Home
Applying to Cambridge might seem daunting and stressful, especially with so many colleges to choose from. To make things easier, here’s some information and advice on what to expect if you decide to apply here.

Also, be sure to check out the Sidney Sussex Alternative Prospectus!

Can I visit Sidney Sussex before applying?


Of course you can! We hold open days three times a year, in July, April and September. You’ll get to quiz students and tutors on everything you want to know, and have the chance to look around the college itself, including all the facilities and accommodation. Even if you can’t come on an official college open day, visitors are always welcome and if you contact us beforehand we’ll make sure there is a member of staff and, if possible, a student on hand to show you round and answer any questions you might have.


The Application Process


  • When filling out your UCAS form online, you’ll also have to specify a college code as well as selecting “Cambridge University” (Sidney is no. 03 although this information will be available on UCAS). The deadline for this is around October 15th, well in advance of the UCAS deadline for other UK universities, so make sure you’re not rushing to get things done the night before!


  • Within a month or so of sending your application, you should receive an invite to interview. This letter will also detail any work you need to send in, usually two pieces (generally for arts rather than science subjects). Don’t worry about preparing anything special, just send in something you’ve done as ordinary school or coursework which is unaltered and has been marked by your teacher. This way, interviewers can see exactly what you know and where there’s room for improvement as well as any suggestions your teacher has made.


  • Sidney, like all colleges, holds its interviews in the first two weeks of December. For most subjects, you will have two or three interviews, each with more than one academic and at least one with your subject specialist (the person who will most likely supervise you or be your Director of Studies if you study here). Be prepared to be asked difficult questions, but don’t worry if you don’t know all the answers. Interviewers want to see how you think and how much interest you have for your subject, rather than how many obscure facts you can reel off. If you need accommodation the night before or the night of your interview, college provides rooms and breakfast to those travelling some distance, so don’t worry about having to do anything in a rush.


  • Many subjects will also make you sit a written test of some kind and/or prepare some material to discuss at your interview. These could involve commenting on a text or source, completing mathematical or scientific exercises or translation a passage into/from a foreign language. These exercises designed to seem harder than what you’re studying at A Level, but will require the same sort of skills so try not to fret over them!


  • Interview Content: the interviews will focus mainly on your subject and your passion for it. If you look nervous, you may get asked some warm-up questions, which won’t be counted in your assessment, such as how your journey was. You will NOT, however, be asked anything in relation to why you chose Sidney, as it is unfair to open applicants, so do not worry about finding a good reason for this!


After the Interview


Sidney make its initial decisions around Christmas time, and you will be sent a letter just after the New Year, telling you whether you have been successful or not. If you haven’t, there is always the chance to reapply, and neither Sidney nor Cambridge will look unfavourably on this. Even if you're not accepted by Sidney, you may well be accepted by another college:

  • Pooled applicants: If you have been pooled, you might be called back for another interview at a different college and these will happen around the middle of January . It’s worth bearing this in mind as there could be clashes with A Level unit tests so, if you are pooled, tell the college re-interviewing you if there will be a clash so that it can be avoided. You will hear if you have been accepted by another college within a matter of a couple of weeks or less. It's good to remember that around 20% of applicants are pooled to a different college, so the idea that some colleges are 'easier' or 'harder' to get into really is one of those Cambridge myths!


  • Summer Pool: Cambridge usually make offers to more applicants than there are places, knowing that some will miss or decline their offer. If you marginally fail to meet the conditions of your offer, however, you might be placed in a “summer pool”, and chosen by another college which has space. This isn’t always guaranteed though and the chances of still coming to Cambridge if you miss your offer are, unfortunately, quite slim.



So... any tips?



  • Interview Preparation: Every interview will be different, so there’s no use looking for a ‘model’ that will help you succeed. It is a good idea, however, to keep copies of your personal statement and any work you send in, so, come December, you haven’t forgotten what you wrote as you might get asked about it in interview. In the same vein, don’t lie or exaggerate on your Personal Statement becasuse the interviewers might just ask you about it! If you get very nervous in these kind of situations, it might also be worth organising a mock interview at your school or college. Try and make sure it’s with somebody you don’t know well, and who can ask you some challenging questions like the sort you might be asked on the actual day.


  • Reading around the subject: make sure you read around the subject you’re applying for, i.e. not just whatever is on the school syllabus. Anything from newspaper and journal articles on issues surrounding your subject to novels by an author you particularly like will be useful. Your local libraries, periodicals, and of course the internet can be great resources for you to exploit. You won’t need to know everything, but you need to be able to show an interest - more than the average 6th former will have tried to find out - in what you’re applying for. Reading around is just as beneficial for you personally because you’ll realise whether you actually do want to commit a few years to that particular subject, and it’ll make you more confident come interview time.


  • Dress: Wear whatever you feel comfortable in. A lot of people come in suits or smart/casual clothes, but if you’d feel better wearing something different, then that’s fine. Remember that it will be winter, and Cambridge gets very cold, so dress warmly. You’re going to be judged on your brain, rather than how you look!


  • Don’t panic! The interview is just one part of a whole list of things that admissions tutors look at and it is by no means the deciding factor in your application, so don’t worry that it will all go wrong and you’ll have embarassed yourself. Chances are that you won’t have done, and it won’t have made a huge difference in whether you are offered a place or not. Don’t worry that you’ll be all on your own either. Lots of students hang around during the interview period to chat to applicants, show them to interview rooms or organise social activities if you stay overnight, so there’ll always be someone around if you need them.