2027 Entry · Oxbridge
How to get into Cambridge
Our students' Cambridge acceptance rate
65%Average UK applicant rate
21%World-leading research university with an unmatched supervision system.
Course guides
Subjects at Cambridge.
Pick a subject for the full 2027-entry breakdown — grade requirements, test strategy, interview questions, personal-statement angles.
Type a course name or UCAS code, choose a filter, or click "Show all".
Admissions tests
The tests Cambridge uses.
From 2026 onwards most UK admissions tests are delivered through Pearson VUE — registration closes weeks before test day. Legacy tests are shown so you can recognise them.
Official Cambridge links
Always verify requirements on the official site.
Overview
Cambridge in a nutshell.
The University of Cambridge, founded in 1209, is one of the world's most prestigious universities. It consistently ranks in the global top 3 and is particularly renowned for its strength in mathematics, natural sciences, engineering, and medicine. Like Oxford, it uses a collegiate system — but with its own distinctive supervision-based teaching model.
- 01
Cambridge's supervision system is the cornerstone of its teaching: undergraduates meet weekly in groups of 1-3 with an expert in their field. This intensive, personalised approach demands independent thought and produces graduates with exceptional analytical skills.
- 02
Cambridge receives approximately 22,000 applications for around 3,500 places annually. The admissions process includes UCAS application, admissions tests (varying by subject), and interviews. Cambridge interviews about 75% of applicants — a higher proportion than Oxford — and uses a "Winter Pool" system to ensure strong candidates aren't missed.
Why here
What makes Cambridge different.
- 01
Supervision system: intensive 1-3 student sessions with subject experts
- 02
Consistently ranked in the global top 3 universities
- 03
World-leading in STEM: mathematics, natural sciences, engineering, computer science
- 04
31 colleges offering a unique combination of community and independence
- 05
The Winter Pool ensures strong applicants are considered by multiple colleges
- 06
Three eight-week terms with highly focused, intensive study periods
Decision helper
Is Cambridge right for you?
Good fit if you…
- Want one-to-one or small-group teaching every week with subject experts.
- Are comfortable being academically stretched — Cambridge students are expected to work independently and think on their feet.
- Like the idea of a college system: a smaller community inside a world-class research university.
- See yourself engaging beyond the syllabus — reading around your subject, entering competitions, joining societies.
Maybe look elsewhere if you…
- Prefer modular flexibility or a large number of credit-based options over a structured, subject-focused degree.
- Would rather learn primarily through large lectures without weekly one-to-one scrutiny.
- Dislike the idea of a college allocating you somewhere or shaping your social life.
- Want a campus-based university life with clearly defined term times and contact hours — Cambridge's terms are unusually short and intense.
The competition
Offer rates by subject.
Most recent published figures. Treat as directional — rates vary year to year and by college.
- Computer Science9%
- Economics13%
- Medicine17%
- Engineering18%
- Mathematics20%
- Natural Sciences21%
- Law20%
- HSPS22%
- English24%
- History28%
- Classics45%
- Modern & Medieval Languages55%
Source: Cambridge official admissions statistics, most recent cycle. Figures rounded.
The interview
What Cambridge interviews are actually like.
Cambridge interviews are the decisive stage of the application. Around 75% of applicants are interviewed — one of the highest rates of any UK university — and the outcome depends heavily on how you perform. Expect 1-2 interviews of 25-45 minutes each with subject specialists, usually at your chosen or allocated college. The interview is an academic conversation: you will be given problems, sources, or questions you have not seen before and asked to think aloud. Bring paper. Engage with the interviewer as a collaborator, not an examiner. Most interviews are now held in person in Cambridge; a minority remain online.
Written work
Submitted essays & portfolios.
Cambridge asks for submitted written work in most arts and humanities subjects — English, History, MML, Classics, HSPS, Theology and Asian & Middle Eastern Studies. The standard ask is one or two pieces of marked school work in the subject or a closely related one. Tutors are looking for your authentic analytical voice, not a performance. Send your normal classroom essays with teacher comments visible. A cover note explaining the task and context (the essay title, the word limit, whether it was timed) is helpful. Deadline is usually 10 November, confirmed by each college.
International applicants
Coming from outside the UK.
IELTS
7.5 overall with 7.0 in each component
TOEFL
110 overall with minimum 25 in each component
Cambridge accepts IB (40-42+ with 7,7,6 at HL), SAT (1500+) with subject AP scores (5,5,5 in relevant subjects), Advanced Placement, Abitur, Baccalauréat, Gaokao (top 0.1%), and many other qualifications. Full country-by-country requirements are published annually. International applicants sit pre-interview tests at Pearson VUE centres worldwide and are interviewed (online or in Cambridge) on the same footing as UK applicants.
Contextual admissions
How Cambridge reads your background.
Cambridge flags UK applicants by school-type performance at GCSE and A-Level, POLAR4 low-participation quintile, care-experienced status and free school meal eligibility.
Contextual flags are considered at every decision stage: shortlisting, interview, pool, and final offer.
The Cambridge Foundation Year is a free, fully-funded one-year programme for UK state school students whose academic potential has been disrupted by personal or educational circumstances — offering a route into full degree study from 2026/27.
HE+ is a free subject-enrichment programme delivered in partnership with state schools; applicants who complete HE+ are flagged positively.
Cambridge does not reduce academic requirements for contextual applicants, but borderline applications are interpreted generously.
Fees & funding
What it costs.
