Entry requirements | Postgraduate Study

There are minimum requirements for postgraduate admission to the University. Some departments may set higher academic or language requirements. Please consult the Course Directory for full information on each course’s requirements. 

Key requirements

Academic

Postgraduate study at the University of Cambridge is intense and very intellectually demanding, so the University has high academic entry requirements. You are normally expected to hold or to have achieved by the start of your course:

• minimum of a good upper second class (good 2:1) honours degree from a UK university or an equivalent standard from an overseas university; and
• completion of, or intermission from any current training or education course

To check if your international qualification meets the University minimum requirement, please consult the international requirements page.

You should be aware that meeting the University’s or departments’ minimum academic requirements does not guarantee entry; it is only one of the factors taken into account when academic selectors make their decision. Many other factors are also important, such as suitability for the course, proficiency in English, relevant experience, references, availability of a suitable supervisor, and the number of available places.

Financial

Further information on fees, other costs and funding can be found in our Finance pages. If you are made a conditional offer of admission, you will then need to confirm that you are able to meet your fees and living costs for the length of your course. However, if you do already have funding for your study in place, you can provide details of this with your application.

College membership

All applicants who are made a formal offer of admission will receive an offer of College membership. The University of Cambridge is a collegiate university, and all its students are required to be members of a College.

English language

All applicants are required to meet a minimum English language requirement before you are admitted to your proposed course of study. For more details check the Competence in English section of the website.