Attend a virtual subject taster session and discover what it would be like to study your chosen subject at degree level. 

On these free-of-charge virtual events, you will sample lectures and practical sessions, work alongside other students interested in your subject, meet our enthusiastic staff, and get a real feel for life at the University of Reading.

To request your place on a subject taster, please complete the application at the bottom of each event description.

We try to accommodate as many students as possible in our virtual outreach provision and in most cases will be able to offer places to all that are interested. However, in the case of over-subscription on events, priority will be given to students on a first come, first served basis.

Date: Tuesday June 22, 16:00-17:00pm

Aileen Ho, Associate Professor in the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, interviews a varied panel of professional psychologists about the career paths they have chosen and how they got there. This behind-the-scenes experience will also explore how they navigate challenges along the way, and how their profession is important for supporting wellbeing in a post-pandemic era.

Sign up for this event.

Date: Tuesday June 22 17:00-18:00pm

Do you enjoy studying Geography or Environmental Science at school or college but are unsure about the kinds of degrees that there are on offer? There are more than you think! Hear from some of our students studying the some of the options available at the University of Reading, which include Human or Physical Geography, International Development (TBC), Environmental Science and Environmental Management. Hear about what their courses involve and ask them anything in the student Q&A.

Sign up for this Geography event.

Date: Thursday 24 June, 16:00–17:00pm

Are you interested in studying Agriculture at university? Join academics from the department of Agriculture as they share a valuable look into the degrees on offer at the University of Reading.

Discover what you can come to expect as a student at the University of Reading through this virtual session and have an opportunity to ask your questions.

Sign up for this event.

Date: Tuesday 29 June 12.00-13.00

The University of Reading is delighted that you are interested in joining us for the Virtual Chemistry Taster Session. This session led by Professor Ann Chippindale, Dr Philippa Cranwell and Dr Jessica Gusthart will include invaluable admissions advice, an University level talk on Spectroscopy, an interactive puzzle following this and the chance to engage with a Chemistry student panel. Please do complete the short sign up form below.  

Date: Wednesday 30 June 16:00pm–17.30pm

We hope that you will join us for an Archaeology based virtual taster in which you can meet our Archaeology academics, experience an Archaeology lecture, hear from recent alumni and learn from a panel of students. The session will further provide an insight in wider ancient history and is therefore applicable for any Year 12’s considering History, Ancient History, Archaeology or Classics at University.

Sign up for this Archaeology event.

Date: Thursday 1 July 12:00pm–13:30pm

Our History department hopes to welcome Year 12’s to an exciting array of virtual activity that will be applicable for any student considering studying History or Ancient History at university. This will enhance curriculum learning, deepen your historical skill set and provide insight into studying at university.

Sign up for this History event.

Date: Thursday 1 July 16:30pm-18:00pm

Join our Classics department for an insight into studying Classics and Ancient History at University. This is a chance to meet the department, sample interactive lectures and see why Reading is a truly unique place to study Classics.

Sign up for this event.

Date: Monday 5 July: 12:00–13:00

We hope you will join us for the pre-FNS Summer School Webinar. This session will be hosted by our brilliant student ambassador Georgina Cox. To additionally sign up for the summer school itself please see the information on this page. 

Sign up for the Food and Nutritional Sciences webinar.

Date: Monday 5 July, 12:00pm–13:30pm

Are you interested in making a positive impact on people’s health but are unsure of your career options? Come find out more about the role of the Pharmacist and Physician Associate as part of a healthcare team that makes a positive impact on peoples lives. The session will look the different courses and give you an insight into the different roles with some taster sessions.

Sign up for this event.

Date: Monday 5 July 17:00–18:00  

Digital communication is an integral part of our lives today, even more so during a pandemic that has halted most of our face-to-face interactions. Despite the pandemic, we still actively interact with one another in new, humorous, and innovative ways using social media. We create and share content in the form of remix, parody or caption popular images or videos, which are known as internet memes. Come join us to learn about the academic origins of memes followed and hear from our current student Katie, about her work focusing on lockdown memes in the UK.

Book a place on the event.

