Cambridge Admissions Statistics By College & Course

Cambridge University is very open about its application statistics, but they can be difficult to interpret. In 2024, 22,153 students applied to Cambridge.

In this article, we’ll explore some data and key trends, which will help you in your application to Cambridge. We’ve used the University of Cambridge’s Undergraduate Admission Statistics (opens in a new tab)publication to source all of our stats.

Top 5 Cambridge Admissions Statistics 

• In 2024, the five courses with the greatest number of applicants were all STEM subjects (Engineering, Natural Sciences, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Medicine).

• Of all the undergraduate courses in 2024, computer science had the fewest successful applicants – only 9% of students who applied to the course received an offer.

• Nearly a third of 2024 applicants (30.8%) lived in London.

• The total number of offers made in 2024 was 4,760 compared to 4,238 in 2023, This is an increase of 12.3%.

• Churchill College had the highest percentage of male applicants in 2024 at 75.2%.

Cambridge Admissions Statistics: By College

Below is a table of the number of 2024 applicants for each college, with offer rates calculated from Cambridge’s own application data (opens in a new tab):

Cambridge Admissions Statistics: By Course

The table below shows the acceptance statistics for degree programmes offered at Cambridge in 2024:

Key Trends From 2024

1. Your subject choice matters way more than your college

What you apply for has a bigger impact on your chances than where you apply.

Most Cambridge colleges offer places to roughly 15 - 30% of applicants. That might sound low, but - if you focus on degree choice instead - you’ll see that the offer rate varies massively. Some degree courses accept fewer than 10% of applicants, whilst others, like modern and medieval languages, accept nearly 70%.

2. Languages and some humanities subjects are much easier to get into

Courses like Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic Studies, Classics, and Music have some of the highest offer rates at Cambridge. More than half of applicants for these degree programmes get an offer.

This doesn’t mean that they’re easier to study. These subjects are just as challenging academically. But fewer people apply for them, and those who do tend to be really passionate and well-suited to the course. If you genuinely love one of these subjects, your chances of studying at Cambridge might be better than you think.

3. STEM subjects are super competitive

Courses like Computer Science, Engineering, Medicine, and Natural Sciences receive thousands of applications every year. Because there are only so many places available, this pushes offer rates down, even for incredibly strong candidates.

Computer Science is one of the toughest to get into, with fewer than one in ten applicants receiving an offer. If you're set on a STEM subject, just know you'll be facing serious competition.

4. Famous colleges aren't easier to get into

Big-name colleges like Trinity or St John's might sound impressive, but their reputation makes them challenging to get into. Yes, they make lots of offers too, but the competition stays fierce. Meanwhile, some less famous, mid-sized colleges - like Girton or St Edmund’s - have noticeably higher offer rates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Percentage of Applicants Get Into Cambridge?

While 21% of applicants were offered a place, only 16% of applicants ended up studying at Cambridge in 2024. The percentage gap shows a group of applicants that didn’t achieve the required grades or chose not to accept the offer.

What Is the Hardest Subject to Get Into at Cambridge?

Computer Science is the hardest undergraduate course to get into, with an offer rate of just 9.02%. 

Which College Is Hardest to Get Into at Cambridge?

Both Pembroke and Downing are the hardest to get into, with offer rates of just 15% and 16% in 2024. These are large colleges, however. Wolfson College accepted just 57 students last year.

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References

University of Cambridge - Undergraduate Admissions Stats (opens in a new tab)