My Cambridge Application deadline:
23 October 2023
(6pm UK time)
Foundation Year application deadline:
31 January 2024
(6pm UK time)
Undergraduate Study
You apply to Cambridge through UCAS. Your school or college will be able to help you with this. You can also find general information on completing your UCAS application on the UCAS website. Once you submit your UCAS application, you can check on its progress through the UCAS Hub.
Your UCAS application is just one part of the application process. For more information, see Applying to Cambridge.
Here are some top tips for completing your UCAS application for Cambridge.
If you don’t mind which College you attend then you don’t have to choose. You could make an open application instead.
After the closing date, your application will be allocated to a College. You’ll be allocated to a College which has received fewer applications per place for your course that year.
If you’re aged 21 or older, you will be allocated to one of the three mature Colleges (Hughes Hall, St Edmund’s, or Wolfson).
Making an open application or indicating a College does not make a difference to your chance of being made an offer.
We recommend that you don't make an open application if you’re an applicant with:
Your personal statement gives you the chance to tell us:
Use the answers to these questions to start writing concise sentences. Flesh these out into paragraphs. Organise them into a logical structure to make the case for why you would be well suited to the course.
Once you’ve got a draft statement together, start to rework it.
It’s important to remember that the information in your statement is often used as a basis for discussion at your interview. Make sure you know the topics you’ve covered well and that you’re ready to talk about these at interview.
You should also check the UCAS guidance on how to write a personal statement.
Your UCAS application will ask for a reference. The reference is helpful because it tells us about your abilities and potential. Admissions Tutors look for indications that your academic strengths are well suited to the course and to the style of study at the University.
The reference is an important part of your application. We normally expect that it will be provided by a teacher or tutor in your school or college who can speak about your academic profile and suitability for admission to university. If you’re having difficulty securing a referee, please check the UCAS guidance on references.
References should be provided to you free of charge. If you wish to apply to Cambridge and are finding it difficult to obtain a reference or are being asked to pay for one, please contact the College that you are planning to apply to (or the Cambridge Admissions Office if you’re making an open application).
Your application cannot be submitted until your chosen referee has completed and added your reference to the application.
Information and guidance for teachers on references can be found on our teachers' page.