Students talking in the library foyer

There are a number of different cases where you may make an application to Christ's from another university. This page provides information for: 

If you've enrolled on a Foundation Programme

Cambridge University only has one Foundation Year, which is for students ordinarily resident in the UK, but sometimes students take a Foundation Programme at another university and apply to Cambridge. A number of British universities offer this option.

  • If you are an international student and need to do a further qualification in order to apply to Cambridge, you will find a number of Foundation Programmes at UK universities. When choosing your Foundation Programme, it will be important to check that it offers suitable preparation for the degree course you plan to apply for. We do not normally accept Foundation Programmes for maths and sciences courses at Cambridge. If you are applying for an essay subject, your Foundation Programme will need to cover suitable material for any subject requirements listed on the course pages. We recommend that you email us to check the suitability of specific programmes if the advice is not already given on our examples page. Conditional offers on foundation programmes are tailored to the course detail and before applying, you should check whether the Foundation Programme commits you to continuing your degree course at the relevant institution. 
     
  • If you will be a mature student (if you will be 21 or over at the start of your Cambridge course), a Foundation Programme is one of several options that you may choose to prepare yourself for studying for an Arts & Humanities course at Cambridge. Please see the mature students page for further detail.
     
  • If you apply as a student on a foundation programme, you will need to complete the full application process just as other applicants do. Please read the details of how to apply carefully as well as the relevant subject page. Additional notes:
     
    • Please check well in advance whether your course requires a pre-interview Admissions Assessment, as you will need to make arrangements to take this and be registered by the correct deadline. 
       
    • If you have only just started your foundation programme, in most cases a teacher from your former school will be able to comment in more detail on your academic ability than a tutor on your foundation programme, so it may be best to ask a teacher from your former school to write your UCAS reference.
       
    • You will normally need to send a transcript as part of your application. Please see the transcript flowchart and the transcript page for further information.
       
    • Please send us a summary of your foundation course curriculum by 22 October (at the latest). You will need to demonstrate that you are covering / have covered any course-specific subject requirements for the subject you are applying for (details of subject requirements are in the applying section on the relevant subject page). Details of how to send curriculum details are available here from 20 September each year (this page is part of the current applicants section so is only available 20 Sept - early Jan).


If you are in the first year of a university degree

Studying at a university outside the UK

We regularly receive applications from students on a university course outside the UK. Please be aware that it is not possible to transfer credits and start in second year at Cambridge, as all courses at Cambridge must be started from the beginning.

We recommend that you read the how to apply page carefully to ensure that you're aware of the various forms, dates and deadlines. In particular:

  • Please check well in advance whether your course requires a pre-interview Admissions Assessment, as you will need to make arrangements to take this and be registered by the correct deadline.
     
  • Your UCAS reference can be written either by a teacher from your former school or by a tutor at your current university (if they are able to comment in detail on your academic ability). 
     
  • Depending on what qualifications you took before your university course, you may also need to send a transcript as part of your application. Please see the transcript flowchart and the transcript page for further information about sending a high school transcript. If you have not taken any exams at university yet, we would not expect a university transcript, however - your transcript would just cover your high school exams.
     
  • Please send us a summary of curriculum for the current year by 22 October (at the latest). You will need to demonstrate that you are covering / have covered any course-specific subject requirements for the subject you are applying for (details of subject requirements are in the applying section on the relevant subject page). Details of how to send curriculum details are available here from 20 September each year (this page is part of the current applicants section so is only available 20 Sept - early Jan).
     
  • The information on this page applies only for applications to Christ's College. 
     

At a university inside the UK

Christ's will be happy to consider your application from a UK university as long as you can demonstrate significant differences between the course you are currently enrolled on and the course that you are applying for at Cambridge. If you decide not to apply to Christ's, we advise you to check whether the College you've chosen accepts applications from university students in the UK before making your application.  

