Explore your subject 

Universities like Cambridge appreciate evidence that applicants have undertaken super-curricular work, i.e., that they have explored the subjects that interest them, beyond their school or college curriculum.

A genuine and informed interest in your subject which makes you persistently want to investigate it further, is a great indicator that you’ll enjoy studying it at degree level. There are lots of ways to test this and they needn’t cost you any money.

Reading is the best way to find out more about your intellectual passions. Visit libraries, see what’s available in your areas of interest, and dig in. Look for relevant magazines and publications or keep an eye on news media. If you like having something to listen to then subscribe to podcasts or hunt for local talks and public university lectures, whether in-person (if you have a local university) or online. The internet can be a fantastic resource and there’s an ever-growing body of educational videos and other media out there.

Follow lines of enquiry into the areas that interest and engage you most. Pursue these analytically and critically, and don’t feel you have to spend time with material that doesn’t interest you. Hopefully, this should come naturally and be enjoyable – if it isn’t, this might be a sign that you are yet to find the subject that fits you best. Explore what genuinely stimulates you and see where your investigations lead.

Where To Begin

Cambridge’s Super-Curricular Activities

A good place to start, signposting a range of super-curricular resources.

Cambridge Masterclasses

Subject-specific events for Year 12 students offering a chance to experience undergraduate-style teaching and get a flavour of what it’s like to be a Cambridge student.

In Our Time (BBC Radio 4)

An impressively large archive of podcasts covering just about every subject you can imagine.

TED talks

A wide range of lectures on topical subjects.

Arts and Humanities Resources

Institute of Economic Affairs

A great resource for those who’re interested in economics, analysis, and public policy.

Literary Review

Engaging reviews of books on all subjects.

The National Archives

A fantastic online catalogue of resources and lessons – a must for anyone interested in history.

Sciences Resources

Plant Science Futures

News and videos about the biological sciences.

Isaac Physics and Isaac Chemistry

Problem-based learning for those interested in physics, chemistry, and cognate subjects, from school to university.

Cheresources

Resources for chemical engineering.

GeomLab

A visual guide to computer programming.

I Want to Study Engineering

A website with maths and physics problems designed to help you compete for engineering places at top universities.

This is Engineering

A Royal Academy of Engineering website, introducing the study of engineering with STEM resources.

Advanced Mathematics Support Programme

Maths Support Programme Wales

Government-funded initiatives which aim, amongst other things, to increase participation in AS/A Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics.

Millennium Maths Project

An education initiative for 3-19-year-olds focussing on increasing mathematical understanding, confidence, and enjoyment, developing problem-solving skills, and promoting creative and imaginative approaches to maths.

NRich

NRich has thousands of free maths resources designed to challenge, inspire, and engage.

STEP Support Programme

Cambridge’s free online STEP Support Programme to help university applicants develop their advanced mathematical problem-solving skills and prepare for STEP maths exams.

STEP Past Papers

A repository of STEP past papers, solutions, and examiner reports, as well as booklets with worked examples.

Underground Mathematics

Resources to help students explore the connections that underpin maths.

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