Want to know your chances of getting into Cambridge? Figure out the Cambridge acceptance rate first. Cambridge is the third-oldest university in the world and has long been ranked top 5 by QS World University Rankings. Studying at this prestigious university should be the dream of every student. So, how do you make this dream come true? Let’s find out the University of Cambridge acceptance rate and then make a comprehensive preparation.
What is University of Cambridge Acceptance Rate
The University of Cambridge acceptance rate represents the percentage of students admitted to Cambridge to the number of students applied. Acceptance rate always comes with the offer rate, which refers to the percentage of students who received Cambridge offers and the number of students who applied. Since some students might give up after receiving the offer due to some reasons, the offer rate is always higher than the acceptance rate.
Cambridge Acceptance Rate: Overview
Cambridge University acceptance rate typically hovers between 16%-18%, and the offer rate is between 20%-21% for undergraduate study and 29%-43% for postgraduate study.
Although the figure might sound much more generous than many American universities, you should also consider the program and college you will apply to. Some competitive programs are much more challenging to get into, like BSc Computer Science, with only a 7.6% acceptance rate. However, some programs like BA Modern and Medieval Languages can even have a high acceptance rate of up to 50%.
University of Cambridge Acceptance Rate -Last Five Years
After getting to know the definition and typical numbers of Cambridge University acceptance rate, let’s look into detailed statistics historically:
Undergraduate:
| Year | Applications | Offers | Offer Rate | Acceptances | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22,503 | 4,813 | 21.39% | 3,680 | 16.35% |
| 2023 | 21,713 | 4,605 | 21.08% | 3,599 | 16.58% |
| 2022 | 22,728 | 4,290 | 18.88% | 3,591 | 15.80% |
| 2021 | 22,795 | 42,60 | 18.69% | 3,660 | 16.06% |
| 2020 | 20,426 | 4,710 | 23.06% | 3,997 | 19.57% |
PostGraduate:
| Year | Applications | Offers | Offer Rate | Acceptances | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 33,536 | 9,782 | 29.17% | 5,547 | 16.54% |
| 2023 | 26,984 | 9,064 | 33.60% | 5,260 | 19.49% |
| 2022 | 30,321 | 9,547 | 31.49% | 5,437 | 17.93% |
| 2021 | 27,848 | 9,482 | 34.05% | 5,315 | 19.09% |
| 2020 | 25,346 | 8,563 | 33.78% | 5,104 | 20.14% |
- ‘2024 year’ refers to the applications made from September 2023 onwards for courses starting in October 2024 or deferred entry in 2025.
- Statistics come from the University of Cambridge’s official website.
Cambridge Acceptance Rate: Subject-based
Cambridge acceptance rate can vary significantly from subject to subject and program to program. Instead of looking into the overall acceptance rate of the university, you should really pay attention to the applications, offers, and acceptances of the specific subject you plan to apply at Cambridge.
