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You’ll Fit In

You'll Fit In

Trinity Hall is offering this free programme to students in Year 12* who are considering applying to Cambridge University and who belong to one of the following ethnic backgrounds and are domiciled in the UK:

  • 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 underrepresented backgrounds at the University of Cambridge do not fall into these categories. Therefore, we welcome students from other ethnic backgrounds that are underrepresented to apply and they will be given the opportunity to give us further details on the application form.

Academic criteria

Applicants should have achieved a minimum of five Grades 9-7 (A or A*) at GCSE and feel able to or have the potential to achieve the A*AA at A Level/A1, A2, A2 in three Advanced Highers for Scottish applicants or A*A*A at A Level/A1, A1, A2 in three Advanced Highers needed for their chosen course at Cambridge.

When signing up you can give extenuating circumstances should your results be lower.

*For safeguarding reasons, older individuals will not be able to attend residentials regardless of their eligibility.

We would like to increase representation from these groups across the University, and therefore a central aim of the programme is not just to support students with all aspects of the admissions process but also to reassure potential applicants from these ethnic backgrounds that, if they were to apply and obtain an offer, then they would not feel out of place socially while studying at Cambridge.

Those who sign up will be able to participate in online webinars that will offer advice about all aspects of the Cambridge Admissions Process. They will also have the opportunity to chat to current undergraduates and meet ambassadors from some of the clubs and societies at Cambridge. Some examples from 2024 include African Caribbean Society, Islamic Society, Black Medics Society and Pakistan Society. In addition, a smaller group of participants will experience life as a Cambridge student by joining us for a three-day residential at Trinity Hall in either April 2025 or September 2025.

 

Two students at graduation in Cambridge

Everyone who meets the criteria specified above is welcome to apply for the programme. It is possible to sign up either for the webinar series alone, or for both the webinar series and the residential. Since the number of people who can join us for the latter is limited, priority for the residential will be given to those participants who have particular contextual flags. These are the contextual flags we will be considering:

  • You have attended a maintained-sector school post-16
  • You would be in the first generation in your family to attend university
  • You have been in receipt of Free School Meals while at secondary school
  • You are, or have been, in care, or are estranged from your family
  • You are, or have been, a young carer
  • You have a parent who has been imprisoned
  • You attend a school or college with a low rate of progression to higher education
  • You live in a neighbourhood with a low rate of progression to higher education (measured by POLAR4) and/or a high level of socio-economic deprivation (measured by IMD)

The residentials will take place on April 2nd-4th 2025 and September 1st-3rd 2025, and it will be free for all attendees. The College will also cover all travel costs for those attendees who are or have been in care or are currently eligible for Free School Meals. The various practical sessions on those days will enable the participants to:

  • Experience life in a Cambridge College
  • Find out more about the pastoral and financial support available
  • Visit Faculties and Departments
  • Experience lectures and seminars
  • Meet current undergraduates from similar cultural backgrounds
  • Participate in Q&As with students from The African Caribbean Society and The Cambridge Islamic Society and other societies and clubs from the university

Applications are now open for the 2024/25 programme! The deadline for applications is the 7th December 2024.

This programme has been made possible by generous funding from Isaac Newton Trust Widening Participation & Induction Fund.

 

Apply now

Quotes from the 2024 cohort:

“The You’ll Fit In programme has completely shifted my perceptions of Cambridge. I have learnt so much and am really looking forward to making an application.”

“I am so grateful to have been able to take part in the programme, meeting like-minded peers who are going through the same thing has been incredible.”

“I see it as more accessible…as I have seen people like me that are as enthusiastic about my subject as me.”

“This residential changed my perspective of Cambridge by showing that it is not going to make me feel like an outsider and that I shouldn’t be scared to apply.”