Computer Science

Why study Computer Science at Christ's College?

Christ's is a few minutes' walk of Mill Lane where first-year lectures for Computer Science are held. The College also provides a modern library, a theatre, sporting facilities, playing fields, social activities and clubs and societies open to all.
 

Course structure and content

The Computer Science course (or ‘tripos’) is a four-year degree, and you can choose from a range of options in the first year.

Please visit the University website for full details of the Computer Science course content and structure.
 

Teaching

Christ’s’ Fellows possess a range of expertise that covers the full spectrum of the Computer Science course, so you can expect strong, informed teaching.

• Professor Richard Mortier: Christ’s Director of Studies in Computer Science and University Lecturer in the Systems Research Group at the Cambridge University Computer Lab
• Professor Marcelo Fiore: Professor in Computer Science and a member of the Programming, Logic and Semantics Group
• Professor Ian Leslie: Professor of Computer Science and a member of the Systems Research Group
• Professor Steven Murdoch: Professor of Security Engineering at UCL and bye-fellow at Christ's College.

Christ’s College Director of Studies in Computer Science Prof Richard Mortier can advise you on choosing options and arrange your twice-weekly ‘supervisions’. These small-group teaching tutorials offer support and tuition tailored to your personal work. As other universities usually tutor in much larger groups, this approach is a real advantage of a Cambridge education.

Our students enjoy the fact that Christ's College is just a few minutes’ walk from Mill Lane, home of first-year Computer Science lectures.
 

What do our students think?

Read about the experiences of some of the Christ's Computer Science students:

• Becca
• Dylan
• Simeon
• Henry
• Matt 

If you’d like to hear from other Christ's students, please watch the Christ's student Q&A film, and visit our Student Profiles page.
 

How to Apply

Visit How to Apply for full details and a timeline of the application process. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and school types, all over the world. If you're applying from outside the UK, please read our international students section.

Subject requirements

We particularly welcome applications from candidates with a strong background in mathematics and/or science. A-level or IB Higher Level Mathematics (or equivalent) is essential, and candidates offering A- or AS-level Further Mathematics are likely to be more competitive than those without. A-level Physics and/or Computer Science is desirable. 

Pre-interview Admissions Assessment 

All students applying to the University of Cambridge for Computer Science must sit a pre-interview admissions assessment called the Test of Mathematics for University Admissions (TMUA). This will take place in your school, college or local testing centre in early November. The same assessment is used regardless of which College you have applied to, and preparation information is provided on the website above. The test forms part of our holistic admissions process: there is no set score that we are looking for. When applying, it is important to be aware of the registration and assessment dates:

• Computer Science applicants should be registered to take the Test of Mathematics for University Admissions (TMUA). Ideally be registered by 1 October. See how to be registered and cost information (including eligibility information for fee reimbursement). Please note that open centres may set an earlier deadline for accepting entries, and it is your responsibility to check if this applies at your centre.
• Computer Science applicants sit the TMUA in early November.

Interviews

If we invite you for interviews, these usually take place in early December. Those invited for Cambridge interviews are normally interviewed for 35-50 minutes in total. At Christ’s, we usually split the time into two interviews with academics in Computer Science.

Further, more general information about interviews (including two useful films) is available in the Cambridge interviews section.

We also hold interviews in a number of locations overseas. If this may be relevant for you, please see the international students section. Please be aware that the format of overseas interviews may vary from the pattern described above. Those applying for interviews overseas will be given full information by the International Interviews Administrator.

Offers

Christ's College does not have fixed quotas of places for different subjects and the exact numbers admitted in any one year will depend upon the strengths of the fields of applicants in various subjects.

Our typical conditional offer is A*A*A at A-level, 42 points overall in the IB with 7,7,6 in Higher Level subjects, or the equivalent in other qualifications although the precise terms of each offer are assessed individually.

If you are an international applicant taking qualifications other than A-Level / IB, do look at the international students section for further information. If you will have already finished school when you apply, please see the page for post-qualification applications.
 

Helpful resources

Come to an Open Day or Online event

Our open days and events page advertises regular online opportunities as well as events you can attend in Cambridge. If you can, sign up for a College Open Day (our October, February and September events normally include a meeting with a subject specialist). Between February and August we run regular webinars:

• Subject Matters: The importance of post-16 subject choices (this one is also run Sept - Nov)
• Cambridge for Beginners
• Christ's College: A look at the Grounds and Facilities
• Personal Statements and preparing for an application

Further subject-specific opportunities you might wish to consider include Subject Masterclasses organised by Cambridge Admissions Office, and subject-specific talks in the July Cambridge Open Days. If you are a UK student from a background where there is little tradition of entry to Higher Education, you can apply to attend a Sutton Trust Summer School in Computer Science or to shadow a current undergraduate studying Computer Science via the Cambridge SU Shadowing Scheme (do be aware that there's a high proportion of applicants to places for both of these last two opportunities so please don't be discouraged if you don't get a place).

Want to know more?

For a full picture of what the course involves, please take a look at Undergraduate admissions in Computer Science on the University website and visit the Computer Science department page. If you have any queries, please send them to admissions@christs.cam.ac.uk and we’ll help however we can.

Undergraduate Admissions main page / Back to the subject list / How to apply / Why choose Christ's?