Gresham College Lectures
Find the list of upcoming lectures here. These can be watched both online and in-person.
Find playlists of past lectures here.
Open to: GCSE and A Level students
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Girton College Humanities Writing Competition
This is an opportunity for students in Year 12 or equivalent to research and write beyond the curriculum, using one or more of five selected objects from the Lawrence Room museum objects, as their focus. Essays or creative responses (such as dramatic monologues, short stories or poems) are equally welcome.
Deadline: 20th March
Open to: students in Year 12 (S5 – Scotland, Y13 – N.I)/equivalent
Find out more and enter here
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Articulation Discovery Days with the National Gallery
Articulation Discovery Days are free workshops run in galleries around the country for KS4/5 students to help develop their critical analysis, research and oracy skills, including public speaking.
During this one-day workshop students will:
- Explore art works through personal observation, discussion and primary research
- Be encouraged to think independently, analyse information, and ask informed questions
- Learn how to conquer nerves, physically prepare, and successfully deliver a presentation to large audiences
- Meet with and interview art world professionals.
- Learn about the Articulation Prize and get ready to take part.
At the end of the day each student will deliver their research and personal responses in short group presentations to the workshop leaders and their fellow students. Students do not need any prior experience, all skills required will be introduced on the day.
Open to: UK state schools
Find out more and book here
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The Great Debate 2026
The Great Debate is a public speaking competition where students have 5 minutes to present their speech arguing their answer to the question.
Over the past couple of years, the competition has been growing in size. To encourage as many young people to get involved as possible, and ensure as many local stories as possible are included, we have increased the number of heats and added a semi-final round.
The competition for this year is: How important are personal and public records as evidence for explaining the story, or stories, of your local area?
Open to: students in Year 10 to Year 13
Find out more and register here
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Young Historian Awards 2026
The purpose of these Prizes is to encourage you to think, research and frame your own questions that you will answer from further reading and research. This might be the result of a piece of work your teacher has set you to do at home, or it may be a piece of research you are carrying out for your own interest. It is also an opportunity to perhaps tell some of the untold stories around the themes.
Deadline: 17th July
Open to: students aged from 11 to 19
Find out more here
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Fitzwilliam College Year 12 Competitions
This year Fitzwilliam College is holding eight essay competitions, two translation competitions, and an architectural design competition.
Deadline: 6pm, 27th February
Open to: students in Year 12 (S5 – Scotland, Y13 – N.I)/equivalent
Find out more and enter here
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Women in Computer Science Seminar Series
These sessions are open to all prospective students interested in exploring different topics in Computer Science. No previous experience in the subject is required, and they are also ideal for anyone with a passion for Mathematics.
Led by female and non-binary members of the Department of Computer Science and Technology, each seminar focuses on a unique topic chosen by the presenter, from Graphics to Computational Complexity.
Date: Weekly webinars on Tuesday evenings (5-6pm) between 20th January and 24th February 2026
Open to: female and non-binary students in Year 12
Find out more and register here
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Exploring Law Conference
The Exploring Law Conference is an exciting residential programme supporting students who are interested in studying Law at university, by providing a balanced view of Law as an academic subject as well as a profession and offering an insight into life as a Cambridge undergraduate student.
The Conference is co-run by a Committee of seven undergraduate Law students and the Faculty of Law.
Both free and self-funded places are available depending on widening participation criteria.
Deadline: 11:45pm, 31st December
Date: 30th March-2nd April
Open to: students in Year 12
Find out more and apply here
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Murray Edwards College Sixth Form Lecture Series
The Murray Edwards Sixth Form Lecture Series will dive into English Literature, French, Spanish, Classics and many more literature and language-based subjects by exploring many commonly studied A Level texts and topics in new and interesting ways.
Join us at the College from 17:30 for refreshments and informal conversations with current students. The lectures themselves will begin at 18:00 and will be an hour in duration.
Find out more here
Location: Murray Edwards College, Cambridge
Featured lecture: Chaucer: The Merchant's Tale and The Wife of Bath with Rachael Hodgson, 4th February
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Homerton College Design Programme
Are you a budding designer, architect or engineer? The Homerton College Design Programme will help you to develop crucial university-level skills and thinking. You will gain access to a series of workshops run by academics and students, providing the grounding you need to produce your own sustainable design solution to any environmental problem that we are facing. After this, those who meet certain criteria will be invited to Homerton College's free student Health & Sustainability Conference!
Deadline: 9am, 5th February
Date: Programmes launches in April, and the in-person conference will run in August
Open to: students in Year 12
Find out more and apply here
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Trinity College's Languages, Power and Cultures
Are you curious about cultures, passionate about languages and interested in the past?
This Programme is an opportunity to explore how language and culture shape societies across the Classical and contemporary worlds.
The online course features a series of six live lectures from Cambridge academics exploring themes across Classics, Linguistics, Archaeology, and Modern and Medieval Languages. All registered students will have access to these live sessions, gaining a taste of university-style teaching in the arts and humanities. Lectures run throughout February, March and April 2026.
Some participants will also be selected to take part in online small discussion groups led by Trinity undergraduates, with the programme culminating in a two-day residential at Trinity College to experience life at Cambridge for selected participants.
Deadline: 6pm, 5th January
Open to: students in Year 12
Find out more and apply here
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Target Oxbridge Programme
Target Oxbridge is an application support programme for Black African/Caribbean students and students of mixed-race with African/Caribbean heritage intending to apply to Oxbridge.
If you are selected as a full programme participant, you will have access to:
- 1:1 mentoring from current and recent Oxbridge students.
- Application and personal statement support.
- Interview practice.
- Academic sessions with Oxbridge academics.
- The opportunity to visit Cambridge or Oxford for a residential/day visit.
Deadline: rolling, but for the best chance of securing a place, apply as soon as possible
Open to: Black African/Caribbean students and students of mixed-race with African/Caribbean heritage in Year 12 who are intending to apply to Oxbridge
Find out more and apply here
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Click Cambridge
ClickCambridge is an exciting outreach programme designed to support Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and Arab (BPA)/mixed-BPA students to prepare for Sixth Form and university-level study. The programme is completely free of charge.
The programme will begin with a series of interactive webinars held between January-March 2026. Topics will include making post-16 subject choices, study skills, and preparing for university. Sessions will feature insights from current BPA Cambridge students.
Students can also apply to attend a one-night residential at the University of Cambridge in August 2026. The residential is completely free of charge, including travel, accommodation, food, and all activities. Students will visit Cambridge Colleges and departments, explore the city centre with current Student Ambassadors, and engage in activities with other ClickCambridge participants.
Deadline: 9am, 15th December
Open to: state school students in Year 11 who are of Bangladeshi, Pakistani, or Arab (BPA)/mixed-BPA background
Find out more and apply here
