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.
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 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 are now open and students can sign up here. Registrations close on 1 June.
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.
Anglo-Saxon, Norse & Celtic Studies
If you are interested and are considering applying for a place from October 2027 you are warmly invited to our Open Day on Wednesday 1st July 2026.
The teaching staff will describe the courses they provide, the kinds of materials studied, the range of choices the Tripos offers, and the kinds of employment our graduates move into. There will be opportunities to put questions to staff and current students and to ask advice about application procedures for both prospective students and accompanying parents. A visit to a College Library to view Anglo‑Saxon and other medieval manuscripts will follow the presentations.
The event will begin at 12.15pm. On arrival, those attending should gather in the Social Space on the Ground Floor of the Faculty of English building, 9 West Road, Cambridge. There will be no charge for attendance, and a buffet lunch will be provided. The presentations will end by 4.00pm and the library visit by 5.00pm. We regret that it is impossible for us to provide overnight accommodation. Details of accommodation in Cambridge are available from the Tourist Information Centre: www.visitcambridge.org.
Anyone wishing to attend the Open Day should complete the form below by Monday 22nd June 2026.
If you have any questions, please get in touch: outreach@asnc.cam.ac.uk
Archaeology
Discover what it’s like to study Archaeology at Cambridge.
Interested in the human past and want to find out what that means at Cambridge? Do you enjoy history, art, language or science? Join us for a series of online webinars with taster lecturers from the Department of Archaeology.
The BA (Hons) Archaeology at Cambridge is made up of four subject areas: Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, Assyriology and Egyptology.
Each webinar will consist of an introduction to the subject area, a 30-minute taster lecture and a Q&A with a Cambridge academic.
All sessions will take place on Zoom on Wednesday evenings from 5-6pm (UK Time). Sessions and dates are as follows:
- Archaeology Track – 3rd June
- Biological Anthropology Track – 10th June
- Egyptology Track – 17th June
- Assyriology Track – 24th June
The deadline to sign up is midday on Monday 1 June 2026.
Who can attend?
These webinars are open to students aged 13 and above. We particularly welcome attendees from Year 11 or 12 (England and Wales), Year 12 or 13 (Northern Ireland), S4 or S5 (Scotland) or equivalent. Students currently studying at international schools are also very welcome to attend.
If the webinar is oversubscribed, we will prioritise those participants who are under-represented at the University of Cambridge.
Sign up here: https://cambridge.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0JMUzJWbHNU7zDM
Computer Science
The Women in Computer Science Residential is an opportunity to meet other Year 12 students who share an interest in Computer Science and to experience what life is like as a Cambridge Computer Scientist.
During the residential, you’ll explore Trinity Hall, meet current Computer Science students, attend talks, and take part in hands‑on workshops designed to give you real insight into studying Computer Science at Cambridge.
Applications close Sunday 24 May 2026. To find out more and apply, see https://www.cst.cam.ac.uk/women-in-cs-residential.
Music
The Cam Choral Experience
For singers aged 11-18 and provides a day of activities designed to give secondary-school students a taste of what singing at Cambridge might be like, as well as promoting music and singing more generally.
The morning consists of vocal workshops, repertoire sessions, and admissions talks. In the afternoon there is a chance to take a walking tour of Cambridge and the colleges with current student singers (plenty of time to ask questions about what it’s really like to sing at Cambridge!), followed by a final rehearsal and performance to friends and family in one of Cambridge’s magnificent college chapels.
The day is free-of-charge to all participants.
The 2026 Cam Choral Experience will take place on 27 June (for school years 7 to 9) and 28 June (for school years 10 to 13). Applications will close on 31 May.
https://www.cmp.cam.ac.uk/opportunities/entry/cam-choral-experience/
The Cambridge Organ Experience
A FREE day for young musicians aged 11-14, and is an opportunity to meet organists from a number of Cambridge colleges, as well the chance to play several of the magnificent instruments around the city, to chat to current students and directors of music, to hear a short recital, and to ask as many questions as you like!
The day runs from 10:00 to 17:00, and is open to all levels of experience – from complete beginners to advanced students. It’s a fantastic opportunity to explore the world of organ-playing! Students from state / maintained schools are prioritised, as are students on bursaries at independent schools.
The 2026 Cambridge Organ Experience will take place on Saturday 23 May. Applications are now open! The closing date is 30 April. Results will be emailed shortly after the closing date, which is 1 May.
Emmanuel College
Medic Mentoring Scheme 2026
Medic Mentoring Scheme | Emmanuel College
Applications to Medic Mentoring Scheme are now open - and, this year, the programme is available to Year 12s nationwide.
The Medic Mentoring Scheme, spearheaded by Emmanuel's Medical and Veterinary Society, pairs aspiring medical students with current clinical medics at Emmanuel. Through regular support via our mentoring platform as well as webinars on topics such as interviews, sitting the UCAT, and personal statements, participants are supported in making competitive applications to UK medical schools.
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
Woolf Essay Prize
In 1928, Virginia Woolf addressed the Newnham Arts Society on the Subject of ‘Women and Fiction’, and from this talk emerged her seminal text, A Room of One’s Own. Newnham is very proud of its place in the history of women’s education, and we are delighted in the continuation of the Woolf Essay Prize. A Room of One’s Own raises a number of questions surrounding the place of women in society, culture, and education, and the competition allows students to contemplate these themes and ideas while developing the independent research and writing skills essential to university-level study.
Essay questions and submission
The Information and Questions document includes the question, word limit, and submission details.
This year, the Woolf Essay Prize is open to all Women in Year 12 (or equivalent), regardless of school or country. The deadline for submission is 09:00am BST on Monday 8th June 2026.
This prize may be of particular interest to those studying English Literature, History, Politics, Philosophy or Sociology, but we absolutely welcome entries from interested students studying any combination of subjects.
Please note that AI must not be used to formulate ideas or write prose for your essay. We will disqualify all entries that are reported by AI checkers to have significant AI content.
For any queries not answered here, please contact essayprizes@newn.cam.ac.uk.
Queens' College
Estelle English Prize 2026
Queens’ College invites submissions for the Estelle English Prize 2026, which will be awarded to the best essay submitted by a Year 12 (Y13 NI / S5 Scotland)) student.
Entries should answer one of the three set questions, should be no longer than 2,500 words (including footnotes, references, illustration captions, and any other text), and should reach the College’s Tutorial Office no later than Friday 03 July 2026. The main focus should not be on something that has been or is currently being studied in the classroom or offered as A level coursework. The winner will receive a £500 prize (or, in the case of joint winners, each will receive a prize of £250); depending on the strength of the field of submissions honourable mentions may also be made.
Each entry should be accompanied by a completed cover sheet, and submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Friday 03 July 2026. Further information can be found here - Outreach Competitions - Queens' College.
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: