Frequently Asked Questions

Before the programme     |     During the programme     |     After the programme

Before the programme

How do I apply for the programme?

To apply for the Online Summer Research Programme you must complete the online application form. You’ll be asked your basic details, academic information such as your institution of study and GPA, and the programme stream you are interested in. The form cannot be saved and returned to at a later date so you will need to apply in one sitting. 

Once you have submitted your online application form, we’ll send you a project form for you to complete and return online. You will also need to arrange for a transcript to be sent to us from your home institution. 

Your application is complete once you have submitted the online application and project form and your transcript and other supporting documentation (if applicable) have been received by us. You will receive the outcome of your application within 10 working days of receipt of your completed application.

There is no fee to apply for the programme.

Can I apply for both the Online Summer Research Programme and the Pembroke Cambridge Summer Programme?

The dates of both of these academically challenging and demanding programmes overlap considerably. As such, we do not allow students to participate in both the Online Summer Research Programme and the Pembroke Cambridge Summer Programme. 

The programmes differ in many ways so it is likely that you will find that one is better suited to you and your needs that the other. You can find lots of information on each programme on this website. 

If you like the idea of a residential experience and are able to travel to Cambridge this summer, but also wish to work on an independent research project under the guidance of a Cambridge supervisor, you might consider the independent supervision option on the Pembroke Cambridge Summer Programme. 

If you're still not sure which programme you should apply for, please get in touch with us so that we can help you determine which programme is best for you.

Should I submit my application before or after you receive my supporting document(s)?

You can submit your application before or after we receive your supporting document(s), it's up to you. However, we would recommend you submit before if possible so that we can pass your application to the Selection Committee as soon as we receive your supporting document(s).

What supporting documents do you need?

You will need to arrange for an academic transcript to be sent to us from your home university. There are three options for sending the transcript:

If your university has the facility to issue officially certified .pdf electronic transcripts they can send it from their institutional email address directly to osrp@pem.cam.ac.uk.
You can ask an official or academic at your university to email a scanned copy of your official transcript to osrp@pem.cam.ac.uk from their institutional email address.
If the above options are not possible, an original transcript can be sent by post to: Online Summer Research Programme, Department of International Programmes, Pembroke College, Cambridge, CB2 1RF, UK.
For verification purposes transcripts must be sent to us by your institution. We’re unable to accept transcripts sent to us by applicants.

If you are not a native English speaker and are not studying at a university where the medium of instruction is English, you will also need to provide evidence of your fluency in English.

What are the English language requirements?

A high level of fluency in English is a prerequisite for the programme.

If you are not a native English speaker and are not studying at a university where the medium of instruction is English you should check our English Language Requirements to see what you will need to provide to show your fluency in English.

If you've studied and been assessed in English at university level as part of your degree, excluding in English Language classes, you will not need to provide any further qualifications but you will have to supply a comprehensive course syllabus.

Similarly, if you have completed an academic course abroad with English as the language of instruction you will need to provide evidence of this.

Evidence of a high level of fluency in English, for example a scanned copy of the English language qualification or a comprehensive course syllabus, should be sent to osrp@pem.cam.ac.uk.

Can I still apply if my university does not use the GPA grading system?

Yes, you are still welcome to apply if your university does not use the GPA grading system.

If my application is successful, when will I receive an offer?

If your application to the programme is successful, you will receive an offer letter via e-mail within 10 working days of receipt of your complete application. The email will contain further information about the programme together with instructions on how to pay to secure your place.

How do I secure my place on the programme?

Once you have received an offer, you can secure your place on the programme by paying the programme fee. Instructions on how to make the payment will be included in your offer email. The payment must be received within two weeks of having received an offer. Your offer will expire after the two weeks. 

If you believe you will be unable to accept the offer within this timeframe, please email osrp@pem.cam.ac.uk as soon as possible.

What do I do if I require special arrangements or additional support?

If you require special arrangements or additional support, please email osrp@pem.cam.ac.uk to discuss this with us.

