Colleges of the University of Cambridge

File:University of Cambridge coat of arms.svg

Arms of the University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is composed of 31 colleges in addition to the academic departments and administration of the central university.

Until the mid-19th century, both Cambridge and Oxford comprised a group of colleges with a small central university administration, rather than universities in the common sense. Cambridge's colleges are communities of students, academics and staff – an environment in which generations and academic disciplines are able to mix, with both students and fellows experiencing "the breadth and excellence of a top University at an intimate level".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Cambridge colleges provide most of the accommodation for undergraduates and postgraduates at the university. At the undergraduate level they have responsibility for admitting students to the university, providing pastoral support, and organising elements of their tuition, though lectures and examinations are organised by the faculties and departments of the central university. All degrees are awarded by the university itself, not the colleges, and all students study for the same course regardless of which college they attend.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> For postgraduate students, research is conducted centrally in the faculties, departments and other university-affiliated research centres, though the colleges provide a central social and intellectual hub for students.

Colleges provide a range of facilities and services to their members in addition to accommodation,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> including: catering, library facilities, extracurricular societies, and sporting teams. Much of sporting life at Cambridge is centred around college teams and inter-collegiate competition in Cuppers. Student activity is typically organised through separate common rooms for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Another important element of collegiate life is formal hall, which range in frequency from weekly to every night of the week during Full Term.

Colleges also provide funding, accommodation, or both, for some of the academic posts in the university, with the majority of Cambridge academics being a fellow of a college in addition to their faculty/departmental role.<ref name="thecolleges" /> Fellows may therefore hold college positions in addition to their academic posts at the university: these include roles such as Tutor (responsible for pastoral support), Director of Studies (responsible for academic oversight of students taking a particular subject), Dean (responsible for discipline among college members), Senior Tutor (responsible for the college's overall academic provision), or Head of college ('Head of House').

Colleges are self-governed charities in their own right, with their own endowments and possessions.

"Old" and "new" colleges

The University of Cambridge has 31 colleges,<ref name=thecolleges>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> founded between the 13th and 20th centuries. No colleges were founded between 1596 (Sidney Sussex College) and 1800 (Downing College), which allows the colleges to be distinguished into two groups according to foundation date:

• the 16 "old" colleges, founded between 1284 and 1596, and
• the 15 "new" colleges, founded between 1800 and 1977.

The oldest college is Peterhouse, founded in 1284,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the newest is Robinson, founded in 1977.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Homerton, which was first founded in the eighteenth century as a dissenting academy (and later teacher training college), attained full college status in 2010.

Six of the "new" colleges (Churchill, Fitzwilliam, Girton, Lucy Cavendish, Murray Edwards and St Edmund's) are located on Castle Hill and are thus sometimes referred to as "hill colleges".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Restrictions on entry

All 16 of the "old" colleges and 8 of the 15 "new" ones admit both male and female students as both undergraduates and postgraduates, without any age restrictions. Seven colleges restrict entry by sex, or by age of undergraduates, or admit only postgraduates:

• Murray Edwards and Newnham admit only women;<ref name="History Template:Pipe Lucy Cavendish">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Clare Hall and Darwin admit only postgraduates;
• Hughes Hall, St Edmund's and Wolfson admit only mature students and postgraduates.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

No colleges are all-male, although most originally were. Darwin, founded in 1964, was the first mixed college, while in 1972 Churchill, Clare and King's colleges were the first previously all-male colleges to admit women, whilst King's accepted only students from Eton College until 1865. The last all-male college to become mixed was Magdalene, in 1988.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1973 Hughes Hall became the first all-female college to admit men, and Girton first admitted men in 1979. Lucy Cavendish admitted only female mature students and postgraduates until 2021.<ref name="History Template:Pipe Lucy Cavendish" />

Newnham also places restrictions on the admission of staff members, allowing only women to become fellows of the college. Murray Edwards does not place this restriction on fellows.

Architectural influence

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The Cambridge and Oxford colleges have served as an architectural inspiration for Collegiate Gothic architecture, used by a number of American universities including Princeton University, Cornell University, University of Chicago, and Washington University in St. Louis since the late nineteenth century.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

List of colleges

College (with arms and scarfTemplate:Nbspcolours)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	rowspan=2 Template:Vert header	Head of House	Student numbers			rowspan=2 Template:Vert header	Net assets (2023)	Assets per student (2023)	rowspan=2 Template:Vert header	Notes
	Template:Vert header	Template:Vert header		Template:Vert header
Christ's College heraldic shield Christ's Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1505	Lord McDonald of Salford<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Master since 2022	433	294	727	£122Template:Abbr<ref name="chr-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£244Template:Abbr<ref name="chr-accounts"/>	£336Template:Abbr	CHR	Re-foundation of Template:Shy (Template:AbbrTemplate:Nbsp1439)
Churchill College heraldic shield Churchill Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1960 (1966)Template:Efn	Professor Sharon Peacock<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2024	486	338	824	£37Template:Abbr<ref name="chu-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£196Template:Abbr<ref name="chu-accounts"/>	£238Template:Abbr	CHU
Clare College heraldic shield Clare Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1326 (1336)Template:Efn	Loretta Minghella<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2021	491	270	761	£187.5Template:Abbr<ref name="cl-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£336Template:Abbr<ref name="cl-accounts"/>	£442Template:Abbr	CL	Formerly University Hall, then Clare Hall.
Clare Hall heraldic shield Clare Hall Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1966 (1984)Template:Efn	C. Alan Short<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> President since 2020	0	289	289	£21Template:Abbr<ref name="clh-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£42Template:Abbr<ref name="clh-accounts"/>	£145Template:Abbr	CLH	Template:Shy-only.
Corpus Christi heraldic shield Corpus Christi Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1352	Christopher Kelly<ref name="auto2">Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2018	315	181	496	£100Template:Abbr<ref name="cc-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£239Template:Abbr<ref name="cc-accounts"/>	£482Template:Abbr	CC (Corpus)	Formerly St Benet's College.
Darwin College heraldic shield Darwin Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1964 (1976)Template:Efn	Mike Rands<ref name="auto2"/> Master since 2018	0	749	749	£25Template:Abbr<ref name="dar-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£82Template:Abbr<ref name="dar-accounts"/>	£109Template:Abbr	DAR	Template:Shy-only.
Downing College heraldic shield Downing Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1800	Graham Virgo<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Master since 2023	465	441	906	£44Template:Abbr<ref name="dow-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£224Template:Abbr<ref name="dow-accounts"/>	£247Template:Abbr	DOW
Emmanuel College heraldic shield Emmanuel Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1584	Doug Chalmers<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2021	514	219	733	£143Template:Abbr<ref name="em-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£388Template:Abbr<ref name="em-accounts"/>	£529Template:Abbr	EM (Emma)
Arms of Fitzwilliam College Fitzwilliam Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1869 (1966)Template:Efn	Baroness Morgan of Huyton<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2019	490	481	971	£77Template:Abbr<ref name="f-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£155Template:Abbr<ref name="f-accounts"/>	£160Template:Abbr	F (Fitz)
File:Arms of Girton College, Cambridge.svg Girton Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1869 (1924)Template:Efn (1948)Template:Efn	Elisabeth Kendall<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Mistress since 2022	529	375	904	£73Template:Abbr<ref name="g-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£173Template:Abbr<ref name="g-accounts"/>	£191Template:Abbr	G	Formerly female-only; mixed from 1976.
Gonville and Caius College heraldic shield Gonville and Caius Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1348 (1557)Template:Efn	Richard Gilbertson<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2025	584	254	838	£271Template:Abbr<ref name="cai-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£403Template:Abbr<ref name="cai-accounts"/>	£481Template:Abbr	CAI (Caius)	Template:Ubl
File:Homerton College Shield for print.png Homerton Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1768 (1976)Template:Efn (2010)Template:Efn	Lord Woolley of Woodford<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Principal since 2021	617	714	1331	£119Template:Abbr<ref name="ho-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£215Template:Abbr<ref name="ho-accounts"/>	£162Template:Abbr	HO	Originally mixed, then became women-only on move to Cambridge; returned to mixed from 1976.
Hughes Hall heraldic shield Hughes Hall Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1885 (1949)Template:Efn (2006)Template:Efn	Sir Laurie Bristow<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> President since 2022	166	764	930	£8Template:Abbr<ref name="hh-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£57Template:Abbr<ref name="hh-accounts"/>	£61Template:Abbr	HH	Mature-only.Template:Efn
Jesus College heraldic shield Jesus Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1496	Sonita Alleyne<ref name="auto1">Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2019	527	390	917	£236Template:Abbr<ref name="je-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£375Template:Abbr<ref name="je-accounts"/>	£409Template:Abbr	JE
