If you’re a graduate with a first or 2.1 Honours (or equivalent) in an approved undergraduate degree from another university, you can apply to take a second undergraduate degree at Cambridge.
Applicants for a second undergraduate degree may apply for the full course or as an affiliated student. Affiliated students take the Cambridge course in a year less than usual. Where possible, affiliated applicants are encouraged to apply by the 16 October deadline.
Please note there are some restrictions:
- those applying to Law as an affiliated student should have achieved, or be expected to achieve a first class undergraduate degree (or international equivalent) or alternatively a Distinction in an MPhil (Master's qualification) or its international equivalent
- affiliated students cannot make an open application or apply for Architecture, History and Modern Languages, or History and Politics
- some Colleges may not accept affiliated applications for other courses (see College websites for details)
- only Lucy Cavendish, St Edmund’s and Wolfson Colleges consider affiliated applications for Medicine (see below) and Veterinary Medicine
Not all applicants who have already completed an undergraduate degree will be considered for an affiliated place. You're advised to contact the College you're considering applying to in order to ensure they accept affiliated students in the course you're interested in and to seek guidance about whether or not you may be eligible to apply for an affiliated place.
To apply to the University, you need to submit a UCAS application online, affiliated students must choose a College; open applications aren't possible. You don't need to have already obtained your first degree at the point of applying for affiliated entry, but you will need to complete it to the required standard before your offer can be confirmed.
The standard deadline for receipt of applications is 16 October. However, the mature Colleges (Hughes Hall, St Edmund’s and Wolfson) will also consider affiliated applicants for most courses as part of a second application round.
Further information on course structure, assessment, and awards (including guidance for those who already have a BA with Honours from the University of Cambridge) can be found on our Courses at Cambridge page. Please note that students who are studying for a second undergraduate degree and already have a BA with Honours from the University of Cambridge will not be a candidate for Honours in any Honours examination.
Medicine
As a graduate wishing to study Medicine you have several options:
- you can apply as an affiliated student to the standard Medicine course (A100) (taking the pre-clinical component in two years instead of the usual three) to one of Lucy Cavendish, St Edmund's or Wolfson Colleges
- you can apply to the accelerated Graduate Course in Medicine (A101) to Hughes Hall, Lucy Cavendish College, St Edmund's College or Wolfson College. This course is only available to Home fee status students.
- you can apply for both courses (the Standard Course, A100, and the Graduate Course, A101). However, if you choose to do so, you must apply to the same College for both courses (ie Lucy Cavendish, St Edmund's or Wolfson).
Fees and finance
Tuition fees for Home fee status students taking a second undergraduate degree (regardless of whether they are taking the affiliated or full course) may be different to the standard Home fee. Tuition fees in 2024-25 for Home fee students taking a second undergraduate degree will be £12,258 for the year. Students taking a second undergraduate degree in Architecture, Medicine and Veterinary Medicine* will pay the regulated maximum fee of £9,250. International students should check International fees and costs.
Students studying for a second undergraduate degree normally have to pay a separate College fee as well (which covers the cost to your College of providing a range of educational, domestic and pastoral services and support). Annual College fees vary between Colleges and in some cases may be fixed for the duration of your course. College fees for 2024-25 are published in the following document: Undergraduate tuition fees 2024-25. See individual College websites for fees for 2025-26 onwards. Students with Home Fee status who are studying for a second degree in Medicine, Veterinary Medicine or Architecture don't normally have to pay a separate College fee.
You should allow for annual increases to tuition and College fees, and note that there’s very little financial support available. Annual increases will be determined by various factors (eg cost of delivering educational and related student services, changes in government and other funding), and will usually be in line with the prevailing UK rate of inflation.
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* Tuition fees for Home students taking a second undergraduate degree in Architecture, Medicine or Veterinary Medicine are capped and regulated by the government, with subsequent inflationary increases determined using the Office for Budgetary Responsibility forecast for RPI-X.