skip to content

Postgraduate Study

 

You will need to provide the details of two referees, with their email addresses, in the online application form. 

You must nominate your referees using their institutional email addresses. If you need to nominate a professional referee (see table below), you will need to use their professional email address.  

Make sure that you have the correct email addresses of your referees, and that they are willing to provide a reference for you.

Your referees will have to submit references for you, in English, via our Online Referee Portal. 

In addition to providing a reference, all referees will be asked to make an academic judgement of you in the following areas: 

  • your academic performance to date;
  • your potential to be original, creative and/or independent of thought;
  • your suitability for the course you are applying to.

Therefore, it is very important to select a referee who knows you, and your academic work, well enough to make an evaluation based on the bullet points above.

You can send reminders to your referees through the ’Manage References’ section in the Applicant Portal. You will be notified once your references are submitted. 

For your application to be considered, we need to receive all your references before the course deadline or your application will be withdrawn.

If you wish to be considered for funding, all your references must be received before the funding deadline.

We cannot: 

  • accept references sent by the applicant;
  • accept references sent by post;
  • use references from any previous application that you have made; or
  • send reminders to referees or contact them to chase outstanding references (you can do this yourself via the Applicant Portal).

Who should you nominate as an academic referee?

You

Your first referee

Your second referee

Are currently studying or have recently finished studying 

A tutor or supervisor from your most recent degree course if appropriate (if they are able to sufficiently comment on your academic ability); alternatively, a tutor or supervisor from your undergraduate level (if you have finished a postgraduate course as well)

A tutor from your most recent degree course OR from your previous course if you have a master's degree 

You left higher education more than three years ago and are unable to nominate two academic referees from your previous studies

A member of academic staff from your most recent higher education course

Your employer or another person who can testify to your abilities in a professional context

You left higher education over six years ago and are unable to nominate two academic refererees from your previous studies

Your employer or another person who can testify to your abilities in a professional context

Your employer or another person who can testify to your abilities in a professional context

I applied to the University of Cambridge because of its reputation and to have the opportunity to study in such an intellectually stimulating environment.

Alexander, PhD in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics