Before applying, you need to check that you have, or are likely to achieve, the right grades at the right level and in the appropriate subjects for the course you have chosen. Check the requirements of your course for details. You should also check whether you need to take an admissions assessment. Depending on your chosen course, you may need to register for or take your assessment before you apply. Visit our admissions assessment pages for more information.
We accept a wide variety of qualifications from all over the world and expect students to be achieving the highest grades.
Typical offer levels for a range of qualifications including the European Baccalaureate, International A-Levels and the International Baccalaureate can be viewed in our general entry requirements. Other international qualifications are listed below.
Please note, a good standard of English is also required to study at Cambridge. If English isn’t your first language, you should check our English language requirements.
For further help and advice, please contact the Admissions Office at St Edmund’s College at admissions@st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk.
| Country | Entrance Requirements |
| Albania | The Matura Shtetërore is not considered to be suitable preparation for a competitive application to the University of Cambridge. We strongly recommend that you undertake further study if you wish to apply for an undergraduate degree. |
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Typical offers for applicants taking the Araratian Baccalaureate are as follows:
The Mijnakarg (andhanur) krtutyan atestat (Certificate of Secondary General Education) is not considered to be suitable preparation for a competitive application to the University of Cambridge. We strongly recommend that you undertake further study if you wish to apply for an undergraduate degree.
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Canadian High School Diplomas are not considered to be suitable preparation for a competitive application to the University of Cambridge.
Applications from students taking Canadian High School Diplomas from any province will only be considered competitive if they are accompanied by additional qualifications. Details are given below about the typical qualifications and levels expected to be achieved in addition to a very high level of performance in your High School Diploma:
Where applicants are able to do so, grades in an AP or IB Course as part of a Diploma and the separate grade for an AP Test or IB Certificate can both count towards both requirements.
Applicants studying towards Canadian High School Diplomas will be expected to be on course to attain grades at a very high level in relevant subjects to the course being applied to. Grades expected may vary between province or territory, but will typically be expected to be on course to attain an overall average of 90% in six or more Grade 12 courses.
Other Qualifications
For more details on applying with College Board qualifications, a full IB Diploma or three or more A-Levels, please see the relevant sections on the University’s general Entry Requirements page.
We are aware that applicants from Canada will sometimes be able to provide application profiles that include a combination of different qualification types (e.g. AP Tests, A-Levels, IB Higher Level Courses). We will assess these on a case-by-case basis, but applicants should be aware that a very high level of attainment will be required.
Applicants also often apply as affiliated applicants having completed a first degree.
Normally, any offer made to a successful applicant based upon achievement in the Gaokao will be conditional on achieving a rank within the top 0.1% of those taking the Gaokao in their province, but individual circumstances will be carefully considered by the admitting College when confirming an offer with particular attention paid to relevant subjects examined. It is therefore recommended that you contact the Admissions Office at St Edmund’s for further advice and guidance.
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
The Thanaweya A’ama/Al-Azhar General Secondary School Certificate and Egyptian STEM Diploma are not considered to be suitable preparation for a competitive application to the University of Cambridge. We strongly recommend that you undertake further study if you wish to apply for an undergraduate degree.
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Students taking two state exams and instead of a state exam in a foreign language, the C1 Advanced, formerly known as Cambridge English Advanced (CAE), fulfil the entry requirements.
If no state examinations are to be conducted in the subject(s) you have been asked to take as part of your offer, it is essential that you contact the Admissions Office at St Edmund’s as soon as you are made aware of this and before the examinations take place.
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
The typical offer level for candidates taking the HKDSE will depend on the Cambridge course for which you are applying. Applicants will normally be expected to obtain:
Core Subjects
Grades of 5 in all core subjects, and grades of 5* in two or more relevant core subjects.
Please note that for Cambridge courses that require Mathematics and Further Mathematics A-Levels, applicants are required to take Extended Module 2 (Algebra and Calculus) Mathematics as part of their core.
For Cambridge courses that require Mathematics A-Level, applicants are advised to take either Extended Module 1 (Calculus and Statistics) or Extended Module 2 (Algebra and Calculus) Mathematics as part of their core.
A-Level Further Mathematics and/or Mathematics is desirable but not a requirement for some courses. Prospective applicants for these courses might want to consider taking the appropriate Mathematics Extended Module.
Applicants will normally be expected to attain a pass mark in Citizenship and Social Development.
Please see the University’s course pages for detailed entry requirement information.
Elective Subjects
Applicants for arts courses (except Economics), Psychological and Behavioural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine will be expected to achieve a minimum of 5*55 in their electives.
Applicants for science courses (excluding Psychological and Behavioural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine) and Economics will be expected to achieve a minimum of 5*5*5 in their electives.
General Guidance
Applicants for all Cambridge courses may sometimes be asked to achieve 5** in a subject from their electives or the core in place of one or more 5* grades as set out above.
When choosing electives, prospective applicants should consult the University’s course pages to identify close subject matches.
For science degrees at Cambridge, St Edmund’s College requires applicants to take Biology, Chemistry and/or Physics as individual electives.
‘Applied’ Category A electives (such as Health Management and Social Care, Integrated Science Technology and Living, Tourism and Hospitality Studies) and Category B electives don’t provide an appropriate preparation for most Cambridge courses, where the emphasis is more academic than vocational. However, if required/highly desirable subjects are covered by the Core and other Electives, applicants taking such electives as their seventh or eighth HKDSE subject would be considered.