Date: Tuesday 6 July 2021, 16:30 - 17:30

During this interactive session Dr Neil Cocks will be giving you a flavour of what it is like to study English Literature with us at University of Reading. You will explore representations of mental health in literature, narration, and war writing through a discussion about perspective using Regeneration by Pat Barker. Through discussions you will also consider the relationship between politics, ethics, and narration and the difference between studying literature and studying philosophy. Current students will also be on hand to answer your questions about the student experience. 

Sign up to this event.

Date: Wednesday 7 July, 16.00–17.30

The study of pharmacology to understand how molecules work and make changes to enhance their drug profile. This session will look at the course content and showcase how pharmacology at Reading has made a difference to children suffering from epilepsy. 

Date: Wednesday 7 July 12.00–13.30

Join the University of Reading Geography department for an interactive insight into studying geography at Reading. The session will include admissions advice, taster talks and Q&A with current Geography students. This session is relevant for students considering studying either human or physical geography at university, this session will enhance sixth form curriculum knowledge as well as providing an understanding of what a Geography degree entails.

Sign up to this Geography event.

Date: Thursday 8 July, 17:00pm

There has never been a better time to study languages at university: with a national shortage of people with language skills and intercultural knowledge, languages graduates are in high demand with employers.

In this session you’ll discover how you can become multilingual, learn all about our Languages courses at Reading, discover the types of careers languages graduates go into, and find out how you can really make a difference in the world as a languages graduate.

Current students will also be on hand to talk to you about their experiences of studying Languages at university level, the comparisons to school/college and the options of taking up to three languages.

Sign up for this event.

Date: Thursday 15 July, 16:00–17:30

Our Psychology department are excited to offer Year 12’s admissions advice, taster lectures, an insight into being a student studying Psychology. We hope that you will join us and find the session useful. 

19 -22 July 2021 

The Pathways to Property Summer School takes place from 19 – 22 July 2021, and is for Year 12 students from state funded schools and colleges who want to learn more about a career in property.

Taking place over four days on campus at the Henley Business School at the University of Reading, this fully-funded, residential summer school will give you the opportunity to explore the world of property and the careers within it. With a mix of taster lectures, site visits, a group project, careers fair and social activities, you will get to experience university life, whilst also exploring key themes in property such as sustainability, regeneration and globalisation. With such a huge variety of roles, from becoming a building surveyor or town planner to a sustainability consultant or financial analyst, there is a role to suit any skill set or personality.

Applications for the Pathways to Property Summer School are now open. Please visit the Henley Business School website for more information on how to apply. If COVID-19 restrictions prevent this event from taking place in person, a virtual summer school will take place instead.

As part of our commitment to widening participation, places for the Pathways to Property Summer School will be awarded to students who best meet our widening participation criteria.

Date: Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 July 9:30am–15:00pm

The University of Reading’s Architecture department's virtual taster sessions offer students the opportunity to experience a typical architecture studio through hands-on design and/or drawing exercises. Students will take part in a workshop dedicated to visualising space and structure and lectures will cover the role of the sketchbook and the preparation of the architecture portfolio.

Sign up for this event.

Date: 26–27 July

Our Food and Nutritional Science department's Virtual Summer School offers students the opportunity to experience life as a Food and Nutrition Science student in a virtual context. Year 12 participants will complete at home experiments and workshops. This will also be a great chance to meet our students, academics and engage with inspiring industry professionals.

Sign up for the Food and Nutritional Sciences Summer School.

The Reading Scholars Programme gives Year 12 students a real taste of life as a university undergraduate, providing practical support as participants begin their higher education application process. Featuring input from leading academics and current undergraduate e-mentors, the programme aims to challenge participants academically and enhance their current studies.

Visit our Reading Scholars’ page for more information, including the full eligibility criteria. 

Together with universities and cultural institutions from around the world, the University of Reading has developed a wide range of free online courses. 

Providing you are 13 years or older you can explore a diverse and exciting range of topics in your own time and on any device. Courses include Begin Robotics, Our Changing Climate, and A Beginner's Guide to Writing in English for University Study. Find out more about our free online courses

In unforeseen circumstances, we may have to cancel or amend the events. Participants will be notified of any changes as far in advance as possible.

Want to be the first to know about events and activities in your subject area of interest? 

Please email us at outreach@reading.ac.uk

For teachers and advisors

Please visit our Activities for Schools page for more information about our upcoming sessions and resources for schools.