University of Cambridge Admission: Application & Acceptance rate

The University of Cambridge is one of the oldest research universities in the world. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the University of Cambridge received applications from 141 countries across the globe. However, there are no relaxations regarding the admission process, as the acceptance rate is among the world’s lowest. A handful of highly talented students make it to this institution. A genuine and lucrative CV with a great statement of purpose is essential for admission.

University of Cambridge Admission Requirement

The admission requirements at the University of Cambridge differ for international and domestic students. The eligibility criteria and other requirements are made available on the official website. The University of Cambridge did away with its entrance examinations altogether. Like most other universities in the UK, the candidate has to apply through UCAS to secure a seat here. However, for admissions to the University of Cambridge, the process starts very early.

Undergraduate Admission at the University of Cambridge

Undergraduate admissions are made through UCAS and the early application deadline is in mid-October. About 26% of the undergraduates are from outside the United Kingdom. A few subjects require additional tests that include the Thinking Skills Assessment and Cambridge Law Test. Cambridge University has a total of 29 undergraduate colleges. A candidate must apply to one considering their choice and requirements. The eligibility criteria are further mentioned below in detail:

Eligibility Criteria for International Students

• Official high school transcripts in English
• English Proficiency test scores
• Letter of recommendation
• UK Statement of Purpose
• A valid passport

Postgraduate Admission at the University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge offers 167 graduate programs in total. Graduate courses at the University of Cambridge are considered very demanding and intense. The admissions are pretty tough due to the great number of requirements. Some of the popular postgraduate courses at the University of Cambridge are Marketing, Finance, Economics, and Management. Students can apply through the online portal and an application fee of 70 GBP needs to be paid, while for the MBA it is 150 GBP. The eligibility criteria are further mentioned below in detail:

Eligibility Criteria for International Students

• A bachelors degree with a minimum of 70% marks
• Official transcripts in English
• All academic transcripts
• English proficiency test scores
• A valid passport

University of Cambridge Application Process for International Students

Out of 24,500 students, about 41.6% are from different EU and non-EU nations. There is a strength of about 400 Indians at the University of Cambridge. International students must have exceptional marks in their academic records. Indian students require a minimum grade in five relevant subjects. The marks criteria for students from different boards are- CBSE: A1, Any State Board: 95%, and CISCE and NIOS: 90%. There are other additional criteria that a student must fulfil in addition to the 12th standard results when applying for the following courses:

• For Engineering courses an IIT-JEE (Advanced) rank of 2000
• STEP grade for courses like CS, Economics, and Mathematics
• College Board Advanced Placement Test for all other courses

For other South-East Asian Countries applicants need to complete the following:

• GCSE
• International Baccalaureate Diploma
• Cambridge Pre-U Diploma

Required Documents

• English language proficiency test scores
• Valid passport
• Letter of recommendations
• CV/Resume
• Statement of Interest
• GMAT/GRE scores
• Work experience letter
• Financial declaration certificate

How to apply?

• Students must apply online through the UCAS admission portal
• An application fee of 20 GBP is required to process an application
• Students must choose their courses with care
• After applying on the portal, students need to fill up an SAQ form provided by the University of Cambridge
  
• All the necessary documents and test reports need to be provided
• Students will be called in for an interview
• Students might be required to sit for an interview
• The admission results are out by the end of January

University of Cambridge Application Deadlines

The admission decisions for undergraduate applications are announced before January. While the admission of graduate programs is to be announced within three months of the deadline. Approval of a few authorities is required, 2 academic members of the department, the Postgraduate admissions office, and a relevant degree committee. The deadlines for few courses are mentioned below:

Admission Procedure of University of Cambridge

Students can apply to the University of Cambridge through the UCAS Application Portal. An application fee of 20 GBP and 26 GBP needs to be paid for a single course and multiple courses respectively. The detailed steps for a successful admission are given below:

• The filled UCAS application should be submitted along with a statement explaining the interest of the candidate and a school reference provided by a teacher.
• The Cambridge Online Preliminary Application comes next.
• After submitting the UCAS form the Supplementary Application Questionnaire (SAQ) is sent by the University of Cambridge. Guidelines are provided for submitting the SAQ, on the official website.
• Academic transcripts as per the course requirements are to be submitted.
• Students might have to sit for an admission test pre-interview or at the interview.
• The students that clear all of the rounds will be invited for an interview through Skype
• The results of the admissions will be announced by the end of January.

Acceptance Rate at University of Cambridge

The acceptance rate at the University of Cambridge for 2018-19 was 18.8% making it one of the lowest in the world. The admissions are very selective at UC. The University of Cambridge can invoke a clause called 'over-subscription in case the applications meeting the eligibility are in huge number.