English students and Fellows at Sidney are a diverse community, with interests across the breadth of the Cambridge degree course. Our Fellows research and teach literature from the medieval period to the modern day.
Studying English at Sidney is exciting and rewarding. We encourage our students to tailor the English degree to their own individual interests and enthusiasms, but also to go beyond their comfort zones, exploring texts, topics, and cultures they never imagined they would enjoy working with when they wrote their personal statements – from English medieval lyric to the novels of Ngugi wa Thiong'o, and from Global Shakespeare to Sappho in translation.
There are many opportunities at Sidney for extracurricular engagement with the subject, including our New Arcadians drama society, a popular annual reading competition, and the Sidney Greats lecture series.
Undergraduate Study
- Written work
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Two essays. We will send out more specific information about what is required after the UCAS deadline, but you will not need to write anything new specially for this.
- Admissions assessment
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All applicants for English are required to take a written assessment if shortlisted for interview. You will not need to register in advance for this assessment. A sample paper can be found here under Entry Requirements.
- Interviews
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Two interviews, both focussed on English literature. There will be a passage to read before one interview.
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Subject requirements
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- Learn about our standard entry requirements for English on the University website.
- At Sidney, we would accept English Language and Literature as a substitute for English Literature. We consider Classics, Modern Languages and History to be useful subjects for our English course, but students are admitted from a wide range of subject combinations.
- Please note that offers are set on an individual basis using all of the information available to us in context of the entire field of applicants.
- Beyond the syllabus
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Are you excited to learn more about the subject by delving beyond the school syllabus? Explore our Beyond the syllabus resource hub to discover interesting websites, podcasts, videos, and books related to the subject you love!
Typical intake
5 - 6
Typical A-level offer
A*AA
Typical IB offer
41-42 points overall, with 776 at Higher Level
Postgraduate Study
At the University of Cambridge applications for postgraduate study are processed centrally by the Postgraduate Admissions Office. The application form and supporting documents are submitted electronically via their website and the online self-service system, though academic decisions on applications are made by the Faculty or Department.
- Funding
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There are many funding opportunities at Cambridge from a wide variety of sources including the Cambridge Trust, Gates Cambridge, Colleges, Departments, Research Councils and central University funds. You can use the Postgraduate Admissions' Cambridge Funding Search to find out which type of funding you might be eligible for, and how and when to apply. They also operate a Postgraduate Funding Competition to co-ordinate some of these funding opportunities and make the process easier for you as an applicant.
To find information about the funds available for postgraduate students at Sidney, visit our Studentships and funding page.
- Useful links
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Course directory | Postgraduate Admissions | University of Cambridge
Funding | Postgraduate Admissions | University of Cambridge
How do I apply? | Postgraduate Admissions | University of Cambridge
International students | Postgraduate Admissions | University of Cambridge
Opportunities to work, travel, and study
The College is able to offer financial support for a number of student pursuits including:
- Professional and research internships
- Study awards
- Vacation travel
- Arts and music
- Sport
While it will not be possible to provide support in all cases, current students are strongly encouraged to apply if they have a project which would benefit from financial support.
Discover more on our Opportunities to work, travel, and study page.
