FAQs for prospective undergraduates

Visiting

Can I visit the College at any time?

Yes, you can, except during the brief Christmas closing period. Come to one of our Open Days, combine a visit with a Department Open Day or visit on any day that suits you. Admission to King's is free to any prospective applicant. If there is a custodian at the door, just let him or her know why you have come. The public areas will be open to you and you may like to download and print our self guided tour for prospective students to bring with you when you visit.

Can I book a meeting with the Admissions Tutor or a Director of Studies in my subject?

The best way to be sure to see the Admissions Tutor, a Director of Studies, and other members of the King's community is to come to one of our Open Days.

School Qualifications

How do I know if I am taking the right school subjects for the course I want to study?

You should consult the course requirements and the King's subject pages. If you have further questions, you can contact the department itself, or the Cambridge University Admissions Office at +44 (0)1223 333 308 / admissions [at] cam [dot] ac [dot] uk.

What is King's policy on 'non-traditional' subjects (e.g. Business Studies or Theatre Studies)?

Remember that all Cambridge courses are academically demanding. We therefore look for evidence of intellectual commitment not least in your choice of subjects. You should first of all find out which subjects are required or 'highly desirable' for your chosen course: please see the course requirements on the University website and the King's subject pages. Further information (including advice if you have not yet chosen a course) is available in the Subject Matters leaflet produced by the University.  

How many subjects should I be taking in my final year(s)?

We encourage our applicants to perform strongly in their chosen subjects rather than pursue more subjects and perform less well in them. Remember that we do not make offers on A level General Studies.

What is the usual King's offer for applicants taking A levels?

Except in special circumstances, our standard A level offer is A* (in any relevant subject), A, and A.

What are the equivalent requirements for those taking qualifications other than A levels?

At King's, our applicants come from countries and examination systems all around the world, and we have considerable expertise in assessing non-A level applications. For details of specific standard offers for other qualification systems, please see the Entrance requirements

What happens if I take exams early?

Please consult the University's general statement here. We will need to see evidence that students have a workload equivalent to three full A level subjects in their final year, even if they have already passed the qualifications in the previous year. It depends on the full context of an application whether we would count such early qualifications as part of a conditional offer. Either way, you should do what you can to give yourself a good chance to achieve high scores in your final year.

Will exam- or test-resits affect my application?

We do not object to repeated sittings if candidates feel that an existing score does not reflect their actual competence in a subject. However, we will always consider individual scores in the context of your academic profile as a whole. You are required to declare the marks for all relevant examinations you have taken (even if you sit the paper again) as part of your Cambridge application.

Is there a fixed quota for individual subjects?

No, except for Medicine, which operates a quota set by the government. In all other subjects, we distribute places in line with the strength of the applicant pool.

Is there a quota for international students?

No. We seek to attract the strongest students, regardless of their background or nationality, and all applicants compete on the basis of academic achievement and potential. In recent years, 25-30% of our offers have gone to applicants from continental Europe and overseas. See the International Students page.

Is there a language test requirement for applicants with a first language other than English?

We usually require applicants to sit the IELTS examination, and to offer an overall score of at least 7.0, with no individual element below 7.0. Since we interview most of our applicants, we also use the interview to establish your communication skills in English. Many international students take the IELTS before applying to King's and submit their certificate with their application. If this is not possible then an IELTS condition may form part of any offer made in January and candidates must provide evidence that they have achieved the required grades by the following August.

How old do I need to be?

Most of our students are at least 18 years old when they begin their first term of study at King's. We usually ask candidates who would at that stage be younger than 18 to apply for deferred entry. We are always happy to discuss plans for a gap year with potential students. Applicants who would be 21 or over when they matriculate need to apply as a mature student.

Can I apply if I am already a student at another University, or have completed a first degree?

We usually do not accept applicants who are currently studying for an undergraduate degree at another UK university. Students who already hold an undergraduate degree may apply as affiliated students to study for a Cambridge B.A. (in a year less than regular undergraduates). Most of our affiliated students come from outside the UK. More information about this method of entry is available on the affiliated applications page or in the University Prospectus.

For more information about graduate courses for students who have already completed a first degree please consult the University Prospectus or the King's graduate pages.

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Applying to King's

Does a Cambridge application differ from applications to other UK Universities?

To apply to King's, you need to submit an application to the University and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). The deadline is 15 October rather than the later 15 January deadline for most other British universities. Full details of the application procedure are available on our how to apply page.

There are additional application forms for certain categories of applicant:

• Applicants whose education has been significantly disrupted or disadvantaged need to have a Cambridge Extenuating Cirumstances Form submitted by 15 October.
• Applicants who attend school outside the EU are required to submit a Cambridge Online Preliminary Application (COPA) by 15 October. Applicants from outside the EU wishing to be interviewed overseas must submit applications by an earlier date depending on the country. An application fee will be retained for applicants from outside the EU to meet the additional costs associated with interviewing applicants overseas. More information is available on the international students page. 

How can I find out what I need to do for an application to King's in a particular subject?

You should consult the subject page on the King's website. If you have further questions, please contact the King's College Admissions Office.

Do you interview all applicants?

We interview most of our applicants who offer appropriate qualifications for their chosen course. We may decide not to take an application to the interview stage if your qualifications either fall short of our required standard or if they are not well suited to your chosen course. In all such cases we will promptly inform candidates of our decision not to interview.

Some subjects ask applicants to submit one or two school essays - what kind of essays should these be?

These should be marked pieces of work which you consider representative of your interests and skills. You interviewers may choose to ask about your essay(s) at interview. If you would like detailed information, please see the essay guidelines.

Some subjects ask applicants to take a test when they come for interview - what kind of test will this be?

These are not tests that require additional preparation. They are designed to test your aptitude for a chosen course rather than your existing knowledge. Applicants for Medicine are required take the BMAT test. This test is sat in schools and at test centres (both nationally and internationally) in early November, and candidates must register for it before they submit their UCAS application. For some other subjects there are tests to be sat whilst candidates are in Cambridge for interviews. These include The Cambridge Law Test, The Thinking Skills Assessment, an MML test, and a number of other college tests. Details of test requirements for each subject are given on the subject pages.

Do I need to bring anything to the interview?

Some subjects like to see examples of your work (thus Natural Science candidates are asked to bring some notes on experimental work, and candidates for Architecture an art portfolio). We will provide further details when we acknowledge your application.

Do I need to read any specific books for the interview?

Only in a few subjects, e.g. Mathematics and English. We provide details when we acknowledge your application. Most of our successful candidates pursue their interests in a subject by reading books, journals, and newspapers (whether in print or online), or by engaging in other educational activities. Some of the subject pages include reading advice.

Can I stay overnight if I come for interview?

We offer free accommodation to candidates who cannot come for interview and return comfortably in the same day, either because of their interview and test schedule, or because of their travel arrangements. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer accommodation to parents or others who accompany candidates. We provide free meals for all candidates while they are at King's.

Finding out more

For any further queries, please contact us or the Cambridge Admissions Office.

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