Cambridge, UK
Oxford's centuries-old rival, equally collegiate and equally selective.
Like Oxford, Cambridge teaches via small-group 'supervisions' inside a collegiate system of 31 colleges. It's particularly strong in mathematics, engineering and the natural sciences — the Natural Sciences Tripos lets students study multiple sciences before specialising in year two, a distinctive structure not offered elsewhere.
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A*A*A (A Level) · IB 40
Top tier · indicative for the flagship courses below — always verify per-course requirements directly with the university.
£38,000+/yr
premium tier for UK — figures are typical ranges, not this specific university's published fee.
English
city campus, Cambridge
Informational only — scholarship amounts, deadlines and even which schemes are running change often (sometimes per intake), so treat this as a starting point, not a guarantee. Always confirm current details directly with the scholarship provider or Cambridge's financial aid office.
Beyond government-level awards, most UK universities offer their own merit-based international scholarships — commonly a partial tuition reduction for strong A-Level/IB/IGCSE results, sometimes auto-considered from your application and sometimes requiring a short separate form.
Chevening and Commonwealth are postgraduate-only. For undergraduate applicants, the university-specific merit scholarships are usually the more relevant route.
Want help figuring out which of these you'd actually qualify for? Talk to a free Tutopiya counsellor.
Medicine
⏱️ Typical duration: 5–6 years where entered straight from school (UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong); typically a 4-year postgraduate MD entered after a Bachelor's (US, Canada)
Typical entry: Requires Chemistry + Biology · UCAT · Interview (MMI)
Engineering
⏱️ Typical duration: Often 4 years rather than the country's standard Bachelor's length, especially where the programme includes an integrated Master's (e.g. UK MEng) or an industry placement year
Typical entry: Requires Mathematics + Physics
Mathematics
⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years (4 years in Scotland)
Typical entry: Requires Mathematics · STEP / TMUA (top universities)
Natural Sciences (Physics/Chemistry/Biology)
⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years (4 years in Scotland)
Typical entry: Requires two of Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Maths
Computer Science
⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years (4 years in Scotland)
Typical entry: Requires Mathematics · TMUA / ESAT (top universities)
Law
⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years for an undergraduate LLB (UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia); typically a 3-year postgraduate JD entered after a Bachelor's (US, Canada)
Typical entry: LNAT (some universities)
Durations are typical for UK — always confirm the exact length (including any placement or integrated Master's year) on the course's own page before applying.
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IELTS: 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0)
Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.
A deeper walkthrough of applying to Cambridge for international IGCSE / A Level / IB students.
Read the guide →Enter your grades and budget in the free UK University Shortlist Builder to see whether Cambridge is a reach, target or safety for you — alongside every other UK university that matches.
Build my UK shortlist →Quick answers about grades, tuition, deadlines and applying to Cambridge as an international IGCSE / A Level / IB student.
As a typical benchmark for international entry, Cambridge expects around A*A*A at A Level or 40 points on the IB Diploma. This is indicative for Cambridge's flagship courses — competitive subjects like Medicine and Law usually sit above this baseline, and the exact requirement varies by course, so always confirm the specific figure on Cambridge's own admissions page before applying.
International tuition at Cambridge typically falls in the £38,000+/yr range (premium tier for UK). This is a typical range for the university's tuition tier, not Cambridge's specific published fee for every course — confirm the exact figure for your intended programme directly with the university.
Cambridge follows UK's typical intake calendar: September, with applications generally due late january (equal consideration deadline). Oxford, Cambridge and most Medicine / Dentistry / Veterinary Science courses close earlier — 15 October the year before entry. Always verify the exact date on Cambridge's own admissions page, since deadlines can shift year to year.
UK universities, including Cambridge, typically ask international applicants for 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0). Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.
Oxford's centuries-old rival, equally collegiate and equally selective. Like Oxford, Cambridge teaches via small-group 'supervisions' inside a collegiate system of 31 colleges. It's particularly strong in mathematics, engineering and the natural sciences — the Natural Sciences Tripos lets students study multiple sciences before specialising in year two, a distinctive structure not offered elsewhere.
Yes — Cambridge accepts applicants from IGCSE-to-A-Level, IGCSE-to-IB-Diploma, and directly from the IB Diploma. Tutopiya's free UK University Shortlist Builder matches your predicted or actual grades against Cambridge and every other UK university we track, tagging each as reach, target or safety.
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