The University of Cambridge is composed of 31 colleges in addition to the academic departments and administration of the central university. Until the mid-19th century, both Cambridge and Oxford comprised a group of colleges with a small central university administration, rather than universities in the common sense. Cambridge's colleges are communities of students, academics and staff – an environment in which generations and academic disciplines are able to mix, with both students and fellows experiencing "the breadth and excellence of a top University at an intimate level". [1] [2]
Cambridge colleges provide most of the accommodation for undergraduates and postgraduates at the university. At the undergraduate level they have responsibility for admitting students to the university, providing pastoral support, and organising elements of their tuition, though lectures and examinations are organised by the faculties and departments of the central university. All degrees are awarded by the university itself, not the colleges, and all students study for the same course regardless of which college they attend. [3] For postgraduate students, research is conducted centrally in the faculties, departments and other university-affiliated research centres, though the colleges provide a central social and intellectual hub for students.
Colleges provide a range of facilities and services to their members in addition to accommodation, [4] including: catering, library facilities, extracurricular societies, and sporting teams. Much of sporting life at Cambridge is centred around college teams and inter-collegiate competition in Cuppers. Student activity is typically organised through separate common rooms for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Another important element of collegiate life is formal hall, which range in frequency from weekly to every night of the week during Full Term.
Colleges also provide funding, accommodation, or both, for some of the academic posts in the university, with the majority of Cambridge academics being a fellow of a college in addition to their faculty/departmental role. [5] Fellows may therefore hold college positions in addition to their academic posts at the university: these include roles such as Tutor (responsible for pastoral support), Director of Studies (responsible for academic oversight of students taking a particular subject), Dean (responsible for discipline among college members), Senior Tutor (responsible for the college's overall academic provision), or Head of college ('Head of House').
Colleges are self-governed charities in their own right, with their own endowments and possessions.
The University of Cambridge has 31 colleges, [5] founded between the 13th and 20th centuries. No colleges were founded between 1596 (Sidney Sussex College) and 1800 (Downing College), which allows the colleges to be distinguished into two groups according to foundation date:
The oldest college is Peterhouse, founded in 1284, [6] and the newest is Robinson, founded in 1977. [7] Homerton, which was first founded in the eighteenth century as a dissenting academy (and later teacher training college), attained full college status in 2010.
All 16 of the "old" colleges and 7 of the 15 "new" ones admit both male and female students as both undergraduates and postgraduates, without any age restrictions. Eight colleges restrict entry by sex, or by age of undergraduates, or admit only postgraduates:
No colleges are all-male, although most originally were. Darwin, founded in 1964, was the first mixed college, while in 1972 Churchill, Clare and King's colleges were the first previously all-male colleges to admit women, whilst King's formerly only accepted students from Eton College. The last all-male college to become mixed was Magdalene, in 1988. [10] In 1973 Hughes Hall became the first all-female college to admit men, and Girton first admitted men in 1979.
Newnham also places restrictions on the admission of staff members, allowing only women to become fellows of the college. Murray Edwards does not place this restriction on fellows.
