At Christ's, we can potentially consider an application if you are in the first year of a UK university course if you are applying for a (completely) different subject at Cambridge. Please read this page carefully for details of the eligibility criteria and practical information.
If you change your mind about the subject you want to study at university, it may be possible to apply to Christ's College whilst you are in the first year of a different UK university course.
Note that this option is not designed for students who made an usuccessful application last year and would like to reapply - you should be able to demonstrate significant differences between the course you are currently enrolled on and the course that you are now applying for at Cambridge, and this should be a completely different subject, not just a different focus within the same subject.
If you are thinking about reapplying to Cambridge, we recommend that you instead read about post-qualification applications and look at either a gap year or, possibly, the option of applying from a university outside the UK.
Please be aware that it takes a whole year to apply. So you will need to think about your Cambridge application very early in your current university course, as you will need to meet the 15 October Cambridge application deadline for entry the following October, as well as registering for any required admissions assessment by the relevent deadline (likely in September). Please see when to apply for more detail on application timing. If, at the time of reading you are already part way through your first year, it is likely that it will be too late to apply as a first year student.
Cambridge degrees start from the beginning
All courses at Cambridge must be started from the beginning. If you apply, it is not possible to transfer credits and start in second year. So you should only apply for one of our undergraduate courses if you would like to complete the whole course.
Advice and requirements
Applicants from UK universities should have already met (ideally exceeded) our grade and subject requirements in school-leaving qualifications. The information about post-qualification applications is relevant.
Details of the requirements are in the applying section on the relevant subject page.
We will also want to see curriculum details for your first year at university. Information about how to upload these are available here from 20 September each year (this page is part of the current applicants section so is only available 20 Sept - early Jan).
You must choose a College - you cannot make an open application
Applicants to Cambridge are considered by a College. If you are applying from the first year of a UK university course, it is important to choose a Cambridge College yourself rather than being assigned to a College via an Open Application. This is because not all Colleges consider applicants from other universities. If you decide not to apply to Christ's, we advise you to check whether the College you've chosen accepts applications from university students in the UK before making your application. The information on this page only applies to applicants to Christ's College.
You choose your College as part of the UCAS application.
How to apply
We recommend that you read the how to apply page carefully to ensure that you're aware of the various forms, dates and deadlines.
In particular, please check well in advance whether your chosen course requires an Admissions test that you need to register for. If yes, we advise you to register as soon as possible once registration is open, and certainly by the relevant deadline, which will normally be in September, some time before the UCAS application deadline. The details for Admissions tests vary for different courses and may change from year to year. Information for each year's applicants is available from July, and please be aware that the assessment registration deadline may be before the application deadline.
Your UCAS reference can be written either by a teacher from your former school or by a tutor at your current university (if they are able to comment in detail on your academic ability).
As an applicant from another UK university, you must provide the following additional documents: If you do not provide these additional documents you will not normally be selected for interview, even if the rest of your application is strong. Details of how to upload an additional document are available from 20 September each year (this page is part of the current applicants section so is only available 20 Sept - early Jan).
> an explanatory statement outlining the reason for the change in university (deadline 22 October)
> a letter of support from your personal tutor at your current university (deadline 22 October)
> curriculum details for your current course (deadline 22 October - upload via the curriculum details upload tool)
You will need to make yourself available for online interviews in the first half of December, if you are selected for these.
You must declare that you are studying at another university in your UCAS application
| It is important to ensure that you tell us in your application that you are studying at another UK university. Please be aware that failure to declare that you are currently studying elsewhere is grounds for the cancellation of your application and/or withdrawal of any offer made. |
End of year transcript
If you are selected for an offer, note that we define the terms of each offer individually, but you will certainly need to provide a university transcript at the end of the academic year showing your first year papers and results.
Financial implications
If you are in receipt of UK student finance, please be aware that starting a new course may affect your eligibility for a student loan for each year of your course, especially if the Cambridge course lasts four years. See for example the eligibility information and do contact Student Finance England (or the equivalent company if you're from Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) if you have any questions.
Visa application (if relevant)
If you need a visa to study in the UK and are studying for an undergraduate degree at another UK university when you apply to Cambridge, it will be important to check the visa implications.
Please read this page carefully, as the Home Office limits the amount of time a student can study on a student visa at undergraduate degree level. You should also be aware that you will need to be outside the UK when you apply for your visa and then enter on or after the start date of the new student visa. It will be important to plan for this.
