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enquiries@hughes.cam.ac.uk

Postgraduates

New applicants

Hughes Hall is a progressive and innovative college which accepts postgraduate students in all areas of study and research. It is the oldest of the six postgraduate colleges in the University and has a large postgraduate community enriched by its great diversity of nationalities. An oasis of calm and quiet near the busy city centre, we provide a relaxing yet stimulating environment for study and research.

The College is situated alongside Fenner’s Cricket Ground and around the corner is lively Mill Road, known for its cafes, restaurants, bars, vintage clothes, and international supermarkets. We are halfway between the railway station and market square, a 10-minute bike ride from most university departments and 5 minutes from punting on the river Cam, with some of the best accommodation at Cambridge. See the Location and Accommodation page for more information.

You can find out much more on our website in the Life at Hughes section including Meeting our Students and our Fellows and Senior Members. Please email us for more information and to discuss applying to Hughes: pgadmissions@hughes.cam.ac.uk.

We have a generous range of scholarships open to new students and current or former students applying for a new course of study. We also offer travel grants for Masters and Doctoral students to travel to conferences or for other course-related work

The College has a wide variety of sports clubs and social societies ranging from Chess, Music, Poker, and Film, to Rubgy, Rowing, and Badminton. A full list is available on the MCR website. Students who participate in University sports can also apply to the College’s Varsity Sports fund for financial support.

You might also be interested in reading the University’s Postgraduate Guide 2023.

Mentoring for prospective PhD applicants from underrepresented backgrounds

AIM PhD is a 6-month, online programme to assist applicants from underrepresented groups with their application to doctoral study at the University of Cambridge. The programme runs from June to December 2024. During this time, you’ll receive personalised support from admissions staff and students who have been through the application process themselves, giving you the confidence to make a competitive application to Cambridge.

Applications open on 22 January 2024 and close at midnight on 2 April 2024. More information is available on the programme and how to apply here.

Continuing and former students

The graduate and mature atmosphere at Hughes Hall is distinctive, and many of the College’s students continuing to a new degree at Cambridge, or returning to study after a period of time away from academia, find personal and intellectual advantages to returning to Hughes Hall when they start their new course.

The College values this connection and we are keen to encourage current and former students to return to the College when they return to Cambridge. While the usual standards and requirements apply to these applicants as they do for all others, we would welcome applications from individuals in this position.

  • If you are currently studying at Hughes and considering applying for a follow-on degree, we would encourage you to speak to your tutor at an early stage.
  • If you are one of our alumni and looking to return to Cambridge, please do contact the Postgraduate Admissions Office (pgadmissions@hughes.cam.ac.uk) who can advise you further.

Please note, if you wish to apply to another college the University advises that you consult your tutor at Hughes Hall and discuss your intentions with the graduate admissions office of the college(s) to which you intend to apply.

Applications

Every student of the University must also be a member of one of the colleges. Degrees and other qualifications are administered and awarded by the University, but admission to a college is a requirement of enrolment in any course. So, admission to Cambridge is a two-stream process consisting of admission to the University and admission to a College. The two are interlinked and confirmation of your college membership depends on you having met the conditions set by the University (either Postgraduate Admissions, the Faculty of Education or Judge Business School, depending on your course) as well as satisfactorily completing the college admissions process.

We advise that you begin the college admissions process as soon as you can for a quicker result, even if you are not in a position to return all the documents at once.

  • For information on how to make your application, see the how to apply page
  • For information on the College offer and process, see the college offer page
  • Please see the University’s Postgraduate Guide (2020) for an overview of postgraduate study at Cambridge.