GUIDE TO ADMISSIONS IN MATHEMATICS

1 Cambridge Mathematics
The Cambridge undergraduate mathematics course, known as the Mathematical Tripos, is widely recog-
nised as one of the most rewarding - and correspondingly demanding - undergraduate mathematics
courses available. You will have to work hard, but will enjoy the opportunity to explore an exceptional
range of interesting and beautiful mathematics, and to interact with other enthusiastic and talented
mathematicians. Two other aspects of the course that our students greatly appreciate are its flexibility
and the breadth of subjects offered.

2 Why Mathematics?
Here are some reasons often given for studying Mathematics at university.

• You find mathematics interesting and you enjoy it. This is an

excellent reason.
“I first developed an
• You are good at mathematics. This is a necessary, but not
enthusiasm for maths when
sufficient, condition (as mathematicians would say). You may
I was studying it at GCSE
be finding the mathematics you are doing now quite straight-
level. I had always been very
forward, so that you hardly have to work at it. When you study
good at maths but I’d always
mathematics at higher levels it is not so straightforward, so
just seen it as necessary
you have to be prepared to work hard at it. And remember
and functional. I hadn’t
that this work will be a major part of your daily life.
realised the breadth of its
• The job prospects are excellent. This is a true statement: applications, and it had
employers love mathematicians because mathematics is all certainly never occurred to
about the vital skill of problem solving, but it’s not on its own me how fun and rewarding
sufficient reason. You should choose to study mathematics maths could be." Naomi,
because you enjoy it! There are other ways of getting good Murray Edwards College
jobs than spending three or four years studying something
that you don’t enjoy.

May 11, 2022

3 Why Cambridge Mathematics?
Here are some reasons for studying Mathematics at Cambridge.

• Cambridge is, according to all major surveys, one of the top “The two supervisions per
universities in the world. week, where you discuss
examples from the lectures in
• The Cambridge mathematics course is one of the very best pairs with an academic, are an
mathematics courses in the UK. amazing chance to talk to
someone who is extremely
• The Cambridge mathematics course offers you lectures in knowledgeable in that area."
almost all areas of mathematics, from abstract logic to theo- Shona, Clare College
retical physics, quantum information to differential geometry,
mathematical biology to financial mathematics, and allows
you to specialise in many different fields. “Being able to speak to your
supervisor and say "I don’t
• The fourth year of our mathematics course (called Part III) know this" is incredibly
is world famous and a breeding ground for future leaders in reassuring, ... the system is in
mathematical research. place for us to succeed with
support." Clement, Jesus
• Cambridge Colleges offer a level of academic, pastoral and College
financial support that is unsurpassed by any UK university.
• Cambridge mathematicians are among the most sought- “The breadth of courses on offer
after mathematics graduates in the UK, and go on to high- gives you an in-depth
level jobs in many diverse and very fulfilling careers. understanding of such a wide
variety of mathematical areas!"
• Cambridge is a beautiful, ancient and vibrant city. Zain, King’s College

4 Our course

Introduction
Cambridge has enjoyed a reputation for excellence in Mathematics
since the time of Isaac Newton, over 300 years ago. Over the years,
some of the world’s leading mathematicians like Stephen Hawking
have taught in the Faculty, and even Nobel Prize winners (although
there is no Nobel Prize for mathematics), and many currently teach,
including Fields Medallists like Caucher Birkar and Tim Gowers (a
Fields Medal is the mathematical equivalent of a Nobel Prize) .
The Mathematics course in Cambridge is known as the Mathemat-
ical Tripos, comprising the 3 years of the undergraduate course
(Parts IA, IB and II) plus the optional one-year Masters course (Part
III).
Alternatively, students can apply to Part III as a stand-alone Mas-
ters course.
The course dates back to the time of Newton, whose pioneering
work in mathematics and physics was a strong influence for many
years. The name Tripos comes from the word for the three-legged
stool used by the ‘Ould Bachilour’ of the University who conducted
the University examinations in medieval times. The examination
then took the form of a debate or wrangle and concentrated on Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric. Although
the Mathematical Tripos has changed much over the centuries, some traditions remain: the students in
the first class are still called Wranglers.

