Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find the questions most frequently asked of the Admissions Office.

Can I afford to come to Pembroke?

Most probably. Cambridge is not a particularly expensive place to study, and financial help is available to those who need it. See the Fees and Awards pages for more information.

Where will I live?

The University is quite particular about living arrangements. Technically, there is a requirement for you to 'keep residence' for nine Full Terms for you to be able to graduate. To keep a term by residence you must be in Cambridge within ten miles of Great St Mary's church for part of each day and night for a number of days equal to those in Full Term. In practice, this is easy, as Full Term is eight weeks and you stay in Pembroke for ten. You'll live either in a room in College or in a College-owned house.

What can I study?

We admit undergraduates to any subject apart from Education Studies and Geography. Find out more about the courses available.

What will the other students be like?

In our experience, students from different school backgrounds, both from the UK and overseas, are equally happy here. About 15% of our undergraduates are from overseas (this includes EU countries).

As a rough guide, the statistics for students for admission in 2010/11 are:

What about sports, acting, music, politics, journalism, etc?

There is plenty to get involved with at Pembroke. If there is not a College society which caters exactly for your interests, then there will undoubtedly be one at the University level. (University societies involve students from all the Colleges). At the beginning of each year there is a huge Societies Fair at the local Sports Hall, where you can go along and meet those who share your present interests, or investigate new ones.

Societies and publications at Pembroke include:

• Sports teams in football, rugby, cricket, rowing, hockey, lacrosse, etc
• The Pembroke choir and orchestra
• The Pembroke players - for acting, directing and producing
• The Stokes Society - for scientists
• Pembroke Street - student newsletter
• The Pem - poetry magazine
• The Pooh Society
• The JP (Junior Parlour) Committee
• The Pembroke Art and Photographic Society

Can I come and see the College?

Of course. We run an extensive programme of Open Days, but you can also come and visit in your own time. (Please note that there are some restrictions on visiting the College, particularly during exams.) Find out more about visiting the College.

How do I apply?

All undergraduates must now apply on-line through UCAS. Find out more about the application process.

Can graduates apply for undergraduate courses?

Yes. Graduates should apply as 'Affiliated students'.

What if I am applying from overseas?

We welcome applications from overseas candidates, who contribute greatly to the life of the College. Find out more about applications from overseas students, including information about applying from a North American High School, or applying from Canada, or for a one-year study placement.

What scores do I have to get at AS to be considered?

To clarify how we do things in Pembroke, we are not looking at scores in each individual unit/module. Rather, we are looking for your AVERAGE percentage ACROSS (not in each of) your three best (arts subjects) or three most relevant (science subjects) AS subjects (excluding Critical Thinking and General Studies). E.g. If you were applying for Natural Sciences Physical and had scored 88% in Chemistry, 92% in Maths, and 95% in Physics, we would calculate your average to be 92%. By this measure, the average applicant to Pembroke had 90% last year, and the average offerholder 95%: these, however, are averages, NOT minima.

Do you interview all candidates?

We interview the vast majority - around 80-85% of those who apply. Candidates are notified if they have been selected for interview in mid-late November.

Will I be ruled out of consideration if I am planning to re-sit one or more AS units?

In respect of re-sits, the majority of our candidates score highly first time round when we average out their scores across their units, but of course there can be individual units which don't go as well as others for a whole array of perfectly good reasons (and you tend to find that when you calculate averages in the way indicated above, individual units do not drag things down in the way you might fear). We do not mind at all if you are re-sitting a unit here or there. The issue comes if you are planning to re-sit several units (and there are not extenuating circumstances which explain this). This is for two reasons: first, the competition - the majority of our candidates will score highly on average first time round; secondly, Cambridge courses have very few re-sits - we assess our students predominantly by end of year timed examinations - so it's important that the fit between how we do things and your own strengths is a good one. We do have some coursework, but that means that if you are someone who prefers a relatively heavier coursework load, or continuous assessment, or a modular system, we may not be the right university for you.

What if I am applying doing linear A levels (i.e. All A level units sat at the end of Year 13)?

We receive successful applications each year from students who are doing a variety of qualifications examined at the end of Year 13, including linear A levels. In the case of linear A levels or equivalent, our usual practice is to set a standard offer of A*A*A. The University has produced some guidance on this which can be found via the following weblink.

What if I have a disability?

This need not be a bar to studying at Pembroke. Find out more about the facilities and help available.