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The University of Cambridge acceptance rate is around 21.4% or about 1 in every 5 applicants. For UK admission cycle 2024-25, the University of Cambridge received more than 22,000 applications from all over the world. However, the institution gave enrolment to around 4,700 applicants out of them. Each year, the University of Cambridge acceptance rate for international students is typically between 8 to 18% for undergraduate courses and 10 to 12% for postgraduate courses. This shows that the university is highly competitive. Students with an excellent academic record and lucrative extracurricular activities have a chance of getting University of Cambridge admission in 2025. The most exceptional and highest-calibre students with proper preparation and application approach often have high chances of acceptance in the University of Cambridge.
According to QS World University Rankings 2026, the University of Cambridge is ranked the 6th best university globally. The University of Cambridge is the most prestigious and fourth oldest university in UK and is among the top 10 universities in UK for world-class education. We have mentioned the overall and course-wise University of Cambridge acceptance rate for international students in this article below. Read thoroughly to understand the admission chances at Cambridge University in 2025.
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In the admission year 2024-25, the total number of applications received for admission was over 22,000. Out of which, nearly 4,700 were accepted by the university. Further, around 3,600 students are enrolled in the University of Cambridge. We have mentioned the in detail University of Cambridge acceptance rate fpr the classes of 2027 and 2028 in the table below. It also includes the yield rate.
Particulars | Class of 2027 | Class of 2028 |
Student Applications Received | 21,445 | 22,153 |
Students Admitted | 4,553 | 4,760 |
Acceptance Rate | 21.23% | 21.49% |
Students Enrolled | 3,557 | 3,632 |
Yield Rate | 78.10% | 76.30% |
Note: Yield rate is the percentage of students who choose to enrol and get admitted in the university after receiving the acceptance letter from the institution.
For UK, we have mentioned the acceptance according to the data from the Fall 2024 UK admission intake at the University of Cambridge. In this admission cycle, the university received over 7,600 applications from international students across countries. The University of Cambridge accepted 1,180 international students.
On the other hand, the number of students who further went with the admission to enrol in the university was a total of 850. It suggests that the University of Cambridge acceptance rate for international students is very low, around 15.4%. This acceptance rate is also way less than the overall University of Cambridge acceptance rate. Let us check the table below for the acceptance of international students at this university in detail:
Particulars | Headcount |
Applications Received | 7,638 |
Students Admitted | 1,180 |
Students Enrolled | 851 |
Acceptance Rate | 15.45% |
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As per the latest statistics, the University of Cambridge acceptance rate for international students is around 15.45%. Some factors, like the volume of applications, institutional priorities, and the holistic review process of the university, might influence the overall acceptance rates for international students. We have mentioned the total enrolled students in the university for prospective students to evaluate their chances of getting in. These students are those who applied, got accepted by the university, and then proceeded with enrollment.
Countries | Number of Students |
USA | 1,042 |
China | 2,582 |
Canada | 289 |
Germany | 540 |
Australia | 227 |
India | 508 |
Ireland | 234 |
Singapore | 505 |
France | 293 |
Italy | 270 |
Total International Students | 10,640 |
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The acceptance rate of the University of Cambridge is typically between 18 to 23% for students. Let us now check the year-wise University of Cambridge acceptance rate of the last 5 years in the table below. It includes complete details on the applications received and students admitted to the University of Cambridge.
Admission Year | Application Received | Students Admitted | Acceptance Rate |
2024-2025 | 22,153 | 4,760 | 21.40% |
2023-2024 | 21,445 | 4,553 | 21.20% |
2022-2023 | 22,470 | 4,238 | 18.80% |
2021-2022 | 22,795 | 4,260 | 18.60% |
2020-2021 | 20,426 | 4,710 | 23% |
Know about: Intakes in UK
The University of Cambridge is highly competitive, with a rigorous selection process for undergraduate courses. Generally, courses such as computer science, medicine, and economics typically have a 10 to 12% acceptance rate at the University of Cambridge. On the other hand, several subjects, such as English and Geography, comparatively have a higher University of Cambridge acceptance rate of around 30 to 32%. Here is the course-wise acceptance rate for undergraduate courses in the University of Cambridge:
Courses | Applications Received | Application Accepted | Acceptance Rate |
Computer Science | 1863 | 168 | 9.01% |
Medicine | 1791 | 288 | 16.08% |
Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology | 421 | 88 | 20.90% |
Engineering | 2654 | 371 | 13.97% |
Law | 1640 | 288 | 17.56% |
Economics | 1571 | 197 | 12.53% |
Mathematics | 1840 | 537 | 29.18% |
English | 719 | 230 | 31.98% |
Geography | 437 | 140 | 32.03% |
Note: The data above is as per the admission intake 2024-25.
