Alongside our work with our Link Area schools, Christ's College works directly with students from all over the UK to encourage and support them in applying to top universities. We have gathered here all the information potential applicants might find helpful.
For information about Open Days and Subject Taster Days, see the 'Open Days and Events' section of our website.
We also run an extensive calendar of outreach events. See here for information about forthcoming events.
Elsewhere, you can also find extensive information about applying to Cambridge, the subjects you can study here, student finance and the accommodation and facilities we can offer you at Christ's.
If you want to find out more about what it is like to study at Christ's/Cambridge from some of our current students, go to the student profiles section.
Finally, see below for our current collection of student support resources and for information about our ongoing support programme, which is open to any UK state school students currently in Year 12.
If you have any questions about applying to Cambridge, please remember that you can always get in touch with us. Anything specifically about admissions is best sent to admissions@christs.cam.ac.uk, whilst questions about our outreach work, or any general queries/concerns you have about university or Cambridge specifically can be sent to access@christs.cam.ac.uk. We are always very happy to offer advice and guidance to all students and there are no silly questions!
Resources for Students
To help students to prepare for an application to Cambridge, or other highly-selective universities, we have created the following resources:
1. "Subject Matters" A-Level/Post-16 Subject Choice Guidance and Competitive Combinations:
The A-Level (or equivalent) subject choices that students make in Year 11 can have a major impact on their course and university options. Selective universities often consider not only the individual subjects, but also the combination of subjects. At the University of Cambridge, many of our courses require applicants to have taken certain subjects, or combinations of subjects, because they prepare students more effectively for those courses.
Good news - we run a webinar to help you make informed choices for your post-16 subjects and qualifications! You can view upcoming dates and book a place over on our Regular Webinars page.
For the university's general guidance booklet, see here.
For subject-specific information, see our subject information pages.
2. Supra-Curricular Enrichment Resources for Prospective Applicants:
Strong applicants to Cambridge and other competitive universities have often explored their chosen subject through wider reading and enrichment work outside of their A-Level studies. To help schools and students to find resources for such supra-curricular activity, the University has compiled a document of supercurricular suggestions to get potential applicants started on their subject enrichment and exploration. You can find the PDF on this webpage.
We have also compiled a few suggestions at the bottom of each of our subject pages on the Christ's website - just look for the 'Helpful Resources' section.
3. Opportunities in Year 12 England/Wales, Year 13 Northern Ireland and S5 Scotland:
We receive many emails asking us about summer schools and other opportunities for students to get a "taste" of university whilst still at school. Whilst we do not expect potential applicants to have done this, we are aware that there are many companies that offer very expensive programmes, which we would not encourage students to attend. We have therefore put together a document containing information about the opportunities that do exist which are run by universities and charities as access and outreach programmes and so are usually free to attend.
This booklet also contains guidance for Sixth Form students looking to organise work experience placements. Again, it is not an entry requirement of any Cambridge course that applicants have completed work experience in a relevant field, but we are aware that many schools require their students to undertake a couple of week's work experience in Year 12. In that case, it is in the students' interest to spend this time in a way that is relevant to their future plans, so Christ's has worked with our colleagues in the University Careers Service to offer a guidance document:
Students who have signed up to the Ongoing Support Programme emails will also receive emails that sign-post upcoming opportunities and deadlines - so if you'd like some of this directly to your inbox, sign up below!
Ongoing Support Programme
As part of our commitment to widening participation in Higher Education, members of the admissions department at Christ's meet thousands of students every year at events around the country. Students who are currently in Year 11 or 12 (England and Wales; Year 12 & 13 Northern Ireland; S4/5 Scotland; US Grades 10-11; or equivalent) have the option to sign-up for regular emails from us. This includes:
- Regular emails (every 1-2 months) listing upcoming events such as taster days and summer schools (that you may be eligible for)
- Advice and guidance for potential applicants tailored to the time of year
- All Christ's College's student support material
- Notification of any upcoming webinars relevant to you
To sign up for emails, please complete this form, which will both register you to receive the emails and allow us to tailor them to you!
Undergraduate Admissions main page / Why choose Christ's? / Subjects at Christ's / Open Days and Events