2
Features of the course
The main distinguishing features of the Cambridge Mathematics course are:
• It covers the whole range of mathematics: from number theory, logic,
geometry and group theory on the pure side, to fluid dynamics, math-
ematical biology, quantum mechanics and cosmology on the applied
side, and includes subjects such as probability, statistics, numerical
analysis, financial models and computing.
• It has an upside-down pyramid structure, with a set of compulsory
courses in the first year, but a very wide choice in the third year and
fourth year. This means that you will not be tied down to a specialised
choice before experiencing university maths, but you will get a thor-
ough grounding which leaves all options open. Later, you will have
freedom to choose a specialization with true knowledge of your math-
ematical abilities and preferences.

• The examinations in the first three years are non-modular in structure: it is not the case that each
examination paper is devoted to an individual lecture course. Instead, there are four three-hour
papers at the end of each year. In the first year, two topics are examined on each paper and in the
second and third years the examination papers are cross-sectional, meaning that instead of each
lecture course having a dedicated examination paper, each examination paper has questions on
many lecture courses. The flexibility that this allows is regarded as one of the great strengths of
the Tripos: this allows you to choose how many courses you wish to revise for the examination
and therefore to work at your own pace, which is important in mathematics. The examinations in
the fourth year are modular, but you have some flexibility in the number of exams taken.
• Lecture courses in the first three years are supplemented by supervisions. Supervision is the
Cambridge term used to describe teaching in a small group of students (usually two). The su-
pervisor, who is normally a member of the teaching staff or a post-doctoral researcher, sets work
for the students to prepare and then goes over it in the supervision. Usually the work takes the
form of examples sheets (sometimes called problem sheets) prepared by the lecturer to illustrate
the material covered in the lectures. A great strength of the supervision system is that it gives
students an opportunity to discuss their individual work and particular problems.
Lecture courses in the fourth year are supplemented by examples classes, where the set work in
examples sheets is discussed, and you can ask questions about material that you found difficult
or complicated.
Lecture courses in Mathematics are organised by the Faculty of
Mathematics for students from all Colleges in the University.
Attendance at lectures is not compulsory but few students manage
to cover the material adequately by themselves even when good
textbooks are available. Each lecture lasts approximately 50 min-
utes and there are on average two lectures per day from Monday to
Saturday, in the mornings only. Lectures are given for eight weeks
in each of the Michaelmas and Lent terms and for four weeks in the
Easter term, finishing about ten days before the examinations. There
are no lectures in the Easter term in the third year.

Supervisions on the various courses are arranged by the Colleges rather than by the Faculty and stu-
dents receive on average two supervisions per week, each lasting about an hour, which usually take
place in the afternoon during weekdays. Examples classes in the fourth year last about one to two
hours, and their number depends on the courses you are taking.

3
Aims of the course
Our Mathematics course aims to:

• provide a challenging course in mathematics and its applications for a range of students that
includes the best in the country;
• provide a course that is suitable both for students aiming to pursue research and for students
going into other careers;
• provide an integrated system of teaching which can be tailored to the needs of individual students;

• develop in students the capacity for learning and for clear logical thinking;
• continue to attract and select students of outstanding quality;
• produce the high-calibre graduates in mathematics sought by employers in universities, the pro-
fessions and the public services, many of whom will become world leaders in their chosen fields;

• provide a Masters course (Part III) suitable for students wishing to embark on a research career
in the mathematical sciences.

Facilities and Resources

As a mathematics undergraduate at Cambridge you will have many resources to support your learning
and opportunities to broaden your experience.
• Library facilities are outstanding, which means you will not
need to buy any textbooks:
◦ Every College has a library which contains the standard
books recommended for each lecture course.
◦ The Betty and Gordon Moore Library, next to the Centre
for Mathematical Sciences, houses the main collection
of mathematical science books and journals and has 24-
hour access.
◦ The University Library holds a copy of nearly every book
and journal published in Britain, and it also has very sub-
stantial stocks of other works.

