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CONTENTS

1. Why study in Cambridge?

2. About Cambridge

3. University of Cambridge

4. Anglia Ruskin University

5. Living in Cambridge 

6. Entry requirements 

7. Transport links 

8. Getting around Cambridge 

9. Things to do in Cambridge

Why study in Cambridge?

Cambridge is full of stunning architecture and nature; it is a beautiful university town renowned for its impact on history. The tightly packed city centre is perfect for exploring ancient colleges, cobbled streets and the picturesque River Cam.

Cambridge is renowned for its avenues, parks, architecture and scenery, it is the ideal place to relax in the great outdoors. You can get the feeling of being in the countryside while also enjoying the amenities of a major city.  

About Cambridge

Cambridge is one of the main cities in the East of England and well known for its history, architecture, and culture. More recently it’s become a bit of a tech hub, dubbed Silicon Fen for the number of science and technology companies and startups gravitating here.

With great connections to London and good links to other cities in the region like Norwich and Peterborough, Cambridge could be a great place to base yourself.

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge was founded in 1209. Cambridge is considered one of the best universities in the world. Home to over 22,000 students from nearly 150 countries, they offer undergraduate degree courses in the arts and humanities, social sciences, sciences and engineering.

Cambridge has a rich history and has had some impressive alumni; Sir Isaac Newton spent his entire academic life in Trinity college.

Location

The university is divided into several sites where different departments are located. These include:

• Addenbrooke's Hospital
• Downing Site
• Madingley/Gorton
• New Museums Site
• North West Cambridge Development
• Old Addenbrooke's Site
• Old Schools
• Silver Street/Mill Lane
• Sidgwick Site
• West Cambridge

The university's School of Clinical Medicine is based in Addenbrooke's Hospital. Medical students may undergo their three-year clinical placement period here, after obtaining their BA degree.

The West Cambridge site is undergoing a major expansion and will host new buildings and fields for university sports.

Facilities

Each department has its own library facilities with the standard texts needed for undergraduate courses. There is also the main university library, which is a copyright library, entitled by law to receive a copy of every book published in Britain.

Shared PCs and Macs are found in most colleges and departments, with a wide range of software.

Online resources include digital library collections and a virtual learning environment (VLE) for course materials. 

See the University of Cambridge profile page for an interactive map and more information.

Anglia Ruskin University

Anglia Ruskin’s origins are in the Cambridge School of Art, founded by William John Beamont in 1858. It became a university in 1992 and was renamed after John Ruskin in 2005. Anglia Ruskin currently has over 35,000 students enrolled.

Location

Anglia Ruskin has campuses in Cambridge, Chelmsford and Peterborough. Collaborative partnerships include University Centre West Anglia in Kings's Lynn, ARU London, and institutions in international locations including Malaysia and Trinidad.

The Cambridge campus has recently been redeveloped. In 2009, one of the university's largest buildings, Rackham, in the centre of the campus, was demolished to make way for the new Lord Ashcroft International Business School.

Facilities

Cambridge, Chelmsford and Peterborough have a range of accommodation for students to live in during term-time.

The university has its own art gallery called The Ruskin Gallery and admission is free. Exhibits have included historic and contemporary art, as well as works by students and staff. The gallery is surrounded by fine art, illustration, design, and media studios. 

See the Anglia Ruskin University profile page for an interactive map and more information.

Living in Cambridge

Students may find accommodation in a college, on campus or close by, with options that could include en-suite rooms or studio flats depending on your budget. Living in student halls is a great way to meet people and includes perks like 24-hour security, Wi-Fi, bike storage and access to nearby facilities like launderettes and learning centres.

If you study at the University of Cambridge, most undergraduate students are guaranteed accommodation in college-owned property for the full three years. If you’re at Anglia Ruskin, after your first year you’ll need to find your own place to live. It’s a good idea to think about this during the second half of your first year so you have more choice. The university offers accommodation finding services to help you grab your own student pad.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements vary from uni to uni and course to course. The best way to check what you need to get into your preferred course at each university is to use our . There you can see what each course’s entry requirements are.

Transport links

Average train journey times from Cambridge

Getting around Cambridge

Cambridge is a compact and busy city that wasn’t built with traffic in mind, so walking or cycling are by far the easiest ways to get around.

Walk

Cambridge is a very picturesque city and navigating by foot is an easy and pleasant way to explore. Most university buildings and accommodation are easily reached by walking and it’s a popular choice with students. Walking tours are also available if you simply fancy a stroll for something to do.

Cycle

It’s almost compulsory to have a bike in Cambridge as it claims to be the cycling capital of the UK. Cambridge County Council has downloadable cycling routes of the city and surrounding villages, and you can hire bikes from various cycling companies in the centre. If you’re new to cycling or a bit rusty, you could always take a cycling course also available in the town.

Bus

Route U is a University of Cambridge bus service travelling across various location around the city. There are also local Stagecoach bus services running regularly from the city centre that stop close to Anglia Ruskin campus. National Express run services if you want to go further afield.

Train

Cambridge train station is about a twenty-minute walk from the city centre although there are regular buses if you prefer. Cambridge North is another train station about two miles north of the city.

Other

There are various taxi firms along with Uber and Bolt running in the city – although bear in mind this is a more expensive form of transport and traffic doesn’t move quickly in Cambridge. There are also several park-and-ride schemes to help reduce vehicle use in the city centre.

Things to do in Cambridge

With famous alumni like Professor Stephen Hawking, Isaac Newton, and Charles Darwin to inspire you during your time in Cambridge, you’ll also be spoilt for things to see and do in this innovative city.

Food and drink

If you want laid back places to eat out there’s certainly lots of cafes and pubs to choose from. Bene’t Street is a good starting point with sandwiches, pizza and speciality coffee spots. Alternatively, there’s an exciting street food scene and foodPark host regular lunchtime food markets around the city. There’s a huge choice of restaurants serving food from around the world and vegetarians and vegans are well catered for.

Nightlife

Cambridge is great for pubs and bars from traditional taverns to more modern bars overlooking the river. There are a few clubs in the centre like Lola Lo and Vinyl but it’s more of a pub than club vibe for nights out. Big name bands, comedians and more play at the Corn Exchange, a large arts and entertainment venue in the city. You’ll also find live acts at Cambridge Junction.

Outdoors

There are plenty of parks and green spaces in the city itself like Midsummer Common or Parker’s Piece. You could also take a walk along the River Cam, try your hand at boating or punting as it is known here, or join a punting tour and let someone else do the work. For wilder scenery, head out of town and visit a local nature reserve like Beechwoods or Fulbourn Fen. Or you could give Shepreth Wildlife Park or Thetford Forest a try.

Arts and culture

Cambridge is big on arts and culture with more than thirty museums, several art galleries and a number of theatres. Museum highlights include The Fitzwilliam, the city’s grandest museum with a huge collection from around the world. If you are into archaeology, there are two museums showcasing finds. Kettle’s Yard features contemporary art, and the Botanic Garden is worth a trip if plants are more your thing.

There are also several science museums, and The Polar Museum takes you on an Antarctic adventure. Lastly, if you want to find out more about your new home, The Museum of Cambridge is a great place to be inspired. There’s also the annual Strawberry Fair and Cambridge Folk Festival along with various literature and film festivals to see you through the year.