University of Cambridge

5th
World University Rankings 2024
5th
World Reputation Rankings 2023
2nd
European Teaching Rankings 2019
The Old Schools, Trinity Lane, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB2 1TN, United Kingdom

About University of Cambridge

Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is a collegiate public research institution. Its 800-year history makes it the fourth-oldest surviving university in the world and the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world.

Cambridge serves more than 18,000 students from all cultures and corners of the world. Nearly 4,000 of its students are international and hail from over 120 different countries. In addition, the university’s International Summer Schools offer 150 courses to students from more than 50 countries.

The university is split into 31 autonomous colleges where students receive small group teaching sessions known as college supervisions. 

Six schools are spread across the university’s colleges, housing roughly 150 faculties and other institutions. The six schools are: Arts and Humanities, Biological Sciences, Clinical Medicine, Humanities and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences and Technology.

The campus is located in the centre of the city of Cambridge, with its numerous listed buildings and many of the older colleges situated on or near the river Cam.

The university is home to over 100 libraries, which, between them, hold more than 15 million books in total. In the main Cambridge University library alone, which is a legal depository, there are eight million holdings. The university also owns nine arts, scientific and cultural museums that are open to the public throughout the year, as well as a botanical garden.

Cambridge University Press is a non-school institution and operates as the university’s publishing business. With over 50 offices worldwide, its publishing list is made up of 45,000 titles spanning academic research, professional development, research journals, education and bible publishing.

In total, 92 affiliates of the university have been awarded Nobel Prizes, covering every category. 

The university’s endowment is valued at nearly £6 billion.

Explore rankings data for University of Cambridge

All ranked institutions have an overall score and 4 pillar scores. However for each pillar, only institutions ranked in the top 500 overall or the top 500 in this pillar have a publicly visible score

Compare universities on their key stats

Key statistics

  • 38%
    Percentage of International Students
    (1)
  • 11.5
    No. of students per staff
    (1)
  • 27%
    Proportion of ISR Publication
    (1)
  • 20,565
    Number of FTE Students
    (1)
  • 48 : 52
    Student Ratio of Females to Males
    (1)
Based on data collected for the (1) 2024 World University Rankings

Subjects taught at University of Cambridge

  • Social sciences

    • Politics & International Studies (incl Development Studies)
    • Geography
    • Sociology
  • Life sciences

    • Biological Sciences
    • Veterinary Science
  • Business & economics

    • Business & Management
    • Economics & Econometrics
    • Accounting & Finance
  • Engineering & technology

    • Civil Engineering
    • General Engineering
    • Chemical Engineering
    • Electrical & Electronic Engineering
    • Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
  • Physical sciences

    • Geology, Environmental, Earth & Marine Sciences
    • Mathematics & Statistics
    • Physics & Astronomy
    • Chemistry
  • Psychology

    • Psychology
  • Arts & humanities

    • History, Philosophy & Theology
    • Architecture
    • Art, Performing Arts & Design
    • Archaeology
    • Languages, Literature & Linguistics
  • Computer science

    • Computer Science
  • Education

    • Education
  • Clinical, pre-clinical & health

    • Other Health
    • Medicine & Dentistry
  • Law

    • Law