deprivation - your postcode must be in quintile 1 or below in the Index of Multiple Deprivation. Find out how to check the IMD quintile of your home postcode.
• You are currently living in or have experienced local authority care for a period of at least three months in the last ten years.
• You would define yourself as being one of the priority engagement groups which include students from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, refugees and children of military families.
• You are in receipt of, or entitled to Pupil Premium and/or discretionary payments/16-19 bursary at school or college.
• You are a Young Adult Carer.
• You are living independently of your parents (for at least the last 6 months) due to situations of family breakdown or 'estrangement'.
• You received free school meals during secondary school.

For each priority criterion you meet, you may need to provide supporting documentary evidence.  

Applications for Summer 2025 are now open. If you are interested in applying please fill out this application form.

Applications will close on Sunday 13 April.

What is the accommodation like?  

At the residential, you will stay in our newest student accommodation. You will get your own bedroom with an ensuite bathroom (This is your own bathroom within your room). You will share the kitchen space with your flatmates which will consist of a small number of fellow attendees and your group mentor who will be around to support the group.  Staff and mentors will consistently be on hand for any support required in the accommodation.  We also have accessible rooms available, please let us know if you have any accessibility requirements so that we can make necessary adjustments.  

Do I get to choose who I stay with in accommodation?  

Rooms will be allocated randomly so you can meet lots of new people across the residential. You do have the option to choose to be in a single or mixed sex flat and, if successful in gaining a place, you will be asked for your preferences.  

What kind of support do I get at the residential? 

Students will be put into a mentor group for the residential. This consists of a small group of residential attendees and two mentors who will support the group. Your mentors will be current students at the University and will be able to support you and answer any questions throughout your time at the residential.  Alongside this, there will be lots of University staff working the residential who you can go to for support.  

What support is available if I need reasonable adjustments?  

We want to ensure every person attending has the best possible experience with us. If successful in gaining a place, you will be asked about any adjustments so we can ensure these are in place for your arrival.  

I’m worried I won’t know anyone at the residential 

Don’t worry! Most students will be in the same boat. On arrival, you will be assigned a group with other attendees and your mentors who will welcome you and support everyone with getting to know each other. The residential will include some icebreakers and fun activities to support you with making friends! Lots of people won’t know each other when they arrive but leave with friends from lots of different schools!  

Will I get to see my parent/carer whilst at the residential? 

During the residential, you won’t be able to see your parent/carer as we like to encourage students to get the most out of their experience and chat to all the new people you will meet! However, in your free time you are able to ring your parents yourself, if you would want to do this. 

What can I expect from the residential sessions? 

Throughout the residential, you will get to take part in a range of sessions focusing on skill development and activities that focus on student life. You will work on a group project across the two days which you will get the opportunity to share at the end of the residential. Don’t worry - this won’t be presenting to everyone and is more of a ‘fair’ style activity to share what you have learnt with small groups at a time.