University of Cambridge

Key facts

Checked against the sources listed at the bottom of this page on 9 November 2026.

About the University of Cambridge

The University dates its earliest record to 1209, when groups of scholars gathered in Cambridge for the purpose of study. Peterhouse, the first College, was founded in 1284, and Girton College opened in 1869 as a residential university-level institution for women; women became full members of the University in 1948.^[7]

Today the University has 31 constituent Colleges, 6 Schools and over 150 Faculties and Departments.^[8] Students must belong to both a College and the University; the Colleges are separate institutions and set their own fees.^[3] In 2025–26 there were 24,927 students, from 144 countries.^[1]

How is the University of Cambridge ranked?

In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published on 18 June 2026, the University of Cambridge is 6th in the world. It is the third UK university in that edition, behind Imperial College London (2nd) and the University of Oxford (4th); UCL is 8th.^[2][10]

Rankings differ by publisher and year, so treat one position as one view. How we compile rankings. See also the UK university ranking.

What can you study at the University of Cambridge?

Undergraduate fee tables list courses including Archaeology, Architecture, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Classics, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, History, Law, Mathematics, Medicine, Music, Natural Sciences, Philosophy and Veterinary Medicine.^[9] Several of them (Architecture, Design, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Computer Science, Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mathematics and Natural Sciences) continue into an advanced undergraduate degree leading to a master’s qualification, such as the M.Eng, M.Math or M.Sci.^[3]

Competition is high: 22,513 applicants for about 4,890 undergraduate places in 2025.^[1] The application process includes admission tests (the site names UCAT, LNAT, ESAT and TMUA), College admission assessments and interviews, depending on the course.^[11][4]

How much does the University of Cambridge cost?

Undergraduate tuition, international students (2027 entry, per year)

Tuition fees are fixed for the duration of the course. Overseas students normally also pay an annual College fee for educational, domestic and pastoral services, and it differs by College.^[9] For 2027–28 the College fees run from £12,500 (Darwin) to £15,950 (Murray Edwards).^[12]

2026–27 and Home fees

For students starting in 2026–27, the University lists five international tuition levels from £29,052 to £70,554 a year, and College fees from £11,500 (Darwin) to £14,950 (Murray Edwards). International fee rates are fixed for the duration of the course. The Home fee for a first undergraduate degree is £9,790 in 2026–27, and £10,050 for Home students starting in 2027; second-degree Home students pay higher fees and a College fee.^[3][13]

The tables in the 2026–27 PDF are laid out in a way that does not let us assign each amount to a course with certainty, so we give the range here. Check the PDF for your course.^[3]

Postgraduate

Postgraduate fees depend on the course and your fee status, and the exact amount is shown on the course page in the Course Directory. The University Composition Fee is collected by your College at the start of term.^[14] We could not read a fee table for an individual course, so we give no postgraduate amounts.

Tuition is only part of the cost. For living costs, see our United Kingdom guide.

How do you apply to the University of Cambridge?

• Undergraduate: you must apply through UCAS. You can only submit one application to Cambridge in a year, and you cannot apply to Cambridge and Oxford in the same year. You choose a College from a list after choosing a course, or make an open application and Cambridge allocates a College. After UCAS, most courses also require My Cambridge Application. Colleges use different interview formats.^[4]
• International applicants: the process is the same as for everyone else. Most international applicants pay an application fee of £60, with waivers for some countries; residents of Ireland and the Crown Dependencies are exempt.^[11]
• Postgraduate: applications are made per course; the Course Directory page of each course gives its fee and requirements.^[14]

We give no deadlines here because they change every year and differ by course.

Which English level do you need?

Applicants who are not from a majority English-speaking country (as defined by the UK Home Office) must meet the requirements.^[5]

To take part in an interview, the page recommends IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no element below 6.0 at the time of application. Offers may include an English language condition set by the College, aiming at a good C1 standard in all four competencies by the start of the course.^[5] For one postgraduate course we read (MPhil in Advanced Computer Science), the requirement is IELTS Academic 7.5 overall with 7.0 in each element.^[15]

More about studying in United Kingdom (UK)

• United Kingdom (UK): best universities
• Cost of Studying Abroad
• International Student Scholarships
• University Ranking Methodology

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