Cambridge Acceptance Rate: Undergraduate
Undergraduate Study: (Statistics for 2024 year)
Top 5 Most Competitive Subjects
| Subject | Applications | Offers | Acceptances | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine Graduate Course | 548 | 45 | 40 | 7.3% |
| Computer Science | 1,583 | 147 | 121 | 7.6% |
| Psychological & Behavioural Science | 891 | 104 | 81 | 9.10% |
| Land Economy | 629 | 92 | 71 | 11.30% |
| Architecture | 522 | 96 | 60 | 11.50% |
| Human, Social, & Political Sciences | 1.436 | 219 | 166 | 11.60% |
Top 5 least Competitive Subjects
| Subject | Applications | Offers | Acceptances | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modern & Medieval Languages | 254 | 155 | 128 | 50.4% |
| Classics | 126 | 59 | 50 | 39.7% |
| Archaeology | 82 | 46 | 32 | 39% |
| Music | 140 | 78 | 51 | 36.40% |
| History of Art | 87 | 37 | 31 | 35.60% |
| Human, Social, & Political Sciences | 1.436 | 219 | 166 | 11.60% |
Cambridge Acceptance Rate: Postgraduate
Postgraduate: (Statistics for 2010-2024)
Postgraduate Taught Programs
| Most Competitive | |
|---|---|
| Program | Acceptance Rate |
| MPhil Basic and Translational Neuroscience | 11% |
| MAST Astrophysics | 11% |
| MPhil Machine Learning and Machine Intelligence | 12% |
| MPhil Finance | 12% |
| MPhil Machine Learning, Speech and Language Technology | 12% |
| Least Competitive | |
|---|---|
| Program | Acceptance Rate |
| CPGS Legal Studies | 98% |
| MEd Researching Practice | 98% |
| CPGS Economics | 96% |
| MEd Counselling | 91% |
| MPhil Biological Science | 88% |
| MPhil Clinical Science | 84% |
| MPhil Latin American Studies | 83% |
Postgraduate Research Programs
| Most Competitive | |
|---|---|
| Program | Acceptance Rate |
| MRes + PhD Cancer Biology | 2.60% |
| PhD Programme in Infection, Immunity and Inflammation | 4.30% |
| PhD Development Studies | 5.10% |
| MPhil + PhD Developmental Biology | 6% |
| DTP Biological Sciences | 7.10% |
| CDT Mathematics of Information | 7.80% |
| Least Competitive | |
|---|---|
| Program | Acceptance Rate |
| PhD Spanish and Portuguese | 78% |
| PhD Psychiatry | 73% |
| PhD Zoology | 66% |
| PhD Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic | 61% |
| PhD History | 55% |
| PhD Physiology, Development and Neuroscience | 55% |
Cambridge Acceptance Rate: College-based
The University of Cambridge has 31 colleges and each with its profound history. Among them, Murray Edwards, Robinson, Girton, and Lucy Cavendish boast a high acceptance rate of over 20%, while they might not be so renowned than other colleges. While more highly scored colleges like Trinity, Christ’s, Corpus Christi, and Pembroke all come with a acceptance rate around 12% – 15%.
| College | Applications | Offers | Offer Rate | Acceptances | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murray Edwards | 417 | 163 | 39.09% | 110 | 26.38% |
| Robinson | 553 | 141 | 25.50% | 120 | 21.70% |
| Girton | 647 | 180 | 27.82% | 139 | 21.48% |
| Lucy Cavendish | 689 | 190 | 27.58% | 146 | 21.19% |
| Peterhouse | 438 | 103 | 23.52% | 84 | 19.18% |
| St Catharine’s | 754 | 170 | 22.55% | 141 | 18.70% |
| Newnham | 651 | 168 | 25.81% | 121 | 18.59% |
| Magdalene | 539 | 122 | 22.63% | 100 | 18.55% |
| St Edmund’s | 295 | 74 | 25.08% | 54 | 18.31% |
| FItzwilliam | 787 | 184 | 23.38% | 143 | 18.17% |
| Sidney Sussex | 591 | 137 | 23.18% | 107 | 18.10% |
| Homerton | 950 | 212 | 22.32% | 171 | 18% |
| Gonville and Calus | 822 | 193 | 23.48% | 147 | 17.88% |
| Trinity Hall | 590 | 133 | 22.54% | 105 | 17.80% |
| Churchill | 781 | 179 | 22.92% | 135 | 17.29% |
| Wolfson | 291 | 58 | 19.93% | 50 | 17.18% |
| Hughes Hall | 324 | 73 | 22.53% | 54 | 16.67% |
| Queens’ | 894 | 191 | 21.36% | 148 | 16.55% |
| Selwyn | 765 | 162 | 21.18% | 121 | 15.82% |
| Clare | 908 | 175 | 19.27% | 142 | 15.64% |
| Corpus Christi | 541 | 119 | 22.00% | 82 | 15.16% |
| Christ’s | 813 | 158 | 19.43% | 121 | 14.88% |
| Jesus | 964 | 147 | 15.25%% | 141 | 14.63% |
| Trinity | 1397 | 261 | 18.68% | 197 | 14.10% |
| King’s | 921 | 156 | 16.94% | 126 | 13.68% |
| St Jhon’s | 1188 | 218 | 18.35% | 159 | 13.38% |
| Downing | 1035 | 162 | 15.65% | 128 | 12.37% |
| Pembroke | 1043 | 162 | 15.53% | 126 | 12.08% |
Cambridge Acceptance Rate: International Applications
Undergraduate Study 2024:
According to official statistics released by the university, Cambridge acceptance rate for international students in undergraduate study is 10.9%. In total, there are 7,565 applications outside the UK, and 1,137 offers were made, and 821 students were admitted.
