Architecture at Cambridge, Admissions Guide 2027

Architecture applicants must submit their own artwork before interview. The pre-interview submission is a PDF of the applicant’s own artwork, up to 6 A4 pages and under 15MB.

If invited to interview, applicants should be ready to show a recent-work portfolio that does not need to be architectural and may include drawing, painting, sculpture, photography or photographs of 3D work. Cambridge says the portfolio helps interviewers discuss the applicant’s interests, experience and potential.

We recommend checking College instructions before finalising your UCAS choice.

Pair it with The Eyes of the Skin By Juhani Pallasmaa for atmosphere, touch and embodied experience.

For social value and professional purpose, use Why Architects Matter By Flora Samuel and Architecture Depends By Jeremy Till. For a compact historical orientation, Modern Architecture: A Very Short Introduction By Adam Sharr is listed as a concise guide to modern architectural ideas and movements.

For regular visual exposure, RIBA Architecture Provides professional lectures and architecture culture, The B1M Covers major buildings and construction processes, and Dezeen Offers short documentaries and interviews on contemporary design. For audio, About Buildings + Cities Builds architectural-history vocabulary, 99% Invisible Sharpens attention to everyday built environments, and RIBA Future Architects In Conversation Covers study, practice, identity, climate and professional pathways.

If you want a structured course, The Architectural Imagination Introduces architecture as cultural expression and technical achievement. RIBA Foundation in Architecture course And RIBA Academy Can support applicants wanting structured portfolio-building and wider subject awareness.

29 colleges offer this subject. 10.2% of applicants submit an open application. 20.6% of places come through the pool.

Cambridge Architecture applicants apply to a College or make an open application. The chosen or allocated College considers the application first, and the Winter Pool allows other Colleges to review strong applications that cannot be offered by the original College.

In the 2024 cycle, open applications were 10.2% of total direct-plus-open applications, and winter-pooled applications were 20.6% of all direct-plus-open applications.

College choice should be based on living environment, location, accommodation, community and College-specific application instructions. It should not be treated as a reliable tactical route into Architecture, because Cambridge shares the core academic standard and uses pooling to reduce College-choice distortions.