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Undergraduate Study

 

Academic entry requirements

All applicants to the Sutton Trust Summer Schools must be studying at a state-maintained school or college in the UK and have at least five 6-9 grades at GCSE, or five A or B passes at National 5 (or equivalent).

It may be possible to reduce the academic criteria for students if there are extenuating circumstances but it should be stressed that the Summer Schools involve up to 20 hours of intense academic study and all successful applicants will need to demonstrate the ability to effectively handle this workload.

Some Summer School strands also require students to be taking particular post-16 qualifications and/or to have achieved high grades in particular subjects.

Details of additional entry requirements can be found in the table below. Please note that your application will be considered ineligible if you do not meet these essential criteria.

Subject Additional Entry Requirements
Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic No additional academic requirements.
Archaeology (with Biological Anthropology) No additional academic requirements.
Architecture Studying Art or Design and Technology at AS/A Level, IB, Scottish Highers or equivalent OR has an Art GCSE at grade 7 - 9. Although Cambridge doesn't specify any specific subjects for admission to the Architecture tripos, the vast majority of candidates have Art to at least GCSE level.
Asian and Middle Eastern Studies No specific subject requirements. Where applicants meet the same selection criteria, preference may be given to students studying a foreign language at A Level, IB, Scottish Highers or equivalent.
Biological Sciences: Biochemistry, Pathology and Pharmacology Taking at least two STEM subjects (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, or Further Mathematics) at A Level, IB Higher Level, Scottish Highers or equivalent. Where applicants meet the same selection criteria, preference may be given to those studying Biology and Chemistry.
Biological Sciences: Zoology, Botany and Physiology Taking Biology at A Level, IB Higher Level, Scottish Highers or equivalent, and at least one other STEM subject (Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, or Further Mathematics)
Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Maths and Chemistry at A level, IB, Scottish Highers or equivalent. 
Classics No additional academic requirements.
Computer Science Taking Maths at A Level, IB, Scottish Highers or equivalent. 
Education No additional academic requirements.
Earth Sciences Taking at least one STEM subject at A Level, IB Higher Level, Scottish Highers or equivalent.
English Students should have achieved a 7, 8 or 9 (A/A*) for GCSE English Language and/or Literature.  In addition, students must be taking English Literature OR English Literature and Language combined at A Level, IB, Scottish Highers or equivalent.
Engineering Taking Maths AND Physics at AS/A Level, IB, Scottish Highers or equivalent; OR Maths at AS/A Level AND a Level 3 vocational course in an Engineering discipline.
Geography No additional academic requirements.
History Taking History at A Level, IB, Scottish Highers or equivalent. 
History of Art Must be taking at least one essay-based subject for A Level (essay based is defined as any subject that requires the submission of essays as coursework or writing essays for exams as the majority part of its assessment) - eg. History, English, Languages, Geography, Sociology, EPQ, Classics, Philosophy and Ethics, Psychology, Criminology, Law.
Human Social and Political Science No additional academic requirements.
Law No additional academic requirements.
Mathematics Taking Maths at A Level, IB, Scottish Highers or equivalent.
Medicine Taking Chemistry AND 2 subjects in either Maths/ Biology/Physics at A Level, IB, Scottish Highers or equivalent. Although Cambridge only specifies Chemistry and 1 of either Maths/Biology/Physics at A-Level, 95% of applicants offer 3 sciences at A-Level.
Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics Taking a Foreign Modern European Language at A Level, IB, Scottish Highers or equivalent.
Music Taking Music at A Level, IB, Scottish Highers or equivalent; or taking Music Theory Grade 7.
Psychological and Behavioural Sciences Taking Maths or Biology at A Level, IB, Scottish Highers or equivalent. Although Cambridge does not specify A Level or equivalent requirements, the vast majority of candidates have Maths or Biology to this level.
Theology, Religious Studies, and Philosophy No additional academic requirements.
Veterinary Medicine Taking Chemistry AND 1 subject in either Maths/Biology/Physics at AS/A Level, IB, Scottish Highers or equivalent.

More information about eligibility criteria can be found on the Sutton Trust Summer Schools website and in our FAQs.

 

Contact Us

Cambridge Summer School Team
07840 638822
cambridgesummerevents@admin.cam.ac.uk

Most of the common queries that we receive are answered on our Frequently Asked Questions page. Please take a look before contacting us.