China stands out for the most applications, with 2,282, followed by Singapore (601), Hong Kong (552), and the USA (482). However, the highest University of Cambridge acceptance rate lay in New Zealand at 24.6%, and then is Romania (22.6%), Japan (22.0%), and Singapore (19.3%).
The following table lists the top 10 countries outside the UK submitting applications to Cambridge:
| Country | Applications | Offers | Acceptances | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 2,282 | 341 | 262 | 11.50% |
| Singapore | 601 | 154 | 116 | 19.30% |
| Hong Kong | 552 | 98 | 82 | 14.90% |
| USA | 482 | 60 | 32 | 6.60% |
| India | 287 | 25 | 15 | 5.20% |
| Malaysia | 268 | 24 | 21 | 7.80% |
| France | 181 | 14 | 11 | 6.10% |
| Germany | 156 | 17 | 13 | 8.30% |
| Spain | 146 | 17 | 15 | 10.30% |
| Ireland | 144 | 14 | 14 | 9.70% |
Postgraduate Study 2024:
For doctoral programs, China, India, and the USA account for the top 3 applications outside the UK. Both China and the USA enjoy a high acceptance rate of around 14%, but this rate is lower than that of Canada and Germany. Also, Cambridge Uni acceptance rate for India is much lower than that of other major countries.
For non-doctoral programs, the applications from China even exceed those from the UK, but the acceptance rate is still much lower than that of UK applications. Apart from the UK, Germany and the USA have higher Cambridge acceptance rates than other major countries.
Doctoral Applications 2024: Top 7 countries with most acceptances
| Country | Applications | Offers | Acceptances | Acceptances Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 1982 | 679 | 402 | 20.28% |
| China | 1687 | 417 | 227 | 13.46% |
| USA | 626 | 214 | 90 | 14.38% |
| Germany | 270 | 89 | 47 | 17.41% |
| India | 1104 | 139 | 46 | 4.17% |
| Canada | 181 | 68 | 33 | 18.23% |
| Italy | 191 | 57 | 30 | 15.71% |
Non-doctoral Applications 2024: Top 6 countries with most acceptances
| Country | Applications | Offers | Acceptances | Acceptances Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | 3855 | 1925 | 1408 | 36.52% |
| China | 6057 | 1228 | 652 | 10.76% |
| USA | 1814 | 876 | 442 | 24.37% |
| India | 1615 | 359 | 198 | 12.26% |
| Germany | 401 | 220 | 127 | 31.67% |
| Canada | 444 | 201 | 95 | 21.40% |
Cambridge Admissions Statistics and Entry Requirements
After getting to know detailed Cambridge admission statistics from the above aspects, you might have been more clear about your chances of getting to this renowned university. Wondering how to prepare for your application and what requirements you should meet? Check the following list we collected for you to refer to:
- A level: Most courses require at least an A*AA level. Also, some competitive courses like Computer Science and Natural Sciences require an A*A*A or even more. Remember to check the specific requirements for your course on Cambridge’s official website.
- IB: Usually 41-42 points, with 776 at Higher Level.
- Subject requirements: Many courses require A levels/IB Higher Levels in some specific subjects; some don’t require, but good grades in some recommended subjects will be helpful.
