You’ll Fit In
Trinity Hall offers 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:
- Arab
- Asian or Asian British – Pakistani
- Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi
- Mixed – White and Asian (to include Pakistani or Bangladeshi)
- 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)
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.
Participation criteria
Applicants from England, Wales and Northern Ireland should have achieved a minimum of five Grades 9-7 at GCSE and have the potential to achieve the A*AA at A Level or A*A*A at A Level needed for their chosen course at Cambridge.
Applicants from Scotland should have achieved five A-B grades at National 5 level and be on track to achieve A1, A2, A2 or 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.
Everyone who meets the criteria specified above is welcome to apply for the programme where they will receive webinar access. Since the number of people who can join us for the residential 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 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)
- You attend a school or college with a low rate of progression to higher education
Similarly, for the new super curricular sessions priority will be given to those with these contextual flags, and are dependent on subject availability.
Overview of the programme
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 that, if they were to apply and obtain an offer, 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, as well as the opportunity to hear from current students and ask them lots of questions, and parents and guardians are invited to join us for their own Q&A session. 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 2026 or August 2026.
For the first time in 2025/26 we will be running a limited number of super curricular exploration sessions for students to get a flavour of small group teaching at Cambridge, while improving their oracy skills and exploring topics outside the curriculum. If interested in being considered for these, please opt-in on the form. Please note we will require a teacher reference for students to take part as we want students to be committed to the full series of sessions.
The Residentials
The residentials will take place on April 7-9th & August 25th-27th 2026, and are free for all attendees. The College will also cover all travel costs for those attendees who are or have been in care, are refugees/asylum seekers 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
- Meet current undergraduates from similar cultural backgrounds
- Participate in Q&As with student ambassadors from a range of backgrounds and with a range of subject interests
Applications are now open for the 2025/26 programme.
Quotes from the 2024 and 2025 cohorts
“My room was fantastic! Overall, everyone has been so kind and easy to talk to, and I thought coming to this residential I would be out of place, but I’ve come to realise that I could never be out of place here.”
“Meeting with the ambassadors, speaking to them about their degree, and seeing how passionate they were, really inspired me.”
“It seemed daunting to even apply at first but this residential made me feel that I can get in and that I deserve a spot.”
“I have learnt that Cambridge considers applicants holistically; no one element is the be all and end all. I am now under the impression that Cambridge is definitely diverse and accepting of all identities and backgrounds.”
“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.”