King's College heraldic shield King's Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1441	Gillian Tett<ref name="auto1"/> Provost since 2023	420	329	759	£340Template:Abbr<ref name="k-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£481Template:Abbr<ref name="k-accounts"/>	£633Template:Abbr	K
Lucy Cavendish College heraldic shield Lucy Cavendish Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1965 (1997)Template:Efn	Dame Madeleine Atkins<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> President since 2018	455	638	1093	£14Template:Abbr<ref name="lc-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£50Template:Abbr<ref name="lc-accounts"/>	£46Template:Abbr	LC (Lucy Cav, Lucy)	Formerly mature-only,Template:Efn and female-only; all-age from 2020, mixed from 2021.
Magdalene College heraldic shield Magdalene Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1428 (1542)Template:Efn	Sir Christopher Greenwood<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2020	375	202	577	£74Template:Abbr<ref name="m-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£202Template:Abbr<ref name="m-accounts"/>	£350Template:Abbr	M	Template:Ubl
File:MurrayEdwardsCollegeCrest.svg Murray Edwards Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1954 (1972)Template:Efn (2011)Template:Efn	Dorothy Byrne<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> President since 2021	383	227	610	£54Template:Abbr<ref name="mur-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£118Template:Abbr<ref name="mur-accounts"/>	£193Template:Abbr	MUR (Medwards)	Template:Ubl
Newnham College heraldic shield Newnham Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1871 (1917)Template:Efn (1957)Template:Efn	Alison Rose<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Principal since 2019	418	298	716	£74Template:Abbr<ref name="n-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£259Template:Abbr<ref name="n-accounts"/>	£362Template:Abbr	N	Female-only.
Pembroke College heraldic shield Pembroke Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1347	Lord Smith of Finsbury<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Master since 2015	453	288	741	£139Template:Abbr<ref name="pem-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£302Template:Abbr<ref name="pem-accounts"/>	£408Template:Abbr	PEM	Formerly Pembroke Hall.
Peterhouse coat of arms Peterhouse Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1284	Andy Parker<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Master since 2023	301	203	504	£238.6Template:Abbr<ref name="pet-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£350Template:Abbr<ref name="pet-accounts"/>	£694Template:Abbr	PET
Queens' College heraldic shield Queens' Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1448 (1465)Template:Efn	[[Mohamed A. El-Erian|Mohamed A. ElTemplate:NbhErian]]<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> President since 2020	538	530	1068	£120Template:Abbr<ref name="q-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£154Template:Abbr<ref name="q-accounts"/>	£144Template:Abbr	Q
Robinson College heraldic shield Robinson Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1977 (1984)Template:Efn	Sir Richard Heaton<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Warden since 2021	422	261	683	£30Template:Abbr<ref name="r-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£117Template:Abbr<ref name="r-accounts"/>	£171Template:Abbr	R
St Catharine's College heraldic shield St Catharine's Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1473	Sir John Benger Master since 2023	475	356	831	£74Template:Abbr<ref name="cth-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£175Template:Abbr<ref name="cth-accounts"/>	£211Template:Abbr	CTH (Catz)	Formerly Catharine Hall.
St Edmund's College heraldic shield St Edmund's Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1896 (1965)Template:Efn (1998)Template:Efn	Chris Young<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2024	196	621	817	£19Template:Abbr<ref name="ed-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£44Template:Abbr<ref name="ed-accounts"/>	£54Template:Abbr	ED (Eddie's)	Mature-only.Template:Efn
St John's College heraldic shield St John's Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1511	Heather Hancock<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2020	609	347	956	£674Template:Abbr<ref name="jn-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£974Template:Abbr<ref name="jn-accounts"/>	£1,019Template:Abbr	JN (John's)
Selwyn College heraldic shield Selwyn Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1882 (1883)Template:Efn (1958)Template:Efn	Roger Mosey<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2013	431	258	689	£55Template:Abbr<ref name="se-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£134Template:Abbr<ref name="se-accounts"/>	£194Template:Abbr	SE
Sidney Sussex College heraldic shield Sidney Sussex Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1596	Martin Burton<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2023	397	217	614	£31Template:Abbr<ref name="sid-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£140Template:Abbr<ref name="sid-accounts"/>	£228Template:Abbr	SID (Sidney)
Trinity College coat of arms Trinity Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1546	Dame Sally Davies<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2019	702	317	1019	£2,020Template:Abbr<ref name="t-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£2,192Template:Abbr<ref name="t-accounts"/>	£2,151Template:Abbr	T	Founded by merger of King's Hall (Template:AbbrTemplate:Nbsp1317) and Template:Shy (Template:AbbrTemplate:Nbsp1324).
Trinity Hall heraldic shield Trinity Hall Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1350	Mary Hockaday<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Master since 2022	369	196	565	£89Template:Abbr<ref name="th-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£389Template:Abbr<ref name="th-accounts"/>	£688Template:Abbr	TH (Tit Hall)
Wolfson College Crest Wolfson Template:Scarf/University of Cambridge	1965 (1977)Template:Efn	Jane Clarke<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> President since 2017	168	914	1082	£32Template:Abbr<ref name="w-accounts">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£81Template:Abbr<ref name="w-accounts"/>	£75Template:Abbr	W	Template:Ubl
Totals:			12,354	10,893	23,247	£4,582Template:Abbr	£9,184Template:Abbr