- Admission assessment: There is a written admissions assessment at all Colleges, except Christ’s, for this course. At Christ’s, candidates will be asked to work through comparable problems in an extended interview. Some courses will require more, like TMUA, which is required for Computer Science, and ESAT, which is required for Natural Science.
- Submitted work: Applicants to some Colleges must submit written work before the interview. St Edmund’s Colleges require one piece of written work, and Churchill, Downing, and Wolfson require two pieces of written work.
- English language requirements: IELTS Academic – normally a minimum overall grade of 7.5, usually with 7.0 or above in each element. TOEFL Internet-Based Test (IBT) – normally a minimum overall score of 110, with 25 or above in each element.
Acceptance Rate of Cambridge VS Other Universities in UK
There are also many other world-renowned universities in the UK that you can consider. Let’s check their latest acceptance rate in 2024 together:
| University | QS 2025 | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Imperial College London | 2 | 11%-14% |
| University of Oxford | 3 | 16% |
| University of Cambridge | 5 | 16%-18% |
| University College London | 9 | 25% |
| University of Edinburgh | 27 | 9% |
| University of Manchester | 34 | 56% |
| King’s College London | 40 | 13% |
| London School of Economics and Political Science | 50 | 9% |
| University of Bristol | 54 | 67% |
| University of Warwick | 69 | 14% |
| University of Glasgow | 78 | 22% |
| University of Birmingham | 80 | 13% |
| University of Southampton | 80 | 84% |
| University of Leeds | 82 | 44-77% |
| Durham University | 89 | 41% |
Final Thoughts
We listed this detailed introduction about Cambridge acceptance rate from the overall statistics to subject-based and international student data, hoping it will be helpful for you to figure out your chances. It is always crucial to focus on the data and requirements of the specific course you want to apply. Plan and prepare in advance, and you will surely get your spot.
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FAQ
What is the Cambridge acceptance rate?
Cambridge University acceptance rate typically hovers between 16%-18%, and the offer rate is between 20%-21% for undergraduate study and 29%-43% for postgraduate study.
Is it very hard to get into Cambridge?
Cambridge acceptance rate is usually 16%-18%, meaning that getting into Cambridge is highly competitive. Usually, it requires exceptional academic performance, often top grades (A*), strong interview skills, and sometimes supplementary assessments.
Is it easier to get into Oxford or Cambridge?
Both Oxford and Cambridge are equally prestigious and highly competitive, with rigorous admissions processes. The difficulty of getting in depends on the specific course, but generally, both universities have similar standards for academic excellence, interviews, and assessments. It’s not necessarily easier to get into one over the other.
What is the hardest subject to get into Cambridge?
Based on the University of Cambridge acceptance rates, Medicine (7.3%) and Computer Science (7.6%) are among the hardest subjects to get into at Cambridge. Medicine, in particular, has one of the lowest acceptance rates due to the high volume of applicants and stringent entry requirements, including academic excellence and specialized tests.
Can you get into Cambridge with 3 A's?
While 3 A’s demonstrate strong academic performance, getting into Cambridge typically requires exceptional grades (often A*), particularly for competitive courses. Admissions also consider factors like interviews, personal statements, and sometimes additional assessments. 3 A’s may be sufficient for some subjects, but higher grades improve chances for top programs.
Which college is hardest to get into at Cambridge?
The hardest college to get into at Cambridge varies each year, but Trinity College and St John’s College are often considered the most competitive due to their high number of applications and large number of offers. These colleges have strong reputations, attracting top candidates globally, which makes acceptance more challenging.
Does Cambridge University have a higher acceptance rate for international students?
Not really. The Cambridge acceptance rate for international students among the top applied countries is also between 10% – 20%.
How does Cambridge acceptance rate compare to other UK universities?
The Cambridge acceptance is 16% – 18% not very higher or lower than other top universities in the UK. The University of Oxford acceptance rate is also around 16%, and the Imperial College London acceptance rate is relatively lower for 11% – 14%.
