Corpus Christi College University of Cambridge Pelican Programme
Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge
Create a free account to applyExplore your chosen subject in small online groups of up to 10, meeting fortnightly with a subject expert. Build discussion, analytical thinking and comprehension through set pre-reading, then celebrate completing the programme at a residential event at Corpus.
The Pelican Programme is a sustained super-curricular programme run by Corpus Christi College, University of Cambridge, for students who are aiming for highly selective universities and want to explore their chosen subject in greater depth. It brings together a range of subject-specific streams, including English, History, Law, Languages, Philosophy, the Physical Sciences, Psychology, and more.
Students take part in small online discussion groups of no more than 10 participants, meeting once a fortnight with a subject expert. Sessions use set pre-reading to build discussion, oracy, analytical thinking and comprehension skills, with the Physical Sciences stream placing particular emphasis on problem solving and linking scientific ideas together.
The programme also includes a residential celebration event at Corpus for students who complete it. Entry is by teacher nomination rather than self-application, and students must meet the programme’s academic and widening-participation criteria, with some streams carrying additional subject-specific requirements.
12 November 2026
27 November 2026
2027 programme
Location
- Must be in Year 12, or Year 13/S5 in Northern Ireland/Scotland.
- Must be on course for A*AA or higher, or A*A*A or higher for the Physical Sciences and Psychological and Behavioural Sciences streams.
- Must attend a UK maintained state school or be home-educated in the UK.
- Must meet at least one widening-participation criterion.
- For the Physical Sciences stream, only students who identify as female or nonbinary may apply.
- For the Physical Sciences stream, students must be studying Maths, Chemistry and/or Physics at A level.
- For the Physical Sciences stream, priority will be given to students who study both Chemistry and Physics.
- For the Psychological and Behavioural Sciences stream, students must be studying either Maths, Chemistry, or Biology at A level.
- For the Classics stream, a 7 in any language at GCSE or equivalent is required.
- For the Classics stream, students who have an A level language will be prioritised.
- Schools may nominate as many students per stream as they like, but only one student per school per stream will be selected.
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