University of Cambridge ranks 1st in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2027, and 10.7% of international applicants took a place in the 2025 cycle. It is a collegiate Russell Group university in the east of England, and most courses ask for A*AA or A*A*A at A level.
- Location
- Cambridge, in the East of England, with 29 undergraduate colleges
- Type
- a collegiate research university, founded in 1209. A Russell Group member
- Ranking
- 1st of 130 in the UK (Complete University Guide 2027)
- Typical offer
- A*AA for History and Law, A*A*A for Economics, Computer Science, Engineering, Natural Sciences and Medicine
- IELTS
- normally 7.5 overall, usually with 7.0 in each element
- International fee
- £30,798 to £70,554 a year for 2027/28, plus a College fee of £12,885 to £15,950
- Offer rate
- 4,893 offers and 3,669 places from 22,513 applications for 2025 entry, a 16.3% success rate and 10.7% for international applicants
Reviewed by Dr Elizabeth Adey for 2027 entry · Uni Direct team, 2026
Source: Complete University Guide 2027, University of Cambridge Undergraduate Admissions Statistics 2025 cycle and its tuition and College fees for 2027/28.
Source: Complete University Guide 2027 profile of the University of Cambridge, its 2025 cycle admissions statistics and its 2027/28 fee pages, read 1 October 2026.
Where is the University of Cambridge, and what is it like?
Cambridge is a city-centre university in the East of England, with its colleges and departments spread through the city. It had 24,927 students in 2025-26, 12,850 of them undergraduates, from 144 countries, and the Complete University Guide puts the international share at 25%.
Almost every undergraduate lives in college accommodation for at least three years, and the colleges also provide pastoral support and teaching in small groups.
If you want a large, busy city on your doorstep. Cambridge may feel small. If you want a place where study, friends and food are all close together. It suits you very well.
Is the University of Cambridge a good university?
Yes. The Complete University Guide 2027 ranks Cambridge 1st of 130 UK universities, with entry standards of 208 UCAS points, the maximum on its scale, and research quality 2nd in the country.
Cambridge was founded in 1209 and belongs to the Russell Group. The same guide places it in the top ten for 43 subjects, including Law, Medicine, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics and Astronomy, and Economics.
| Measure | Cambridge | Table |
|---|---|---|
| Overall UK ranking | 1st of 130 | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Entry standards | 208 of 208 UCAS points, 1st | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Research quality | 3.53 of 4 (88%), 2nd | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Graduate prospects | 89.1 of 100, 2nd | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Student satisfaction | 3.17 of 4 (79%), 54th | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Teaching Excellence Framework | Gold | Complete University Guide 2027 profile |
Source: Complete University Guide 2027 profile of the University of Cambridge, read 1 October 2026.
The one weaker figure is student satisfaction, which sits 54th of 130 even though 79% of students are satisfied, so ranking first overall does not mean every measure is first.
You can compare Cambridge with the rest of the field in our guide to the best UK universities, and with the other members of the Russell Group.
University of Cambridge entry requirements
Cambridge sets its requirements course by course. Most courses ask for A*AA or A*A*A at A level, or 41 to 42 International Baccalaureate points with 7, 7, 6 at Higher Level.
Many courses also set an admissions test, either a national test such as the LNAT, ESAT or TMUA, or a college assessment if you are invited to interview. You also need a high level of English. Cambridge asks for IELTS Academic 7.5 overall, usually with 7.0 in each element, and for 6.5 overall with nothing below 6.0 at the point of interview.
Typical offers for 2027 entry
A level
International Baccalaureate
Admissions test
Source: University of Cambridge undergraduate course pages for 2027 entry and its entrance requirements page, read 1 October 2026.
Some colleges ask for more than the minimum. Churchill and Selwyn often make a higher Engineering offer, and several colleges ask for Further Mathematics for Economics. Check the college you are considering before you apply.
Cambridge also publishes its requirements country by country. For Australia it asks for an ATAR of 98.5 to 99.5, the Indian CBSE certificate is accepted only at certain colleges and for certain courses, and the standard asked of the Chinese Gaokao varies by college. Many countries need A levels, the International Baccalaureate or five Advanced Placement tests at grade 5 on top of the national certificate.
If you have a school certificate that is not on its list. Write to your shortlisted college before you apply. Our guide to studying in the UK without IELTS covers other English routes, though Cambridge accepts only the tests on its own page.
