Student Accommodation

Cambridge

The University of Cambridge

Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is one of the oldest universities in the world. Its alumni include Byron, Wordsworth, Newton and Darwin. The university is made up of 31 colleges, beginning with Peterhouse in 1284, alongside more than 150 departments, faculties and other institutions. More than 120 Nobel Prize winners are associated with it.

Most undergraduate degrees take three years, though some courses, such as integrated master’s degrees, run for four. Many are structured in two parts, with each part lasting one to two years. The university has more than 100 libraries, including Cambridge University Library, one of the world’s largest academic libraries. As a legal deposit library, it’s entitled to a copy of every book published in the UK and Ireland. The university also runs eight museums and the Botanic Garden, which students can explore alongside their studies. Cambridge is a compact, cycle-friendly city, with good public transport links too.

Anglia Ruskin University

Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) has its roots in the Cambridge School of Art, founded in 1858, and became a university in 1992. Its Cambridge campus is on East Road, close to the city centre. The university prides itself on its links with industry, offering placements and work experience that help students build a network of potential employers. Its Cambridge campus has hands-on facilities, including clinical skills labs with mock hospital areas, and it encourages an entrepreneurial spirit through practical, real-world learning.

Cambridge Regional College

Cambridge Regional College (CRC) is a further education college with two main campuses, one in Cambridge and one in Huntingdon. It offers technical, vocational and academic courses alongside apprenticeships, and it works with more than 1,000 employers in the region and nationally. Its specialist facilities cover areas such as engineering, construction, science, catering and hair and beauty, helping students gain practical skills for the workplace.

The Best Places to Eat

Cambridge is a compact, lively city with food to suit every taste and budget. You’ll find cafés for a morning coffee, places for a light lunch, restaurants for a big meal with new friends, and plenty of late-night options after a night out.

Restaurants and Cafés

Exploring the city’s restaurants and cafés is a great way to get to know Cambridge when you first arrive. Yori on Green Street serves Korean food with tabletop barbecues, and you’ll also find Italian, Vietnamese, Thai, Indian and American barbecue-style restaurants across the city.

When it comes to cafés, you’re spoilt for choice during the day. Hot Numbers has cafés on Gwydir Street and Trumpington Street, serving speciality coffee roasted by its own roastery alongside brunch dishes, cakes and plenty of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Bould Brothers on Round Church Street and Regent Street is known for its speciality coffee, whilst Aromi is a Sicilian café serving pizza slices, focaccia, pastries and gelato, with branches including Bene’t Street and Peas Hill.

For a hearty breakfast, The Copper Kettle on King’s Parade is popular and has views across to King’s College. Fitzbillies, founded in 1920, is a Cambridge institution and is famous for its sticky Chelsea buns. Its original bakery is on Trumpington Street, with branches on Bridge Street and King’s Parade.

For a lunchtime treat, there are several places worth trying, including The Pint Shop on Peas Hill, which is known for craft beer and British food, The Cambridge Chop House on King’s Parade, and Galleria on Bridge Street. The Eagle on Bene’t Street dates back to 1667 and is where Watson and Crick announced their discovery of the structure of DNA in 1953. It’s also a good place for traditional British pub food.

Go Explore!

Cambridge has a compact city centre, so whether you walk, cycle or use public transport, you’re rarely far from a good pub, bar or club. The city has a mix of historic pubs, college bars and a handful of late-night venues, so there’s something for most tastes.

Pubs and Bars

Cambridge has some great pubs and bars, many of them with views of the River Cam. The Mill on Mill Lane is a cosy riverside pub overlooking Laundress Green and the Mill Pond, with a good choice of real ales. The Pint Shop on Peas Hill is known for its craft beer and British food, and the Cambridge Brewhouse on King Street is a microbrewery serving its own beers alongside food. The Eagle on Bene’t Street dates back to 1667 and is one of the city’s best-known traditional pubs, close to Corpus Christi College and a short walk from King’s College. With so much history on the doorstep, it’s easy to see why pub culture is such a big part of student life here.

Clare Cellars

Each Cambridge college has its own bar, and many are run by students for students. Clare Cellars is one of the most atmospheric, set in the cellar beneath Clare College’s historic chapel. It’s student-run, serves a full bar every evening and hosts events each term, so it’s worth checking its What’s On page when you arrive.

Clubs and Late-Night Venues

Beyond the college bars, there are a few places to go out late. Mash on Market Passage is an independent nightclub and live music venue with DJ sets and themed nights, and it’s popular with students. Hidden Rooms on Jesus Lane is a cocktail lounge in a basement, with creative cocktails and occasional live music and jazz evenings. It’s a bar rather than a nightclub, so it’s a good choice for a more relaxed evening.

