The AIM applicant support programme is a free programme designed to help applicants prepare a competitive application for postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge.
Specific eligibility criteria apply, with priority given to applicants from underrepresented or socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Check below for details.
The programme offers three strands of support. View each programme for full details, including how to apply.
AIM: Explore
- For MPhil and PhD applicants to all courses.
- Two 1-hour online sessions with a current Cambridge PhD student. Support tailored to your needs.
- Available from September 2025 on a rolling basis.
AIM: Master’s
- For MPhil applicants to selected Arts and Humanities courses.
- 4-week programme to help develop a strong research proposal.
- Runs from September to November 2025.
AIM: PhD
- For PhD applicants to participating departments.
- 6-month programme to help prepare your doctoral application.
- Runs from July 2025 to January 2026.
Core eligibility criteria
The following criteria apply to all strands of the AIM programme. Please check each programme's page for any additional criteria.
Essential criteria
You must meet all of the following criteria:
- Be a UK or Republic of Ireland resident intending to apply for postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge as a Home student
- Be on track to meet the academic entry requirements for your chosen postgraduate programme
- Have not previously studied at the University of Cambridge
Priority applicants
Priority will be given to applicants who meet at least one of the following criteria:
- First in your family to attend university
- Care-experienced or Foyer resident at undergraduate level
- Young carer (under the age of 18)
- Received free school meals at secondary school
- From an ethnic group currently underrepresented in postgraduate study at Cambridge (listed below)
Underrepresented ethnic groups
- Asian/Asian British: Bangladeshi
- Asian/Asian British: Pakistani
- Any other Asian background not listed below
- Black/Black British: African
- Black/Black British: Caribbean
- Any other Black background
- Mixed White/White British and Asian/Asian British: Bangladeshi
- Mixed White/White British and Asian/Asian British: Pakistani
- Mixed White/White British and Black/Black British: African
- Mixed White/White British and Black/Black British: Caribbean
- Any other Mixed or Multiple ethnic background not listed below
- White: Gypsy, Roma, or Irish Traveller
- Any other White background not listed below
- Any other ethnic background not listed below
Ethnic groups not currently underrepresented at Cambridge:
- Arab
- Asian/Asian British: Chinese
- Asian/Asian British: Indian
- Mixed White/White British and Asian/Asian British: Chinese
- Mixed White/White British and Asian/Asian British: Indian
- White: British (including English, Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish)
- White: Irish
Exceptional circumstances
If you have faced personal or educational challenges that have disrupted your education or limited your study time, you may include this in your application. Sharing this information is optional, but it can help us better understand your circumstances.
Contact us
If you have any questions, please contact the AIM team at aim@postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk, and we will try our best to help.