Below is a list of answers to frequently asked questions for applicants. 

Can I visit the College?

Prospective applicants are always welcome to visit the College. Please report to the Porters' Lodge on arrival and say you are a prospective applicant. The College’s normal open hours are 9.30am-4.30pm.

I won’t be 18 at the start of the course I want to apply for. Can I still apply?

The vast majority of our applicants will be 18 years old by the start of their second term in Cambridge, and it is a requirement for Medicine applicants to be 18 by 1st November of their first year due to national restrictions on the clinical element of this course. We are able to admit  slightly younger students for courses other than Medicine if they are judged to have the academic maturity to cope well with a Cambridge degree. 

What do you think about applicants who want to apply for deferred entry?

We welcome applicants who want to apply for deferred entry, but our advice to these applicants would be to think about your reasons for a gap year and ideally outline any ideas or plans you have for the year in your personal statement or My Cambridge Application.

Can I re-apply after an unsuccessful application?

Reapplications are considered like any other application, though if you have completed your studies and are taking a gap year then in order for your application to be competitive, you must demonstrate evidence of continued academic engagement after the completion of your studies. 

Please be advised that in ordinary circumstances you cannot reapply after enrolling on a degree course at another UK university. See below for more information on such cases.

Will resitting Year 12 disadvantage my application?

Applicants are required to declare all previous grades in their UCAS application. Performance in any subjects taken prior to resitting Year 12 may still be considered as part of the application. Where applicable, applicants are advised to ask their UCAS referee to explain the reasons for resitting Year 12 in their UCAS reference.

What’s your view on applicants with qualifications other than A-levels?

We generally talk in terms of A-levels as these are the qualifications that most of our applicants are taking. However, many of our applicants take other applications such as IB, Pre-U and Scottish Highers, all of which are welcome. A full list of entry requirements for different UK qualifications can be found here, or a full list of international qualifications can be found here.

Should I take 4 A-levels?

We only expect applicants to have 3 A-levels (or equivalent) and do not give preference to applicants who are applying with 4 A-levels. The one exception to this is when applicants are taking Further Maths, a subject which is highly favoured for courses with a strong mathematical element such as Maths, Physical Natural Sciences, Computer Science, Engineering or Economics. We are aware that many schools prefer students to only take Further Maths as a fourth A-level, and in these cases would be beneficial for students to take 4 A-levels if it allows them to take Further Maths.

Are there minimum entry requirements for GCSEs?

There are no set entry requirements for GCSEs, only for A Levels (or equivalent). Performance in GCSEs is considered in the context of an applicant's GCSE school. We operate a holistic application process that assesses each individual application on a case-by-case basis, and we take extenuating circumstances into consideration when we are made aware of these.

Do you accept transfers from another university?

Cambridge Colleges cannot accept transfers from another university.

I’m currently studying at another UK university – will Cambridge consider my application for the first year of a course?

Cambridge Colleges will only, as a general rule and as a matter of principle, consider applications from students enrolled in a degree course at other UK universities in very exceptional circumstances.  Any application to study at Cambridge would usually need strong support from your Course Director or other academic tutor at your current university. All such applications are subject to the same academic assessment as any other application to the University. Students wishing to apply while enrolled at another UK university are advised to contact the College Admissions Office directly to check whether their application would be considered by the College and what evidence would be required to support it.

Please see this page for further details on applying to the University as an affiliate student.

Do you have any quotas to fulfill for subjects?

The University caps the number of places that are offered in Architecture, History of Art, Music, and Philosophy, and there are government set caps, including on the number of international students, for Medicine. Otherwise, there are no quotas. If you’re interested in the typical number of offers made in particular subjects then you may find the tool at the bottom of this page helpful.

How is contextual data used in admissions?

We are committed to ensuring that we offer admission to students of the highest intellectual potential, irrespective of socio-economic background. To achieve this, every applicant is considered individually in a holistic assessment using all the information available to us.  If you want to find out more about this then you can read about the University’s use of contextual data here.

I was due to sit my APs/SATs, but they have been cancelled – how will this affect my application?

If your AP/SAT exams are cancelled, you can sit your exams in the coming year as you don’t need to have taken them all before submitting your application to Cambridge.

Still got questions?

The University website offers further guidance and advice on the application process. Be sure to check it out and if you still have questions, email us!