Join our masterclasses, taster days, webinars and events

Dates for upcoming University-wide Open Days are as follows: 

Main undergraduate Open Day

• Thursday 8 July 2027
• Friday 9 July 2027

Colleges Open Day

• Friday 10 September 2027

Booking for Open Days in July 2027 will open in mid-March 2027. Booking for the Colleges Open Day in September 2027 will open after the July Open Days.

More information will be shared on this page closer to the time! 

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.

Cambridge Foundation Year Applicant Support Programme 2026-27

The Cambridge Foundation Year Applicant Support Programme provides free online support and guidance throughout the application process. Sessions are open to prospective students, teachers and advisers.

This year's programme includes:

12 October 2026, 16:30-17:30: UCAS and Personal Statements

11 November 2026, 16:30-17:30: Foundation Year Supplementary Application Questionnaire (FYSAQ)

2 December 2026, 16:30-17:30: Admissions Help Panel

6 January 2027, 16:30-17:30: Foundation Year Q&A Panel

Sessions will include members of the Foundation Year team alongside students who have experienced the Foundation Year themselves, providing practical advice and opportunities to ask questions.

The Cambridge Foundation Year is a fully funded course for students whose educational potential has been affected by disadvantage or disruption. Students who successfully complete the Foundation Year can progress to one of 18 undergraduate courses at Cambridge, subject to the relevant progression requirements.

Find out more about the Foundation Year and eligibility:
Foundation Year - Applying

Register for the free Applicant Support Programme:
Sign up to the Applicant Support Programme

Realise Autumn Visit

Realise, the University of Cambridge's information service for care-experienced and estranged students, will be hosting a visit day on Friday 20 November. 

This event offers prospective care-experienced and estranged students an opportunity to learn more about the undergraduate application process as well as the support available to care-experienced and estranged students at Cambridge.

The day will include:

• an information session delivered by admissions and outreach staff
• a Q+A session with current Cambridge students
• a trip to a Cambridge museum
• lunch and a College tour

A train ticket to Cambridge will be provided for attendees. Regrettably, we are unable to provide accommodation.

Please note that this event is only for care-experienced students, estranged students, and their guests. 'Care-experienced' means you have been placed in foster care, a residential home, formal kinship care or have been looked after at home under a supervision order. 'Estranged' means having had no contact with your parents or carer(s) for at least 12 months, which is unlikely to change. This is due to a permanent breakdown in your relationship with your biological, step or adoptive parents.

Please also note that booking is required: without a confirmed booking, we will be unable to welcome you to the event. The deadline for applications is 2 November 2026 at 5:00pm, or when the event is full (whichever comes first). An application to attend does not guarantee a place at the event. We will prioritise applicants who have not previously visited Cambridge.

Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology 

Davidson Inventors Challenge STEM innovation competition

Applications from Year 11 or 12 student teams in the UK for the annual Davidson Inventors Challenge (DIC) run by the University of Cambridge Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (CEB) are now open. 

The Challenge, focused on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address global challenges in sustainability and healthcare, was launched by CEB in 2020 in honour to the late Emeritus Professor John Davidson. It is now a popular outreach and widening participation initiative heavily endorsed and supported by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).

It involves identifying and selecting a challenge/problem to work on, and coming up with feasible, innovative, and sustainable solution with real world impact.  Participating teams, supported be mentors, will be expected to write a report to demonstrate use of problem-solving and critical thinking skills and put basic process and product design abilities into practice.

Note: Students from state schools and underrepresented backgrounds are especially welcome and encouraged to apply. As part of the initial application, teams will be required to submit both a project outline and a teacher confirmation form. All entries will then be reviewed by our team of mentors, and a maximum of 100 proposals (2 max from the same school) will be selected to continue developing their proposed idea.

Team sign-up deadline: 1 November 

More information can be found here.

Faculty of English

The Faculty of English is running 2 online masterclasses next month. Aimed at A Level, IB or Scottish Higher English Literature students who may be considering studying English at university, Year 11s thinking about taking English next year are also more than welcome to join us - as are teachers. Experience a lecture with one of our academic staff, learn more about studying English at university level, in particular at Cambridge, hear from our students about their experience of applying and of student life and learn where an English degree can take you.

To book for 12th November: Subject Masterclass | Cambridge English

To book for 19th November: https://www.english.cam.ac.uk/event/subject-masterclass-0

For more info: outreach@english.cam.ac.uk

Christ's College

Considering Cambridge (Saturday 24 October)

This event is hybrid - there are options to attend in person or online, and either as a morning (10:00-13:00) or afternoon (14:00-17:00) session. 

https://www.christs.cam.ac.uk/admissions/open-days-prospective-applicants/considering-cam

Considering Cambridge is an introductory event for students considering an application to Cambridge in 2027, for entry in October 2028 (or 2029 deferred entry). This is open to students from all backgrounds, schools and countries. Most attendees will have just started Year 12 England/Wales, Year 13 in Northern Ireland, S5 in Scotland, or an international equivalent. Gap year and home-educated students are also welcome.

The event will include talks from admissions staff and current students, and a tour of the college for in-person attendees. 

In-person attendees are limited to one parent/supporter, due to space constraints. Attendees must be taking the required subjects at A-Level, IB Higher Level, Scottish Highers/Advanced Highers as required for their preferred course(s) at Christ's College. You can check these before booking on our Subject Pages. 

Churchill College

Webinars for Prospective Students

Churchill College is holding free online live presentations and question and answer sessions for prospective students, covering aspects of the Cambridge admissions process.

The webinars run on Tuesday or Thursday evenings from 4.30 – 5.30pm via Zoom.

The webinars are aimed at prospective applicants in Years 11 – 13 (Y12-Y14 NI, S4-S6 Scotland) but teachers, parents and supporters are welcome to join as well.

