Skip to main content

Wordsworth Trust

Dates:
Winter: January–April
Spring–Summer: May–August
Fall: August–December
Application Deadline: Applications accepted year-round

The Wordsworth Trust, one of the premiere literary heritage sites in the UK, offers 14-week unpaid internships to four BYU undergraduates per year in the picturesque Lake District village of Grasmere. The Trust’s properties include Dove Cottage, the home where William and Dorothy Wordsworth wrote many of their most famous works; the Jerwood Centre, a research library with an unrivaled collection of manuscripts, rare books, and landscape art related to the Wordsworths, their period, and the region; the recently redesigned Wordsworth Museum; and adjacent visitor sites. Rotating among various assignments, interns work with library collections, manage research projects, lead tours, and help staff the museum and gift shop. In their free time, they socialize with other interns and trainees (many of whom are recent college graduates from the UK), explore the Lake District, and complete BYU coursework. These varied experiences allow student interns to acquire expertise in Romantic-era literature, history, and culture; transferable skills working in museum, archival, and heritage settings; and 12 hours of academic credit, 6 of which can count toward the English major.

Click here to apply today!

data-content-type=""

Contact Us

Paul Westover

4149 JFSB
(801) 422-3048
paw@byu.edu

PDF

Program Flyer

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= overrideTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection= overrideCardHideByline= overrideCardHideDescription= overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= overrideTextAlignment=

More Information

Pencil and paper BIG-01.svg

Courses

Students will enroll in the following courses while on this program:

Interns receive 12 academic credits, which during spring–summer post as 6 hours per term.

English majors generally earn ENGL 399R—Academic Internship (9 credit hours, 3 of which fulfill the major’s English+ requirement).
*This course is required to receive funding from the Department of Humanities.

ENGL 300R—British Literature in a Cultural Setting (3 credit hours)

Other course combinations (e.g., ENGL 384R) are possible according to individual needs.

Students may not take any other courses on this program, including BYU Online courses, without approval by the program director and ISP.
moneystack NAVY BIGsvg-01.svg

Cost

$3,248

Includes Latter-day Saint, undergraduate full tuition (increased cost for grads and non–Latter-day Saint students), housing at the Trust, international health insurance, administrative expenses, and processing fees for a UK visa.

Does not include airfare, other travel expenses, meals, or personal expenses. With these additional costs, students generally spend approximately $6,000–7,000 total (before scholarships, stipends, and other forms of financial aid are applied).
Scroll NAVY BIG-01.svg

Funding Sources

Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell Grants, and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to study abroad programs.

Students who submit the financial aid section of the ISP application and who have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB) will be considered for a Study Abroad scholarship.

Academic departments and colleges may assist with scholarships and grants.

Although this is an unpaid internship, resourceful students often find ways to make it affordable. BYU scholarships and federal financial aid may be applied toward the program’s cost. English majors and others with a major in the College of Humanities qualify for experiential education stipends of $1,500–$2,500, depending on financial need (https://english.byu.edu/apply-internship-funding/). Interns sponsored by the library receive a $2,000 HBLL scholarship and may apply for additional funding through their department or college. Other potential funding sources include Humanities mentored learning grants, the English Department’s Wordsworth Fund, the Kennedy Center’s Global Opportunity Scholarships, and Honors thesis grants.

Private grants and scholarships outside of BYU may also assist (see kennedy.byu.edu/scholarships).
Backpack NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Preparation

Accepted students should plan to take the 1-credit-hour HCOLL 396R (Internship Preparation) class during the second block of the fall or winter semester prior to their internship.

Students must meet all country- and program-specific COVID and health requirements for travel.
House NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Housing

As part of the program cost, BYU students live in a private, furnished bedroom in an on-site house at the Trust. Internet and utilities are included, and students share a bathroom, kitchen, and commons area with other interns.
Plane NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Travel

Students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare to and from the program sites. Airline reservations must be made through BYU Travel. Students should contact a BYU Travel agent.

BYU Travel
280 HRCB
(801) 422-6293
travel@byu.edu
Check mark NAVY BIG-01.svg

Application Process

Students must be 18 years of age or older to participate.

Positions are filled up to a year in advance as qualified and committed applicants come forward. Since there are no set deadlines, interested students should contact Paul Westover well in advance of when they would prefer to intern. After meeting with Paul Westover, promising candidates will be asked to submit an application consisting of three items:

1. A professional CV (or résumé)
2. Contact info for two professors (preferably in literature or related fields) and at least one former employer
3. A letter of application addressed to the Wordsworth Trust

After receiving applications, the Wordsworth Trust generally arranges online interviews with qualified candidates. Students should complete an official ISP application (which includes a non-refundable $35 processing fee) only after receiving an offer from the Wordsworth Trust.

Complete the online application here. A nonrefundable $35 application fee is required; applicants will be interviewed once the application is complete.

Students will be notified via e-mail of their acceptance into the program. The first payment is due upon acceptance; please refer to the Payment Information page.
Gears NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Program Adjustments

International Study Programs (ISP) reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost.

If it becomes necessary for ISP to cancel a program, all program payments made to BYU ISP will be refunded to the student’s BYU Financial account.

ISP is the only office authorized to cancel any of its programs.
Faculty NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Faculty

English Faculty:

Nick Mason, Professor of British Romanticism
4107 JFSB
(801) 422-4617
nick_mason@byu.edu

Paul Westover, Professor of British Romanticism
4149 JFSB
(801) 422-3048
paw@byu.edu

Library Faculty

Maggie Kopp
(801) 422-6276
maggie_kopp@byu.edu

John Murphy
(801) 422-6370
john_m_murphy@byu.edu
Phone NAVY-BIG-23.svg

Contact Us

International Study Programs
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu
Book NAVY-BIG-21.svg

ISP Student Handbook

To see the student handbook, click here.
Calendar NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Payment Schedule

To see the payment schedule, click here.