UK / home fees
£9,535 per year (UK students, 2026/27 — rising with inflation for 2027 entry)
Overseas fees
£25,734 – £67,194 per year (varies by subject; clinical Medicine is highest) plus a college fee of approximately £11,000 – £13,500 per year
Bursaries & scholarships
The Cambridge Bursary Scheme awards up to £3,500 per year for UK students from households earning under £42,875, on a sliding scale. The Stormzy Scholarship and Harding Scholarship provide major support for specific underrepresented groups. Colleges also run their own hardship and travel funds. International support is limited — the Gates Cambridge Scholarship is postgraduate-only.
Scholarships & funding
Ways Cambridge funds students.
Most awards are applied for alongside, not before, your UCAS application. Always verify eligibility on the official page before applying.
- Means-testedGuide coming
Cambridge Bursary
UK students from households earning under £62,343 (sliding scale)
Up to £3,500 per year
- AccessGuide coming
Stormzy Scholarship
UK Black British students, means-tested
Full tuition + maintenance grant
- InternationalGuide coming
Harding Scholarship
International postgraduate applicants (undergraduate scholarships are rare)
Full funding
- MeritGuide coming
College scholarships and awards
Varies by college — academic performance, hardship, or subject prizes
Typically £100 – £3,000 per year
Tutor-desk advice
What our tutors actually tell Cambridge applicants.
Read in order. Each step follows from the one before — this is how the application year actually unfolds, not a grab-bag of tips.
- 1Start
The Winter Pool is a feature, not a punishment. A pooled offer is worth exactly the same as a direct offer.
- 2Prepare
Cambridge interviewers often ask about the most niche line in your personal statement. Do not mention anything you cannot speak about for ten minutes.
- 3Test day
For Mathematics, STEP preparation is the application. Strong MAT/TMUA scores are necessary but not sufficient — interviews probe STEP-level thinking.
- 4Interview
My Cambridge Application (the post-UCAS questionnaire) is read carefully. Treat it as a second, subject-focused personal statement.
- 5Decide
Open Applications are genuinely neutral. Around 1 in 6 applicants apply Open; the offer rate tracks the main cohort.
- 1
Start
The Winter Pool is a feature, not a punishment. A pooled offer is worth exactly the same as a direct offer.
- 2
Prepare
Cambridge interviewers often ask about the most niche line in your personal statement. Do not mention anything you cannot speak about for ten minutes.
- 3
Test day
For Mathematics, STEP preparation is the application. Strong MAT/TMUA scores are necessary but not sufficient — interviews probe STEP-level thinking.
- 4
Interview
My Cambridge Application (the post-UCAS questionnaire) is read carefully. Treat it as a second, subject-focused personal statement.
- 5
Decide
Open Applications are genuinely neutral. Around 1 in 6 applicants apply Open; the offer rate tracks the main cohort.
Head to head
How Cambridge compares.
vs Oxford
Cambridge leads in STEM (Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Engineering, Computer Science); Oxford leads in humanities and social sciences. Cambridge interviews almost everyone and uses the Winter Pool; Oxford shortlists more aggressively. Cambridge supervisions and Oxford tutorials are functionally identical — weekly 1-3 student sessions with experts. You can only apply to one.
vs Imperial
Imperial is a central London STEM specialist with no collegiate system and strong industry ties. Cambridge offers a broader intellectual environment with a tight college community and extensive research infrastructure. For Engineering or Computing, both are world-class; Imperial offers proximity to industry, Cambridge offers depth and tutorials.
vs LSE
LSE is the UK's social science powerhouse and sits in central London. Cambridge offers a broader set of subjects, a collegiate system, and stronger STEM presence. For Economics and pure social sciences, LSE rivals (and sometimes surpasses) Cambridge in specialist reputation; Cambridge wins on breadth and college life.
Our Cambridge Tutors
Jason
Founder. MEng Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Trinity College Cambridge.
View Profile →
Katsu
Director of Biomedical Engineering admissions support. Cambridge graduate specialising in ESAT, interviews and engineering applications.
View Profile →
Aoi
Director of Medicine. Gonville and Caius College Cambridge.
View Profile →
Richard
Director of CS and Information Engineering. PhD Machine Learning, Gonville and Caius College Cambridge.
View Profile →
Samuel
Director of Aerospace Engineering. PhD Aerospace Engineering, Trinity College Cambridge.
View Profile →FAQ
Cambridge admissions, answered.
What is the Winter Pool?
If a college doesn't offer you a place but thinks you're a strong candidate, they can place you in the Winter Pool. Other colleges with remaining places then consider pooled applicants. Around 25% of successful applicants receive their offer through the Pool.
Does Cambridge offer Biology as a standalone degree?
No. Biology at Cambridge is studied through the Natural Sciences Tripos. You choose biology-focused modules from Year 1 and can specialise fully from Year 2 onwards.
What is the My Cambridge Application?
This is a supplementary questionnaire that all Cambridge applicants must complete after submitting their UCAS form. It asks for additional information about your academic background and context.
How does Cambridge differ from Oxford?
Both are collegiate and world-class, but Cambridge uses supervisions (vs tutorials), has a Winter Pool system (vs reallocation), and generally has stronger STEM rankings. Oxford tends to be stronger in humanities and social sciences. Teaching intensity and style are similar.
Compare
Other university guides.
Oxbridge
Oxford
The oldest university in the English-speaking world, consistently ranked #1 in the world.
ExploreRussell Group
Imperial
The UK's leading specialist STEM university, consistently in the global top 10.
ExploreRussell Group
UCL
London's leading multidisciplinary university with unmatched breadth.
ExploreRussell Group
Edinburgh
Scotland's top university and a global research powerhouse.
Explore