Trinity College is running a new summer school for students from under-represented backgrounds, it was announced yesterday, as part of a new collaboration with the Brilliant Club, a London-based university access charity.

The camp, which was the College’s first in-person access event in 17 months, gave 24 students from under-represented backgrounds the opportunity to visit the College and interact with current students and academics.

Participating students learnt about applying to Cambridge, and had the chance to observe a mock interview.

The majority of students enrolled in the Scholars Programme “meet at least one of three measures: the first in their family to go to university, receive free school meals, or live in a government-defined ‘low participation’ neighbourhood in terms of higher education”, a College press release said.

The annual summer school is part of the Brilliant Club - Trinity College Transition Project, which aims to help graduates of the Brilliant Club’s Scholars Programme develop relevant skills, knowledge and confidence to secure a place at a top university.

Jon Datta, Head of Outreach at Trinity College, said: “This exciting partnership with the Brilliant Club is about maximizing the potential of high ability students from less-advantaged backgrounds from areas that are under-represented at highly selective universities, including Cambridge.”

Datta continued: “It’s been really inspiring and we’re really passionate about working with these exceptional students on the next stages of the Transition Project – which will involve mentoring and support with university applications, study skills and university preparation sessions.”

Trinity announced an enhanced bursary scheme at Cambridge earlier this year to provide £100 million of financial support to disadvantaged students over the next ten years. The launch of this scheme follows an inter-collegiate pilot programme that was funded mainly from the College’s alumni donations.

The number of applicants eligible for government-funded free school meals admitted to Trinity more than doubled from four students in 2018 to nine students in 2020, which was an increase of just under 3% of the total acceptances to the College over these three admissions cycles.