• You are allowed (space permitting) to attend any lectures given in the University across all sub-
jects. There are many lectured in most years that are of particular interest to Mathematics stu-
dents:
◦ A non-examinable mechanics course aimed at first-year students who have not taken much
mechanics.
◦ A non-examinable course on the History of Mathematics.
◦ A non-examinable course on Ethics in Mathematics.
◦ A non-examinable course on Theoretical Physics which provides a glimpse into the major
areas of theoretical physics — a taster of things to come.
◦ Prestigious annual lectures, such as the Rouse Ball Lecture, for which an eminent mathe-
matician is invited to Cambridge.
◦ A range of courses on computing offered by the University Computing Service:
training.csx.cam.ac.uk/ucs/theme
• You can access interactive audiovisual and online resources by the Language Laboratories in
more than one hundred and sixty different languages, and receive individual advice on language
learning.

4
 • University mathematics societies provide an invaluable source of en-
riching activities of all kinds, as well as information useful for your
studies. The Archimedeans is one of the oldest and most prestigious
student societies in Cambridge, open to all our mathematicians since
1935. The Emmy Noether Society, also open to all, was founded to
promote women studying mathematical sciences. Mathematical soci-
eties offer:

◦ Mathematical talks by mathematicians from Cambridge and from

the wider mathematical community.
◦ Social events throughout the year.
◦ Opportunities to contribute to mathematical publications.
◦ Opportunities to get involved in a leadership role.
◦ Official and unofficial lecture notes.

• You have opportunities to get involved in other aspects of Cambridge Mathematics, and to repre-
sent students’ interests, by becoming a student representative on one of the Faculty committees:

◦ the Faculty Board: the governing body of the Faculty, which

has responsibility for the Mathematical Tripos,
◦ the Mathematics Undergraduate Admissions Committee,
◦ the Teaching Committee,
◦ the Curriculum Committee,
◦ the Part III Committee,
◦ the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

• There are also many opportunities to become involved in outreach

and teaching, for example:
◦ STIMULUS is a community service programme which gives
Cambridge University students the opportunity to work with
pupils in local schools. As a STIMULUS student you can work
as a volunteer Teaching Assistant in a classroom, alongside
the class teacher.
◦ You can inspire young visitors with mathematical games and
other activities during the city’s annual Cambridge Festival
and other events for the public.
◦ You can become a Maths Ambassador.

The Mathematics course at Cambridge offers you an excellent experience all round. Don’t just take our
word for it.

The 2017a Unistats data from the National Student Survey speak
for themselves: as well as 94% overall student satisfaction, 95%
have said that ‘Staff are good at explaining things’, and 100%
consider that ‘The course is intellectually stimulating’.
a Data from 2018 onwards are not available, because students boycotted the

survey in protest against Government plans related to University fees.

Structure of the course

This guide describes the course that is likely to be given to students starting in October 2022. Supple-
mentary material is available on the Faculty website at www.maths.cam.ac.uk/undergrad/course for
anyone wanting further details.

5
First Year (Part IA)
About the course Results you learn
In the first year only there are two options: • Here is a definition from the Analysis course.
(a) Pure and Applied Mathematics; It says that, roughly, you can draw a continuous
(b) Mathematics with Physics. function f without taking the pencil off the paper:

Option (a) is designed for students intending to continue Given ε > 0, ∃ δ such that
with mathematics; option (b) is designed for students with
strong interests in both mathematics and physics, who want |x − a| < δ ⇒ |f (x) − f (a)| < ε .
to keep their options open until the end of the first year. • Here is an equation from Vector Calculus.
About three-quarters of the first year courses are common to It says that the amount that stuff expands in a fixed
the two options. You can continue with Mathematics, rather volume is equal to the amount of stuff crossing the
than physics, after taking option (b), and many students do, boundary of the volume:
but some vacation reading may be required.
Z Z
There are 8 core lecture courses in the first two terms, which ∇ · FdV = F · dS .
means you have two lectures a day, covering a wide range V ∂V
of mathematics. Students take all courses, which serve as
• This result from Probability says that random
a platform for later years.
things tend to be Normally distributed if there are
There are courses in: enough of them:
• abstract algebra, which is the study of mathematical √
lim P ( n(Sn − µ)/σ ≤ z) = Φ(z) .
structures, such as sets, vector spaces and groups; n→∞

