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Undergraduate Study

 

The University of Cambridge welcomes applications from suitably qualified international students. We recognise the great academic and cultural value of a diverse student body. Admitting students from outside the UK allows us to seek talent from the widest possible pool.

Attracting so many talented international applicants means competition for places is fierce. However, academic achievement and potential remain the selection criteria for all undergraduates. No priority is given to those who pay the overseas rate of fees.

The application process

The application process is the same for all applicants to the University of Cambridge. Whilst much of the information presented on this website is focused on GCE A Levels and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB), many other school and national examinations at an equivalent level are equally acceptable. 

All applications to UK universities are made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), which operates on a pre-qualification basis where offers are made in advance of applicants achieving their final grades. Offer holders are then confirmed or rejected once the results for the relevant qualifications are received.  

UCAS asks referees to indicate the expected performance of an applicant via predicted grades. A predicted grade is the grade of qualification an applicant’s school or college believes they are likely to achieve, all things being well. These predicted grades are used during the admissions process to help the University understand each applicant’s potential. 

For a step-by-step guide, please refer to our main Applying pages.

Application fee

Most international applicants* are required to pay an application fee of £60.

This is a standard charge that supports the administration of the application process and the development and maintenance of the systems used in this process. This helps us to ensure that applicants receive a positive admissions experience. See Terms and conditions of the application fee.

*also applies to EU applicants, with the exception of residents of Ireland and the Crown Dependencies (the Channel Islands and Isle of Man).

Application fee waiver

International applicants from a country on one of the following lists are automatically eligible for an application fee waiver and do not have to pay the application fee:

  • The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)'s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of Overseas Development Aid (ODA) recipients (least developed countries and other low-income countries only).
  • The World Bank list of low-income countries.
  • The United Nation’s list of least developed countries (LDCs).
  • Iran (due to sanctions on international bank transfers)
  • Ukraine

For ease of reference, this includes applicants from:

Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burma (Myanmar), Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Democratic Republic), Djibouti, East Timor (Timor-Leste), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Iran, Kiribati, Korea (Democratic People's Republic of), Lao PDR, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic (Syria), Tanzania (United Republic of), Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Yemen, Zambia.

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University term dates

Each academic year consists of three eight-week terms:

2023-24
3 Oct - 1 Dec 2023 (Michaelmas)
16 Jan - 15 Mar 2024 (Lent)
23 Apr - 14 Jun 2024 (Easter)

2024-25
8 Oct - 6 Dec 2024 (Michaelmas)
21 Jan - 21 Mar 2025 (Lent)
29 Apr - 20 Jun 2025 (Easter)

2025-26
7 Oct - 5 Dec 2025 (Michaelmas)
20 Jan - 20 Mar 2026 (Lent)
28 Apr - 19 Jun 2026 (Easter)