We welcome Welsh students to apply to Cambridge. We also work with schools and Colleges in Wales to support Welsh students and encourage them to apply.
Use this page to find out about studying at Cambridge and what to consider as a Welsh applicant.
Colleges
There are 29 undergraduate Colleges at Cambridge. As a Cambridge student you’ll be a member of a Cambridge College for the duration of your studies.
Colleges provide some accommodation, facilities and support. They are also responsible for admitting undergraduate students. Find out more about what Colleges do.
When you apply, you can choose a College to apply to. You should check our advice about how to pick a College before you apply.
College links to Wales
Every area in the UK is linked with a Cambridge College. Wales’ link Colleges can help to provide advice to you before you apply.
You do not have to apply to one of your Area Link Colleges.
Learn more about our Area Links Scheme.
Student life at Cambridge
Student life at Cambridge is vibrant. There are lots of opportunities to socialise, join societies, or take part in sports. Find out more about:
Usually, you will live in College-owned accommodation at Cambridge. Accommodation contracts vary from College to College. You will likely need to vacate your room over the summer vacation and sometimes between terms.
Colleges are often able to provide storage if required, though this can be limited. Speak to your College about this in advance if it’s something that you would find helpful.
Applying to Cambridge
Applications are made via UCAS. Find out more about how to apply to Cambridge.
Entry requirements
Most Welsh students who apply to Cambridge take GCSEs and A Levels. Except for the Foundation Year course, Cambridge does not convert these (or any other qualifications) into UCAS Tariff Points.
Check entry requirements for your course on our Course pages.
If you’re taking the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate and/or studied at a Welsh-medium school check our qualifications page for further guidance.
Guidance for your UCAS referee
You should ask your UCAS referee to read our guidance on what Cambridge looks for in a reference.
We do not routinely receive information on the typical GCSE and A Level performance of Welsh schools and colleges, and whether they teach in Welsh. It is helpful if your referee can provide this information as part of your reference.
Student finance
Welsh students applying to Cambridge often have questions around student finance and the support available. There is lots of information about this on the University’s Fees and Finance webpages.
As a UK student you may be eligible for the Cambridge Bursary Scheme. This is a non-repayable bursary awarded based on household income.
For more information about the Cambridge Bursary and other Cambridge funding opportunities, head to Cambridge financial support.
Support is also available for Welsh students from Student Finance Wales (SFW). Check the SFW website for details.
Travel information
Most undergraduates stay in Cambridge for the full eight weeks of each term. Students usually only travel to and from Cambridge at the start and end of each term.
We know that some Welsh students may have longer journeys to get to Cambridge. Here are some examples of travel times, which you can use to estimate your own journey times.
For public transport options, we have given rough travel times to Cambridge.
By train
Approximate duration of rail journeys to Cambridge from:
- Bangor (5 to 7 hours)
- Haverfordwest (around 7 hours)
- Aberystwyth (6 to 7 hours)
- Wrexham (4 to 5 hours)
- Newport (3 hours 30 minutes)
By car
With light traffic, you can drive to Cambridge from:
- Milford Haven in 6 hours
- Holyhead and Lampeter in 5 hours
If you live in the east of Wales, it will take considerably less time.