The Cambridge and Oxford colleges have served as an architectural inspiration for Collegiate Gothic architecture, used by a number of American universities including Princeton University, Cornell University, and Washington University in St. Louis since the late nineteenth century. [11] [12]
College (with arms and scarf colours) [13] | Founded [lower-alpha 1] | Head of House | Undergraduates | Postgraduates | Total [15] | Endowment (2022) | Net assets (2022) | Assets per student (2019) | Abbreviation [16] (and short form) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Christ's Scarf colours: brown, with two equally-spaced narrow white stripes | 1505 | Lord McDonald of Salford [17] Master since 2022 | 433 | 256 | 689 | £117M [18] | £239M [18] | £287k | CHR | Re-foundation of Godshouse(est. 1439) |
Churchill Scarf colours: black, with two equally-spaced narrow stripes of brown edged with pink | 1960 (1966) [lower-alpha 2] | Dame Athene Donald [19] Master since 2014 | 499 | 346 | 845 | £113M [20] | £188M [20] | £215k | CHU | |
Clare Scarf colours: black, with two equally-spaced narrow yellow stripes | 1326 (1336) [lower-alpha 3] | Loretta Minghella [21] Master since 2021 | 519 | 289 | 808 | £161M [22] | £322M [22] | £350k | CL | Formerly University Hall, then Clare Hall. |
Clare Hall Scarf colours: black, with two equally-spaced narrow stripes of red edged with yellow | 1966 (1984) [lower-alpha 4] | C. Alan Short [23] President since 2020 | 0 | 249 | 249 | £21M [24] | £39M [24] | £140k | CLH | Postgraduate-only. |
Corpus Christi Scarf colours: cherry pink, with two equally-spaced narrow white stripes | 1352 | Christopher Kelly [25] Master since 2018 | 294 | 259 | 553 | £99M [26] | £238M [26] | £419k | CC (Corpus) | Formerly St Benet's College. |
Darwin Scarf colours: blue, with two equally-spaced narrow sets of three adjacent red, Cambridge blue and yellow stripes, with the red stripes closest to the edge of the scarf, and the yellow stripes closest to the centre | 1964 (1976) [lower-alpha 4] | Mike Rands [25] Master since 2018 | 0 | 755 | 755 | £25M [27] | £81M [27] | £99k | DAR | Postgraduate-only. |
Downing Scarf colours: black, with three narrow magenta stripes | 1800 | Graham Virgo [28] Master since 2023 | 463 | 382 | 845 | £50M [29] | £197M [29] | £233k | DOW | |
Emmanuel Scarf colours: navy, with two equally-spaced narrow rose pink stripes | 1584 | Doug Chalmers [30] Master since 2021 | 512 | 206 | 718 | £137M [31] | £348M [31] | £394k | EM (Emma) | |
Fitzwilliam Scarf colours: maroon, with two equally-spaced narrow grey stripes | 1869 (1966) [lower-alpha 4] | Baroness Morgan of Huyton [32] Master since 2019 | 486 | 413 | 899 | £78M [33] | £153M [33] | £151k | F (Fitz) | |
Girton Scarf colours: green, with two equally-spaced narrow stripes of red edged with white | 1869 (1924) [lower-alpha 5] (1948) [lower-alpha 2] | Elisabeth Kendall [34] Mistress since 2022 | 516 | 292 | 808 | £53M [35] | £153M [35] | £190k | G | Formerly female-only; mixed from 1976. |
Gonville and Caius Scarf colours: four equal stripes alternating black and Cambridge blue | 1348 (1557) [lower-alpha 6] | Pippa Rogerson [36] Master since 2018 | 602 | 247 | 849 | £254M [37] | £382M [37] | £398k | CAI (Caius) |
|
Homerton Scarf colours: navy, with two equally-spaced narrow white stripes | 1768 (1976) [lower-alpha 7] (2010) [lower-alpha 4] | Lord Woolley of Woodford [38] Principal since 2021 | 615 | 577 | 1192 | £216M [39] | £250M [39] | £190k | HO | Originally mixed, then became women-only on move to Cambridge; returned to mixed from 1976. |
Hughes Hall Scarf colours: light blue with three equally-spaced narrow stripes, the outer stripes of Cambridge blue and wider, the central stripe of white and narrower | 1885 (1949) [lower-alpha 7] (2006) [lower-alpha 4] | Sir Laurie Bristow [40] President since 2022 | 150 | 711 | 861 | £8M [41] | £54M [41] | £53k | HH | Mature-only. [lower-alpha 8] |
