Open Days and visiting

If you're curious about studying at King’s and want to explore what life here is really like, the University-wide Open Days are the perfect opportunity. You’ll get to meet Admissions staff, talk to current students, and take a guided tour of the College (including student accommodation). 

Can’t wait for an Open Day? No problem! Prospective students are welcome to visit and explore the College grounds and Chapel during opening hours. Please see below for details on how to request a complimentary visitors pass.

Prospective students are always welcome to visit King's! Please contact schools liaison and outreach to make arrangements. To avoid disappointment, please contact us at least five working days ahead of your visit. Our normal office hours are Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; we won't be able to respond outside of those hours.

Please include in your request:

• Your full name
• The subject you are interested in applying for
• Your school year
• The time and date you would like to visit 

The public areas of King's will be open to you. Guided tours of the College for prospective students are only available at Open Days. 

As well as visiting King's, you will probably want to visit other parts of the University - other Colleges, academic departments, or other facilities such as the University Library and museums. If you visit during the Open Days in July, departments and Colleges will be open with information stands. You may also be able to attend taster lectures and chat with academics and current students in your subject. The University Library and teaching collections are also open to visit on these days.

Many departments also run events for prospective students, and some have their own Open Days. Check the links for more details.

The University has some very interesting and significant teaching collections and museums which might be relevant depending on your subject, such as the Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology, The Polar Museum, and the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences. Many of the resources are used in undergraduate teaching, and admission is free of charge (except for the Botanic Gardens). The University maps should help orientate you when you're here.

Cambridge is a well-connected city, accessible by train, coach, car, and plane. For more information about getting to the College, do check the Visit King's area of the website. Whilst we cannot assist with travel expenses as a general rule, students who are (or have previously been) in care may be eligible for financial assistance from the University Open Day travel fund. Once you're here, Cambridge is a very walkable city, but there are also frequent buses and reliable taxi services.

Accommodation in central Cambridge can be expensive. If you are staying overnight, it might be worth considering accommodation a few miles from King's. We are currently not able to provide accommodation at King's for individual students visiting or attending Open Days. Some of the other Cambridge Colleges provide bed and breakfast at specific times of the year.

Don't worry: it is not essential to visit King's or Cambridge before applying, and many successful candidates have never been to Cambridge before their interview. If you're unable to visit the College or University prior to making your application, you can find lots of information here and on the main University website, which should help explain how studying in Cambridge works.

You could also take part in one of our online sessions which give you the opportunity to ask any questions you might have, or follow us on social media to get an inside view of life at King's.