Photo: Wikimedia Commons
About the university
Oxford's centuries-old rival, spread across 31 colleges along the River Cam. Cambridge teaches through small-group "supervisions" and has produced more Nobel laureates than almost any institution on earth.
Country
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
City
Cambridge, England
Founded
1209
Study levels
Foundation, Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Postgraduate Research
Intakes
September, January (selected courses)
Approx. tuition
GBP 20k–38k/yr
Popular courses
What people actually study here.
Entry requirements & approximate costs
What it takes to get in, and to fund it.
Academic entry
Completed GCE A/Levels (or equivalent), with grades matched against the university's published entry tariff for your course. A foundation year is common where results fall short of direct entry.
English proficiency
IELTS Academic 6.0–7.0 overall is typical, with higher requirements for competitive courses. UKVI-approved tests are required where a Student visa is involved.
Approximate tuition
Roughly GBP 20,000–38,000 a year for most undergraduate and master's programmes; medicine and some specialist courses run considerably higher. Confirm current fees directly with the university.
These figures apply broadly across United Kingdom's higher-education system, not just University of Cambridge, always confirm your specific course's exact requirements and fees on the university's own site.
Scholarships
Ways to lower the cost.
The Cambridge Trust and college-specific bursaries support international student costs, alongside highly competitive external scholarships.
The vibe
What it actually feels like.
- Supervisions — Cambridge's version of the tutorial — put you face-to-face with leading researchers weekly.
- College life runs deep: formal halls, May Balls and centuries of rivalry between colleges.
- A compact, cyclable city where the university and the town are essentially the same place.
For Sri Lankan applicants
Why Sri Lankan students consider it.
Cambridge appeals to the same academically ambitious Sri Lankan applicants as Oxford, with its own distinct college system and particular strength in sciences and mathematics.
Fun things to do
Life outside the lecture hall.
Punt along the Backs, past King's College Chapel and the Bridge of Sighs.
Attend a free choral evensong at King's College Chapel — genuinely one of the best free things in the UK.
Cycle out to Grantchester for the classic Cambridge student tea-and-meadow afternoon.
Opportunities for international students
What's on offer if you're coming from abroad.
Application guidance
From application to visa-ready file.
- 1
Apply through UCAS (undergraduate) or directly to the university (postgraduate)
- 2
Submit certified transcripts and English test results
- 3
Receive an offer, followed by a CAS once academic and financial conditions are met
- 4
Begin your CAS shield and Student visa documentation
Once you have an offer, the documentation process covers exactly what identification, academic and financial evidence your visa file will need next.
Related guides
Documentation, explained.
Student Visa Document Checklist for Sri Lankan Students
The short version. For the full explanation of each item, see our complete documentation process guide.
Student Visa Proof of Funds Explained
The single most common reason a student visa file stalls, explained in plain English.
Common Student Visa Documentation Mistakes
Most refused or delayed files aren't refused for one big reason. They're delayed by three or four small, avoidable ones.
Also in United Kingdom
Other top United Kingdom universities.
References & sources
Where this page comes from.
- University of Cambridge · official websiteVisit ↗
- International admissions pageVisit ↗
- Hero photograph · Wikimedia CommonsSource ↗
- The Senate House · Wikimedia CommonsSource ↗
- Great Court, Trinity College · Wikimedia CommonsSource ↗
- Crest / coat of arms · Wikimedia CommonsSource ↗
Course lists, scholarships and admissions details summarised here are illustrative. Always confirm the current, exact terms on the university's own official website before applying. Photography is freely licensed via Wikimedia Commons, not sourced from the university's own site.
Aiming for University of Cambridge? Let's make the money story match.
Campus photography & crest via Wikimedia Commons contributors. Course, admissions and scholarship details change. Always confirm current terms on the official site above before applying.