Class XII school leaving qualifications are not considered to be suitable preparation for a competitive application to the University of Cambridge.
Applications from students taking Class XII school leaving qualifications from any exam board will only be considered competitive if they are accompanied by additional qualifications. Details are given below about the typical qualifications and levels expected to be achieved in addition to a very high level of performance in Class XII:
Applicants studying towards Class XII will be expected to be on course to attain grades at a very high level in relevant subjects to the course being applied to. Grades expected depend on the Board with which you are studying, examples of typical requirement from some example boards are detailed below:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Applications from students taking the Kōtō Gakkō Sotsugyō Shōmei Sho will only be considered competitive if accompanied by additional qualifications. Details are given below about the typical qualifications and levels expected to be achieved in addition to a very high level of performance in the Kōtō Gakkō Sotsugyō Shōmei Sho:
Other Qualifications
For more details on applying with College Board qualifications, a full IB Diploma or three or more A-Levels, please see the relevant sections on the University’s general entry requirements page.
In some circumstances, Colleges may consider an application from a student who is undertaking one year of undergraduate study at a university outside the UK and wishes to use that study as evidence of their suitability for our degree course. Please contact the Admissions Office at St Edmund’s for further guidance on this route.
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
The Attestat/Svidetel’ stvo o Srednem Obrazovanii (Certificate of General Secondary Education) would not be considered to be suitable preparation for a competitive application to the University of Cambridge. We strongly recommend that you undertake further study if you wish to apply for an undergraduate degree.
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
International Arab Baccalaureate (IAB) students will only be considered as competitive for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences courses (including Economics) and Psychological and Behavioural Sciences. It is very important that you are studying subject relevant modules in your IAB. If you require further advice and guidance you should contact the Admissions Office at St Edmund’s.
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Please contact the Admissions Office at St Edmund’s for further advice and guidance.
International Arab Baccalaureate (IAB) students will only be considered as competitive for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences courses (including Economics) and Psychological and Behavioural Sciences. It is very important that you are studying subject relevant modules in your IAB. If you require further advice and guidance you should contact the Admissions Office at St Edmund’s.
The Cambridge Colleges welcome applications from those taking Knowledge & Inquiry as a fourth H2 (contrasting subject). If you plan on taking Knowledge & Inquiry as one of your three ‘subject relevant’ H2s please contact the Admissions Office at St Edmund’s for further advice and guidance.
Typical offers for applicants taking the National University of Singapore High School Diploma are made on a case-by-case basis and would be based on achieving a High Distinction, or a Distinction when accompanied by additional qualifications such as APs. Applicants taking the National University of Singapore High School Diploma are encouraged to take relevant subjects to the highest possible level within the Diploma.
Singapore Polytechnic Diplomas
Singapore Polytechnic Diploma students will be considered for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences courses (including Economics) and Psychological and Behavioural Sciences. The typical offer level would be a GPA of 3.85 or higher. It is very important that you are studying subject relevant modules in your Diploma, and you should contact the Admissions Office at St Edmund’s for further advice and guidance.
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Applications from students taking the Certificate of Complete General Education will only be considered competitive if accompanied by a score of at least 182 in specified elements of the Independent External Examination (IEE) and additional evidence of academic attainment or study. Details are given below about the typical evidence expected in addition to a very high level of performance in both the Certificate of Complete General Education and the Independent External Examination:
§ STEP – offers for Mathematics will be conditional on achievement in the Sixth Term Examination Paper (STEP). STEP may also be included in offers for other subjects, such as Computer Science, Engineering, and Economics, where attainment equivalent to A-Level Further Mathematics cannot be demonstrated by any other means. Please note that all Mathematics offers will have a STEP condition attached. See our STEP webpage for more information.
§ Strong performance in relevant regional or international Olympiads (particularly in the Sciences), individual A-levels or IB Higher Level subjects, or College Board Advanced Placement tests (APs).
For more details on applying with College Board qualifications, a full IB Diploma or three or more A-Levels, please see the relevant sections on the University’s general entry requirements page.
In some circumstances, Colleges may consider an application from a student who is undertaking one year of undergraduate study at a university outside the UK and wishes to use that study as evidence of their suitability for our degree course. Please contact the Admissions Office at St Edmund’s for further guidance on this route.
Applicants who have already completed a full undergraduate degree elsewhere may apply for affiliated entry.
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
Typically, suitable evidence of preparation for entry would comprise a minimum of five Advanced Placement (AP) Scores at grade 5, normally taken within two years of matriculation and with particular focus on APs that are taken in subjects related to the course applied for. In addition, high passing marks on your school qualification (e.g. the relevant US High School Diploma) and a high score on the SAT (I) Reasoning Test or ACT, are expected. Applicants taking these tests are required to disclose all tests taken and scores achieved (including retakes). Failure to disclose any scores may disadvantage your application, and Cambridge Colleges reserve the right to contact ACT, College Board or your school to confirm your results.
When evaluating applicants with qualifications including APs, Colleges will take into account an applicant’s individual circumstances as well as the policies of their school (where taken as part of their standard curriculum), including the number of years taken to complete the declared APs. An applicant, or an applicant’s school, may therefore be asked to provide further information as part of their application.
Examples of qualifications that would be considered suitable for admission to Cambridge include:
For all enquiries about the entry requirements for your chosen degree, we encourage all prospective applicants to contact the Admissions Office at St Edmund’s College so that we can help guide and assist you through the application process.
