Moving to university and living away from home can be a big change. If you need support at Cambridge, we have lots of support services and resources to help you.
Student support services
Our Student Support Services offer guidance and practical support. This ranges from study skills workshops to counselling and mental health advice. Check the A-Z of support services (Student Support website) for more information.
Get support for specific personal situations and needs
If you are a disabled student or have a long-term health condition we offer support from when you apply.
Care leavers, care-experienced and estranged students can access specific support. This includes:
- a travel fund for Open Days and events
- application support
Read our advice for care-experienced and estranged students before you apply.
A young carer is a young person who cares for a family member or friend. This could be due to an illness, disability, a mental health condition or addiction.
If you are a young carer, you can get help and advice when you apply and as a Cambridge student.
Living in Cambridge
Before you decide to apply, you should find out more about living at the University. This may be relevant to your caring responsibilities.
As a Cambridge student, you would need to live in Cambridge during term time, usually in College accommodation.
You can discuss your personal situation and caring responsibilities with any College admissions office before you apply.
Tell us about your caring responsibilities
When you apply, you can tell us about any significant caring responsibilities.
It is important that you let us know about your responsibilities when you apply. This helps us to assess your application in context.
The University has a lot of support available to mature students. This includes financial support, College welfare services, and childcare services for student parents.
There are also 3 Colleges exclusively for mature students:
Discover life as a mature student at the University.
Applying as a mature student
Before you apply, check the mature student applications page. This explains the process and deadlines for mature students.
The mature Colleges run an online applicant support programme. This is for mature UK applicants who will be embarking on their first degree. You can find out more about the Cambridge 21+ programme on the Wolfson College website.
If you already have an undergraduate degree, you should also read the second undergraduate degrees page.
If you’re a refugee, asylum seeker or from a forced migration background you may be able to access extra support.
Find out more about support for refugees and asylum seekers.
If you're a parent or guardian of children, we can support you with family-related matters.
- Our Childcare Services (Childcare Services website):
- provide information on schooling, healthcare, financial support and local community resources
- oversees the University Nurseries and the Holiday Playscheme
- offers the University Childcare Support Fund for eligible students using OFSTED-registered childcare
- Some Colleges can provide family accommodation - check College websites for details.
- The central Accommodation Service (Accommodation Service website) can also help you to find family accommodation.
- Each College has a designated Childcare Contact (Childcare Services website).
College welfare support
Cambridge colleges have a variety of people you can turn to for support. Whether you need medical or personal support, or a cup of tea and a chat, there's usually someone to help.
Colleges usually have a nurse, counsellor, and chaplain. You will also be assigned a Director of Studies (DoS) and a pastoral Tutor.
Your DoS will advise you on your academic studies. Your Tutor will be able to offer guidance on personal and financial matters.
Find out more about what Colleges offer.
Peer support
Our students also work to support each other through a student-run welfare network.
- Every College has its own student welfare officer or team.
- New students are often assigned College parents (students in other year groups) to help you settle in.
- The Student Advice Service (Cambridge SU website) offers free, confidential and impartial advice.
We have lots of societies in the University that help to create a community for students. There are almost 100 cultural and faith societies registered with the Students' Union. Also, there are societies which represent disabled, LGBT+ and other groups of students.
Financial support
There is a range of financial support available at Cambridge.
- Government financial support, for UK students
- International financial support, for applicants from outside of the UK
- Cambridge financial support, including College funding and childcare support
- Outreach scholarships, for students from backgrounds that are underrepresented at the University