Jesus Scarf colours: three equal stripes of red and black, with red in the middle on one side of the scarf, and black in the middle on the other | 1496 | Sonita Alleyne [42] Master since 2019 | 513 | 411 | 924 | £235M [43] | £373M [43] | £373k | JE | |
King's Scarf colours: royal purple, with two equally-spaced narrow white stripes | 1441 | Gillian Tett [42] Provost since 2023 | 442 | 284 | 726 | £250M [44] | £423M [44] | £519k | K | |
Lucy Cavendish Scarf colours: eight alternating stripes of black and blue of varying width, with wide black and narrow blue stripes transitioning towards narrow black and wide blue stripes across the face of the scarf | 1965 (1997) [lower-alpha 4] | Dame Madeleine Atkins [45] President since 2018 | 385 | 544 | 929 | £13M [46] | £47M [46] | £102k | LC (Lucy Cav) | Formerly mature-only, [lower-alpha 8] and female-only; all-age from 2020, mixed from 2021. |
Magdalene Scarf colours: navy, with two equally-spaced narrow lavender stripes | 1428 (1542) [lower-alpha 9] | Sir Christopher Greenwood [47] Master since 2020 | 382 | 190 | 572 | £71M [48] | £197M [48] | £312k | M |
|
Murray Edwards Scarf colours: three equally-spaced narrow stripes separating two black areas towards the edge and two blue areas in the middle, the outer stripes of yellow and the central stripe of red | 1954 (1972) [lower-alpha 4] (2011) [lower-alpha 10] | Dorothy Byrne [49] President since 2021 | 376 | 189 | 565 | £46M [50] | £105M [50] | £186k | MUR (Medwards) |
|
Newnham Scarf colours: grey, with a central broad band of navy, itself divided in two by a narrow gold stripe | 1871 (1917) [lower-alpha 5] (1957) [lower-alpha 11] | Alison Rose [51] Principal since 2019 | 416 | 290 | 706 | £59M [52] | £219M [52] | £310k | N | Female-only. |
Pembroke Scarf colours: dark blue, with two equally-spaced narrow Cambridge blue stripes | 1347 | Lord Smith of Finsbury [53] Master since 2015 | 475 | 285 | 760 | £90M [54] | £288M [54] | £341k | PEM | Formerly Pembroke Hall. |
Peterhouse Scarf colours: four equal stripes alternating white and blue | 1284 | Andy Parker [55] Master since 2023 | 292 | 178 | 470 | £235M [56] | £355M [56] | £698k | PET | |
Queens' Scarf colours: dark green, with two equally-spaced narrow white stripes | 1448 (1465) [lower-alpha 3] | Mohamed A. El‑Erian [57] President since 2020 | 521 | 500 | 1021 | £115M [58] | £149M [58] | £156k | Q | |
Robinson Scarf colours: from one edge of the scarf to the other, the first third grey, then three equal stripes of blue, gold and grey, and then the final third blue | 1977 (1984) [lower-alpha 2] | Sir Richard Heaton [59] Warden since 2021 | 412 | 252 | 664 | £29M [60] | £114M [60] | £140k | R | |
St Catharine's Scarf colours: burgundy, with narrow pearl pink stripes | 1473 | Sir Mark Welland [61] Master since 2016 | 481 | 287 | 768 | £73M [62] | £171M [62] | £190k | CTH (Catz) | Formerly Catharine Hall. |
St Edmund's Scarf colours: blue, with two equally-spaced narrow stripes of Cambridge blue edged with white | 1896 (1965) [lower-alpha 7] (1998) [lower-alpha 4] | Catherine Arnold [63] Master since 2019 | 121 | 452 | 573 | £19M [64] | £43M [64] | £71k | ED (Eddie's) | Mature-only. [lower-alpha 8] |
St John's Scarf colours: navy, with two equally-spaced narrow stripes of Cambridge blue edged with red | 1511 | Heather Hancock [65] Master since 2020 | 658 | 319 | 977 | £663M [66] | £967M [66] | £854k | JN | |
Selwyn Scarf colours: maroon, with three narrow gold stripes through the middle, the central stripe slightly narrower than others | 1882 (1883) [lower-alpha 7] (1958) [lower-alpha 2] | Roger Mosey [67] Master since 2013 | 419 | 249 | 668 | £56M [68] | £134M [68] | £182 k | SE | |
Sidney Sussex Scarf colours: two equal halves of dark-red and navy | 1596 | Martin Burton [69] Master since 2023 | 380 | 247 | 627 | £29M [70] | £131M [70] | £210k | SID (Sidney) | |
