We are looking for applicants with a real passion for their chosen course

Most applicants to Cambridge are required to sit a subject-specific written assessment, either pre-interview (pre-registration required) or at interview (College Admissions Assessments). They are designed to enable us to assess skills such as comprehension and thinking skills, and levels of knowledge and understanding, relevant to the subject you have applied for. There is no pass/fail or specific marks looked for in these assessments, they are looked at as part of our consideration of all elements of your application. Detailed information about the admissions assessments, including past papers, can be found on the University website.

Depending on the subject you have applied for, you may be asked to submit written work as part of your application. We normally ask for two marked essays, written as part of your schoolwork. This does not have to be sent with your application. We will write to you once you have been invited for interview to let you know what you need to send and when.
 
Written work is sometimes referred to during an interview, so you should make sure to keep a copy of what you have sent in so that you can read it again beforehand.

Interviews are important in how we select our students – but they are only one component in the selection process. The interview is your chance to show the interviewers that you are more than just information on an application form.  It is also your opportunity to ask questions and discover if the course and style of learning a Cambridge are really right for you.

There are no trick questions. Our interviewers want to help you to show your full potential, and are aware that you may be nervous. However, they are going to challenge you to think. They are not necessarily looking for a vast body of knowledge on a particular topic, but are interested to see how you apply the skills and techniques you have learnt to interpret new material and form a logical argument.
 
The interviewers will want you to be honest and genuine, and are able to spot rehearsed answers easily. Try to keep calm and listen to what you are being asked. They are not looking for a polished performance so give yourself time to think before answering and if you don’t understand the question ask for clarification.
 
At Girton most candidates will have two interviews, each with two interviewers. Interviews normally take place in early December each year. Please note: all of our interviews in 2025 will take place virtually.

Check out the videos below for tips on online interviews. You can also find more guidance on how to prepare for an interview on the University website.

Examination results are an important part of the admission criteria but they are not the only thing we look at.  We also consider your references, personal statement, performance in admissions assessments and at interview, and your individual circumstances.

Before applying, you should check that you have, or are going to achieve, the right grades and that you are studying the appropriate subjects for the course you are choosing.

Below are the minimum offers Girton would make on some of the most common national examination systems. The University website contains a list of common qualifications and grades required, as well as reasons why you may receive an offer above the minimum requirement outlined here.  If you are taking an examination system that is not listed there, please contact Student Services for advice.

Qualifications and Minimum Offers:

A-Level

A*A*A (Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Natural Sciences, Mathematics, Medicine, Psychological and Behavioural Sciences), A*AA (all other subjects). In some cases, you may be required to obtain A* in specific subject(s).

International Baccalaureate

41-42 points overall with 7,7,6 or (sometimes) 7,7,7 in three higher level subjects. If a candidate is taking at subsidiary level a subject deemed to be important for the proposed course of study, we would also ask for a 7 in that subject.

Scottish Advanced Highers           

Grades AAA. We are unable to consider applications from candidates with fewer than 3 Advanced Highers, but will consider applications with a mixture of Advanced Highers and A2 Levels.
Details of essential subjects, and those considered to be desirable or helpful, to study at Girton can be found on our individual subject pages. 
 

If there are extenuating circumstances that have caused significant education or home life disruption or disadvantage, where possible, your UCAS referee should include information about the impact of these circumstances in the reference they write, as part of your application. 

If information about your extenuating circumstances cannot be given in the UCAS reference, you should ask a relevant professional (e.g. a doctor or care worker) to email the details to us. We recommend that they use our template to help them: Extenuating circumstances email template.
 
We can only consider information that we have available at the time we are assessing an application. It is not possible for us to alter decisions retrospectively in light of new information. You must ensure information reaches us as soon as possible and that you include full details. Please visit the University webpage for further details and deadlines.
 

Girton welcomes applications from students with disabilities. We strongly encourage you to disclose your disability in your UCAS application. This allows us to contact you ahead of any interviews to discuss your specific needs and ensure appropriate adjustments can be made - for example, providing extra time for readings or written tests. 

Further information for students with disabilities can be found on the University website. 

There is no age requirement for admission to Girton, although the vast majority of our undergraduates are 18 years or older when they come into residence.

We want all our students to enjoy the benefits of being part of Girton’s open and welcoming community. This may be more difficult if you are under 18. Our accommodation and social spaces are designed for adults, so if you would be under 18 for more than the first term of your course, we will be unable to offer you accommodation in college; you would need to arrange your own accommodation for the first year. 

Whatever your age, you will need to demonstrate that you have the maturity and personal skills to cope with university level study; if we judge that it would be better for you to delay your arrival until you are a little older, we may make you a deferred offer for the following year.

There are age requirements for applicants for Medicine; students under the age of 18 cannot undertake any clinical elements of the Medicine course. Therefore, medical students are required to be 18 years of age by 1 November in their first year to be eligible to apply for Medicine.

We are happy to consider anyone who wishes to defer entry for one year, providing that we feel the student would really benefit from having a year out of academic life.  We realise that many students come to university better prepared to study because of it.  You should state on your UCAS application if you wish to defer entry and you should have some idea of how you are going to spend your time and be prepared to talk about this at interview.

Mathematics Applications

We prefer entry to the Undergraduate Mathematics course directly after you finish your previous qualifications (usually secondary school). Where this is not the case, we would expect to see details of continued work and study in the field of Mathematics.

We do not typically accept applications from students currently enrolled at other UK universities unless they can provide a compelling written explanation for doing so, and a letter of support for the change from their current university. 

How do I apply?

Applicants must submit a UCAS application and follow the same procedures as all other applicants for that year. 

How do I submit my explanation and letter of support?

These can be emailed to admissions@girton.cam.ac.uk at the same time the UCAS application is submitted. 

Who should write the letter of support?

The letter is usually written by a course director or tutor at your current university. It’s not the same as a UCAS reference - they don’t need to know you well personally. The purpose is to confirm that you’ve discussed your plans with your current institution and that they understand and support your decision to apply to Cambridge.

Candidates who do not receive an interview will not receive feedback on their application.

Candidates who are interviewed by Girton College but are not made an offer of admission will receive detailed information about the gathered field across the College and the subject across the University, to contextualise our decision. This will be sent to their UCAS referee within one month after the release of decisions. Owing to the number of applications we receive, we are unable to provide bespoke feedback for individual applicants. Entry to Cambridge is highly competitive; many applicants are unsuccessful not because they have done anything wrong, but only because other applicants were stronger. We believe that the information we provide will enable a fuller understanding of the gathered field against which applicants were competing.
 

Sharing details of your assigned pre-reading (if any), admissions assessment and/or interviews risks compromising our standards of admission, and could harm the interpretation of your own performance. This includes, but is not limited to, communication indirectly or directly by email, websites, social media, texts and in-person conversations with other applicants. While we understand that you may wish to discuss your interviews with advisers at your school or college, you are requested not to share full details of any questions asked with them. The College will treat any breach of confidentiality as a very serious matter.

• The Colleges expect you to maintain confidentiality. This means that:
• You must not disclose any details of the assigned pre-reading (if any)
• You must not disclose any details of the admissions assessment (if any)
• You must not disclose any details of the interviews
• You must not record or photograph any part of your interview or admissions assessment
• You must not permit any third party to record or photograph any part of your interview or admissions assessment
• The recording or photographing of my interview or admissions assessment will result in your application to Cambridge being cancelled
• The recording or photographing of your interview or admissions assessment will be reported to UCAS