Experience Christ's Summer School

The summer school will take place at Christ's College, Cambridge in August 2025. The event programme will be circulated to students selected to attend in early August, including a survey to allocate academic sessions.

Updates!

26 August | Emails confirming your session allocations have been sent! We're looking forward to meeting you all tomorrow. :)

PS Joshua's first session - you've been (re)sent the pre-session task (21:40).

25 August |  thanks for completing! Will sort out session allocations this morning and be in touch after. In the meantime - formal hall menu has been added to the meals section below!

21 August | Strand B it's your turn! We have sent your session choices survey (20:29) and your final arrival and packing information email (21:11) this evening. Please complete your session choices ASAP and by 9am on Monday. If everyone does it earlier, you'll get your confirmed session list earlier!

21 August (Strand B) | Info updates email!

20 August (Strand A only) | Feedback email circulated! Full follow-up email will come next week. 

15 Aug 18:18 (Strand A only) | Session options confirmed! Any pre-reading/pre-event tasks for Robin and Mark's sessions sent by 18:35. That's it from me now. I'll see you next week...!

15 Aug 10:45 (Strand A only) | Email with arrival and packing info sent 

13 Aug 17:02 (Strand A only) | Survey for session choices for Strand A (Take two...) circulated. Please complete asap!

6 Aug 17:17 (Strand A only) | Short update email about what to expect from us over the next week!

29 Jul (12:07) | Email sent to all confirming what forms we have/haven't received from you! Sorry that it says 'to [email]' - mistyped the code for names oops...

29 Jul | Reminder email about forms sent. 

15 Jul | Two emails: one with 4 forms you need to complete for us, and another with all information regarding travel costs. Any questions, just ask!

14 Jul | Email sent to all those who have accepted places, with what emails to expect next!

 

PS if you like the way we work with a participants page and current updates, this is very similar to how we run the admissions process at Christ's to keep you in the loop all the way through! :)

 

 

Travelling to Cambridge

It is your responsibility to organise your travel to and from Cambridge. 

We have advice on getting to us via various forms of transport on our How to Get to Christ's page. We recommend travel via public transport where possible. Remember to factor in time to/from stations or drop-off points once in Cambridge. Do not underestimate Cambridge traffic including on the approach to the city!

You will need to arrive at any point between 13:30-14:30 on the first day, first session begins at 14:45. On the final day, we finish at 15:30. 

Travel Costs

The event is free - including meals and accommodation. Travel costs will be covered on a reimbursement basis. Travel costs are only covered for the selected participant. Tickets/costs for parents/carers or other supporters who choose to accompany you to and from Cambridge are not covered. 

We will cover: one standard class travel return train ticket to and from your nearest train station; OR one return standard class travel return journey via coach (e.g. National Express); OR one return car trip (fuel contribution). Northern Irish students will also receive a contribution toward flight costs. It is fine to e.g. travel by train one way and coach the other way. 

Travelling by train: please be sensible about the ticket you are buying. Double check the costs of super-off peak, off-peak returns over anytime returns (which are significantly more expensive and usually not necessary to purchase). Also consider purchasing a railcard beforehand - it is £30 for a 12-month pass, and a 16-17 saver gets you 50% off fares. A 16-25 railcard gets you a third off. Please email us if you think you need/want advice for your journey!

You can use websites or apps such as Trainline or TrainPal (the second won't charge extra fees). Using these might also allow you to find cheaper fares via split ticketing (you don't need to do anything for it, it works it out itself). Split tickets explained here!

If purchasing tickets and awaiting reimbursement will cause financial difficulties or similar, please contact us directly as we can support with purchasing tickets on your behalf.

 

Travel costs are covered with thanks to a grant from the Isaac Newton Trust Widening Participation and Induction Fund. 

 

Accommodation

You will have your own bedroom during your stay with us - no sharing! We will have a mix of ensuite and shared bathroom accommodations - just like university student accommodation! Those that need ensuites for medical, religious, disabilities, neurodiversity, or other accessibility etc., reasons will normally be allocated an ensuite room as a priority; after this, it will be random. If you have a shared bathroom, these will only be single-gender floors.

If you'd like a bit more information about accommodation at Christ's as a student, we do have an accommodation page here which will give you a sense of what rooms might be like. 

Meals

Meals include: dinner on your first day; breakfast, lunch and dinner on the middle day; and breakfast and lunch on the final day.

Breakfast: this is a full spread! Toast, spreads, cereals, fruit, juices, tea, coffee, pastries, and anything you'd typically expect for a full English breakfast! Have as much or little as you like. 

Lunch and dinners: There is always at least a meat/fish, a vegetarian and a vegan option at each meal time. You pick the main you want, which is plated up for you, then you can help yourself to the sides (potatoes, rice, vegetables, salad bar - specific ones of these change with each meal), plus a pudding if you want one.

Formal Hall: The proposed menu for Strand B attendees is (this is the main/standard one and if you're vegan/GF etc you'll have either an adapted version or something different!)

Starter Carrot & Anise Velouté, Coriander Oil, Puffed Wild Rice; Carrot & Anise Velouté, Coriander Oil, Puffed Wild Rice; Main roasted chicken with stuffing, yorkshires, roast potatoes and veggies, veggie option is a gnocchi gratin; pudding is chocolate truffle torte!