When our MMLL students spend time in a country where the language they are studying is spoken, they not only benefit only from linguistic immersion but also gain valuable insights into how different societies work and the ability to navigate different cultures. This kind of learning both enriches their academic preparation for Tripos and extends far beyond it.

With the support of the Chaffield Shaw Trust, Robinson has established a fund to provide grants for our MMLL students to participate in projects or activities abroad. These experiences will help students to achieve their full potential in examinations; they will also enhance their understanding of different cultural perspectives and their capacity to contribute meaningfully to different societies. The Chaffield Shaw MML Support Fund currently makes around £5,500 of grants each year to support Robinson language students on immersion projects (and, for specific students only, courses in their languages of study).

Funding will be considered for any type of project, provided it brings students into direct contact with the language, culture and society of one of their Tripos languages. For example, a project might involve an internship or volunteer position at a recognized charity (only officially recognized charities will be considered) or participation in a research project or a university/community programme. While projects can include English teaching, this should only constitute a minor component, as the primary context must involve predominant use of the foreign language. Moreover, the project should meet one or more of the fund’s three key objectives which are that it:

a)    present an intellectual challenge. 
b)    offer cultural immersion; and/or 
c)    have a social impact.

Such projects can be undertaken during the Easter or Summer vacation of a student’s first year of study, or during the Summer vacation of their second year. However, for second-year students, the project must be distinct from and conducted in a different location than their Year Abroad placement.

Projects should have a duration of between two and four weeks. For applications for summer projects, priority may be given to projects of longer than two weeks. Projects longer than four weeks may be undertaken, but financial support will only be provided for a maximum of four weeks.

There is no set maximum grant amount per project. Each project will be evaluated based on a "value-for-budget-costs" principle. In essence, the project should demonstrate good value for money, and its budget should not include inflated or unnecessary expenses. If more high-quality applications are received in a given year than expected, the fund administrators may request that students cover a modest portion of the costs and/or give priority to first-time applicants to the fund.

Additionally, the fund may be used to cover the cost of languages courses that are mandatory for the MMLL Tripos—for example, for Russian and German ab initio students.

Please access the application form here and send the completed version by email to Ms Keisha Sharp (ks610@cam.ac.uk) in the Tutorial Office.  For any queries about the fund or volunteering overseas contact Dr Rebecca Fell (rf10005@cam.ac.uk).

NB The deadline for projects occurring in the Easter vacation is 30 October of the preceding calendar year; and for those occurring in the Summer vacation, 1 January of the year in which the activity will take place.

Guide for Robinson Students wishing to practice languages through volunteering overseas.