Courses the University of Cambridge is best known for
Cambridge is best known for the sciences, mathematics, engineering and economics, and for Law and Medicine. The Complete University Guide puts it in the top ten for 43 subjects, among them French, History and English as well as the sciences.
Natural Sciences, Engineering and Mathematics draw the most applications. In 2025 Natural Sciences had 2,644 applicants, Engineering 3,263 and Mathematics 2,032.
Medicine is small and takes few students from abroad. For 2027 entry it has 22 places for overseas fee status applicants, with about six applications for each place and 270 students accepted in 2025. Treat it as one ambitious choice rather than your only plan.
University of Cambridge acceptance rate
In the 2025 cycle, 16.3% of Cambridge applicants took a place. Cambridge received 22,513 applications, made 4,893 offers and had 3,669 acceptances. That is about one offer for every five applications.
For international applicants the figure is lower. From 8,300 overseas applications, Cambridge made 1,221 offers and 890 students took a place, a success rate of 10.7%. Home applicants did better, at 19.6%, so the figure to plan around is the one for your own fee status.
| Applicants | Applications | Offers | Places | Success rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 14,213 | 3,672 | 2,779 | 19.6% |
| International | 8,300 | 1,221 | 890 | 10.7% |
| All applicants | 22,513 | 4,893 | 3,669 | 16.3% |
Source: University of Cambridge, Undergraduate Admissions Statistics 2025 cycle, published May 2026, read 1 October 2026.
The odds differ widely by subject. Of the applicants to each course in 2025, 576 of 2,644 took a place in Natural Sciences, 335 of 3,263 in Engineering and 128 of 1,739 in Computer Science. History placed 172 of 631 applicants.
You can only make one application to Cambridge in a year, and you cannot apply to both Cambridge and Oxford in the same year.
How much does the University of Cambridge cost?
Cambridge charges international undergraduates two fees, a University tuition fee that depends on your subject and a College fee on top. For 2027/28 the tuition fee runs from £30,798 for most humanities and social sciences to £70,554 for Medicine, and the College fee runs from £12,885 at Queens’ to £15,950 at Murray Edwards, depending on your college.
| Cost | Figure |
|---|---|
| Tuition, most humanities and social sciences, Economics | £30,798 a year |
| Tuition, Mathematics | £34,356 a year |
| Tuition, Architecture, Design, Geography, Music | £40,296 a year |
| Tuition, Computer Science, Engineering, Natural Sciences | £46,872 a year |
| Tuition, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine | £70,554 a year |
| College fee, depending on the college | £12,885 to £15,950 a year |
| Living costs, 2027/28 estimate | about £1,330 a month |
| Of which accommodation | about £880 a month |
| Money to show for your visa | £1,171 a month for up to nine months |
| Immigration health surcharge | £776 a year |
| Student visa application | £558 |
Source: University of Cambridge international fees and costs page and its undergraduate tuition fees document for 2027/28, and its living costs page, read 1 October 2026. GOV.UK for the visa figures, read 1 October 2026.
Cambridge says its fees are fixed for the duration of the course, and in many cases the College fee is fixed too. In 2025-26 the shortest College room contracts ran from 27 to 39 weeks, so you do not pay rent for the whole year.
Add the College fee before you compare Cambridge with any other university, because a tuition figure alone understates the cost. Our guides to the cost of living for international students and the cheapest universities in the UK show how it compares.
The visa figures come from GOV.UK, which is the only authority on the Student visa rules. We work with partners where an application needs professional handling. Our student visa guide sets out the steps.
University of Cambridge scholarships for international students
Cambridge says that few full scholarships exist for international undergraduates, and that most awards are partial and means-tested.
The main source is the Cambridge Trust. You can apply once you hold a conditional offer, and you need to show academic achievement and financial need. Most awards are made in February and March.
Some colleges also offer partial support, so ask the admissions office of each college on your list. The Prince Philip Scholarship is open to permanent residents of Hong Kong, and you apply for it when you apply to Cambridge.
Source: University of Cambridge international financial support page and the Cambridge Trust undergraduate applicants page, read 1 October 2026. Neither publishes award values.
How do the colleges at the University of Cambridge work?
Every Cambridge undergraduate belongs to one of 29 colleges. Your college gives you your room, a place to eat, your supervisions in small groups and your welfare support, while the University teaches the lectures, seminars and practicals that everyone on your course attends.
