Some UK offer-holders may be required to attend the College's Bridging Course, which will take place in Cambridge between Sunday 29 September and Friday 4 October 2024. We will let you know if we are asking you to attend the course or not in the week of 19 August 2024. In the meantime, we have suggested in UK offer letters that you keep these dates free.
What is the Bridging Course?
The Bridging Course is a collaboration between Christ's and King's Colleges. This is a unique opportunity providing 
some extra support to a small number of new students across these two Colleges for the transition to studying at Cambridge. The course should be enjoyable and it should help you to feel a bit more ready for starting your course.
During the Bridging course, the selected students will participate in a range of both academic and social sessions to help familiarise themselves with the city, their colleges and being a student at Cambridge. It's a fantastic chance to find your feet in a smaller group ahead of Freshers' Week as well as getting extra academic support and meeting other students from across Cambridge in a variety of subjects. Academic sessions will incorporate both more general sessions and those specific to your subject area, with the aim of refining study skills, whilst a variety of social activities will allow you to meet both incoming first years and some current undergraduates. Every participant in the programme will also have a current undergraduate from their own college to support them in the transition to Cambridge.
'It's a great opportunity to gain an insight into your workload, the social side of college and boost your confidence before you get here.' - Previous Bridging Course Participant
When does the Bridging Course take place?
The Bridging Course will be held in Cambridge at the very end of September and beginning of October. This is the week before most freshers arrive, though as you'll see from the arriving in Cambridge page, some of the freshers from outside the UK may also have arrived early! Your offer letter suggested that you keep Sunday 29 Sept to Friday 4 Oct free for the course. Early arrival for the Bridging course should be easy enough, as if friends in your year are going to other universities they'll have already gone. Cambridge terms start later than most other university terms.
If we ask you to attend the Bridging Course, you are expected to be available for the duration of the course.
Is there a cost?
No. The Bridging Course is entirely free and will include accommodation and meals for the duration of the stay. You will be able to move into the accommodation room that you will have for your first year at the College, so once moved in, you won't have to move rooms.
'I have really enjoyed the bridging course and think it has been a great opportunity to meet people that have a similar background to me, which was a huge worry beforehand. I think the course is a great idea and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to take part in it!' - Bridging Course Participant 2021
A-Level results day, Offer Conditions & Bridging Course attendance
The Bridging Course is a part of your offer for Christ's College. This means that as well as meeting the academic requirements of your offer, it is also a requirement for you to attend the Bridging Course before term starts if selected (we will email you to let you know in the week beginning 19 August).
Note that the Bridging Course is not graded, and so does not have anything you need to 'pass' as such - you just need to attend it!
What do our students say?
Ariel (English) was a participant on the Bridging Course in 2021. She says:
"Before I came to Cambridge, I took part in the Bridging Course where I stayed in Cambridge for a week which really helped me because I was able to ask our mentors all the random questions I had and I knew my way around the city before I started."
You can find more detail about Ariel's experience in her student profile, by clicking here.
The 2024 Bridging Course
'Being able to have a taste of lectures and supervisions prepared me for life at Cambridge. Also, staying at Christs helped me to gain an idea of where everything was, food spots etc . All of this helped to prepare me because Cambridge seemed really intimidating but doing the bridging course helped me realise everyone is super friendly and welcoming.' - Bridging Course Participant 2023