Generally, the highest University of Cambridge acceptance rate is for master's courses in Arts & Humanities. On the other hand, the lowest acceptance rate in the university is for clinical medicine and sciences. Here is the course-wise acceptance rate for postgraduate courses in the University of Cambridge :
Courses | Applications Received | Application Accepted | Acceptance Rate |
Clinical Medicine | 3012 | 570 | 18.90% |
Technology | 7989 | 2263 | 28.30% |
Biological Sciences | 2320 | 535 | 23.10% |
Physical Sciences | 5209 | 1317 | 25.28% |
Arts & humanities | 3396 | 1374 | 40.05% |
Humanities & Social Sciences | 11072 | 3647 | 32.90% |
University Partner Institutes | 538 | 76 | 14.10% |
Total | 33536 | 9782 | 29.16% |
Note: The data above is as per the admission intake 2024-25.
As we have already discussed, the University of Cambridge acceptance rate above, we must also understand the entry requirements to get into the institution. Students applying from India to the University of Cambridge must meet the following eligibility requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate admissions:
English Tests | Minimum Scores |
7.5 | |
TOEFL iBT | 110 |
Cambridge English: C2 Proficiency | 200 |
193 |
Check out: Student Visa for UK From India
Here’s the list of documents international students are required to upload to send their candidature as international aspirants:
Proof of financial support
English Language Proficiency (ELP) scores
UK student visa
GMAT or GRE scores for graduates (course-specific)
Also Read: Top Universities & Colleges in UK
The low acceptance rate of the University of Cambridge indicates a very competitive application process for international students. A detailed University of Cambridge application process for international students is given below. Follow the instructions below carefully for a successful application submission.
Visit the University of Cambridge's official website.
Read all the instructions carefully before starting the application.
Select the desired course and major.
Proceed to ‘Apply Now’ through UCAS.
Create an account on the UCAS official website.
Provide all the required details of documents in the portal.
Submit and wait for confirmation from the university.
Read about: UCAS application deadline for undergraduate programmes
We have already stated that the University of Cambridge is highly selective in giving out admissions to international students. It is crucial must also understand a few of the tips, ranging from academic excellence to interest in the chosen course, that can help students improve their chances of getting into the University of Cambridge, including the following:
The University of Cambridge acceptance rate is quite low for international students. The institution is highly selective that enrolling only high-calibre students with outstanding knack of passion and excellent academic proficiency in the field-verified subjects. Hence, students might find it challenging to get into the University of Cambridge. However, with the help of a strategic approach to make a good profile for the Cambridge admission authorities, they can land a seat in their preferred course.
Yes, it is considerably hard for international students to get into Cambridge University. The acceptance rate of the University of Cambridge is around 15.45% for international students. This means that only 15 to 16 out of 100 students are selected for the latest academic session. Therefore, for international students, Cambridge is very hard to get into. The overall Cambridge acceptance rate is 21.4%.
The GPA requirement for Cambridge is around 3.0 to 3.7 for international students on average. The minimum GPA requirement may vary depending on the choice of major programme and mode of the course. In many cases, students can balance their low GPA with high scores on standardised tests and relevant work experience.
To get into Cambridge as an Indian, students need to demonstrate a minimum of a 3.0 to 3.7 GPA. Additionally, qualifying for the minimum cutoff for GRE and GMAT is mandatory for popular MS and MBA programmes. However, students with relevant work experience and extracurricular activities can stand out among the top contenders for Cambridge.
The acceptance rate for Cambridge University for international students is approximately 15.45%. This suggests a very competitive and selective admission percentage for Indian aspiring students. As per the latest Cambridge University acceptance rate, only 15 to 16 out of 100 students will be selected by the university for admission to various courses.
As per the QS World University Ranking 2026, the University of Oxford has been ranked 4th among the top worldwide universities. Whereas the University of Cambridge is listed in the 6th position. Hence, we can say that Oxford is comparatively better than Cambridge for international students. However, Cambridge has a comparatively lower acceptance rate than Oxford.
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