Course requirements
For many Cambridge courses prior knowledge of certain subjects is required, and all Colleges expect such subjects to be passed, normally with an A or A* grade at A Level/grade 6 or 7 at Higher Level of the IB (or equivalent). Some courses (eg Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Law, Philosophy) don't require you to have studied the subject before, although you should have read enough about the subject to know what it entails.
When assessing applicants for all courses we consider not only the individual A Level/IB Higher Level (or equivalent) subjects being offered but also the combination of these. We generally prefer applicants to have taken certain subjects or subject combinations because they provide a more effective preparation for study at Cambridge.
If you have not yet decided on a course, advice about the most appropriate subject combinations is available in our Subject Matters leaflet.
Subject requirements and preferences for each course are given within the Course profiles, defined as follows:
- Essential - subjects required by all Colleges
- Highly desirable - subjects required by most Colleges
- Desirable - subjects required by some Colleges
- Useful - subjects that provide a useful preparation but aren't required
For specific requirements and subject preferences for each course, follow the links below: