Postgraduate Study
Joining a College when you become a member of the University of Cambridge makes you part of a community of world-leading scholars and researchers.
Colleges are an important base while you’re studying at Cambridge, providing support, social activities and resources.
Postgraduates have been central to Churchill College since its foundation in 1960. We support doctoral and one-year postgraduates to thrive and reach their potential within a diverse and friendly community of scholars. We have a highly international community of postgraduates, reflecting the global community of academics we attract, who make up half the student body of the College.
We are unique in having a large parkland site of 50 acres, adjacent to a number of major academic departments and research centres, and about half a mile from the historic centre of the city.
Every student of the University is a member of one of the Colleges. The Colleges are an important base while you’re studying; providing academic guidance and support, social activities, and wider resources.
As well as welfare and practical support, a wide range of facilities, and social and sports opportunities, we offer a number of funded postgraduate studentships each year. We normally offer accommodation to every one-year student and to doctoral students for three or more years.
Before you apply
Applications
Offer holders
The College system
Cambridge is a ‘collegiate’ university which means it’s made up of a number of Colleges alongside the academic faculties and departments. As well as being a member of the University, all students are also members of a College.
The Colleges provide students with welfare and practical support, accommodation and catering, social and sports facilities, and access to a range of other resources. A student’s College is one of their key social and intellectual communities while they are at Cambridge.
All postgraduate applicants can indicate up to two preference Colleges on their application, or leave their preference “open” if they wish.
Churchill College was established in 1960 with a vision to invigorate and expand research and study, and from the very start we have had a strong focus on postgraduate education.
We offer a friendly, collaborative and multidisciplinary community for postgraduates with excellent facilities and student support.
Financial support
The College offers a number of funded PhD and Masters studentships each year, and we have funding available for students wishing to take on additional language learning, travelling for conferences, for sports and arts activities, and for assistance if you are in financial difficulty.
Accommodation and catering
We have about 250 units for postgraduates, including a mix of en-suites and shared bathroom accommodation, alongside a number of flats and maisonettes suitable for families and couples. We set aside rooms to offer to every first-year postgraduate student joining the College, and we normally offer accommodation to doctoral students for three years during their course.
All students have access to subsidised cafeteria-style and formal dining in the College. We are fortunate to have the largest dining hall in Cambridge which is used for everyday dining and grand community dinners. There is also a café-bar area, called the Buttery, providing sandwiches, pizzas, snacks and drinks.
Welfare and practical support
Every postgraduate student of the College is assigned an individual Tutor who is available to provide advice and guidance about navigating your time in Cambridge and where to get help if you need it. The Postgraduate Office is near the main entrance to the College. It is open 8:30am-4:30pm, Monday to Friday to provide guidance on anything related to your studies or life in Cambridge.
At Churchill College, we also have a College Nurse and a Wellbeing Co-ordinator on-site and available should you need them. Your individual Tutor or the Finance Tutor can also provide advice on financial assistance.
Libraries and resources
There are over a hundred libraries in Cambridge, including the central University Library which is a research library of international significance providing access to more than 9 million individual items – about 1500 metres from the College.
The College has three libraries on site: the Bevin library for Sciences, the Bracken Library for Arts and Humanities, plus the Roskill Library in the Churchill Archives Centre for political and social history. The Churchill Archives Centre is a rich source of items documenting British domestic politics and international relations, advanced scientific knowledge, and society, economics and culture of the 20th century.
Facilities
As a campus-based site, Churchill College is fortunate to be able to bring all its facilities into one place.
- Sport and fitness: sports fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, squash courts, dance studios, and gym (free for student use).
- Arts: Music Centre featuring recording studio and recital room, art studio, theatre
- Students also organise visiting yoga classes, film screenings, open mic nights, and a range of other activities enabled by the College’s facilities.
- MCR: a dedicated space for postgraduates, including the Vicious Penguin, the MCR-run bar.