• analysis, which is the study of the foundations of calculus; • Here is an equation from Group Theory. It says,
for example, that if you shuffle a pack of cards
• number theory, in which equations involving integers are (same shuffle) 80,658,175,170,943,878,571,660,
investigated; 636,856, 403,766,975,289,505,440,883,277,824,
000,000,000,000 times, the pack returns to its
• differential equations, in which equations involving rates
original state (try it!):
of change are investigated;

• mathematical methods, which provide the basis for math- g |G| = e .

ematical applications; for example, to theoretical physics; • The relativistic rocket equation, from Dynamics
• Newtonian dynamics and special relativity, in which the and Special Relativity
laws of Newton and Einstein are formulated mathemati-  
ve m0
cally; V = c tanh ln
c m1
• probability, which is (probably) what you think it is.
tells us how fast a rocket goes if it expels a mass
At the end of the year, there are four three-hour exams. m0 − m1 of fuel at speed ve .

“Among all courses I have taken so far, I enjoyed the courses

on group theory the most. I knew nothing about groups be-
fore I went to Cambridge, and so it seemed to be very hard
to understand when it was first introduced to me during the
IA Groups lectures. However, once I got used to the basics, I
started to appreciate the beautiful structures of groups."
Isabella, Murray Edwards College

6
Second Year (Part IB)
About the course Results you learn
In the second year, there are 15 lecture courses, and a • The Schrödinger equation
Computational Projects course. Students decide how many
courses to take: unusually (maybe uniquely) there is no ~2 2 ∂φ
− ∇ φ + V φ = i~
fixed number that students must take to exam. 2m ∂t

The course becomes broader and deeper. On the pure side, expresses the conservation of energy in quantum
the foundations of calculus are examined further and new mechanical systems.
algebraic systems are developed. On the applied side, there
are courses on some of the most important developments in • Maxwell’s equations are the fundamental
19th and 20th century physics. equations of electromagnetism; solutions tell us,
for example, how light propagates.
There are more courses in:
F ab,b = µ0 J a F[ab,c] = 0 .
• abstract algebra;
• The basic equation of complex analysis, due
• analysis; to Cauchy (as are most other equations in the
subject), is
• mathematical methods.
I
There are new courses, including: f (z)dz = 0 ,
• geometry of curved spaces;
which is an integral round a closed path in the
• quantum mechanics; complex plane.

• fluid dynamics; • The Cayley-Hamilton theorem for a matrix A

asserts that any matrix satisfies its own
• electromagnetism;
characteristic equation:
• statistics;
P (λ) ≡ det(λI − A) =⇒ P (A) = 0 .
• optimisation.
• In statistics, the Rao-Blackwell theorem is a
Reports are submitted in the second and third term for statement about expected loss:
the Computational Projects course. At the end of the year,
there are four three-hour exams. E(L(δ1 (X))) 6 E(L(δ(X))) .

“I loved Markov Chains, it was short, it was sweet, it made

perfect sense and Professor Grimmett was hilarious."
Clement, Jesus College

“I really enjoyed Statistics in IB. Today, mathematicians are valued in almost every sector,
because data interpretation has become so important - and so complex - that statisticians are
needed to build a bridge between data and the real world. I felt that the Statistics course laid
the foundation for this, and I hope I’ll be able to use these skills working for the United Nations
or some government agency in the future."
Maël, Homerton College

7
Third Year (Part II)
About the course Results you learn
In the third year, there are more than 35 lecture courses, • θ = 2 arcsin 31 is the angle of the wake made by
and a Computational Projects course. As in the second a ship or a duck, which is derived in the Waves
year, students decide how many courses to take: usually course.
three, four or five a term. Again, there is no fixed number for
examination purposes. • The Einstein equations
1 8πG
The courses include some whose content may be guessed Rab − Rgab = 4 Tab
2 c
at from the titles, such as:
are solved in General Relativity.
• Number Theory,

