Admissions
Admissions to the University are handled jointly by the Cambridge Admissions Office and the Colleges.
An overview of the Natural Sciences Tripos and the entry requirements, including required subjects, for applying are available on the Cambridge admissions website.
Applicants should also refer to individual College websites for any specific requirements and subject preferences, and contact College admissions offices for further advice.
Biological or Physical Natural Sciences entry routes or can’t decide?
When you apply you will be asked to specify Biological or Physical Natural Sciences. This selection does not restrict your IA choices but serves to help us better assess your application. If selected for interview, the choice helps a College assign biological or physical sciences interviewers. Some Colleges may ask you for a further specialisation preference (e.g. Chemistry) - you can contact the Admissions Office at the College to check. We recommend you choose the entry route that best aligns to your strengths in your current studies (and therefore also likely indicates the IA choices you might make).
Which subjects are required?
Applicants need strong knowledge base across a wide range of science and mathematics subjects. As mentioned on the NST admissions webpage we require Mathematics, plus two other science or mathematics subjects from Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Further Mathematics.
Many options in the first year have individual subject requirements, meaning the number of options you have will be affected by your choices at A Level.
In the first year all students choose three experimental subjects, and one mathematics subject. A full outline of the course structure is available here.
A Level subject requirements for first year courses:
Part IA Course | Subject Requirements |
Biology of Cells | Highly desirable: A Level Chemistry |
Chemistry | Essential: A Level Chemistry |
Earth Sciences | No previous subject knowledge is necessary |
Evolutionary Biology | Highly desirable: A Level Biology |
Introduction to Experimental Psychology: From Brain to Cognition | No previous subject knowledge is necessary. |
Materials Science | Essential: A Level in Chemistry or Physics |
Physics | Essential: A Level Physics or Further Mathematics, including the section on Mechanics. |
Physiology of Organisms | Recommended: A Level Biology |
Admissions Assessment - ESAT
All applicants for the Natural Sciences are required to take the Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT) at an authorised assessment centre. You must register in advance for this test.
The required information can be found on the ESAT page of the Cambridge Admissions Website.
All applicants must take the Mathematics 1 module, and then two additional multiple-choice modules from:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Mathematics 2
Does my entry route affect which sections I should choose on the ESAT?
In short – it doesn’t! You have free choice when you sign up for the assessment. We see applicant portfolios with a range of combinations in both routes, and no particular combination is uniquely advantageous. We advise that you select the sections that best align with your current studies.
How many people apply for the course?
You can find this information and a lot of other information relating to the course on the statisitcs page of the Cambridge Admissions website.