Upcoming Girton College Outreach Events
Join us for enriching masterclasses, immersive taster days, engaging talks, and exciting events. Experience hands-on learning, connect with like-minded individuals, and be inspired by thought-provoking discussions and activities.
These events provide a dynamic and supportive environment for personal and professional growth, whether you're a school student, teacher, or parent/supporter.
If you are a school in our Link Area hosting a HE/Careers Fair or a Parent's Evening and would like a representative from Girton to attend, please contact us on access@girton.cam.ac.uk.
Modern Languages Taster Day Competition
Following on from our taster day, held Wednesday 15 October 2025, students were invited to write a short paragraph in their chosen language about their experience. Congratulations to Jasmine, who won a £50 National Book Token for their entry in German:
Der Tag war sehr spannend, und es war eine tolle Möglichkeit, mehr zu erfahren über Sprachen, Girton College und das Studium in der Universität.
Was ich interessant und unerwartet fand, war die Wichtigkeit von Bilder, Fotos, und Filmen. Eine Sprache zu studieren ist auch eine Kultur (oder verschiedene) zu studieren, und am Taster-Tag war es was Neues für mich, ein deutsches Plakat von der dritten Reich zu sehen und nachzudenken: wie hat das die Geschichte beeinflusst? Was sind die Themen, die man hinter die Farben und Wörter sehen kann? Ich verstand, dass solche Frage eine wichtige Rolle spielen. Wie Wittgenstein gesagt hatte, die Grenzen meiner Sprache bedeuten die Grenzen meiner Welt. Es ist also fazinierend, sie zu ändern und verbreitern, durch das Studium einer andere Sprache.
Es war auch motivierend, so viele andere junge Leute zu treffen, mit gleiche Interesse. Manchmal hatte ich die Idee, dass ich fast die Eine war, um mich für Sprachen zu interessieren – der Girton-Tag hat mich gezeigt, dass die keineswegs richtig war. Ich fand es gut, mit anderen über Sprache zu reden, und ich habe auch mein Deutsch und Französich geübt.
Zum Schluss, habe ich viel gelernt und es war einfach ein Höhepunkt meines Jahres.
Third Party Programmes or Initiatives
If your programme or charity would be interested in working with Girton College, please complete our short form for your request to be considered.
In-person events
Our next in-person events are the University Open Days on Thursday 9 and Friday 10 July. You can find further information on Girton's offerings here.
Monday 12 October 2026
This day is open to bookings from our Link Area schools in the West Midlands (Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull and Wolverhampton) and Cambridgeshire (Cottenham Village College, Northstowe Secondary College and Swavesey Village College).*
The day will include a tour of the College from our Student Ambassadors, talks from our Senior Admissions Tutor, and subject-specific masterclasses from our own academics.
We are happy to either fund your coach travel up to £500 or reimburse mileage if using your own minibus, as well as offer lunch.
Please get in touch via email if you would like to secure your space. Please note there is a maximum of 20 students per school.
*If you are a Camden schoool, please refer to the Girton/Camden Scheme.
Languages and Culture - Wednesday 14 October 2026
Music - Thursday 15 October 2026
Girton College is hosting Taster Days in October and they are open to students for the 2026-2027 academic year. The nomination form will be advertised at the start of September.
Teachers can nominate up to 3 students. In allocating places, we will consider the teacher’s recommendation as well as widening participation criteria and contextual data. Students must make their own way to and from Girton College. We regret we do not have space for parents, teachers, or supporters to remain during the day. Refreshments and lunch will be provided.
Students in mainstream schools should normally be on track to achieve A*AA at A level (or equivalent) if in Year 12, or to achieve grade 7 or above in at least 5 GCSEs if in Year 11.
Languages and Culture - Priority will be given to Year 11 students, but students in Years 10 and 12 are welcome to apply and will be allocated spaces subject to availability.
Music - Open to Year 11 and 12 students. Students should be engaging with academic music at an appropriate level, either through GCSE or A level Music or music theory exams.
Online events
- Ever wondered what it takes to really live with your environment?
- Keen to explore what inspired William Wordsworth, Charles Darwin, Claude Monet, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and Greta Thunberg to understand the world around them?
- How can our shared ground be understood through an interdisciplinary lens, combining both STEM and Arts subjects?
Girton: Shared Ground is a brand-new programme open to students in the UK in Year 12/ S5 in Scotland/ Y13 in Northern Ireland. The webinars are open to students from all school backgrounds, but students with widening participation flags will be prioritised for the residential. The programme consists of 3 webinars, resulting in a residential for selected students at Girton College, 24-26 August 2026. Successful students will have the opportunity to take part in academic lectures, visit museums across Cambridge, and present at a symposium.
This programme explores the varied perspectives taken on how to most effectively harbour a relationship with our environment. Girton, set amongst 50 acres of natural woodlands, orchards and wildlife habitats, offers the perfect collegiate space to think and an environment in which to thrive. Now more than ever, students should be expanding their skillset to become adaptable to the ever-changing conversations around our planet, through science, linguistics, geography, literature, and engineering.