University and colleges consolidated information

Institutions(s)	Founded	Head	Template:Vert header	Template:Vert header	Template:Vert header	Template:Vert header	Net Assets (2023)	Assets per student (2019)
University of Cambridge	Template:Circa	Deborah Prentice Vice-Chancellor since 2023	12,354	10,893	23,247	£2,469Template:Abbr<ref name="auto">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	£7,168Template:Abbr<ref name="auto"/>	£221Template:Abbr
Colleges	1284–1977	(See list)	" "	" "	" "	£4,665Template:Abbr	£9,184Template:Abbr	£319Template:Abbr
Totals:			12,354	10,893	23,247	£7,134Template:Abbr	£16,352Template:Abbr	£541Template:Abbr

There are also several theological colleges in the city of Cambridge (for example Ridley Hall, Wesley House, Westcott House and Westminster College) that are affiliated with the university through the Cambridge Theological Federation. These colleges, while not officially part of the University of Cambridge, operate programmes that are either validated by or are taught on behalf either of the university or of Anglia Ruskin or Durham Universities.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Heads of colleges

Most colleges are led by a Master, even when the Master is female. However, there are some exceptions, listed below. Girton College has always had a Mistress, even though male candidates have been able to run for the office since 1976.

• Mistress: Girton College
• President: Clare Hall, Hughes Hall, Lucy Cavendish College, Murray Edwards College, Queens' College, Wolfson College
• Principal: Homerton College, Newnham College
• Provost: King's College
• Warden: Robinson College

Also see List of current heads of University of Cambridge colleges.

Former colleges

The above list does not include several former colleges that no longer exist. These include:

• Ayerst Hostel, founded in 1884 by William Ayerst but closed in 1896. Buildings used by St Edmund's House from 1896 and later St Edmund's College in 1996.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Buckingham College, founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hall, refounded as Magdalene in 1542.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Bull College, an unofficial college for US GIs returning from World War II, existing in Michaelmas 1945 and Lent 1946.<ref name=CAM>Cambridge Alumni Magazine, Bull College Cambridge Template:Webarchive, Issue 59, Lent 2010, pp30-35</ref>
• Cavendish College, founded in 1873, an attempt to allow poorer students to sit the Tripos examinations, whose buildings were bought by Homerton in 1895.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• "Clare Hall" was the name of Clare College between 1338 and 1856. Clare College founded a new college named Clare Hall in 1966.
• Gonville Hall, founded in 1348, and re-founded in 1557 as Gonville and Caius College.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• God's House, founded in 1437, and re-founded in 1505 as Christ's College.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• King's Hall, founded in 1317, and combined with Michaelhouse to form Trinity College in 1546.<ref name=trin>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Michaelhouse, founded in 1324, and combined with King's Hall to form Trinity College in 1546.<ref name=trin/>
• New Hall, founded in 1954, and re-founded in 2008 as Murray Edwards College
• Physwick Hostel – a predecessor of Gonville and Caius College
• University College, founded in 1965, and re-founded in 1972 as Wolfson College
• University Hall, founded in 1326, refounded as Clare Hall in 1338, renamed as Clare College in 1856.

See also

• Colleges of Durham University
• Colleges of the University of Oxford
• Colleges of the University of York
• List of current heads of University of Cambridge colleges
• List of fictional Cambridge colleges
• List of Oxbridge sister colleges

References

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