Cambridge

The University of Cambridge consistently ranks among the top universities in the world. As per the QS World Rankings 2027, the Cambridge ranking is #6.  

Look at the rankings by other ranking bodies for the University of Cambridge - 

• The Complete University Guide 2027: #1 in the UK 
• The Guardian 2026: #3 in the UK
• Times Higher Education 2026: #3 in the world

In pure numbers, the Harvard University admissions are way more competitive than the University of Cambridge. 

At Harvard, the acceptance rate remains around 3% to 4% every year because of a large pool of highly qualified candidates. On the contrary, the Cambridge acceptance rate stands around 21% each year. So, does this mean, it is easier to get into Cambridge?

Maybe. The reason being they both follow very different admission criteria. While Harvard reviews an application holistically, the University of Cambridge admissions are more academically centric. 

The University of Cambridge issues conditional offer letters to Indian students who have completed class 12th recently. The Indian final board exams do not really follow the Cambridge timelines. 

So, a conditional offer ensures that the applicant has met the high academic standard before finalizing their seat at the university.

Under the University of Cambridge admissions, the Supercurricular activities are very subject-specific engagements that are not limited to your school syllabus.  

So, what actually counts as the Supercurricular activities? Look at the list given below - 

• Read beyond your class textbooks (foundational academic books, research papers or publications)
• Complete MOOCs related to your subjects 
• Participate in challenges and olympiads which are verifiable
• Complete independent projects, research essays, and coding side projects 

Yes, the University of Cambridge does extremely well and is strong in STEM fields (Mathematics, Physics and Engineering).

These programs offered are highly rigorous and globally recognised for Indian students. 

Look at the Cambridge University subject rankings given below - 

• Mathematics (QS ranks it #3)
• Physics (QS ranks it #5)
• Engineering (THE ranks it #5)

Almost all UG programs at the University of Cambridge start in the month of October, however there may be some limited flexibility in the PG programs available here. But for Indian students, the October start date is strict. 

The students are always required to start the University of Cambridge applications via the UCAS by 15th of October of the previous year. 

The University of Cambridge is known for its top ranking, great reputation and its research. Yes, Cambridge is generally ranked #2 in the UK and mong top 5 in the world every year. 

Look at the table given below for the Cambridge University rankings -

The University of Cambridge is among the the highest-ranked universities in the world and getting into any of the courses available at this university is a matter of pride as all of the courses are ranked among the top 10. 

Given below are the top courses ranked by The Complete University Guide 2026 - 

• Architecture (#2)
• Biological (#1)
• Chemical Engineering (#1)
• Civil Engineering (#1)
• Law (#1)

No, while the University of Cambridge and Harvard University are two of the most well-known universities in the world, one is not equal to the other. Look at the inferences made below - 

• As per US News,  Harvard is ranked #1 in the global universities category and the University of Cambridge is at #5 in the same category. 
• Harvard USA is ranked better than Cambridge UK
• If an Indian student is looking for admission at the best, they should probably go for the first one. 

No, it can not be considered easy to get into the MA programme by the University of Cambridge. The University of Cambridge acceptance rate of 37.9%, which means it is competitive to get in. 

The applicants cannot expect admission if they are average academically.  Additionally, these students would have to do really well in language exams to get in, the students have to - 

• Submit proof of extracurricular activities
• Strong research abilities