Stay Fit and Active

There’s plenty to do in Cambridge and the surrounding area if you’re active. University is a great time to try new sports and hobbies, whether you want to keep fit, take up an individual pursuit, or join a team to make friends and have fun. If you’d rather watch than play, there’s live sport to enjoy too, including Cambridge United, who play at the Abbey Stadium.

Outdoor Activities

Cambridge is a great place for the outdoors, especially if you enjoy cycling. It’s easy to get around by bike day to day, and there are good routes around the city and into the countryside. There are plenty of parks, nature reserves and walking trails nearby, including Beechwoods, Trumpington Meadows and the University of Cambridge Botanic Garden.

Sports Centre

The University Sports Centre at West Cambridge opened in 2013 and has a gym, a strength and conditioning room, a large sports hall, squash and fives courts, studios and a team training room used by international performance athletes. The university also has dedicated facilities for athletics and hockey at Wilberforce Road, and cricket and tennis at Fenner’s, one of the country’s most historic sports venues. Clubs cover sports including football, rugby, tennis, hockey, athletics and cricket.

Success

Cambridge has a strong sporting tradition and has produced many Olympians, Paralympians and international athletes. The university has dozens of sports clubs and societies, most of which you can join as a beginner, and there are scholarships for elite athletes.

Rivalry

Cambridge and Oxford have a long sporting rivalry, with the Boat Race the best-known example. The first race took place in 1829, and it has been rowed annually on the London tideway since 1856. There are also Varsity matches across a wide range of sports each year. The men’s and women’s rugby Varsity Matches are played at StoneX Stadium in north London, having been held at Twickenham for over a century until 2023.

Where to Shop

Your first few days in Cambridge will be about finding your bearings, and knowing where to shop for food, clothes and everyday items is a big part of that. The city centre is compact, so supermarkets, high street brands and independent shops are all easy to reach on foot or by bike. Cambridge also has a good mix of modern shopping centres, traditional markets, vintage stores and independent boutiques, so you’ll find something for every taste and budget.

Shopping Centres

Grand Arcade is in the heart of the city and has around 60 fashion, beauty, home, technology and food retailers, alongside well-known high street names and cafés. Lion Yard Shopping Centre is another central option, with a mix of high street and specialist shops, plus a few places to eat.

A short walk from the centre, Fitzroy Street and Burleigh Street are good for everyday essentials and value shopping. They lead towards The Grafton shopping centre and have national chains such as Primark and Poundland alongside independent shops and street traders.

Independent Stores and Markets

Cambridge has plenty of independent shops too. The Market Square has traded since the Middle Ages and is open daily, with stalls selling street food, books, clothes, fresh produce and more. On Sundays it also hosts a food, arts and crafts market. On Saturdays, the All Saints Garden Art and Craft Market on Trinity Street sells handmade pottery, jewellery, paintings, prints and clothing.

You’ll also find independent boutiques and vintage stores on streets such as Trinity Street, Rose Crescent and Bridge Street. Mill Road is another good place to look for independent shops and interesting finds.

Events and Attractions

Cambridge is a historic city with plenty to see and do, from museums and galleries to festivals and live entertainment throughout the year.

Museums

The Fitzwilliam Museum is a great place to start. Founded in 1816 and housed in a Grade I listed building on Trumpington Street, it holds more than half a million objects and artworks, from ancient Egyptian artefacts to Impressionist paintings and illuminated manuscripts. Admission is free.

The university also runs several other museums, including the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and the Museum of Zoology, and there are many historic buildings to explore across the city. Kettle’s Yard and the Ruskin Gallery, which is part of Anglia Ruskin University, are both worth a visit. The Women’s Art Collection at Murray Edwards College is the largest collection of art by women in Europe and is free to visit.

Festivals

Cambridge Literary Festival takes place twice a year, with events in spring and winter featuring authors, workshops and conversations. For music, Cambridge Folk Festival is held each summer at Cherry Hinton Hall, and Cambridge Jazz Festival takes place in November at venues around the city.

Fairs and Events

Midsummer Fair is held on Midsummer Common each June. It dates back to a charter granted by King John in 1211 and is one of the oldest fairs in England, with funfair rides and food stalls today. Chariots of Fire is an annual charity relay race through the streets of Cambridge, with teams of six runners, inspired by the film and the Great Court Run at Trinity College.

Live Entertainment

If you enjoy comedy, look out for the Cambridge Footlights. Founded in 1883 and performing mainly at the ADC Theatre on Park Street, it’s one of the oldest student sketch comedy troupes in the country. Its alumni include members of Monty Python, Peter Cook, Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson and Olivia Colman.