Each summer, the UCA Outreach Team offer exciting creative opportunities for young people, in the form of Summer Schools and/or Taster Days. 

These events are led by tutors with professional experience in the creative industries, and are aimed at young people who wish to develop their existing creative skills, or try a new creative discipline. Our summer activities allow you to create work for your portfolio, build confidence in your creative skills and meet like-minded creative people!

All our summer events are free to participate in and materials are provided to anyone allocated a place. 

Find out more and register your interest for our 2025 summer events below.

Register your interest

Our summer events for 2025 are yet to be confirmed, however you can register your interest below if you would like us to get in touch when these events are announced: 

Register your interest

Useful
information

These activities are suitable for students who are studying or have an interest in creative subjects and would like to develop their skills and portfolio. 

The aim of the course is to provide an opportunity for young people to access free art and design tuition from a higher education institution to support them in the development of their portfolio of work. It's also designed for students who may not otherwise have the chance to access such an opportunity. This work is funded through the UCA's Access and Participation Plan's commitment as approved by the Office for Students (OfS). The programme is aimed at supporting students who are under-represented in Higher education. For further information and a list of the under-represented groups, please refer to the OfS approach to access and participation

Priority will be given to applicants who meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • are the first generation in their family to study at higher education level (e.g. Degree, HND, HNC)
  • are currently eligible for Free School Meals
  • come from a neighbourhood with low overall progression rates to higher education (determined by postcode using POLAR 4 data)
  • are from a black or minority ethnic (BAME) background
  • are in, or have lived under local authority care
  • have caring responsibilities for a family member
  • have a disability
  • are studying without the support of family 
  • are an unaccompanied asylum seeker/refugee
  • are from a military family
  • are from a Gypsy, Roma or Traversal community
  • attend a KaMCOP, KMPF or HEON partnered school (a list of eligible schools is included below)
  • live in HEON or KaMCOP target postcode area

This information will be gathered via UCA’s Summer Schools application form and will be assessed by the University’s Outreach Manager and Outreach Officer.

Once the application deadline has passed, we will consider all applications against the priority criteria listed above to determine who will be offered a place. A decision will be sent in writing to confirm whether a place on the programme has been secured, and successful applicants will be asked to confirm their place in writing. Where the programmes are oversubscribed, unplaced applicants who meet the criteria outlined above will be kept on a waiting list and allocated spaces should they become available.

If an applicant decides not to accept their offer, they must inform UCA staff via email as soon as possible so spaces can be reallocated where possible: outreach@uca.ac.uk

  • Astor Secondary School
  • Aylesford School
  • Brockhill Park Performing Arts College
  • Brompton Academy
  • Cornwallis Academy
  • Dartford Science & Technology College
  • Dover Christ Church Academy
  • Folkestone Academy
  • Fulston Manor School
  • Greenacre Academy
  • Hartsdown Academy
  • Herne Bay High School
  • Hugh Christie School
  • New Line Learning Academy
  • Northfleet School for Girls
  • Northfleet Technology College
  • Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey
  • Orchards Academy
  • PGW Partnership of Greenacre and Walderslade
  • Saint George's Church of England School - Gravesend
  • Sandwich Technology School
  • Spires Academy
  • St Anselm's Catholic School, Canterbury
  • St Augustine Academy
  • St Edmund's Catholic School
  • St George's Church of England Foundation School - Broadstairs
  • St John's Catholic Comprehensive
  • Strood Academy
  • Thamesview School
  • The Abbey School
  • The Canterbury Academy
  • The Charles Dickens School
  • The Ebbsfleet Academy
  • The Holmesdale School
  • The John Wallis Church of England Academy
  • The Leigh Academy
  • The Leigh UTC
  • The Malling School
  • The Marsh Academy
  • The North School
  • The Robert Napier School
  • The Royal Harbour Academy
  • The Sittingbourne School
  • The Victory Academy
  • Towers School and Sixth Form Centre
  • Turner Free School
  • Ursuline College
  • Walderslade Girls' School
  • Westlands School
  • Alderwood Senior School
  • Bohunt Farnborough
  • Broadwater School
  • Chertsey High School
  • Christ's College, Guildford
  • Collingwood College
  • Cove School
  • Farnborough College of Technology
  • Farnham Heath End School
  • Hoe Valley School
  • Kings International College
  • Salesian School, Chertsey
  • The Beacon School
  • The Matthew Arnold School
  • The Wavell School

UCA processes data in accordance with the General Data Protection Rules (GDPR). The university's data protection policies and privacy notices can be viewed here.

The policies which apply to the Summer Schools are:
Outreach & Widening Participation

You have the right to review information held about you. If you would like to do so or to notify us of a change of your details, please email outreach@uca.ac.uk. If, you believe there is no legitimate reason for us to continue processing your data and wish us to delete it, please contact the Data Protection Officer dpo@uca.ac.uk

Disclaimer

UCA reserves the right to amend or cancel part or all of the programme. In the event of any changes, applicants/participants and their parents/carers will be notified accordingly.

We endeavour to provide a high-quality experience to all our Summer School participants. Should any applicant or participant have any feedback or wish to make a complaint then they can do so in writing via email or post using the details below:

Email: outreach@uca.ac.uk

Outreach Manager
UCA Farnham
Falkner Road
Farnham
Surrey
GU9 7DS