If you are in receipt of student finance, please be aware that changing course may affect your eligibility for a student loan for each year of your course, especially if the Cambridge course lasts four years. See for example the eligibility information and do contact Student Finance England (or the equivalent company if you're from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) if you have any questions. 

All courses at Cambridge must be started from the beginning. If you apply, it is not possible to transfer credits and start in second year. 

We recommend that you read the how to apply page carefully to ensure that you're aware of the various forms, dates and deadlines. In particular:

  • please check well in advance whether your course requires a pre-interview Admissions Assessment, as you will need to make arrangements to take this and be registered by the correct deadline.
     
  • Your UCAS reference can be written either by a teacher from your former school or by a tutor at your current university (if they are able to comment in detail on your academic ability). In certain circumstances we may ask you to supply a letter from a tutor or equivalent at your university confirming that they are aware of your application to Christ's. Any letter requested can be sent as an 'additional document'. Details of how to send an additional document are available from 20 September each year (this page is part of the current applicants section so is only available 20 Sept - early Jan).
     
  • In the additional questionnaire(s), there is a catch-all question: 'Is there anything else you would like us to know?'. This would be a useful place to explain the significant differences between the course you are currently enrolled on and the course that you are applying for at Cambridge. We will need a clear explanation as to why you want to withdraw and come to us. If you would like to say more than you can fit under this question then you are welcome to send a fuller explanation as an 'additional document' . Details of how to send an additional document are available from 20 September each year (this page is part of the current applicants section so is only available 20 Sept - early Jan).
     
  • We recommend that you send brief curriculum details for your current course. You will need to demonstrate that you are covering / have covered any course-specific subject requirements for the subject you are applying for (details of subject requirements are in the applying section on the relevant subject page). Details of how to send curriculum details are available here from 20 September each year (this page is part of the current applicants section so is only available 20 Sept - early Jan).
     
  • You will also need to send a transcript showing any exams that you have already taken on your current course and the results achieved.
     
  • The information about post-qualification applications is relevant to students in the first year of a degree course at another university. 

     

If you will have completed a university degree

If you have achieved a first class in an approved undergraduate degree at another university, or if you are in your final year and are on track to achieve a first class degree, you may choose to apply for a second undergraduate degree at Christ's.

The second degree that we offer (also called an 'affiliated' or Senior Status degree) is an accelerated degree, completed in one year less than the standard course. The only subject which is not available in an "affiliated" version is Architecture, where all students complete the full standard course in order to meet professional requirements. 

Do check the financial details before you apply. The cost of a second undergraduate degree may be higher than for the standard course, and tuition fee loans are not available in all subjects. Further information is available on the university admissions website. 

If you graduated from a British university, the minimum grade requirement for a second undergraduate degree at Christ's is a first class degree. If you went to a university in the US, we would expect a GPA of at least 3.7 on a 4 point scale. For other countries our grade requirements for students who have already completed an undergraduate degree and are appliying for affiliate entry are the same as the grade requirements for postgraduate courses that ask for a First. You can check the exact requirements on the International Qualifications page on the Postgraduate Admissions website (search for your country at the bottom of the page). All applicants must be able to demonstrate that they meet any subject requirements set out on the course pages.

Restrictions: 

  • If you already hold an undergraduate or postgraduate degree from Cambridge University, please be aware that you cannot graduate with honours from any undergraduate degree. If you wish to follow an undergraduate course solely in order to meet professional requirements (for example Law or Architecture), please email us to discuss this. 
  • At Christ's, we do not offer Veterinary Medicine, and we do not take students for a second degree in Medicine. If you are interested in applying for a second degree in Medicine, please read about second degrees on the Cambridge Admissions website, which will point you to where you can apply. 

If you are applying for a second degree, please read the how to apply page carefully to ensure that you're aware of the various forms, dates and deadlines. In particular:

If you will be 21 or over at the start of your course, some of the details on the mature students page will also be helpful.

 

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