• Coding and Cryptography, • The Prime Number Theorem, discussed in the

Number Theory course:
• Mathematical Biology, x
π(x) ∼
• Cosmology, log x
approximates the number of prime numbers less
• Logic and Set Theory,
than a given number x.
• Principles of Statistics,
• In Coding and Cryptography, the RSA, which is
• Waves one of the first public-key cryptosystems, is derived:

and some whose content remains obscure unless you know c ≡ me mod n m ≡ cd mod n .
about these things: • The Riemann hypothesis
• Galois Theory (advanced group theory in which it is 1
proved that there is no general formula for the solutions ζ(z) = 0 =⇒ Rz = (or z = −2m)
2
of a quintic equation);
gets a mention, but not a proof, in Further Complex
• Algebraic Topology (in which properties of similar Methods.
shapes - such as doughnuts and teacups - are classified);
• Black and Scholes received a Nobel prize for their
• Asymptotic Methods (how functions behave at large celebrated equation
values of their arguments);
∂V 1 ∂2V ∂V
• General Relativity (a theory of gravity); + σ 2 S 2 2 + rS − rV = 0 ,
∂t 2 ∂S ∂S
• Stochastic Financial Models (how to predict which is derived by our third-year students in
unpredictable markets). Stochastic Financial Models.
• Mathematics of Machine Learning (the mathematics • In Quantum Information and Computation,
needed to build classification algorithms, as used e.g. to
1
aid medical diagnosis or for search engines). |ϕi = √ [a|0i(|00i + |11i) + b|1i(|10i + |01i)]
2
Reports are submitted in the third term for the Computational
Projects course. At the end of the year, there are four three- is shown to be the first step needed to achieve
hour exams. quantum teleportation.

“ “If you observe a secondary rainbow in the sky, then that’s

the solution of an Airy equation!". I stole this quote from
Professor Manton. If you find it interesting and would like to
know more, come to the course on Asymptotic Methods."
Yujun, Trinity Hall

8
Fourth Year (Part III) - optional, leading to MMath
Part III is the jewel in the crown of our course. It goes back to 1769, when it was known as ‘The Smith’s Prize
examination’, and is recognised as a world-leading taught Masters course in mathematics and one of the best
ways of preparing for graduate work in mathematics or theoretical physics.
About the course Results you learn
The course is exciting and varied as no other mathematics course. Part III offers around
80 different courses (you would normally choose between six and eight) and often
more than 100 possible topics for the optional essay in which students have to review
recent research in an area of their choice. Courses on offer span the whole range of
Mathematics and its applications, Theoretical Physics and Probability and Statistics,
and aim to introduce students to the latest developments in the field, in preparation for
research. Part III provides an essential link in maintaining a buzz of mathematical excite- There are many truly
ment all the way up from first-year undergraduates to research students and academic staff. marvellous equations
in Part Ill of the
Currently around 90 Cambridge mathematics undergraduates stay on to do Part III. They Mathematical Tripos,
are joined by around 160 students from other Cambridge departments, other universities in but the margin of this
the UK, and the rest of the world. With students from many different backgrounds, you will booklet is too
have the opportunity to experience high-level mathematics within a truly rich environment. narrow to contain
them.
Topics at the cutting edge of mathematical research are taught by some of the world’s best
mathematicians, sometimes the very people who introduced them or who have made the
greatest strides in research in the field. Some recent examples among the many courses
offered include:
• Quantum Computation (qubits and other tools to go beyond the capability of any classi-
cal computer);
• Algebraic Topology (using tools from abstract algebra to assign algebraic invariants to
topological spaces);
• Geometric Group Theory (study of algebraic and algorithmic properties of infinite groups
via their actions on spaces);
• Algebraic Number Theory (which lies at the foundation of research such as Fermat’s
last theorem);
• String Theory (which describes elementary particles as excitations of a quantised string);

• Analysis of Partial Differential Equations (an introduction to the modern rigorous math-
ematical study of the fundamental equations in nature);
• Advanced Probability (introducing rigorous analysis of stochastic processes, such as
Brownian motion, ubiquitous in applications of probability theory);

• Category Theory (which studies mathematical structures and the mappings between
them, unifying ideas from different areas of mathematics);
• Advanced Financial Models; • Black Holes;
• Fluid Dynamics of Climate; • Statistics in Medicine.
At the beginning of the third term, after the Easter break, you decide which courses you wish to take to exam.
At the end of the year, there are exams in each of these: some are three-hour, some two-hour.

