Cambridge, England

University of Cambridge, Pembroke College Partnership

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Program Overview

CHALLENGE YOURSELF AT CAMBRIDGE’S THIRD-OLDEST COLLEGE

Founded in 1347, Pembroke College at the University of Cambridge combines historic teaching methods with cutting-edge research. Tap experts in your discipline and go deep into a subject you’re passionate about, with as few as one or two other students in a classic supervision group. It’s a format that creates amazing academic freedom.

Great academics are just the start. Meet friends—and make new ones—over foosball or a pint at Pembroke’s Junior Common Room, a.k.a. JCR. Or chill out by the River Cam, which runs through the heart of Cambridge.

Your program also includes IFSA excursions and activities that give you deeper cultural insights (included, no extra fees). Possibilities include a West End theater performance, a cooking contest in the tent made famous by the Great British Bake Off, and a visit to Darcy’s Pemberly—really Chatsworth House—from the Pride and Prejudice film production.

Applications are due April 1 for upcoming fall, academic year, and spring terms. Apply early for this competitive program.

Details at a Glance

Application deadline

Fall: April 1
Spring: April 1
Academic Year: April 1

Minimum GPA

3.75

Credit load

24

Housing

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Single Room Option

Instruction language

English

Language prerequisites

None

Visa required?

In some cases. Learn More.

Apply Now

Academics

There are no traditional classes at Cambridge University. Rather, Cambridge has the supervision system, which is a weekly one-on-one, or in a small group, with your supervisor, in which you discuss your work and the topics that you are studying, ask questions, and receive feedback. Students typically take two courses, called ‘papers’ at Cambridge per semester. Each paper typically consists of eight hour-long supervisions. A course of lectures also supplements your supervisions for each paper, and your supervisor will advise you about which lectures you should attend.

CHART Your Course
Find the classes you need fast with CHART. Our easy-to-use tool shows you classes recently taken by IFSA students.

Students applying for Pembroke College may study in one of the following departments:

  • Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic Studies
  • Archaeology
  • Asian and Middle Eastern Studies
  • Classics
  • Economics
  • Education
  • English
  • History
  • History of Art
  • Linguistics
  • Mathematics
  • Modern and Medieval Languages
  • Philosophy
  • Human, Social, and Political Science (Political Science, International Affairs, Anthropology)
  • Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion

If you are accepted to study at Pembroke College, you will be sent further information about how to make your paper choices and asked to submit five choices in order of preference. You will submit your preferences shortly after admission, but the two papers per semester that you have been assigned can usually only be confirmed around one month before the start of the program. Explore the course overview booklet for more information.

Withdrawal from this program after acceptance of an admissions offer is a very bad idea, as the cancellation policy is very strict. No exceptions are granted, even for illness or other unforeseen circumstances.

Lab & Field Trip Fees
Please review syllabi and course materials when registering for direct-enroll classes. Certain classes may have a one-off lab or field trip fee disclosed in the syllabus or during the first meeting of the class. These fees are not included in your IFSA program fee. You will be responsible for these fees, whether they are billed and paid by IFSA or billed to you.

Because of the highly individualized nature of the Cambridge supervision system, it takes time for your supervisions to be arranged. This is not just a matter of signing up for a class, so when you submit your paper choices these will be taken as final. It is not usually possible to make subsequent changes to your choices. You will be sent confirmation of which papers you have been assigned around one month before the start of the program.

Students can apply for more than one subject at Pembroke if you have a justification for doing so (eg. if you are a double major, or have a particularly interdisciplinary major).

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility

  • You must be at least 18 years of age. Students under 18 may be accepted on a case-by-case basis.
  • You must be currently attending or recently graduated from a U.S. or Canadian community college, technical college, two-year college, four-year college, or four-year university.
  • You must have completed at least two (2) full-time years of study at your home institution before the beginning of the term.

Recommendation Letters
Your application to this program will require two (2) academic letters of recommendation on home institution letterhead.

 

TRANSCRIPT
Upon completion of your program, IFSA will send an official Butler University transcript to your home university with your coursework converted to the U.S. semester credit hour system. You will also have access to an unofficial transcript in your IFSA Student Portal. The transcript reflects classes taken, credits attempted, and grades earned during your term abroad. This service is included in your study abroad program at no additional cost. See our Transcripts page for more information.

Excursions

Activities and excursions are designed to pull you into the communities you visit and encourage cultural connections of every kind. There’s no extra fee to participate in these optional outings—everything is included in your program fee.

Below are examples from previous terms; outings may be different for your program. We’ll make every effort to run them all, but sometimes things we can’t control, such as local regulations and health protocols, get in the way. As result, we cannot guarantee activities and excursions.

