University of Cambridge campus

入試ガイド 2027

University of Cambridge 入試ガイド

Cambridgeへの当塾生徒の合格率

65%

Cambridgeの平均合格率

21%

World-leading research university with an unmatched supervision system.

  • 1209Founded
  • Top 3 THE WURGlobal rank
  • ~20%Offer rate
  • 31Colleges

学科ガイド

Cambridgeの学科一覧

学科を検索して入試ガイドをご覧ください。

Admissions tests

入試テスト

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.

ESAT

TMUA

LNAT

UCAT

STEP

College admission assessment

No admissions assessment

Official Cambridge links

Always verify requirements on the official site.

概要

Cambridgeについて

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.

選ぶ理由

なぜCambridgeを選ぶのか

  • 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

向いているか

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 admissions year

Application process & key deadlines.

The Cambridge cycle in four acts — from first reading lists to final offers. Dates shown are for 2027 entry (2026 application cycle).

Prepare

Jun – Sep

  1. June

    Results

    Open days & shortlist colleges

    Visit Cambridge in person if possible. Open days run in late June and early July. Start narrowing your college options.

  2. July

    Open

    Research your course

    Cambridge courses are often structured differently from A-Level (Natural Sciences, HSPS, AMES, MML). Read the first-year reading lists to make sure the course matches your interests.

  3. 28 September 2026

    Deadline

    ESAT / TMUA registration deadline

    Pre-registration via the Pearson VUE admissions testing portal closes at 18:00 UK time. Late entry is not normally possible.

  4. September

    Open

    Draft personal statement

    Write for the subject, not the institution. Cambridge admissions tutors look for ~80% academic content and genuine evidence of super-curricular engagement.

  5. June 2027

    Open

    STEP papers (Mathematics)

    If your Cambridge offer for Mathematics includes STEP, you sit STEP II and III in June 2027. The standard requirement is grade 1,1 in STEP II and III.

Apply

Oct

  1. 15 October 2026

    Deadline

    UCAS deadline

    Submit UCAS by 18:00 UK time on 15 October 2026.

  2. 12–16 October 2026

    Event

    Sit ESAT / TMUA / pre-registered tests

    ESAT and TMUA are sat in this window at Pearson VUE centres. LNAT, UCAT and other test windows differ — check the test's own site.

  3. 22 October 2026

    Deadline

    My Cambridge Application deadline

    Submit the My Cambridge Application supplementary questionnaire by 18:00 UK time on 22 October 2026. This replaces the old SAQ.

Evaluate

Nov – Dec

  1. 10 November 2026

    Deadline

    Submit written work

    Most arts and humanities courses ask for one or two pieces of marked school work. Each college confirms its exact deadline; 10 November is the standard date.

  2. December 2026

    Event

    Interviews

    Around three-quarters of applicants are interviewed — one of the highest rates in the UK. Typically 1–2 interviews of 25–45 minutes at your chosen or allocated college.

Decide

Jan

  1. 27 January 2027

    Deadline

    Decisions released

    Main Cambridge decisions are released on 27 January 2027. Around a quarter of offers are made through the Winter Pool — strong applicants reconsidered by colleges with remaining places.

The competition

Offer rates by subject.

CambridgeOxford

Most recent published figures. Treat as directional — rates vary year to year and by college.

  1. Computer Science
    9%
  2. Economics
    13%
  3. Medicine
    17%
  4. Engineering
    18%
  5. Mathematics
    20%
  6. Natural Sciences
    21%
  7. Law
    20%
  8. Human, Social, and Political Sciences
    22%
  9. English
    24%
  10. History
    28%
  11. Classics
    45%
  12. Modern and Medieval Languages
    55%

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.

Book a mock interview with a Cambridge graduate

The college system

31
colleges.

The Winter Pool

If a Cambridge college cannot make you an offer but believes you are a strong candidate, they place you in the Winter Pool. Other colleges with spare capacity then "fish" from the pool during a week-long process in January. Around 25% of all Cambridge offers are made via the Pool. Pooled candidates are not disadvantaged — in many subjects, pooling is simply the mechanism for fitting strong applicants into colleges with space.

Choosing a college

Because of the Pool, your college choice at Cambridge is less strategic than many applicants think — strong candidates rarely slip through the net. Choose a college based on: (1) size and atmosphere (from ~300-student all-undergrad Peterhouse to ~1,400-student mixed Trinity), (2) location in the city, (3) accommodation guarantees and catering, (4) strength in your specific subject. If you genuinely cannot choose, submit an Open Application — Cambridge allocates you to a college under-subscribed that year, with no admissions disadvantage.

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

Cambridgeの奨学金

Most awards are applied for alongside, not before, your UCAS application. Always verify eligibility on the official page before applying.

