University of Cambridge – What Happens After You Apply?

For applicants, submitting a university application can feel like a significant milestone. At Cambridge, however, it is the beginning of the next stage of the admissions process. The University wanted to give applicants a clear and accessible explanation of what happens after they press ‘submit’, and how they can prepare for the stages that follow.

Turning a complex process into a clear film

The Cambridge undergraduate application process involves a number of stages. After submitting a UCAS application, most applicants also need to complete My Cambridge Application. Depending on the course, applicants may also need to provide written work, take an admissions assessment and attend an interview.

There is a lot of information for applicants to absorb, often at a point when they are already balancing school or college work, examinations and applications to other universities.

We worked closely with the University team to understand the information that needed to be communicated and the questions applicants were most likely to have. From there, we developed the film around the applicant journey rather than presenting the information as a series of disconnected instructions.

A film designed around the applicant experience

For someone who has just submitted a UCAS application, the admissions process can seem unfamiliar. Terms such as My Cambridge Application, admissions assessments, interviews and the College system all have specific meanings within Cambridge’s admissions process.

The film provides applicants with a concise introduction to these next steps and directs them towards the University’s detailed guidance, where they can find the information relevant to their particular course and circumstances.

For example, most applicants receive an email within 48 hours of submitting their UCAS application containing instructions for completing My Cambridge Application. For 2027 entry, the standard deadline for this additional application is 22 October 2026.

Applicants may also need to prepare for an admissions assessment. These assessments vary according to the course, with some taking place before applicants are shortlisted for interview and others being taken after an interview invitation.

The interview stage is another important part of the process. Cambridge describes its interviews as academic conversations about the subject the applicant is interested in studying, designed to help the University assess their potential.

Helping applicants understand what comes next

The period after submitting a UCAS application can involve several important deadlines and decisions.

For the current 2027-entry cycle, Cambridge’s published timetable includes the October deadline for My Cambridge Application, potential admissions assessments, interview invitations in November, interviews during December and application outcomes in January.

The University’s admissions process also recognises that applications can develop in different ways. Colleges assess applications individually and may share applications with other Colleges through the pooling process where appropriate.

A film cannot replace the University’s detailed guidance, but it can provide something different: a simple overview that helps applicants understand the journey and identify the information they need to explore further.

To find out more about the University of Cambridge and their applications process, please visit:

www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/apply

Cambridge Filmworks

www.cambridgefilmworks.com

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