Who will my supervisor be?

Based on your research proposal, we will identify and approach academics who are experts in your field of interest. It can generally take approaching a couple of academics before being able to confirm your supervisor. This is often due to the academics being busy with their own fieldwork or research over the summer.

In a similar vein to supervisions for regular undergraduates of the university, your supervisor can be an academic associated with the departments, faculties or institutes of the University of Cambridge or with the 31 colleges of the University. They can hold positions of, for example, professor, lecturer, reader, associate lecturer, fellow (in a college) or a highly recommended doctoral student (who usually also supervises regular undergraduates of the university).  

We will introduce your confirmed supervisor to you well before the programme starts.

Can I suggest or propose a supervisor?

You are welcome to suggest or propose an academic, based at the University of Cambridge, you would like to be supervised by. However, there is no guarantee we will be able to confirm the supervision with the specific academic stated in your proposal. We kindly request that you do not engage with the academic directly.

We will introduce your confirmed supervisor to you well before the programme starts.

When will I be introduced to my supervisor?

We will start introducing programme participants to supervisors over email a few days before the start of the programme.

Do I need to do any work to prepare for the start of the programme?

Your supervisor will engage with you over email to learn more about you, your background knowledge and to discuss the focus of your research project. They will confirm if there is any reading or preparatory work you need to undertake before the programme.

Please discuss with your supervisor whether this is feasible for you to undertake or otherwise. You shouldn’t expect a meeting or any further communication with your supervisor other than that described above before the start date of the programme.

During the programme

How is the programme structured?

You’ll have 8 x 1-hour sessions individually with your supervisor, all of which will be held online. The supervision sessions will not be supplemented with any online lectures.

When will my supervisions take place?

Once you have been introduced to your supervisor over email, please arrange the supervision sessions (especially for week one of the programme) with them.

How do I address my supervisor in an email or in conversation on Zoom?

It is highly recommended that you start the exchange with the title and surname of your supervisor. For example, ‘Dr Smith’. Supervisors will guide you on whether they prefer their first names instead from that point on.

What support will I receive on the programme?

All participants on the programme will be supported by a Director of Studies (DoS). A DoS is a key component of the Cambridge-experience, providing students with a close and supportive academic relationship throughout their course. They will support you and monitor your academic progress through communications with you and your supervisor.

You will be introduced to your DoS shortly before the start of the programme. They’re available over email or you can book a time to meet with them on Zoom. They’ll also get in touch with you throughout the programme to check everything is running smoothly.

What if I miss a supervision?

This is a situation best avoided! Your supervisions are the only time you have with your supervisor on the programme. Please inform your supervisor well in advance if you are unable to attend the pre-arranged supervision – this is not only polite but is expected to occur only in extenuating circumstances. Supervisors are not obliged to reschedule supervisions missed at the last minute and without as much advance notice as possible.

Can I record my supervisions?

Recording supervisions is not allowed on the programme. There are strategies you can use to capture the discussion: take notes of the details discussed during the supervision, recap the main points, actions and next steps to the supervisor towards the end of the supervision. Please do get in touch with us if however there are extenuating circumstances or disabilities that you would like us to consider so that we can make appropriate adjustments for you on the programme.

Do final submissions for all projects need to be dissertations?

No. The nature of your final submission will be determined by your subject area and you must confirm this with your supervisor. For example, math projects may have exercises making up 75% of the total assessment, with 25% for a written report giving an account of the material covered and explaining any pieces of theory used to solve the exercises.

After the programme

Can I get credit for my project?

This depends on your home institution. Please contact your study abroad office for guidance. The Assessment and Credit page may also be of use.

What will I receive to show that I have taken part in this programme?

You will receive your transcript via email after the end of the programme. In addition to your grade, your transcript will contain information about the programme that may be of use to you when arranging credit transfer with your institution. We will also email you a copy of a Project Feedback Form that has been completed by your supervisor.