Mathematics

Corpus is a wonderful place to study mathematics. We are situated in the historic heart of Cambridge, surrounded by sites of extraordinary significance in mathematical and scientific history. The electron, the neutron, and the structure of DNA were all discovered within a few paces of the College walls (the latter being announced in the Eagle pub, owned by the College). More prosaically, no College is closer to the location of the first-year maths lectures, which take place just across the road... 

Corpus is a small college, and one of the oldest colleges in Cambridge, founded in 1352 by the townspeople (the only Cambridge College with this distinction). Its architecture is stunning, although perhaps a little intimidating at first, but you will find that the students, staff and fellows form a friendly, nurturing and surprisingly informal community. Corpus wears its history lightly, but with pride, and to this day we are delighted to welcome people of all backgrounds into our closely knit community. We take 6-7 mathematics students each year; this allows for an excellent ratio of students to Fellows and academic staff, who between them cover expertise across the broad spectrum of mathematics. In particular, all our students have two Directors of Studies (Fellows responsible for academic oversight of students), who you will get to know well and who will follow your academic development closely through your time here. They are responsible for arranging your ‘supervisions’ (small group teaching to accompany lectures), which form a core part of the Cambridge education system; at Corpus, the majority of these are offered by members of the College for the whole of your first two years. Corpus also has a dedicated Mathematics Society, the T. Batterby Society, named after an illustrious alumnus who achieved the dubious honour of being awarded the (in)famous wooden-spoon in 1907 (we still possess the ornate and oversized spoon, which makes an annual appearance at the Batterby Society dinner).

We know that the choice of which College to apply to can feel like a very difficult decision. Try not to agonise about this too much – the main decision you are making is whether to apply to read mathematics at Cambridge. Of course, each College has its own unique features and its own character, but the maths course you are studying is just as wonderful no matter which College you end up at! 

Further details:

Minimum offer: A*A*A in A Levels (or equivalent) with A* in Mathematics and/or Further Mathematics, and at least Grade 1 in STEP papers II and III.

Required subjects: Mathematics, Further Mathematics 

Typical number of Mathematics undergraduates admitted per year: 6-7

Submitted written work requirements: see our Written Work webpage

Admissions assessment: STEP Papers II and III as part of conditional offers (applicants may also be set a problem sheet to work through immediately prior to their interview)

Interview format: In-person for UK-based students, online for overseas-based students

The maths course at Cambridge (the Mathematical Tripos) is one of the most famous in the world. It is a fast-paced, exciting and extremely rewarding course. The range of subjects offered is exceptionally wide: you can learn about everything from black holes or climate modelling to number theory or abstruse logic. The faculty website contains more information about the course. You can graduate after three years (with a BA degree), or stay on for an extra year (on the celebrated Part III programme) for an MMath degree. In the mathematics degree, you will receive a firm foundation in all aspects of mathematics in your first year, before having more choice to specialise in subsequent years. It is also possible to study Mathematics with Physics in your first year, which leaves the door open for conversion into Mathematics or Natural Sciences in your second year. 

If you are a current undergraduate elsewhere interested in applying for Part III (the MASt degree) in Cambridge, please consult our postgraduate admissions page.  

We are looking for applicants who have a passion for solving mathematical problems and want to learn more about mathematics! We aim to offer places to applicants who we believe have the potential to thrive on this exciting degree course regardless of their background. There is no ‘standard type’ of mathematics student that we admit, beyond having an aptitude for - and interest in – mathematics! 

Admissions decisions are made on the basis of UCAS applications and interview performance. We absolutely understand that interviews can be a stressful experience: our aim in the interviews is simply to see how you approach and think about challenging mathematical problems, to help us get some idea of how you might respond to the fast-paced mathematics course at Cambridge. 

We welcome applications for deferred entry. It is, however, easy to become ‘rusty’ over long periods away from mathematics, so if you are considering a gap year please bear this in mind in your planning.

• We strongly encourage you to spend time practising challenging maths problems outside the school curriculum. There are lots of great online resources where you can find new maths problems, for example Underground Mathematics, NRICH, Ada Computer Science and IsaacPhysics.
• Participating in competitions such as UKMT or Mathematical Olympiads are a great way to work on challenging and unfamiliar maths problems.
• Getting a feel for STEP questions is an invaluable way of preparing and giving you a sense of more advanced mathematical thinking than you usually meet at school. These questions may seem (very) hard when you first look at them – don’t be put off by this! Rather, see how you respond when working through them, perhaps with the help of a teacher or a guide like this. More information and many STEP resources are available here.
• The Cambridge Mathematics Faculty has a suggested reading list - maybe pick a couple of things from this to develop your knowledge of particular areas of mathematical interest.