A Guide to the Road Ahead for Cambridge Offer Holders

Because this isn't the end of the road just yet!

King's College in Spring

Congratulations! If you've received your Cambridge offer today, that's a huge milestone and something to be very proud of. It doesn't happen just by chance — it was all your hard work!

Now it's time to get excited, and get prepared for what lies ahead.

First things first...

Celebrate! Take a moment to soak it all in — you’ve earned it! Reward yourself with whatever that might mean to you, whether it's a celebratory meal with the family or treating yourself to something nice.

Cambridge offers are hard to come by, and you’ve earned your place!

Key deadlines after the Cambridge offer

Here's a rough guide to the next few months and what you need to keep an eye on:

Now-May: Cambridge holds lots of offer holder days, both online and in person (we recommend attending in person, if you can).

May-July: You might have to submit additional documents like financial evidence, especially if you're an international student, or take the STEP, if applicable.

Results Day (August 15, 2025) – If you meet your conditions, your place will be confirmed via UCAS!

August-September: Expect emails from your college about accommodation, reading lists, freshers’ events, and what to bring.

You can check out more on this on the Cambridge site.

Do your research on Cambridge

The fun part is reading up on all the weird and wonderful Cambridge traditions. We won't spoil too much for you, but here's a snippet of the kind of thing Cambridge is famous for:

The Cambridge Term System

Unlike most universities (except Oxford), Cambridge operates on an unusual three-term system:

Michaelmas (October–December) – Your first term, filled with freshers' events, getting used to supervisions, and surviving your first Cambridge winter.

Lent (January–March) – You’ll be settled in by now, but expect the workload to ramp up as exams start looming.

Easter (April–June) – Primarily focused on exams, but it also ends with May Week—ironically in June—which is packed with celebrations like May Balls and garden parties.

You'll notice that the terms are super short and the breaks are long. There's lots of pros and cons to this, but expect fast-paced learning and an academic culture that demands excellent time management.

Supervisions – What to Expect

Cambridge’s supervision system is one of its most distinctive teaching methods. Rather than just attending lectures, students have weekly small-group tutorials (often 1-on-1 or 1-on-2) with leading academics in their field.

You'd usually be submitting a piece of work, like an essay or a problem sheet, before a supervision. Expect rigorous discussions where your supervisors will challenge your arguments.

You might not be used to this style of teaching before, and it comes with a steep learning curve. They can be daunting at first, but they are an incredible opportunity to refine your skills and receive personalised feedback.

Cambridge Traditions

Cambridge is full of quirky traditions, some of which date back centuries. Here's just a few of the many you'll encounter come October.

Matriculation – Your official admission ceremony, often involving signing a book that many generations before you have also signed.

May Balls & June Events – The extravagant, black-tie celebrations at the end of exams, featuring fireworks, live music, and unlimited food and drink.

Bumps Racing – A unique rowing competition where boats chase each other down the river rather than racing side by side.

Pennying – A drinking game steeped in legend (and banned at some colleges) involving subtly dropping a penny into someone’s drink.

Do your research on your college

Each Cambridge college has its own personality, traditions, and even slightly different rules. Get to know your future home! You can check out your college website, follow their social media pages, and join your JCR group chat (the JCR is a college-specific student body that organises events).

Or you can take the easy way out and check out our honest thoughts on every single Cambridge college.

Go to offer holder events

Between now and the May exam period, Cambridge hosts lots of offer holder events where you can visit in person, meet future classmates, and get a feel for the university. Even if you can’t attend in person, there are virtual sessions too.

Keep an eye on your inbox, and check out this page on Cambridge events.

Start preparing

Moving to university is a big change, and comes with logistical concerns around accommodation, finances, and making your way through your reading list.

You don't have to think about your reading list until summer, but you should think about where you might like to live in your college accommodation, and how that might fit into a budget. To give you an idea:

Tuition Fees

UK students: £9,250 per year for most courses.

International students: Fees vary depending on the course, ranging from £29,500 to £50,500 annually.

College accommodation

Typically between £4,500–£7,500 per academic year (covers around 38 weeks). It can vary quite dramatically per college. Some colleges also have a minimum meal charge at the start of every term, which usually ranges around £150.

Be careful when Googling the cost of living in Cambridge (food, personal expenses etc); remember that you're only in the city for about 6 months of the year!

Visit the city, if you can

Beyond the university, Cambridge is a beautiful and historic city. Pick a nice sunny day, and go visit! Bring friends or family, and make sure you go punting on the river Cam, where you can navigate a flat-bottomed boat along the scenic river.

You also might like to go to some of Cambridge's world-class museums, like the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.

Definitely don't miss seeing your future college in person while you're there.

Study hard

Effectively all Cambridge offers are conditional ones, so you'll have to get the grades in order for your place to be confirmed in August.

Our tutors are the best at what they do, so if you'd like an expert helping hand to secure that offer, feel free to get in touch with us!

Don't be afraid to ask for support

Lots of people think that the offer is the end of the road, but it's not. There's renewed pressure on your grades, there's logistics to consider, and there might be a bit of anxiety around how you'll find living and studying in Cambridge.

You're not the first to feel anxious about Cambridge. Many students worry about whether they'll fit in, whether they'll enjoy their time at Cambridge, or whether they'll be able to handle the workload.

There's ways to manage that anxiety, so keep an eye out on our upcoming blogs for more on handling offer-holder anxiety. Reach out to your support system — whether that's your school counsellor, your family, other offer-holders, or your Avalon tutor — on how to handle the present and upcoming changes.

Get excited, get prepared

You’ve secured your Cambridge offer—now it’s time to make sure you’re fully prepared for what’s ahead. Stay focused on your studies, research your college, attend offer-holder events, and get excited for the adventure that awaits. It might feel overwhelming, but step by step, you’re getting closer to becoming a Cambridge student.

From us all here at Avalon: congratulations!