An active social community
There are around 475 undergraduate students and 350 postgraduate students at Churchill College, which provides a cross-disciplinary community, and an active social and academic event schedule. The postgraduate student body is represented by the Churchill College MCR (Middle Common Room), who advocate for postgraduates as well as running a varied programme of events, from punting trips to academic conferences.
Our multi-disciplinary pedigree
Churchill College has always been focused on the benefits of bringing people together to spark ideas and interdisciplinary working.
We were established with a focus on bringing Science and Technology together with creativity and innovation. That core purpose continues to the present day, extending into Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences.
The College is a friendly, collaborative, and multidisciplinary community for postgraduates, with around 350 postgraduates representing all six academic schools at Cambridge.
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics are in many respects the axis of the College’s academic community, and more than half of our students join the College in STEM subjects.
Over time, many of the University’s key STEM departments have located themselves adjacent to the College: the University’s West Cambridge Science and Technology Campus, the Centre for Mathematical Sciences, the Cavendish Laboratory, the Institute of Astronomy, and many others are very close to the College.
While STEM students have access to some of the finest equipment and laboratories available in their departments, the Bill Brown Creative Workshop and the Engineering Shed in College capture the spirit of imagination, curiosity and creativity characteristic of our STEM students and seniors.
Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences are essential to the depth and complexity of the College’s academic community, and we reserve about a third of our postgraduate places for students in HASS subjects.
The College is especially well placed for the libraries and resources of the University’s Sidgwick Site, a campus of departments in the Schools of Arts and Humanities and of Humanities and Social Sciences, which is under a mile away.
The University Library, one of the six “legal deposit” libraries in the UK entitled to a copy of all published material, with more than 8 million books and access to a vast resource of digital materials, is even nearer than that.
The College’s own on-site library, is made up of three constituents: the Bracken Library for Science and Social Science collections, the Bevin Library for Arts and Humanities collections, and the Roskill Library for political, military and scientific history.
The College is also home to the Churchill Archives Centre, a unique collection of the papers of Winston Churchill and the personal papers of many of the most influential figures in modern British politics, society and science.
Medical, Psychological and Veterinary Studies
Medical, Psychological and Veterinary Studies normally account for around a quarter of the College’s postgraduate students, including about ten students a year who join the postgraduate community for their clinical studies after three years of pre-clinical studies as an undergraduate.
Research students in Medical and Psychological Studies work across the University’s world-leading laboratories and units, including the Sanger Institute, the Medical Research Council centres, the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, and others. Many of these centres are based on the West Cambridge Site, which is adjacent to the College site, and the College has postgraduate accommodation available near the Addenbrookes Biomedical Campus.
Campus life
Our College offers a campus experience, with lots of on-site features. Our community includes around 900 students, 175 staff and 260 Fellows, making for a vibrant and diverse place to live and work.
The fact that our key facilities are all on-campus supports Churchill’s unique sense of community. Our students work, eat, and thrive together.
Our location
Churchill provides the best of both worlds. Situated beside a number of major academic departments and research centres, we are in easy reach of the centre city yet benefit from a peaceful environment.
The College is on the ‘Universal’ bus route providing a regular, subsidised and sustainable (fully electric) bus service to almost every part of the University.
Churchill College has a large, unified campus with trees, gardens and sports fields. The site includes the original purpose-built centre of the College where central facilities are located such as libraries, seminar rooms and a lecture theatre. We also have a café-bar and a dining hall within the heart of the College.
Our lively College boat club shares a modern boathouse with two other Colleges and we are the nearest College to the University Sports Centre. We have sports fields, squash courts and a gym, as well as a dance studio and a music centre with a recording studio and recital spaces on site.
Accommodation provision
Most of our dedicated postgraduate accommodation is located on our main site. We have various types of rooms and flats including ensuites, studios, maisonettes, and rooms in houses with shared facilities.
The College has some of the best provision for students with children and partners in the University, with 45 flats and maisonettes with a children’s play area.
