For information on applying, please see How Do I Apply?
For information on courses, please see the Course Directory
Q. What qualifications do I need to study at Cambridge?
Postgraduate work in Cambridge is intense and very intellectually demanding and so the University has high academic entry requirements. You are normally expected to hold, or be about to achieve, at least an upper second class (good 2:1) honours degree from a UK university or an equivalent standard from an overseas university.
For details of any higher or specific qualifications, find your course in the Course Directory and click on the Requirements tab. If you have a question about the suitability of your qualifications for a particular course, please contact the department in which you would like to study (links to their websites and department contact email address is on the right-hand side of the course pages).
Q. Where can I find information about courses?
The Course Directory contains the following details for each course: teaching, assessment, research areas, academic and language requirements, funding opportunitues, fees, what supporting documents are required when applying and links to departmental websites and contact details.
Q. Can I apply for more than one course?
You are welcome to apply for multiple postgraduate courses starting in the same admit term. You can submit a maximum of 7 applications, this includes any that have been withdrawn but doesn't include any cancelled applications. You may only submit one application per course.
Please note, however, that you must complete a separate application form for each, and upload all the supporting documents required for each course even if that means uploading some of the same files multiple times.
If you receive more than one offer you may only accept one. You do not have to withdraw your other applications or offers immediately. You may, for example, find that funding is forthcoming for one but not for others, and it is acceptable to wait until this becomes clear before choosing which to decline.
Q. What are the costs of studying at Cambridge?
You can find information regarding costs, and options to estimate your annual financial commitment depending on your status and the course you wish to study, on the Finance page.
Q. Does Cambridge offer distance learning degrees?
There are no distance learning degrees offered by the University of Cambridge.
A small number of non-degree courses can be studied online; these are administered by the Institute of Continuing Education.
Q. When do I need to apply?
Generally, the earliest date you may apply for admission is 13 months prior to the course start date. For example, if you wish to start in October 2023 you may apply from 15 September 2022. A few courses each year do not open immediately due to pending review processes.
There are funding deadlines as well as application deadlines, so you need to make sure your application is submitted before the earlier deadline. Please note that offers are made throughout the year, and so courses may fill up even before the advertised closing dates. You should apply as early as possible after the course opens, in order to receive due consideration for your chosen programme.
For more information, see the Application and Funding Deadlines page.
Q. Would holding a master's degree allow me to qualify if my Bachelors was less than a good 2:1?
It is possible, but not guaranteed, to qualify for admission on the basis of a Master's degree. Please contact the department before applying if you are unclear about the applicability of your qualifications and academic background.
When completing the application form, provide information on all degree-level courses you have studied. You will need to upload transcripts for previous studies that are relevant to your proposed field of study or research. All this information will be taken into consideration when assessing your suitability.
Q. Will I need to take the Graduate Record Examination?
In general, the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) standardised test is not an admissions requirement in the UK to the same extent that it is in the United States and some other countries. A small number of courses do require either a GRE or a GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) score. Please check in the How to Apply sections in the Course Directory for the courses you are interested in.
Further information is available on our website.
Q. How do I find a potential supervisor?
Please check the PhD pages of the department’s website for advice. If you cannot find what you are looking for contact the department.
Q. How can I contact an academic department?
While this website is intended to provide the information most applicants require, there are reasons why you might need to contact one or more academic departments before, during, or after submitting your application. For example:
- Discuss your suitability for the course
- Check whether potential supervisors for your research will be available
- Ask about additional costs
For help with specific courses, find your course of interest via the Course Directory, then use the department contact email address on the right-hand side of the course description page.
The Postgraduate Admissions Office does not arrange visits to departments. Please contact the departments directly.
Q. Can I apply to be a visiting student?
Please see the visiting students page for details.
Q. Will I be able to work while I study?
This depends on whether your course is full or part-time. See the working while you study page on the Cambridge Students website.
Q. Can I apply if I have narrowly missed the minimum entry requirements?
Please contact the department which runs the course you are interested in studying for advice.
Q. Is there an Open Day so I can visit the University?
The Postgraduate Open Days will take place online this year, at the beginning of November. Please go to the Events page for more information about open days, visits and events.
Also, individual departments and Colleges may hold open days, or will be happy to arrange an appointment for you to visit.
Q. Can I apply to both Cambridge and Oxford?
Yes, the restriction on applying to both universities only applies to undergraduate admissions.
For information on applying to Oxford, please visit www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/graduate.
Q. How do you ensure equal opportunities in selection for postgraduate students?
The University's Equal Opportunities Policy applies to applicants for admission as well as current students, staff and applicants for employment.