You choose a college when you apply, or you make an open application and Cambridge allocates you to one. You cannot transfer to another college afterwards. After interview, a college can also release your application to the pool, where other colleges may consider you.
Colleges differ in their College fees, their accommodation and, for some courses, their entry requirements. Choose from the college websites rather than from reputation.
How do I apply to the University of Cambridge?
Apply through UCAS
You apply to Cambridge through UCAS, with one application a year and a deadline of 15 October 2026 at 6pm UK time for 2027 entry.
Complete your application
You then complete the My Cambridge Application by 22 October and take any admissions test.
Attend your interview
You are interviewed in the first three weeks of December. Everyone who receives an offer has been interviewed, and some colleges interview online.
Wait for the outcome
Cambridge tells interviewed applicants its outcome on 27 January 2027, and confirms places after your examination results in August.
Help with your Cambridge application
We can help you with your application to Cambridge, from choosing your courses to writing your personal statement and meeting your deadline. If you are not sure yet whether Cambridge is right for you, we can talk it through with you first.
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Cambridge publishes its admissions figures every year, and the number I would plan around is the one for your own fee status, 10.7% for international applicants, not the overall 16.3%. The next decision is the course, because the share of applicants who take a place differs a great deal from one subject to another. Before you apply, work out the tuition fee and the College fee together. If you can approach your subject through more than one Cambridge course, that is a conversation worth having with us before the form goes in.
Frequently asked questions about the University of Cambridge
Is Cambridge hard to get into?
Yes. In the 2025 cycle Cambridge made 4,893 offers from 22,513 applications, and 16.3% of applicants took a place. For international applicants it was 10.7%, and most courses ask for A*AA or A*A*A at A level.
How do I get into Cambridge?
You need top grades, a strong admissions test result where the course asks for one, and a good interview. Most courses ask for A*AA or A*A*A, or 41 to 42 International Baccalaureate points. Apply by 15 October 2026 for 2027 entry.
Is it harder to get into Cambridge as an international student?
Yes. In the 2025 cycle 8,300 international applications led to 1,221 offers and 890 places, a success rate of 10.7%. For home applicants the figure was 19.6%. Cambridge limits Medicine to 22 overseas places for 2027 entry.
Is Oxford or Cambridge harder to get into?
Both are very selective and each publishes its own figures, so compare the course you want at each. You cannot apply to both in the same year. Our page on the University of Oxford sets out its published admissions figures.
What IELTS score do you need for Cambridge?
Cambridge normally asks for IELTS Academic 7.5 overall, usually with 7.0 or above in each element. At the point of interview you need 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0. Cambridge English C2 Proficiency at 200 is also accepted.
Is Cambridge in the Russell Group?
Yes. The University of Cambridge is a member of the Russell Group and ranks 1st in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2027. You can read what membership means in our guide to the Russell Group universities.
What is the Cambridge College fee?
It is a separate annual charge from your college, paid on top of the University tuition fee by international students. For 2027/28 it runs from £12,885 to £15,950, depending on the college, and in many cases it is fixed for the length of the course.
How many colleges does Cambridge have?
Cambridge has 29 colleges that accept undergraduates. You apply to one of them or make an open application and are allocated one, and the colleges provide accommodation for almost all students for at least three years.
The next step
Tell us your grades and the Cambridge courses you are considering, and we will tell you where you stand.
If Cambridge is on your list, send us your grades, your subject and the country you are applying from. We will tell you how your profile compares with Cambridge’s requirements and which courses give you the best chance. Our guide on how to study in the UK covers the steps from choosing a course to arriving.
Most families also want a second ambitious choice, and York, Newcastle, Nottingham, Birmingham and Cardiff are Russell Group universities worth comparing. Or for a free consultation, contact us now.
Sources: University of Cambridge Undergraduate Admissions Statistics 2025 cycle · University of Cambridge international fees and costs · University of Cambridge tuition and College fees 2027-28 · University of Cambridge course, entrance requirements, deadlines, colleges and living costs pages · Cambridge Trust · Complete University Guide 2027 · GOV.UK Student visa. Read 1 October 2026. Photograph by Medullaoblongata Projekt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Next review: when Cambridge publishes its 2028 entry requirements and fees, and its 2026 cycle admissions statistics.