Trinity Scarf colours: navy, with three equally-spaced narrow stripes, the outer stripes of yellow and slightly narrower, the central stripe of red and slightly wider | 1546 | Dame Sally Davies [71] Master since 2019 | 722 | 332 | 1054 | £1,835M [72] | £1,985M [72] | £1,454k | T | Founded by merger of King's Hall (est. 1317) and Michaelhouse(est. 1324). |
Trinity Hall Scarf colours: black, with two equally-spaced narrow white stripes | 1350 | Mary Hockaday [73] Master since 2022 | 376 | 226 | 602 | £350M [74] | £368M [74] | £532k | TH (Tit Hall) | |
Wolfson Scarf colours: red, with two equally-spaced narrow golden stripes edged with white | 1965 (1977) [lower-alpha 2] | Jane Clarke [75] President since 2017 | 180 | 832 | 1012 | £30M [76] | £78M [76] | £66k | W |
|
Totals: | 12,354 | 10,893 | 23,247 | £5,325M | £8,381M | £319k |
Institutions(s) | Founded | Head | Undergraduates | Postgraduates | Total [15] | Endowment (2022) | Net Assets (2022) | Assets per student (2019) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
University of Cambridge | c. 1209 | Deborah Prentice Vice-Chancellor since 2023 | 12,354 | 10,893 | 23,247 | £4,001M [77] | £6,693M [77] | £221k |
Colleges | 1284–1977 | (See list) | " " | " " | " " | £5,325M | £8,381M | £319k |
Totals: | 12,354 | 10,893 | 23,247 | £9,326M | £15,074M | £541k |
There are also several theological colleges in the city of Cambridge (for example Ridley Hall, Wesley House, Westcott House and Westminster College) that are affiliated with the university through the Cambridge Theological Federation. These colleges, while not officially part of the University of Cambridge, operate programmes that are either validated by or are taught on behalf either of the university or of Anglia Ruskin or Durham Universities. [78]
Most colleges are led by a Master, even when the Master is female. However, there are some exceptions, listed below. Girton College has always had a Mistress, even though male candidates have been able to run for the office since 1976.
Also see List of current heads of University of Cambridge colleges.
The above list does not include several former colleges that no longer exist. These include:
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. The college was founded in 1326 as University Hall, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. It was refounded in 1338 as Clare Hall by an endowment from Elizabeth de Clare, and took on its current name in 1856. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "The Backs".
Hughes Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in England. It is the oldest of the University of Cambridge's postgraduate colleges. The college also admits undergraduates, though undergraduates admitted by the college must be aged 21 or over. There is no age requirement for postgraduate students. The majority of Hughes Hall students are postgraduate, although nearly one-fifth of the student population comprises individuals aged 21 and above who are studying undergraduate degree courses at the university.
The University of Oxford has thirty-nine colleges, and four permanent private halls (PPHs) of religious foundation. Colleges and PPHs are autonomous self-governing corporations within the university. These colleges are not only houses of residence, but have substantial responsibility for teaching undergraduate students. Generally tutorials and classes are the responsibility of colleges, while lectures, examinations, laboratories, and the central library are run by the university. Students normally have most of their tutorials in their own college, but often have a couple of modules taught at other colleges or even at faculties and departments. Most colleges take both graduates and undergraduates, but several are for graduates only.
Cambridge Students' Union, known as Cambridge SU, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge, England. Its predecessor union was known as Cambridge University Students' Union or CUSU until its dissolution in July 2020.