Notable alumni

The company you'd keep.

  • Isaac Newton
  • Charles Darwin
  • Stephen Hawking
  • Alan Turing
  • Rosalind Franklin
  • Francis Crick
  • James Watson
  • 15 British Prime Ministers
  • Jawaharlal Nehru
  • Lee Kuan Yew
  • John Maynard Keynes
  • Bertrand Russell
  • Ludwig Wittgenstein
  • Sacha Baron Cohen
  • Sir Ian McKellen
  • Stephen Fry

Research strengths

Where Cambridge leads.

  1. 01

    #1 or #2 globally in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry

  2. 02

    Cavendish Laboratory: historic home of particle physics

  3. 03

    90+ Nobel Prizes affiliated — more than any other university

  4. 04

    World-leading centres in AI, genomics and climate science

  5. 05

    Cambridge University Press & Assessment: the oldest publisher in the world

Tutor-desk advice

講師からのアドバイス

Read in order. Each step follows from the one before — this is how the application year actually unfolds, not a grab-bag of tips.

  1. 1

    Start

    The Winter Pool is a feature, not a punishment. A pooled offer is worth exactly the same as a direct offer.

  2. 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. 3

    Test day

    For Mathematics, STEP preparation is the application. A strong TMUA score is necessary but not sufficient — interviews probe STEP-level thinking, and STEP itself is the conditional offer.

  4. 4

    Interview

    My Cambridge Application (the post-UCAS questionnaire) is read carefully. Treat it as a second, subject-focused personal statement.

  5. 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.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

Cambridge担当講師

Jason

Jason

Director of Mechanical Engineering, MEng Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Trinity College Cambridge.

プロフィールを見る →
Katsu

Katsu

Director of Biomedical Engineering admissions support. Cambridge graduate specialising in ESAT, interviews and engineering applications.

プロフィールを見る →
Aoi

Aoi

Director of Medicine. Gonville and Caius College Cambridge.

プロフィールを見る →
Jennifer

Jennifer

Peterhouse Cambridge PhD. Former Cambridge admissions interviewer. English Literature and Modern Languages specialist.

プロフィールを見る →
Richard

Richard

Director of CS and Information Engineering. PhD Machine Learning, Gonville and Caius College Cambridge.

プロフィールを見る →
Samuel

Samuel

Director of Aerospace Engineering. PhD Aerospace Engineering, Trinity College Cambridge.

プロフィールを見る →

FAQ

Cambridge admissions, answered.

What is the Winter Pool?

If a college does not offer you a place but thinks you are a strong candidate, they place you in the Winter Pool. Other colleges with remaining places then reconsider pooled applicants in early January. Around a quarter 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 options from Year 1 and can specialise fully (e.g. Biological Sciences, Genetics, Pathology, Plant Sciences, Zoology) from Year 2 onwards.

Does Cambridge offer Physics as a standalone degree?

No. Physics at Cambridge is studied through the Natural Sciences Tripos. You take Physics from Year 1 alongside Mathematics for Natural Sciences and one or two other sciences, and specialise fully from Year 2.

What is the My Cambridge Application?

The My Cambridge Application is a short supplementary questionnaire all Cambridge applicants complete after submitting their UCAS form. It asks for additional academic and contextual information. The deadline for 2027 entry is 22 October 2026. It replaced the older SAQ.

Which courses need an admissions test?

For 2027 entry: ESAT (Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Engineering, Natural Sciences, Veterinary Medicine), TMUA (Computer Science, Economics, Mathematics), LNAT (Law), and UCAT (Medicine, Medicine Graduate Course). Many arts, humanities and social-sciences courses use a College admission assessment with no advance registration. Archaeology, Education, Environment, Law, and Economics, History of Art, and Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion have no admissions assessment.

How does Cambridge differ from Oxford?

Both are collegiate and world-class. Cambridge uses supervisions and Oxford uses tutorials — functionally identical formats, both built around weekly small-group sessions with subject experts. Cambridge interviews most applicants and uses a Winter Pool; Oxford shortlists more aggressively. You can only apply to one in any given UCAS cycle.

Compare

他の大学ガイド

Oxbridge

Oxford

The oldest university in the English-speaking world, consistently ranked #1 in the world.

Explore

Russell Group

Imperial

The UK's leading specialist STEM university, consistently in the global top 10.

Explore

Russell Group

UCL

London's leading multidisciplinary university with unmatched breadth.

Explore

Russell Group

Edinburgh

Scotland's top university and a global research powerhouse.

Explore

Cambridge出願を専門家がサポートします

Oxbridge卒の講師との無料相談を予約してください。

無料相談を予約する →