This programme works with students to build and practise those skills, mapping them onto real examples for the upcoming Cambridge admissions process:
- How to critically read texts
- Advice on how to find super-curricular resources
- Tips on understanding reading lists
- What is an abstract, and how do I write one?
- Q&A with current Cambridge students
Students must be on track to receive A*AA or equivalent to attend the webinars. All webinars will take place via Zoom and will not be recorded. Upon completing this form, you will be sent a link to the first webinar on Wednesday 3 June. For the remaining two webinars, links will be sent out 1 week before.
Webinars will take place on the following dates:
Monday 8 June, 17:30-18:30 (UK time)
Monday 22 June, 17:30-18:30 (UK time)
Tuesday 7 July, 17:30-18:30 (UK time)
Registrations have now closed.
Wider University events
All up-to-date information on events organised by the central University team and Colleges can be found here.
Cambridge Subject Masterclasses
Curious about university life and keen to explore your subject choices? Our Cambridge Subject Masterclasses are the perfect opportunity to go beyond the school curriculum and explore what it’s like to study your favourite subject at one of the world’s leading universities.
Masterclasses are designed for students in Year 12 (S5 for Scotland, Year 13 for NI, international grade 10 or 11, or equivalent) and mature students. Both UK and international students are welcome to attend.
Further information can be found on the webpage.
Keep an eye on this page for details of events run by the University of Cambridge's Departments!
Gonville and Caius College
Caius Explore
Caius Explore | Gonville & Caius
Caius Explore is now live! This is a supercurricular challenge for students in Year 12 that covers a range of subjects. Each subject sets a task, and entries can be essays, videos, podcasts, and so much more! Go to our webpage for more information and to upload your entry via Qualtrics. Your entry will be read by a Cambridge academic, who will choose their favourite authors to come to Caius for a celebration day! During the day, Caius Explore students will have the chance to meet current Cambridge students, Directors of Studies within their subject area, and have lunch in college.
Deadline for entries: July 26th 2026
King's College
Entrepreneurship Essay Competition
The 2026 Entrepreneurship Essay Competition, run by the King’s Entrepreneurship Lab (E Lab) at King’s College, University of Cambridge, is now open to UK students in Years 11–13/S4-S6/Years 12-14 NI. The competition is free to enter and designed to encourage students from all backgrounds to explore entrepreneurial thinking and consider higher education pathways.
Students are invited to submit a 1,000-word essay in response to one of four questions:
- How do personal experiences and social context shape entrepreneurial thinking?
- Can failure be a strength in entrepreneurship?
- What responsibilities do entrepreneurs have beyond profit?
- How do constraints shape entrepreneurial creativity?
We are especially keen to reach students who may not traditionally see themselves as “entrepreneurial” or who have not previously considered applying to Oxbridge. The competition welcomes students from all subject backgrounds and encourages the use of local, community based, or personal examples.
Key details:
- Deadline: 5 August 2026 (9pm)
- Prizes: £1,500 (winner), £750 (two runners-up)
- Additional recognition: Shortlisted/Highly Commended certificates
- Prize-giving: King’s College, Cambridge (December 2026)
Full details (including essay guidance and past winning entries) can be found here: Essay Competition — King's Entrepreneurship Lab
Newnham College
Akhawaat Access Conference 2026
Newnham College’s Akhawaat Society is holding an Access Conference for Muslim women in Y12 on 17th August 2026. Designed for those interested in applying to Cambridge and other Russell Group universities, this event will include a workshop and Q&A run by Muslim students currently studying at Newnham. Participants will also attend an Admissions workshop and tour of Newnham. Lunch will be included, as well as the cost of travel for those eligible for Free School Meals.
This event is open to UK students in Y12 (or equivalent) who identify as a Muslim woman. There are 40 places available for this event. In the case of oversubscription, academic and widening participation criteria will be applied to prioritise places.
Applicants should complete this form by 10:00am on Monday 20th July.
On the 3rd, 4th and 5th of August 2026 (10am-12pm each day), the Cambridge Institute of Medical Research (CIMR) is running an online event called Reaching Research aimed at students in Years 12 and 13 (or equivalent) interested in studying medicine, biomedical sciences, biochemistry, biology etc. at university.
Reaching Research will consist of:
- Several talks from biomedical scientists at different stages of their careers.
- A lab experiment carried out in CIMR.
- Information about university admissions.
Speakers include PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and group leaders. Scientists will discuss their career background, current research topic and advice to students considering careers in science.
We will also have a quiz with Amazon vouchers to be won!
The event is aimed at students in Y12 and 13 (or equivalent) attending state schools, with priority given to students who meet one or more of our additional criteria detailed on our website.
To find out more and apply for a place please look at our website: