Undergraduate Entry Requirements
Cambridge has high academic standards, but don't be misled into thinking that you have to be some sort of genius to get in. Our view is that successful candidates are those who will get the most out of a course, and the way that course is taught in Cambridge. So what you need to ask yourself is whether or not the course you are thinking about applying for in Cambridge is the right course for you? Look carefully at prospectuses that can tell you not just what a subject is, but also how it is approached. Course details are outlined in the Cambridge Undergraduate Prospectus of which your school or college should have a copy. You can also view the prospectus from the University of Cambridge web site (see links at the bottom of the page).
If you would like your own copy of the Undergraduate Prospectus, or if you have any questions that are not covered within this web site, please contact the Homerton Admissions Office. Homerton offers most of the courses that the University as a whole does, so if you are interested in studying for any of these courses we would be pleased to hear from you.
>View what subjects we have to offerOnce you've decided that one of the Cambridge courses is right for you, you should strongly consider applying to Homerton if:
- You and your school feel that studying at Cambridge would benefit you
- You are among the most able students at your school or college
- You have looked at the college and think its atmosphere will suit you
Open applications
Homerton deals with Open applications which have been allocated to us in exactly the same way as we deal with those applicants who choose the college.
So what then are the qualities and attributes we will be looking for?
- Good performance, or an expectation of good performance, in public examinations
- A good written personal statement (and you can add an extra one on your Cambridge Application Form).
- Good references from your school or college
- Good written work sent in if requested
- Impressive performance at interview
What do we mean by good performance in public examinations?
First there are some requirements that the University as a whole lays down. These are called 'matriculation requirements' and are there to ensure that all Cambridge students have a general competency across the range of subjects. They are usually expressed in terms of GCSEs and GCE A levels, but comparable qualifications such as Scottish Standards, Highers and Advanced Highers, Irish Leaving Certificate, International or European Baccalaureate etc. are also acceptable. If you have any doubts about your qualifications then contact Homerton Admissions Office.
Course requirements
In the courses offered by Homerton there are few formal requirements of subjects that must be taken but the general rule is students should be taking an A-level or its equivalent in the most relevant subject for the chosen course. There are some clear requirements such as A-level Mathematics (or HL in the IB) for Economics and for Mathematics itself a minimum of an AS in Further Mathematics to accompany Mathematics A-level (see Maths website for details).
Most other courses will have a general expectation that candidates will have studied relevant or good preparatory subjects at school or college; details for each course can be found in the Undergraduate Prospectus. Though our offers are normally based on A-Level grades, or their equivalent, we do take the whole profile of any applicant into account. The Cambridge colleges routinely ask for AS UMS module scores by means of a questionnaire (SAQ) sent to all applicants to that college. This is because we have strong evidence of a good correlation between these and success in our examinations, as well as to ensure that we have parity of information about applicants, whether or not AS Level results are certified.
College requirements
If you are applying before you have taken your A-Levels (or equivalent), you will be seeking a conditional offer. With the introduction of the A*grade at A2 the colleges of the University of Cambridge have agreed that the A level conditional offer will normally be A*AA or A*AAA or A*AAB (the latter two usually for science applicants offering 4 relevant A levels). The subject in which the A* is to be achieved is unlikely to be specified in most cases. The offer for IB students will range between 40 and 42 pts on the diploma, with 776 or 777 in Higher Level subjects. At Homerton, in a limited number of cases, non-standard offers may be made, appropriate to particular circumstances.
If you are applying after obtaining your A-Levels (or equivalent), you will be seeking an unconditional offer. Your examination results should normally be in line with those specified for conditional-offer candidates. If they are not we may still consider your application favourably, but would need to know what happened, and we are likely to require you to provide us with written work in order to be fair both to you and to other candidates.
If you are applying before you have taken your A-Levels (or equivalent), you will be seeking a conditional offer. With the introduction of the A*grade at A2 the colleges of the University of Cambridge have agreed that the A level conditional offer made for 2012 entry will normally be A*AA or A*AAA or A*AAB (the latter two usually for science applicants offering 4 relevant A levels). The subject in which the A* is to be achieved is unlikely to be specified in most cases. The offer for IB students will range between 40 and 42 pts on the diploma, with 776 or 777 in Higher Level subjects. AtHomerton, in a limited number of cases, non-standard offers may be made, appropriate to particular circumstances.
If you are applying after obtaining your A-Levels (or equivalent), you will be seeking an unconditional offer. Your examination results should normally be in line with those specified for conditional-offer candidates. If they are not we may still consider your application favourably, but would need to know what happened, and we are likely to require you to provide us with written work in order to be fair both to you and to other candidates.
Applicants from the UK and rest of the EU are required to complete an UCAS application online. >Visit the UCAS website
The deadline for is October 15th in the year before you want to begin the course. How to apply
Other examination systems
Candidates offering Scottish qualifications, the French or European Baccalaureates or other national examinations will be made conditional offers equivalent to the A-Level offers detailed above. Please consult the Admissions Office for further information.
