Sidney to participate in Cambridge Foundation Year

The one-year course – aimed at an entirely new stream of applicants who have the ability to succeed at Cambridge, but have been prevented from reaching their full potential by their circumstances – will prepare students for further learning and offer them the chance to progress straight to an undergraduate degree at Cambridge.

The Cambridge Foundation Year aims to reach students whose education has been disrupted and are therefore unlikely otherwise to be able to make a competitive application to undergraduate study at Cambridge through the University’s standard admissions process. These would include those who have been in care, those estranged from their families, and those who have missed significant periods of learning because of health issues.

Foundation Year students will study an engaging and challenging multi-disciplinary curriculum in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences that will prepare them for further study in these subjects. On successful completion of the programme, students will receive a CertHE qualification from the University of Cambridge, and with suitable attainment would progress to degrees at Cambridge without the need to apply to the University again.

The Master, Prof Richard Penty, said “Sidney has a long history of seeking to attract the most able students, without regard to their background and personal circumstances and has led the way in widening participation at Cambridge. This innovative new programme will give the opportunity of a Cambridge education in the supportive environment of the College to those who might otherwise be prevented by a disadvantaged background and we are therefore proud and delighted to be one of the first participating Colleges”.

Discover more about the Foundation Year Programme by watching this short video.