Postgraduate students at Cambridge live in College housing or in private rented accommodation.
Where you'll live
For the duration of your course, you'll need to live:
- within 3 miles of the city centre if you're studying for a:
- Master of Law (LLM) degree
- Master in Corporate Law (MCL) degree
- Master of Advanced Study (MASt) degree
- within 10 miles of the city centre if you're a research student or taking most other postgraduate students
This is known as the Terms of Residence at Cambridge. If you're looking for private accommodation, it will need to meet these requirements.
Usually, we will expect you to be expected to be in Cambridge throughout the year. Taught students can take short breaks between terms. Research students take short breaks at times agreed with their supervisor.
Part-time postgraduate students have attendance requirements, rather than residence requirements. You need to live close enough to Cambridge to meet these.
Types of postgraduate accommodation
College housing
Colleges tend to have a mix of accommodation types. For example:
- rooms in a student hall or postgraduate hall of residence (sometimes known as graduate hostels)
- shared houses or flats
- family flats
College accommodation can be on the main College site or elsewhere in Cambridge.
Availability of accommodation can vary from College to College and year to year. This means that not all postgraduates live in a College. Instead, they live in private accommodation.
If you're taking a longer course, you may live in College before moving into private accommodation. Students often make friends while they're studying and choose to find private housing with them after their first year.
Check the College listing to find out what types of accommodation are available at each College.
Private accommodation outside of Colleges
Lots of postgraduate students live in private rented accommodation. Some rent independently but others share flats or houses with other tenants or friends.
There is strong demand for accommodation in Cambridge. We have an Accommodation Service that offers helpful advice on housing in the city.
The Accommodation Service can:
- help you find somewhere to live in University-owned or privately-owned housing
- provide information on living and renting in Cambridge
- help families relocate from across the world
- assist with school information and applications
- give details about local facilities, sports and libraries
Relocating with your family
We know that some postgraduate students move to Cambridge with their partners and children.
Some Colleges have couples and family accommodation available. They can also provide support with seeking childcare and each College has a designated childcare contact.
Our Accommodation Service can help to support you with finding family friendly accommodation. The University also has a Childcare Office dedicated to supporting you with childcare and schooling in Cambridge.