“The breadth of Part III is truly something special. I was able to take courses on all aspects of
geometry and analysis, ranging from Elliptic PDEs to Characteristic Classes and K-Theory. Then
writing an essay gave me the chance to really delve deep into the area I found most exciting."
Paul, St. Catharine’s College

9
5 Admissions Criteria

Which A-levels?
A-levels are referred to here because the majority of our applicants take A-levels. Nevertheless, note
that
• other qualifications at roughly the level of A-levels provide excellent preparation and are equally
acceptable ( e.g. International Baccalaureate or Scottish Advanced Highers);
• if you are taking the IB new Mathematics syllabus, you should take IB Higher Level ’Analysis and
Approaches’;
• many applicants are accepted every year with a variety of international qualifications.

You can obtain information about other qualifications from [email protected] or from indi-
vidual Colleges or from our web site
www.maths.cam.ac.uk/undergrad/admissions/undergraduate-admissions.
The best advice is to do as much mathematics as possible. The current normal minimum require-
ment for our course is A-level Further Mathematics (or an equivalent qualification). Note that if your
school does not offer teaching for Further Mathematics, you may be able to get help from the Advanced
Mathematics Support Programme (amsp.org.uk/).
If a choice of mathematics topics in Further Mathematics is available to you (and we recognise
that for most of you there will be little or no choice of which topics you study at school), it is best (from
the point of view of our course) to take as much pure mathematics and mechanics as possible, in
preference, say, to statistics.
Our course contains a significant component of Theoretical Physics in the first and second years; in
the third year there is even more but you can avoid it completely if you want to. Nevertheless, you
should not worry if you are not taking A-level Physics because we teach Theoretical Physics courses
from scratch. You should also not worry if you have not enjoyed Physics much so far, because we teach
Theoretical Physics courses from a mathematical point of view. However, some of the material in the
A-level Physics course does provide useful background for our course. For those students who have not
had the opportunity to study much mechanics, we offer a short non-examinable course, ‘Introduction to
Mechanics’, intended to provide catch-up material.
As for other A-level or AS-level subjects, you should just choose the subjects you enjoy most.

STEP
All Cambridge Colleges normally include Sixth Term Examination Papers (STEP) grades in their condi-
tional offers, a number of other universities, for example Warwick, Imperial College, UCL and Durham,
also use STEP as part of some of their offers, and many other universities recommend that their math-
ematics applicants practise on past papers as preparation for university-style mathematics.
You can sit STEP examinations in centres in the UK and abroad (which can often be your school).
The reasons Colleges like to make offers involving STEP are:

1. STEP is an excellent predictor of success in the Mathematical Tripos, partly because the ques-
tions are less standard and less structured than, for example, A-level questions, which helps to
distinguish between ability (or potential) and good teaching.
2. Preparation for STEP also serves as useful preparation for our course.
3. The STEP marks and the scripts themselves are available for inspection by College staff. This
means that it is possible to make allowances for a near miss and to make judgements on the
actual work rather than on just the marks or grades.
4. STEP is the same examination for all applicants (whatever qualifications they may have studied
for). In a year when some examinations may still be teacher-assessed and awarding levels are
uncertain, STEP provides a fair comparison across the board.

10
You may find STEP a bit daunting at first, especially if your school does not offer any help with it, but
you should not be worried. Many students who did well in STEP did not have any help. Here are two
important pieces of advice (and see Appendix A for more), and a fact that may surprise you:

