Colleges of the University of Cambridge

This is a list of the colleges within the University of Cambridge. These colleges are the primary source of accommodation for undergraduates and graduates at the University and at the undergraduate level have responsibility for admitting students and organising their tuition.^[1] They also provide funding and/or accommodation for some of the senior research posts in the University.^[2] The colleges are self-governed charitable institutions on their own right, with their own endowments and possessions. Until the mid-19th century, both Cambridge and Oxford were rather a group of colleges with a small central university administration, than universities in the common sense.

The University of Cambridge has 31 colleges,^[2] of which Peterhouse is the oldest, founded in 1284.^[3] The newest college of the university is Robinson, founded in 1977.^[4]

Three Cambridge colleges admit only women (Murray Edwards, Newnham and Lucy Cavendish). The other colleges are now mixed, though most were originally all-male. Darwin was the first college to admit both men and women, while Churchill, Clare and King's colleges were the first previously all-male colleges to admit female undergraduates, in 1972. Magdalene was the last all-male college to become mixed, in 1988.^[5] Two colleges admit only postgraduates (Clare Hall and Darwin), and four more admit only mature students (i.e. 21 years or older on date of matriculation) and graduate students (Hughes Hall, Lucy Cavendish, St Edmund’s and Wolfson).^[6] All other colleges admit both undergraduate and postgraduate students with no age restrictions.

Colleges

Key: U–undergraduates, P–postgraduates.

There are also several theological colleges in Cambridge (for example Westcott House, Westminster College, Wesley House and Ridley Hall) that are affiliated with the university through the Cambridge Theological Federation. These colleges, while not officially part of the University of Cambridge, operate programmes that are either validated by or are taught on behalf of either the University or Anglia Ruskin University.^[46]

Former colleges

The above list does not include several former colleges that no longer exist. These include:

• Buckingham College, founded in 1428 as a Benedictine hall, refounded as Magdalene in 1542.^[47]
• Bull College, a college for US GIs, existing from 1945 to 1946.
• "Clare Hall" was the name of Clare College between 1338 and 1856. Clare College founded a new college named Clare Hall in 1966.
• King's Hall, founded in 1317, and combined with Michaelhouse to form Trinity College in 1546.^[48]
• Michaelhouse, founded in 1324, and combined with King's Hall to form Trinity College in 1546.^[48]
• Gonville Hall, founded in 1348, and re-founded in 1557 as Gonville and Caius College.^[49]
• God's House, founded in 1437, and re-founded in 1505 as Christ's College.^[50]
• Cavendish College, founded in 1873, a failed attempt to allow poorer students to sit the Tripos examinations, whose buildings were bought by Homerton in 1895.^[51][52]
• University College, founded 1965, and re-founded in 1972 as Wolfson College
• University Hall, founded 1326, refounded as Clare Hall in 1338, renamed as Clare College in 1856.
• New Hall, founded 1954, and re-founded in 2008 as Murray Edwards College

See also

• List of Oxbridge sister colleges
• List of fictional Cambridge colleges
• Oxbridge scarf colours
• Colleges of the University of Oxford

References