We have 6 off-site houses; 4 in the nearby area, 1 near the city centre, and 1 near the Addenbrookes Cambridge Biomedical Campus (which can be especially convenient for those studying or working there). While you are not required to live on-site, the College has have some excellent options when looking for postgraduate accommodation at Cambridge University.
We aim to offer accommodation to all first-year students who require it, and normally offer a room to incoming students who request accommodation and meet the conditions of their offer by 1st September – though this depends on availability and getting your preferred room cannot always be guaranteed.
Please see our Postgraduate Accommodation page for a more detailed information about they types of postgraduate accommodation available at Churchill.
The MCR: representing postgraduates
The Middle Common Room (MCR) is a student body that exists to support the graduate student community of Churchill College. MCR organise academic and recreational events throughout the year to encourage bonding between students and to enrich their lives.
The MCR committee is elected annually and is made up of 20 officers, each with specific roles. The Committee plans Freshers’ Week, Guest Nights, the Christmas Party, and other social events. It organises academic seminars and the Conference on Everything; runs the MCR Bar, and represents the views of the MCR to College through various sub-committees.
The Committee meets once a fortnight during term. Open meetings are held at least once a term and all Churchill College postgraduates are welcome to attend.
Clubs and societies
Churchill College’s student body organise and run over 20 different clubs and societies. Whether you are interested in guest talks, sports or board games, there will be something to appeal to you.
In addition, Churchill College’s grounds often host other University clubs and societies, such as the Space Flight society and Drone club, due to the suitability of our grounds for activities.
Special activities for postgraduates with families also run across the year.
Funding and finances
Postgraduate applicants to Churchill College are able to apply for a range of funding opportunities.
Each year, we expect to offer a number of funded PhD and Master’s studentships across subject areas and disciplines. See the studentships page for more information.
In addition, a significant number of students secure funding from national and international research bodies and other sources. You can find out more about the studentships we offer on the College’s financial support finder and on the University’s funding portal.
Finances and costs
The fees and costs of studying at Cambridge are normally broken down into expenses incurred for everyday living and studying (normally called “maintenance”) and the direct fees required by the University (primarily, the “University Composition Fee”).
One of the conditions you will have to fulfil before coming to Cambridge is a “financial condition” set by the University. You will need to confirm to the University’s Postgraduate Admissions Office that you have financial resources to cover fees and maintenance (including living costs of any dependents) while you are at Cambridge.
When you are here you can access some College and University financial support; this might include funding to support travel when you are presenting at conferences, funding for sports or music activities, as well as language learning. We also have some emergency funds which can help when unforeseen difficulties arise.
The University provides a guideline to average, basic maintenance costs in the finance section of its website. You should take care to consider your personal situation and individual additional costs when you are considering your maintenance arrangements.
The University Composition Fee covers the cost of teaching and supervision, and access to University and College facilities and support services. It is collected through the College and the total fee varies by course; this is adjusted for students taking courses part-time. There is a look-up for all courses and fees on the University website with wider information about the fees and costs of studying at Cambridge.
Self-funded students are required to pay for the academic year at least 14-days before arriving in Cambridge, and those who are funded by external organisations should provide a letter from the funder confirming the arrangement and details as soon as that is available.
Travel and other funds
The College recognizes the importance of engaging with wider communities of students and scholars in your field; in addition to the studentships we offer, all postgraduate students are eligible to apply for financial support to travel to conferences where they are presenting their work.
In addition, we have postgraduate funding opportunities for those who need help to fund sports at University or national level. We also provide music bursaries to pursue private instrumental or vocal lessons and for costs associated with practising and performing. The College can provide half the cost of fees for a course at the University Language Centre under the Cambridge University Languages Programme (CULP).
Emergency support
Prior to starting their course, all postgraduate students are expected to have arranged sufficient funding for the duration of their studies. This is part of the financial condition for entry that is set by the University. However, if a student encounters unforeseen financial difficulties, they can apply for additional support or an emergency loan. Students may also be eligible to apply to the central University for support in these circumstances.
The application process
We know it can be a complex process, but we are here to help.
In order to be considered by Churchill College, you should list us as your first preference College. If you are made an offer of study by the University, your application will be sent to one or more Colleges to be considered for College membership. If we are able to offer you a place, we will write to you with more information and ask you to fill out and return our membership form.
The confirmation of a place at the College and the University depends on meeting the conditions set by the University. The University publishes a guide to your offer and its conditions each year to help explain this part of the process.
We hold regular online Q&A’s for Churchill College offer-holders, and the College’s Postgraduate Office is here to help guide you through the process.
Please contact the College’s Postgraduate Office if you have any queries: [email protected]
PhD / Doctoral research
Churchill College has been supporting doctoral students since its foundation.
When you join the College as a research student, you join a community of around 350 postgraduates, about two-thirds of whom are working towards doctoral degrees, and more than 200 senior academics.
In the postgraduate community of the College, around half the students are in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects, and the other half are balanced between Medical, Veterinary and Psychological Studies, and Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS). A significant proportion of our members work in ways that overlap domains and disciplines, and we encourage formal and informal interaction and collaboration across boundaries.
One of the distinctive benefits of the College system is that after a long day in your department, you can return to a relaxed community where you spend time with friends and colleagues working in completely different ways who understand the world and their research subject on different terms. It is not only a refreshing change, but it can spark and foster new ideas and new creative thinking.
We welcome applications from students who can contribute to a friendly, mixed community of creative and thoughtful scholars with the capacity for positive impact.
Undertaking PhD / Doctoral research at Cambridge University is intellectually demanding, requires a high level of attainment and motivation, and is personally and academically rewarding. We want to make sure every student has the opportunity to perform at their best, and to overcome the ups and downs that can occur during any long-term research project.
Every student undertaking PhD / Doctoral research at Cambridge as a member of Churchill College is assigned an individual tutor, an experienced Cambridge academic and senior member of the College, who can provide guidance and support, and every student has access to excellent wellbeing help and provision alongside the full range of facilities of the College and the wider University.
MPhil / Masters study
Admission to the College for postgraduate study and research is based on academic excellence and the potential to achieve at the highest levels.
We are looking for students who can contribute to a mixed community of creative and thoughtful scholars with the capacity for positive impact.
There are several forms of Masters study in hundreds of subject areas available in Cambridge, most of which are available as a one-year full-time course, and some can be taken with a two-year part-time study pattern.
MPhil degrees are either by Advanced Study, which includes a taught element, or by Dissertation, which is a research-only programme examined by dissertation.
The MRes (Master of Research) degree is preparatory to potential PhD Doctoral study in a specific area. It offers a mixed programme of projects, seminars, lectures and training with a view to starting Doctoral study after one year.
In addition to the MPhil and the MRes, the University offers a wide range of Masters courses in distinct subject areas, for example the MBA (Master of Business Administration), MFin (Master of Finance), LLM (Master of Law), and a range of other subjects. These include the MASt (Master of Advanced Study) which is equivalent to a further year of undergraduate study having met the Bachelor’s requirement or equivalent, and the MSt (Master of Studies) which is normally completed part-time and often oriented to professional and academic attainment for career progression, diversification and personal development.
Every programme of study can have it’s ups and downs, and we want to help every student succeed at every stage of their studies. As a member of Churchill College, each MPhil and Master’s student is assigned an individual tutor, an experienced Cambridge academic and senior member of the College, who can provide guidance and support. Every student has access to excellent wellbeing help and provision alongside the full range of facilities of the College and the wider University.
We are proud of the College’s friendly community of academically excellent scholars, at undergraduate, postgraduate and senior level, and we welcome interest from innovative and creative applicants looking for a distinctive and multidisciplinary home during their time in Cambridge.
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