The University of Cambridge is one of the oldest and most famous universities in the world, and one of the hardest to get into. In the 2025 admissions round it received 22,513 applications and accepted 3,669 students, about 1 in 6. For applicants from outside the UK it’s harder still: 8,300 applied and 890 were accepted, about 1 in 9. Even so, around a quarter of Cambridge’s undergraduates come from outside the UK, from about 91 countries.
Nobody can guarantee you a place. Cambridge chooses students almost entirely on academic ability and potential in their chosen subject, using grades, an admissions test for many courses, written work for some, and interviews. Extracurricular activities matter much less than at American universities. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on Cambridge’s own guidance. If you’re applying for a master’s or PhD instead, see the section near the end.
1. Choose your course carefully: you apply for one subject
At Cambridge you apply for one course, such as Natural Sciences, Engineering, Economics, Law or History, and study it in depth from the start. Choose a subject you genuinely enjoy reading about in your free time, and check the course page for the subjects you need at school. Some courses need specific subjects (Engineering needs Maths and Physics, for example), and many expect particular combinations. Remember that you can’t apply to both Cambridge and Oxford in the same year, so you’ll have to choose between them.
2. Aim for top grades in the right qualifications
Cambridge’s offers are among the highest in the UK, usually A*A*A or A*AA at A level, or 40 to 42 points in the IB with 776 at Higher Level, depending on the course. For international qualifications:
- US students: Cambridge doesn’t consider a High School Diploma enough on its own. It usually asks for at least five AP exams at grade 5 in subjects related to your course, plus the SAT (1,500 or more with at least 750 in Maths for science courses and Economics, or 1,460 or more for other courses) or the ACT (33 or 32).
- Indian students: CBSE Class XII is accepted only by some colleges and only for some courses, usually with A1 grades in five relevant subjects. Many Indian applicants take A levels, the IB or APs as well.
- Many other national school-leaving certificates aren’t competitive on their own, and Cambridge recommends adding A levels, the IB, APs or a year of university study.
Check Cambridge’s international entry requirements for your country early, at least a year before you apply.
3. Read widely beyond your syllabus
Cambridge tutors want students who are curious about their subject and think about it independently. Read books and articles about your subject, follow lectures and podcasts, try olympiads and essay competitions, and work through problems that go beyond your school course. Cambridge’s free online resources, such as its subject reading lists and the university’s own online learning platforms, are a good place to start. What matters is not how much you’ve read, but whether you’ve thought about it and can talk about it.
4. Prepare early for your admissions test
Many Cambridge courses use an admissions test that you must book in advance. For 2027 entry:
- ESAT for Natural Sciences, Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, and Veterinary Medicine.
- TMUA for Computer Science, Economics and Mathematics.
- LNAT for Law and UCAT for Medicine.
The ESAT and TMUA were held on 12 to 16 October 2026, and booking closed on 28 September, so for 2028 entry plan to book in the summer before you apply. Many other courses, such as English, History, Philosophy and Human, Social, and Political Sciences, set their own written assessment at the time of the interview, and you don’t need to register for those. Maths applicants are usually also asked to take STEP as part of their offer. Use the free past papers on the official test websites and practise for months, not weeks. Cambridge admission assessments.
5. Apply by the October deadlines, and complete My Cambridge Application
You apply through UCAS, and Cambridge’s deadline is much earlier than for most UK universities: for 2027 entry it was 6pm UK time on 15 October 2026. Then you must complete an extra form called My Cambridge Application by 22 October. Most international applicants pay a £60 fee for it and upload a transcript of their school results, which must be in English and not translated by you. If you’re aiming to start in 2028, expect similar dates in October 2027. Cambridge dates and deadlines.
6. Write an academic personal statement
Your UCAS personal statement now has three questions: why you want to study the course, how your studies have prepared you, and what else you’ve done to prepare outside education. You have 4,000 characters in total. For Cambridge, almost all of it should be about your subject: what you’ve read and explored, what interested you and why. Be honest and specific, because interviewers often ask about what you wrote. See UCAS’s personal statement tips for international students.
7. Choose a college, but don’t worry too much about it
Cambridge has 29 undergraduate colleges, where you live, eat and have small-group teaching called supervisions. You can choose a college or make an open application. Your choice makes little difference to your chances, because strong applicants who aren’t offered a place at their first college can be placed in the “winter pool” and picked up by another college. Some colleges have extra requirements, such as accepting CBSE or setting their own tests, so read the college pages for your course.
8. Prepare for the interview
Cambridge interviews many of its applicants, and everyone who gets an offer has been interviewed. For 2027 entry, the main interview period is 7 to 18 December 2026. Depending on the college, interviews are online or in person. Most applicants have one or two interviews lasting 35 minutes to an hour in total, with two or three academics. They feel like a small class: you’ll discuss problems or texts you haven’t seen before and explain your thinking out loud. To prepare, practise talking through problems with a teacher, re-read your personal statement and keep reading. Cambridge’s advice is free on its website, and it doesn’t endorse paid interview coaching. About Cambridge interviews.
9. Reach the English level Cambridge expects
If English isn’t your first language and you’re not from a majority English-speaking country, you’ll need to show a high level of English. Cambridge normally asks for IELTS Academic 7.5 overall with at least 7.0 in each part, or Cambridge English C2 Proficiency 200 (no part below 185), or C1 Advanced 193 (no part below 185) with other evidence. Some school-leaving qualifications with strong English may also count. Practise with our 50 free IELTS practice tests.
10. Plan your fees, funding and visa
Cambridge is expensive for international students. For 2027 entry, the annual tuition fee is between £30,798 for most humanities and social sciences and £70,554 for Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, with Engineering, Computer Science and Natural Sciences at £46,872. You also pay a college fee, which varies by college, and your living costs. International students can’t get UK government loans. Funding is limited:
- The Cambridge Trust gives means-tested awards to international undergraduates, mostly part-cost awards of about £10,000 to £15,000 a year. You apply after you receive an offer.
- The Cambridge Trust Global Impact Scholarship covers the full cost for a small number of students with high financial need who have overcome significant challenges.
- Some colleges offer their own scholarships and bursaries, so check their websites.
Most international students need a UK Student visa, which you apply for once your offer is unconditional and Cambridge has issued your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). After graduating, you can usually stay in the UK to work under the Graduate Route, which is due to be shortened from two years to 18 months for applications made from 1 January 2027. Check GOV.UK for the latest rules.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at Cambridge?
Graduate admissions work differently. You apply directly to Cambridge, not through UCAS, and each course sets its own requirements and deadlines, often between October and January. Most courses ask for a strong first degree (usually a UK first-class degree or the equivalent), a statement of purpose, references and sometimes a research proposal, plus an English test. Apply by the earlier funding deadlines if you want to be considered for Cambridge Trust and Gates Cambridge scholarships. See our 50 sample SOPs and our guide to the best AI master’s degrees in the UK.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Every year Cambridge turns down thousands of excellent students, simply because there are far more strong applicants than places. Apply if you want to, and give it your best effort, but use your other four UCAS choices for universities where your chances are good. If you’re weighing up your options, read our guides on getting into Oxford and getting into LSE. Our guide to studying in the UK explains how UK universities work, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from the University of Cambridge’s official undergraduate admissions pages and its Undergraduate Admissions Statistics for the 2025 cycle, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, tests, fees and visa rules can change, so always confirm the details on Cambridge’s undergraduate website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with the University of Cambridge.