Study at the University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is one of the most prestigious UK universities and is located in the charming town of Cambridge in England.

Second in the ranking of best universities in the world in 2018 (THE’s World University Ranking 2018), Cambridge has thousands of illustrious graduates. Cambridge alumni notably includes: Charles Dickens, Isaac Newton, Emma Thompson, Arianna Huffington, Alan Turing and Stephen Hawking. Moreover, 96 of their former students and professors have received the Nobel prize and 10 have received the Fields Medal.

Today, the University of Cambridge is home to more than 21 000 students who are part of 31 colleges and one hundred academic departments.

The University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge shares numerous traditions with the University of Oxford, which explains why they are often grouped together with the term ‘Oxbridge’.

The University of Cambridge is home to more than 21 000 students who are part of 31 colleges and one hundred academic departments.

Second in the ranking of best universities in the world in 2018 (THE’s World University Ranking 2018), Cambridge has thousands of illustrious graduates. Cambridge alumni notably includes Charles Dickens, Isaac Newton, Emma Thompson, Arianna Huffington, Alan Turing and Stephen Hawking. Moreover, 96 of their former students and professors have received the Nobel prize and 10 have received the Fields Medal.

Alongside the University of Oxford, Cambridge is one of the most selective universities in England, even the world, with only 1 candidate in 5 admitted.

Academic matters

At the undergraduate level, 30 courses are on offer, from which students should pick just one. Some courses cover multiple subject areas, for instance:

• Natural Sciences allows students to choose modules in hard sciences, from Biology, Physics and Chemistry to Earth Sciences and Mathematics
• Human, Social and Political Sciences students can choose modules such as Politics and International Relations, Anthropology and Sociology

Most degrees on offer at Bachelor’s level are typically 3 or 4 years long. Each year at Cambridge is made up of three terms. Cambridge terms, like those at Oxford, are quite unique amongst UK universities, since each term is only 8 weeks long.

These intense study periods are packed full of activity, and allow a deep focus on academic matters through lectures, supervisions*, and private study. Science students typically have lab-sessions at least once a week, and students of essay subjects will normally have 1-2 essays to work on during each week of term.

*What are supervisions?

Oxford and Cambridge are unique amongst UK universities in offering regular one-to-one or small-group discussions with expert academics. These give students a chance to go deeper into the subject by asking questions, reflecting on topic content, and receiving extra reading recommendations personalised to your particular interests in the subject, or what you are hoping to explore further.

At Cambridge, you could find yourself in lectures or supervisions with the same academic that has professionally published a book or journal article on the topic you are studying!

Term-time is also the perfect time to interact with other students in between study sessions and through student societies. Read on for more about student life at Cambridge!

Living and studying in Cambridge

Cambridge students are housed within one of the 31 colleges, each with their own personality. For a good overview of the Cambridge colleges, their location in the city and student life there, see the university prospectus.

The Cambridge colleges are spread around Cambridge, a city with a bustling centre and plenty of green spaces, museums, and a stunning mixture of architecture. The colleges in themselves are havens for students in the city, offering a space to live, share meals with fellow students, relax, and of course study.

Study spaces are numerous, and include: departmental buildings and libraries, the University library, smaller College libraries, and other spaces such as shared or private study rooms, College JCRs (Junior Common Rooms), which also double as a place to socialise with other students of the College.

While Cambridge students work hard, they also like to ‘play hard’, and there are plenty of opportunities to make the most of the student experience at Cambridge. From traditional formal halls and May Balls, to the 959 (!) student societies on offer. Societies are a chance to get involved in something new, pursue an existing hobby.

Around Cambridge, you could also shake off your essay stress at a student bar, watch a show at the ADC theatre (whose stage once saw the likes of ex-students Rachel Weisz, Ian McKellen and Hugh Laurie) or see talks by big-name speakers at the cambridge union.

In terms of getting around the city, many people get around Cambridge (to lectures, for instance) on foot or by bike, although the city is also well served by buses. Travelling outside of Cambridge is also convenient: taking a train from Cambridge’s train station will allow you to get to London in under an hour, whether for a day-trip or for a weekend.

