Accommodation & facilities

All Pembroke undergraduates are offered accommodation in College or in College-owned property for the full three or four years of their degree course. Rents in College-owned property are substantially lower than the commercial rates charged in Cambridge.

We have two rooms adapted for wheelchair access.

Rooms in College

Over half our undergraduates, including all first-years, live in College. The remainder live in College houses. Foundress Court, containing ninety student rooms, has substantially increased the proportion of undergraduates able to live on the site itself and two rooms in this building are adapted for wheel-chair use. A student-organised ballot decides priority in choosing rooms for second and third year undergraduates.

Nearly all rooms in College are single study bedrooms, and none is shared. There are a few sets, i.e. separate study and bedroom. Most have background heating and wash-basins with direct access to baths and/or showers and a small kitchen. Simple cooking is allowed, but the facilities are not elaborate!

College Houses

These are conveniently situated, either very near to the College or near the College sports ground. Our recent experience is that while all appreciate the benefits of residence in College during the first year, many students prefer the slightly greater independence afforded by residence in College houses in their second, and sometimes in their third years. Rents in College houses are also somewhat lower. Most third years are now able to live in College itself, if they wish.

Rents

The termly rent covers the eight weeks of compulsory residence and any extra period, up to a total of ten weeks. Residency beyond this period may be allowed for academic reasons, and vacation rent charged. The College operates a means-tested rent rebate scheme.

Information about accommodation is sent to successful applicants in late Spring with a request for an indication as to preferred price-range. Rooms are allocated in late August and notice sent in early September. Find out more about costs and the financial help available.

Food

All meals (breakfast, lunch, supper) are available in Hall. None are compulsory and most are self-service. At lunch and buffet supper there is a choice of main course, as well as soup, salads, pudding, yoghurt, fruit and coffee. A three-course set dinner is also served in the evening. Vegetarian meals are always available, and other dietary regimes can be accommodated.

A typical buffet supper currently costs around £6.25. The cost of the served dinner is around £7.00. Overhead costs (staff, equipment etc.) are covered with the help of a standard, compulsory fixed charge. For those living in accommodation provided by the College it is £129 per term, for others £50. (All prices are for 2009-2010.)

The Bar is open until 11pm during Full Term. It is next to the Common Room (called the Junior Parlour). Both are situated right by the largest of the College's several garden areas, and this part of the garden is a popular place for relaxation in the summer term. Café Pembroke offers delicious snacks and coffee served between 10.30am and 4.00pm on weekdays.

Library

The College has a well-stocked library, which is a quiet and pleasant place to study. It is open sixteen hours a day. In an era when few students can afford many books, it is one of Cambridge's major advantages that the (excellent) University and departmental libraries are supplemented by the libraries of twenty-four undergraduate colleges, each providing copies of books commonly recommended by lecturers and supervisors, among other facilities. Pembroke's Library has an excellent collection in all the main teaching subjects, and undergraduates are encouraged to order books for it according to need. The Library has a terminal to the University data network for consultation of University catalogues and bibliographic databases. It is also building a collection of CD-ROMs for use in conjunction with lectures and supervisions. The Library includes a Law Library, and a lift to the upper floors.

Information Technology

Most Undergraduate rooms in College, and many College hostels, are now connected to the University-wide high speed data network, and if you have your own computer you can use it in your own room for fast access to internet services such as email and the web. All rooms with data connections also have telephone sockets. However, it is certainly not necessary to bring your own computer at Pembroke: with the additional new computer room in Foundress Court, the College has 30 PC machines for student use. The College is very close to the main Computer Laboratory, and many other University departments also have their own facilities. Internet access is free of charge from the college computer rooms. Further information for students planning to bring their own computer, including recommended hardware and software, as well as technical and cost details of networking, will be sent to successful candidates. We also have a small number of machines to give away without operating systems so you will need to source your own OS.

Other facilities

Among other things, the College has self-service laundries, a Multi-gym, a Music Room, a room equipped for theatrical productions, party and meeting rooms; a dark room, and an art room.