Murray Edwards College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It was founded in 1954 as New Hall and renamed in 2008. The name honours a gift of £30 million by alumna Ros Edwards and her husband Steve, and the first President and woman Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, Rosemary Murray.
Newnham College is a women's constituent college of the University of Cambridge.
Homerton College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Its first premises were acquired in Homerton, London in 1768, by an informal gathering of Protestant dissenters with origins in the seventeenth century. In 1894, the college moved from Homerton High Street, Hackney, London, to Cambridge. Homerton was admitted as an "Approved Society" of the university in 1976, and received its Royal charter in 2010, affirming its status as a full college of the university. The college celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2018.
Darwin College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded on 28 July 1964, Darwin was Cambridge University's first graduate-only college, and also the first to admit both men and women. The college is named after one of the university's most famous families and alumni, that of Charles Darwin. The Darwin family previously owned some of the land, Newnham Grange, on which the college now stands.
Clare Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1966 by Clare College, Clare Hall is a college for advanced study, admitting only postgraduate students alongside postdoctoral researchers and fellows. It was established to serve as an Institute of Advanced Studies and has slowly grown and developed into a full constituent college.
The Senate House is a 1720s building of the University of Cambridge in England, used formerly for meetings of its senate and now mainly for graduation ceremonies.
A May Ball is a ball at the end of the academic year that takes place at any of the colleges of the University of Cambridge. They are elaborate and lavish formal affairs, requiring black tie or sometimes white tie, with ticket prices ranging from around £100 to as much as £640 for a pair of dining tickets at Trinity. May Ball budgets can exceed £200,000; a report by the student newspaper Varsity in 2016 found that the budget for the 2015 Trinity ball was £286,000. The balls are held in the colleges, starting around from 6-9 p.m. and lasting until well after dawn. "Survivors photographs" are taken of those who last until morning. Other colleges frequently hold winter balls, such as the popular Selwyn Snowball, who recently had acts such Tinchy Stryder and Mumford and Sons headlining.
The Cambridge University Association Football League (CUAFL) is a football league between the Colleges of Cambridge University organised by the Cambridge University Association Football Club.
Cambridge Judge Business School is the business school of the University of Cambridge. The School is a provider of management education. It is named after Sir Paul Judge, a founding benefactor of the school. The School is a department of the university's School of Technology administrative group.
The May Bumps are a set of rowing races, held annually on the River Cam in Cambridge, England. They began in 1887 after separating from the Lent Bumps, the equivalent bumping races held at the end of February or start of March. Prior to the separation there had been a single set of annual bumps dating from its inception in 1827. The races are open to all college boat clubs from the University of Cambridge, the University Medical and Veterinary Schools and the Anglia Ruskin Boat Club. The May Bumps takes place over four days in mid-June and is run as a bumps race.
Gonville and Caius College, often referred to simply as Caius, is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1348 by Edmund Gonville, it is the fourth-oldest of the University of Cambridge's 31 colleges and one of the wealthiest. In 1557, it was refounded by alumnus John Caius. The college has been attended by many students who have gone on to significant accomplishment, including fifteen Nobel Prize winners, the second highest of any Oxbridge college.
The University of Cambridge is a public collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the world's third-oldest university in continuous operation. The university's founding followed the arrival of scholars who left the University of Oxford for Cambridge after a dispute with local townspeople. The two ancient English universities, although sometimes described as rivals, share many common features and are often jointly referred to as Oxbridge.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Cambridge, England.
The May Bumps 2021 were a set of rowing races at Cambridge University scheduled to take place from Wednesday 16 June 2021 to Saturday 19 June 2021. The event was to be run as a bumps race and would have been the 129th set of races in the series of May Bumps which had been held annually in mid-June since 1887. In this edition of the Mays, the women's divisions were due to be raced before the equivalent men's divisions.