Applying to Cambridge involves a slightly different timetable to other universities. All applicants are required to submit an application via UCAS by the relevant deadlines.
UCAS
For Home students, the first major deadline is usually around the 15th October. This has been the deadline for submitting an application to Cambridge via UCAS for the past few years. At this stage, you’ll apply to a particular college (or put in an open application to all colleges if you don’t have a preference) and course of study, and submit your Personal Statement. If you’re currently a student at sixth form or college, you’ll want to make sure your teachers have your references prepared by this earlier October 15th deadline.
SAQ
A week after this deadline is the deadline for submitting the Supplementary Admissions Questionnaire. This is a small form with the option to add a shorter, additional personal statement.
COPA
Students wishing to apply for an Organ Scholarship, mature students, or people applying from overseas, have additional deadlines related to the Cambridge Online Preliminary Application (COPA). These deadlines may be earlier than October 15th, so check on the COPA website if any of those apply to you.
WRITTEN ASSESSMENTS
After you have submitted your application, you may have to take a written assessment, either at interview or before. You can check for information about your course’s written assessment on this Cambridge website. If your exam is pre-interview, you will either take it at your school or at another exam centre near you.
INTERVIEWS
All students who are contenders for a place at Cambridge will then be offered an interview. This is usually 75% of all applicants. This involves travelling to Cambridge to be interviewed by academics, and we have a wealth of information on this website to help prepare you, bust any myths you may have heard, and ease your nerves. Applicants who cannot travel to Cambridge may be interviewed over Skype instead.
DECISIONS AND ADJUSTMENT
You will find out before the end of January whether you’ve been offered a place at Cambridge or not. Even if you miss out on a place, students from low income backgrounds who perform well in their A Levels can still be offered a place at Cambridge through UCAS Adjustment after A Level results day which they can choose to accept in preference of their first choice.