See the full schedule on the website: College Tasters and Applicant Events - Churchill College

Live attendance is encouraged, as sessions are not recorded, nor are materials distributed afterwards.

To sign up, please complete the form linked here: Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management

The deadline to sign up is 9am on the day of the webinar you wish to attend. You will be sent the link for each webinar on the day the webinar is due to take place.

Fitzwilliam College

Student Voices (Monday 26 - Wednesday 28 October)

Student Voices is one of the main opportunities for Year 11 Students to get involved in our outreach events, particularly before the year becomes busy with exam prep!

It will include two webinars - one on Monday 26th October, one on Wednesday 28th October - which will cover key information and answer important questions about Higher Education, Cambridge and university preparation. The second session will be a Q+A panel with some current undergraduate students who are part of the college’s JCR (similar to a school council!).

When?

• Monday 26th October 17:00 - Introduction to Higher Education and Cambridge
• Wednesday 28th October 17:00 - Q+A with current students

Who?

This event is for any Year 11 (England and Wales), S4 (Scotland), Year 12 (NI) students currently attending a state-maintained school. We particularly encourage students from under-represented or marginalised backgrounds to attend. These could be if you…

• are care experienced or have caring responsibilities
• have been eligible for Free School Meals in the past six years
• are estranged from close family members
• live in an area of low progression to higher education
• live in an area of high deprivation
• are from an under-represented ethnic group

Find more information here: https://www.fitz.cam.ac.uk/event/student-voices-webinars

Foundation Year Taster Day - Thursday 29th October

Fitzwilliam College is hosting a taster day for students who are considering applying for the Cambridge Arts and Humanities Foundation Year at the University of Cambridge. The event is for students in Year 12 or Year 13 (England & Wales), S5 or S6 (Scotland), Year 13 or Year 14 (Northern Ireland). There are additional eligibility requirements for the Foundation Year; we strongly recommend that you check these eligibility requirements before attending the day. Staff will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. 

The taster day will include:

• An introduction to Cambridge and its colleges
• A presentation from the Foundation Year Team about the course 
• A tour of Fitzwilliam College
• Lunch (free) in the college buttery
• Four academic taster sessions across a selection of Cambridge disciplines

Fitzwilliam College can also cover travel expenses for eligible students.

Sign up via the link: https://www.fitz.cam.ac.uk/event/foundation-year-taster-day

Pembroke College

Subject Interview Webinars

Pembroke is pleased to be partnering with Christ's, Downing, Fitzwilliam, Magdalene, Queens', Sidney Sussex, Lucy Cavendish, St Catharine's and St John's Colleges to deliver a range of interview webinars for state school students who are in Year 13/S6/Year 14 (NI) and actively considering applying to Cambridge this October. 

These online webinars are tailored towards students who are about to submit their applications to Cambridge. They aim to:

• Provide an overview of the interview process
• Include a subject-specific interview workshop, delivered by academics from the university
• Offer the chance to get any additional questions answered.

There are 26 webinars running across most subjects, more information and links to sign up can be found here: Interview webinars (Year 13/S6)

Trinity Hall

You'll Fit In 2026/2027

Who: Students in Year 12 with high academic potential who are considering applying to Cambridge University and who identify with one of the following ethnicity categories:

• Black or Black British – African
• Black or Black British – Caribbean
• Other Black background
• Mixed – White and Black African
• Mixed – White and Black Caribbean
• Other mixed background (to include Black African, Black Caribbean or Black Other)
• Arab
• Asian or Asian British – Pakistani
• Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi
• Mixed – White and Asian (to include Pakistani or Bangladeshi)

We recognise that some students do not identify precisely with one of these categories but belong to underrepresented ethnicities. Therefore, we welcome students to apply, and they will be given the opportunity to give us further details on the application form.

When: December 2026-September 2027; The launch webinar will take place from 17:00-18:00 on 17th December.

Details: A free programme offered by Trinity Hall, consisting of a series of information webinars about the Cambridge application process. A selected, smaller group of students will be offered the opportunity to visit Trinity Hall on one of our two residentials, which run in April and August: priority will be given to those who have particular contextual flags, as outlined on our website. Additionally, some students will be selected to participate in specialised supercurricular sessions, subject to them providing a teacher reference. Allocation to these sessions will be based on a combination of contextual flags and subject availability.

Link: Full details can be found on our website. 

Deadline to apply: 14th December 2026

You’ll Fit In: One Step Ahead

Who: Year 10 and 11 students who are considering applying to a competitive university and identify with one of the following ethnicity categories: 

• Black or Black British – African
• Black or Black British – Caribbean
• Other Black background
• Mixed – White and Black African
• Mixed – White and Black Caribbean
• Other mixed background (to include Black African, Black Caribbean or Black Other)
• Arab
• Asian or Asian British – Pakistani
• Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi
• Mixed – White and Asian (to include Pakistani or Bangladeshi)

We recognise that some students do not identify precisely with one of these categories but belong to underrepresented ethnicities. Therefore, we welcome students to apply, and they will be given the opportunity to give us further details on the application form.

When: December 2026-April 2027; The launch webinar will take place from 17:00-18:00 on 18th December.

Details: A new programme, designed to precede the main You’ll Fit In programme, consisting of a series of webinars providing general information about higher education, making good Post-16 choices, and deciding what to study at university. Parents and carers are encouraged to attend the sessions alongside students. The programme will set students up for success when they start their A levels, knowing the subjects that they are taking align with their future ambitions. Year 11 students who demonstrate consistent engagement throughout the programme will be automatically transferred to the Year 12 programme for 2027/2028, provided that they meet the minimum academic requirements.

Link: Full details can be found on our website. 

Deadline: 14th December 2026