Your questions answered
Please find these frequently asked questions, select the question to jump to the answers below. If you read the FAQs and are unable to find the answer you are looking for please email outreach@educ.ac.uk.
3. I am interested in visiting the Faculty. Who can I speak to about this?
4. I am not predicted A*AA at A-level. Can I still apply?
5. Is my A-level or equivalent subject combination good preparation for this course?
6. I can’t find the name of the course on UCAS. What should I do?
8. Is the Education course a teacher training course?
10. Will I be taught in my College or in the Faculty?
11. How far away is the Faculty from the centre of Cambridge?
12. How does the College system work?
13 Is there a specific College I should apply to if I want to study Education?
Answers to frequently asked questions
I will be starting the Education course in October. Is there any reading I should do before I arrive?
Please email your College or ugrad@educ.cam.ac.uk if you would like information on pre-course suggested reading.
I am applying to study Education in the future. What should I be reading in preparation for making my application?
Please email outreach@educ.cam.ac.uk if you would like some ideas for reading around the subject, and each individual track, to help you start to think about some key debates.
The most important thing to demonstrate in your application is that you have a genuine passion for Education and for your chosen track. We encourage you to explore your own interests within Education and to find issues that really intrigue you.
I am interested in visiting the Faculty. Who can I speak to about this?
There are a number of opportunities for prospective applicants to visit the Faculty, either individually or as part of a school group. Please see the contact section for more information.
I am not predicted A*AA at A-level. Can I still apply?
Cambridge requires top grades in the highest level qualifications available for school/college students in whatever system you're being educated. You can find more information about the University’s general entry requirements on the University undergraduate website.
Is my A-level or equivalent subject combination good preparation for this course?
Education is a broad interdisciplinary degree and there is therefore no typical academic profile of an Education applicant. Visit our Apply page for more admissions information. For information about College specific requirements, please visit the website of the College you are applying to. Please read the following document for a general overview of post-16 subject choices.
I can’t find the name of the course on UCAS. What should I do?
All three tracks are under the same UCAS code, so make sure you are searching for ‘Education’ rather than, for example, ‘Psychology and Learning’.
I am a teacher who is interested in finding out more about studying Education at Cambridge. Who can I speak to about this?
Please visit the contact area of the site and email outreach@educ.cam.ac.uk for more information.
Is the Education course a teacher training course?
No, the Educational course is a non-vocational, academically rigorous interdisciplinary course which gives students the opportunity to study Education as a social science in its own right.
Will successful completion of the Education course prepare me for a PGCE or other teacher training course?
Some students on the Education course do choose to go on to train to teach, and the course provides a good foundation for some teacher training routes. To find out whether your chosen track will prepare you for a particular teacher training route, please email outreach@educ.cam.ac.uk.
Will I be taught in my College or in the Faculty?
For the majority of the time you will be taught in the Faculty, but you will also have small-group teaching (known as supervisions) in your College. These sessions will provide an opportunity for you to discuss your academic work in a smaller group. To find out more, please visit the ‘How Will I Be Taught?’ sections of each track page.
How far away is the Faculty from the centre of Cambridge?
The Faculty is located to the south of Cambridge city centre, just 10 minutes’ walk from the train station and 25 minutes’ walk from the centre of town. There are frequent buses from outside of the Faculty that travel into the city centre and to the other University buildings. The Faculty is located just 5 minutes’ walk away from the Cambridge Leisure Park with numerous restaurants, supermarkets, a cinema, a gym and an arts venue. We also have the added advantage of a modern, spacious building with a fantastic library and our own café.
How does the College system work?
Cambridge is a ‘collegiate’ university. This means that it comprises various faculties and departments in different academic subjects (in our case, the Faculty of Education) as well as a number of Colleges. The Faculty organises lectures, seminars, practicals and projects and sets and marks examinations. The Colleges are responsible for admission of undergraduate students, providing academic and pastoral care and offer accommodation, places to eat and recreational facilities. Colleges also organise small-group teaching (known as supervisions).
Is there a specific College I should apply to if I want to study Education?
All Education students, regardless of their College, attend the same lectures and seminars and sit the same exams, so no College is ‘best’ for Education. The Education course is available at all Colleges except Corpus Christi, Girton, King’s, Murray Edwards, Newnham, Peterhouse, St Catherine’s, Sidney Sussex, Trinity and Trinity Hall (Education, English, Drama and the Arts is not available at Emmanuel). Find out more about which Colleges offer the Education course and who the Director of Studies at each College is.
I am interested in the course but I’m not sure if Cambridge is right for me. Who can I speak to about this?
There is no typical ‘Cambridge student’. The University and Faculty is committed to admitting students of the highest intellectual ability, regardless of background. The Education course is particularly diverse and we are keen to represent this in the cohort of students. To find out more email outreach@educ.cam.ac.uk.
What is an SAQ?
SAQ stands for ‘Supplementary Application Questionnaire’. It is an extra form that all applicants submit after their UCAS form that provides Colleges with some extra information about you that is not included on your UCAS form.