Activities

  • Magdingley Hall and Afternoon Tea Experience: Madingley Hall has been described as a 20th century restoration of an 18th century adaptation of a 16th century Tudor manor house. It is also a story of wealth, power, decline, and enthusiastic restoration. Today it is the home of Cambridge University’s Institute of Continuing Education, and the tour guides are proud to be associated with the hall and to be allowed, by special arrangement, to take you around. A tour of the hall wouldn’t be complete without experiencing English Afternoon Tea, full of tradition, celebration, and a tremendous amount of cake.
  • Women’s History in Cambridge Tour: This tour covers the key role Cambridge played in education for women and women’s suffrage, as well as considering some of the tremendous women who have been associated with the city. Some key highlights areas include Millie Fawcett’s house, Newnham College, Senate House, and Market Square. You will find out how things have changed since women were first admitted to the University of Cambridge 150 years ago.
  • West End Theatre Performance: No time in the UK would be complete without a trip to the West End, London’s famous theatre district. Shows are chosen that provide context or different perspectives on London/the UK/Europe. Recent examples include Operation Mincemeat and Cabaret.
Excursions
  • University of Oxford Visit: See how they do it at “the other place!” The rivalry between Cambridge and Oxford is centuries old. On this trip, tour an Oxford college, visit the renowned Ashmolean Museum, and delve into the history of the oldest university in the English-speaking world, and the complex relationship between “town” and “gown.” You may even get to meet some IFSA Oxford students to compare notes!
  • Piers and Queers Brighton Trip: Since the 18th century, Brighton has become a cosmopolitan place of recreation, escape, and freedom. A destination for people who didn’t conform. With an LGBTQ+ population now estimated at 15%, Brighton celebrated England’s first civil partnerships, and hosts the UK’s largest Pride event as well as Europe’s first Trans Pride, rightly earning its title as the LGBTQ+ Capital of Britain. Peers and Queers is a tour of Brighton from LGBTQ+ perspective. This colorful 90-minute walk along the beach and historic city center takes in more than 200 years of history including Regency Dandies, 1950s lesbian and gay life, and political activism. Afterward, there’s time for a walk on the pier and fish and chips, just watch out for seagulls!
  • Big Welsh Weekend: Delve into the rich history of Wales and explore its unique culture and its complex relationship with the rest of the UK on a weekend that takes in the famous Tintern Abbey, the historic Raglan Castle, the Blaenavon coal mines, and St Fagan’s, a museum that has preserved buildings and cultural practices from Welsh history. Spend the night in Cardiff, the Welsh capital, and discover the Cardiff Bay area, home of the Welsh Parliament.
  • Yorkshire Adventure: Explore the vibrant and historic county of Yorkshire on a weekend trip where you’ll discover how this English region has contributed to the UK’s cultural landscape. Highlights may include the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth, the Piece Hall in Halifax, the Victorian model village of Saltaire, or the imposing Harewood House in Leeds.

Housing and Meals

Housing

Residence Hall/Dormitory, Single Room Option

Meals

Self-Catering

Details

All students live in either Pembroke College on-site accommodation or in the college’s off-site central townhouse residences.

Some accommodations feature modern spaces and extra amenities such as private bathrooms that warrant higher rent. Students who are placed in more expensive housing incur additional charges to cover these costs. 

  • On-Campus Rooms. Single rooms with shared bathrooms. Cambridge has many old buildings, which means room size varies. Bed sheets and towels provided. Halls have kitchenettes with microwave, toaster, kettle, and basic utensils. 
  • City Centre Townhouse. Pembroke offers traditional residential townhouses in the city center which house a small number of students per house. Located on quiet residential streets, these houses are usually Victorian or Edwardian in style, feature single bedrooms with shared bathrooms, and are an attractive alternative to living within the Pembroke College grounds. Bed sheets and towels provided.
  • Meals: Your program fee includes 10 meals a week at Pembroke College Dining Hall. Beyond that, you can purchase additional meals at the dining hall, or explore other options in town.  
  • Commute: Student housing is on campus, or within easy walking and cycling distance of campus (Cambridge is a bike-friendly city). Local buses are another easy option. 
  • Nearby: The Backs (a pretty greenspace along the River Cam). Market Square. Cambridge University Library. ADC Theatre. 

Dates and Fees

Term
Term begins
Term ends
Program costs
Application deadline
Fall 2024
September 4, 2024
December 14, 2024
$45,575
Passed
Academic Year 2024-2025
September 4, 2024
June 28, 2025
$105,150
Passed
Spring 2025
Mid-Jan. 2025
Late June 2025
$62,795 (estimated)
Passed

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Kevin Canas

Kevin Cañas

Enrollment Counselor