How do I apply?

Note: If you decide to apply to Cambridge for Undergraduate level in order to obtain a Bachelor of Arts (BA), you will not be able to apply to Oxford as well. You will therefore have to choose between either applying to Oxford or to Cambridge.

What are the different stages of the application?

There are several steps:

1. Application
2. Test
3. Interview
4. Conditional offer
5. Acceptance

The details of these steps are covered below.

Beginning your application

Once you have decided on your ideal course of study, you will have to begin filling in the candidate file on the UCAS platform, which allows you to apply to up to 5 different courses/universities in the UK.

The UCAS application consists of a written Personal statement (of up to 4,000 characters) as well as a letter of recommendation from one of your teachers. After submitting your UCAS application, you will also be invited to fill out a Cambridge-specific Supplementary Application Questionnaire (SAQ), in which you will confirm certain details from your academic transcript.

You will also be asked to choose one of Cambridge’s colleges in your application, specifying choosing the one you wish to apply to. It is also possible to make an ‘open application’ (in which you do not indicate one college in particular, but will be assigned one automatically).

Interview and admissions tests

If your application is successful in the first stage (following submission of the UCAS application and Personal Statement), you will then be invited to an interview at the start of December in Cambridge. In this interview, the objective is to test your academic capacities and your motivation for your subject in front of a few members (‘fellows’) of the College you applied to. Given that Cambridge is highly selective, these interviews are very demanding and require a large amount of preparation.

If your application is successful in the first stage (following submission of the UCAS application and Personal Statement), you will then be invited to an interview at the start of December in Cambridge. In this interview, the objective is to test your academic capacities and your motivation for your subject in front of a few members (‘fellows’) of the College you applied to. Given that Cambridge is highly selective, these interviews are very demanding and require a large amount of preparation.

The conditional offer of admission

Finally, if you succeed in the interview stage, you will then receive a ‘conditional offer’ of admission. Offers should be received by 15th January.

Our Oxbridge Admissions Pack can help you through the entire Cambridge or Oxford admissions process.

When do you have to start preparing for the University of Cambridge?

The deadline for applying to the University of Cambridge is fixed at October 15th of your final year.

In all cases, take into account the huge scale of preparation required for admission to Cambridge, it is strongly recommended to start preparing yourself from the start of your penultimate year in order to maximize your chances of success.

A good way to prepare for studying in Cambridge is to have a good look at the information for your course so as to know what to expect. Once you are confident in your choice of subject and your determination to study at Cambridge, you should begin researching your course further by reading around your subject.

It would also be a good idea to go to an open day. Open days run throughout the year, but most occur in the months leading up to October. For specific dates, you should look out for subject-specific open days, college-specific open days, and university-wide open days.

In 2019, Cambridge will be holding uni-wide open days on 7 & 8 July 2022. For these open days, booking is necessary: Sign up to the Student Newsletter to be notified when bookings open and for other opportunities, advice and resources.

What is the profile of the students at the University of Cambridge ?

Admission to the University of Cambridge is reserved for the best students and requires both excellent school results and lots of rigorous preparation.

Given the extreme selectivity, we recommend that you only apply to this University if you can show excellent academic results and can be sure of obtaining the highest grades in your final year of pre-university studies (i.e. a ‘Très Bien’ grade in the French Bac). The University of Cambridge is also particularly reputed for their science programs and expectation will be even higher for these.

Moreover, given the selection process contains interviews, you must also master the English language.

If you are confident that you fit the profile of a Cambridge student, the next step is to reflect on whether the workload and supervision system is right for you.

Finally, you should do all that you can to start preparing for studies at Cambridge, in order to create a stand-out application and so that you can adapt well to new the living and studying conditions on arrival.

Financing your studies

Fees:

Following UK Government’s amendment of the regulations relating to fee status due to Brexit, EU, EEA and Swiss students will now be classified as international/overseas students.

Tuition fees for international students vary depending on the course studied. Most international students also have to pay College fees in addition to tuition fees. See this page for details.

Are you ready to study at Cambridge?

We’re here to help you succeed in your application.