• Do not worry if your school is not able to provide help “STEP can seem impossible,
with STEP. but with enough preparation
There is plenty of material with which you can help yourself it becomes do-able"
freely available online, and many students who have done Matthew, King’s College
well in STEP didn’t have any help from their school. The
best preparation for STEP is to work through past papers. To
“The main challenge for me
this end, the University of Cambridge provides many free re-
was the STEP exams after
sources and other support, including an online STEP Support
I had my conditional offer. I
Programme, all available through https://maths.org. Much
spent the summer waiting for
useful advice and specific hints are available to guide you if
results convinced that I
you get stuck.
hadn’t got in. The marking is
more generous than you
• Do not worry if the STEP questions seem difficult.
may expect so I met my
STEP is supposed to be difficult: it is aimed at the top few offer, and the experience left
percent of all A-level candidates. It is therefore important to me far better prepared for
adjust your sights when tackling a STEP paper. The questions the pressure of the Tripos
are much longer and more demanding than A-level questions exams." Josh, King’s College
(they are intended to take about 30 minutes, rather than the
10 or so minutes for an A-level question). They therefore look
daunting; but you should not be daunted. “As a foreign student, my
school didn’t offer support for
• Every year, about a third of our places are filled by appli- STEP - the book that got me
cants who have missed their STEP grades through was Stephen Siklos’
STEP is an important part of our conditional offer and it en- Advanced Problems in
ables us to compare applicants directly. However, Colleges Mathematics, freely available
use all available information together, existing and predicted online. When I started
grades, school reference, personal statement, performance at revision, I wasn’t even able
interview, and the actual STEP scripts, taking individual con- to answer most questions on
text into account, to form a picture of each applicant. In this STEP I. So don’t panic, and
way we are able to make allowances for many applicants who practise regularly! " Alex,
miss their STEP grades. Clare College

“Don’t let anybody tell you STEP is something ‘you can either do or you can’t’. It might seem
impossible at first but it’s like anything else and the more you practise the better you get."
Katie, Murray Edwards College

Finally, if you are from a non-selective UK state school that offers no help with STEP preparation, and
you hold a conditional offer to read mathematics, you may qualify for STEP workshops provided by
Cambridge University. Eligible students will be sent an email with details after they have received their
offer.

Gap Year
Only a small minority of our mathematics students take a gap year. Although in many subjects the extra
maturity gained from a gap year is a great asset, in mathematics this has to be balanced against the
danger of going ‘off the boil’. If you do take a gap year, then you should plan to keep up your mathe-
matics in some way if possible, and you should certainly get back into good practice (for example, by
working through past STEP papers) before you start the course. Some Colleges are more encouraging
than others to those wishing to defer entry, and Colleges realise that mature applicants will have had
‘gap years’ for a variety of reasons during their lives before applying to university: see section 7.

11
6 Admissions Process

College Offers
Admissions are handled entirely by individual Colleges. Most applicants name a College on their appli-
cation form but you may instead make an open application, in which case you will be allocated a College
on the basis of the number of mathematics applications per available place in each College.
All Colleges look for talented mathematicians who have a deep interest for the subject. Colleges assess
applicants using a combination of many different criteria, allowing them to show strength in a range of
areas. They achieve this by each using a slightly different style of assessment, which includes interviews
with specialists in both pure and applied mathematics, and mathematical problems at time of interview.
As in previous years, we continue to use STEP as part of our conditional offer. We believe that STEP
provides excellent preparation for university mathematics here and elsewhere.
Typical offers across Colleges are broadly the same, normally A*A*A at A-level plus conditions based
on STEP papers 2 and 3 (with often at least a grade 1 required in both STEP papers). However, in
order to take into account the background of individual applicants, Colleges are willing to be flexible
in both assessing candidates and making offers. In particular, in the case of applicants from groups
that are currently under-represented at Cambridge1 , or those who have had to overcome significant
educational disruption and/or socio-economic disadvantage, some Colleges2 may make an A-Level
applicant a ‘flexible offer’: this is an offer which will be met if applicants achieve either A*A*A with at
least grade 1 in STEP 2 and 3, or A*A*A* with at least grade 1 in just one of the two STEP papers taken.
If you are made a conditional offer and you do not quite fulfil the conditions, you may still be accepted
by your chosen College; otherwise, you may be pooled and your application will then be considered by
other Colleges.
All Colleges encourage applications from well-qualified applicants from groups that are currently under-
represented and/or disadvantaged.
In any case, the common features of the admissions process are:

• All Colleges are prepared to be flexible to meet the needs of individual applicants.
• All Colleges like to interview all realistic applicants.
• All Colleges require some information beyond references and A-level grades (or the equivalent
qualification if you are not taking A-levels). All conditional offers for Maths will require STEP to be
taken, and no offer is made without the applicant having been interviewed.
• All Colleges assess applicants by considering all available information as a whole (for example
a single bad grade or weak reference will not in isolation mean you do not get an offer). Inter-
views are intended to complement and explore the data provided by exam grades, application
statements and references.

