University of Cambridge Admission Guide 2027: Requirements, Deadlines, Fees and Scholarships
University of Cambridge admission has a two-stage deadline most applicants miss: UCAS closes on 15 October, and the separate My Cambridge Application follows a week later. This University of Cambridge Admission Guide 2027 explains the tests, written work and interviews, the college system, overseas fees, the Gates Cambridge and other scholarships, and visa money, using Cambridge and UK government sources checked in October 2026. For ranking and a short profile, see our Cambridge profile page.
Cambridge QS Ranking 2027 and the Supervision System
Cambridge is 6th in the QS World University Rankings 2027. Undergraduates join one of 31 colleges and study through supervisions, small weekly sessions with experts who give close feedback. See all ranked universities in our World’s Top 100 Universities directory.
Most applicants compare it with Oxford, so read our Oxford admission guide and Imperial admission guide as well.
What Is the Cambridge Acceptance Rate?
Third-party sources quote an overall rate near 21%, with international applicants lower (about 15%), but those figures come from different years and are not published as a single official number by the university. Course and college choice affect competition, and the real signal is how high the typical offer is for your subject.
Cambridge Entry Requirements for International Students
- UCAS: apply to one course by the 15 October deadline.
- My Cambridge Application: a second form due a week after UCAS.
- Admissions tests: the ESAT (engineering, natural sciences, chemical engineering and biotechnology, veterinary medicine) and TMUA (computer science, economics), plus LNAT and UCAT for law and medicine.
- International transcript: due by the same date as the My Cambridge Application.
- Written work and interview: some subjects ask for written work, and most interviews take place in early December.
Admissions Tests and English Rules for Cambridge
ESAT and TMUA run 12 to 16 October 2026 at Pearson test centres, and applicants from China, Hong Kong and Macau must sit them on specified days. Register early because the booking window ends in mid-September for most courses.
English requirements depend on the course. Practise with our IELTS preparation guides and the One Word, One Page vocabulary database.
How to Apply to Cambridge: Step by Step
- Choose a course and college or apply openly.
- Book your admissions test in the booking window.
- Submit UCAS by 6pm on 15 October 2026.
- Submit My Cambridge Application and your transcript by 22 October.
- Send written work by 5 November if your course requires it.
- Prepare for interviews in December.
- Use free tools: merge documents with the PDF Toolkit and refine your statement in the AI Language Studio.
Explore Related Guides & Rankings
Cambridge Application Deadlines 2027
| What | Date |
|---|---|
| UCAS deadline | 15 October 2026, 18:00 UK time |
| ESAT and TMUA test window | 12 to 16 October 2026 |
| My Cambridge Application and international transcript | 22 October 2026, 18:00 UK time |
| Written work and interview forms | 5 November 2026 |
| Most interviews | First three weeks of December 2026 |
| Postgraduate deadlines (course-dependent) | 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027 |
Cambridge Tuition Fees for International Students
Cambridge groups overseas undergraduate fees into five subject bands. One reported 2026/27 figure is £44,214 a year for Engineering, and the 2027/28 rate that applies to October 2027 entrants was due to be published by 1 October 2026, so read the current band on Cambridge’s international fees page. College fees are included in the published figure.
As a first-year plan using the Engineering figure: £44,214 tuition plus £10,827 visa living-cost funds plus the £558 visa fee is £55,599 before the Immigration Health Surcharge (our calculation).
Cambridge Scholarships for International Students
- Gates Cambridge Scholarship (postgraduate): for non-US applicants, with an early-December deadline reported for 2026 and course-dependent dates.
- Cambridge Trust funding: uses the same or an earlier date for most courses, so apply by the early deadline even if you are not applying for Gates.
- College and department awards: check your own college and course pages.
- External funding: see our fully funded scholarships for 2027 guide.
UK Student Visa Money for Cambridge
Cambridge is outside London, so the visa funds rate is £1,171 a month for up to nine months (£10,539) now, rising to £1,203 a month (£10,827) for applications from 30 November 2026, held for 28 days. The visa fee is £558 and the Immigration Health Surcharge is £776 per year of visa. Read the student visa guide, the money rules, and check the TB test and ATAS rules for your nationality and course.
Careers and the Graduate Route After Cambridge
The Cambridge area has a large technology and biotech sector, and London is close. Eligible graduates can use the Graduate Route: 18 months for bachelor’s and master’s applications from 1 January 2027 and 3 years for doctoral graduates. Outcomes are not guaranteed.
Mistakes That Cost Cambridge Applicants
- Forgetting the My Cambridge Application and transcript date of 22 October.
- Booking the ESAT or TMUA too late.
- Applying with a final personal statement only a week before the deadline.
- Quoting 2026/27 fees for 2027 entry.
- Missing the earlier postgraduate funding deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions About University of Cambridge Admission
They apply through UCAS by 15 October, complete My Cambridge Application and upload an international transcript by 22 October, take any required test and attend interviews in December.
UCAS closes at 6pm UK time on 15 October 2026, and the My Cambridge Application closes at 6pm on 22 October 2026.
The ESAT is used for engineering, natural sciences, chemical engineering and biotechnology and veterinary medicine, the TMUA for computer science and economics, and LNAT and UCAT for law and medicine.
Fees depend on the subject band. A reported 2026/27 Engineering figure is £44,214 a year, and the 2027/28 rate was due to be published by 1 October 2026.
Yes. Gates Cambridge supports non-US postgraduate applicants, with an early-December deadline reported for 2026. Check the official page for your course.
Cambridge is outside London, so the rate is £1,171 a month for up to nine months now (£10,539), rising to £1,203 a month (£10,827) for applications from 30 November 2026.
Cambridge has 31 undergraduate colleges, and you can choose one or make an open application.
Cambridge is 6th in the QS World University Rankings 2027.
University of Cambridge Admission for Pakistani Students
Pakistani applicants follow the same route as other international applicants. The two-step October deadline is the main trap.
| Area | What Pakistani applicants should do |
|---|---|
| Entry grades | Read your course page for the A-level, IB or equivalent grades and subjects required |
| Tests | Book the ESAT, TMUA, LNAT or UCAT your course needs and check Pakistan test centres |
| English | Take an accepted test (see our IELTS preparation guides) and keep it valid |
| Application | UCAS by 15 October 2026 and My Cambridge Application by 22 October. No agent is needed |
| Funding | Check Gates Cambridge and Cambridge Trust for postgraduate study, plus Chevening and HEC funding |
| Visa funds | Show £10,539 (or £10,827 from 30 Nov 2026) for nine months, held for 28 days. Convert PKR at the current rate and keep a buffer |
| Health and security checks | Check the GOV.UK TB test rules for Pakistan and whether your course needs ATAS, because either can delay your CAS or visa |
| Start time | Begin 10 to 12 months before intake: attested documents, tests and visa slots take time |
More PHL EDU University Admission Guides
Comparing universities? Every guide in this series follows the same plan: ranking, requirements, deadlines, costs, funding, visa and a Pakistan checklist. Browse them all, or open the full World’s Top 100 Universities directory for rankings and profiles.
Free tools that help with your application: AI Language Studio, PDF Toolkit, Word Bank, One Word, One Page, IELTS preparation guides, fully funded scholarships for 2027 and the PHL EDU blog.
Disclaimer: This article uses Cambridge’s official pages, GOV.UK and the QS World University Rankings 2027, last checked in October 2026. Fees, deadlines, scholarships, test rules and visa rules change, and no admission, funding, visa or job outcome is guaranteed. Always confirm details with Cambridge and the relevant government before applying.