The two mature Colleges (Hughes Hall and St Edmund’s), which admit only students who will be 21 or
over on the 1st of October of the year they start, have particular expertise in assessing non-standard
qualifications and different paths to higher education, and tend to be more flexible. Their admissions
procedures reflect this, for example by accepting candidates for interview at an additional round in
March. However, they still aim to admit only candidates for whom the course is suitable, and require
evidence of a high level of mathematical ability.

1 Details of currently under-represented groups are detailed in the University Access and Participation Plan available at
apis.officeforstudents.org.uk/accessplansdownloads/2024/UniversityofCambridge_AP_2020-21_V1_10007788.pdf
2 Downing, Emmanuel, Fitzwilliam, Girton, Jesus, King’s, Lucy Cavendish, Newnham, Robinson, Sidney Sussex, St. John’s,

Trinity Hall.

12
The interview
Interviews form an important part of our selection procedure.
Don’t worry, and especially do not listen to the hype about Oxbridge interviews that circulate on some
social media! There are no trick questions. The main purpose of the interview is to see how you think
about a mathematical problem.
Useful things to know about the interview process: “I was scared, but the
interviewers made me
• Interviews take place in early to mid-December. If you’re invited for
feel more confident."
interview, your College will send you a letter around mid-November.
Matthew, King’s College
• You’ll normally be given two interviews, sometimes three especially
if you’re applying for Maths with Physics. “There was no nonsense
about what books I’d read
• An interview will typically last for about 20 to 40 minutes. You’ll be
or whether I’d got my
told in advance how long your interview will be.
bronze Duke of
• Interviews are conducted in an informal atmosphere. Just wear Edinburgh, we got
something you’re comfortable with - we’re only interested in your straight to the maths."
mathematical potential! Nick, Christ’s College
The best ways of preparing for interview are:

• Practise lots of maths problems, including material from the STEP

Support Programme foundation modules at “I panicked a lot at the
https://maths.org/step/assignments, but also maths quizzes start of my first interview
and fun problems from websites such as but the interviewers were
www.cut-the-knot.org/. really nice and prompted
me in the right direction.
• Practise sketching functions. The main thing to
remember in the
• Practise solving problems saying aloud to a friend or parent what interviews is to think out
you’re doing (so you’ll be used to saying aloud what you’re thinking loud, so they can see
during the interview). your thought processes
• When looking at mathematical statements and problems, practise even if you have no idea
asking yourself questions such as: “What if ...?" (for example what how to solve the
if, instead of all natural numbers in this problem we look at only question."
even numbers?), or “Can this be extended ...?" (for example, some- Ellen, King’s College
thing valid for a particular function, which happens to be an even
function, can it be extended to all even functions? Yes/no - why?).

Which College?
Your choice of College is quite separate from your decision to study mathematics at Cambridge, and is
in many ways secondary with respect to this: often your choice will be based on factors such as the size
or situation of the College, sporting or musical facilities, and other personal preferences. The University
Undergraduate Prospectus includes a section about the Colleges (www.undergraduate.study.cam.
ac.uk/colleges), which contains a substantial amount of useful information and will help you choose a
College.
If you are not made an offer by your chosen or allocated College, your application may be made available
to all the other Colleges in the Winter Pool. Every year many applicants for Maths are ’pooled’ and a
substantial proportion made offers by other Colleges
More information is provided in the table on the next page. For further details, you should get in touch
with individual Colleges directly (enquiries are welcome) or consult their web pages: a convenient
central access point is the Faculty page (maths.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate-admissions).

13
7 Admissions Data
The following table gives some information which you may find useful. Last year, about 1600 students
applied for the roughly 250 places allocated to Mathematics; about 500 conditional offers were made,
about 150 of them to pooled applicants.

COLLEGE No. of places Applications Attitude to Using

per year per place gap year flexible offer
Christ’s 8 – N NO
Churchill 14 ↑ N NO
Clare 10-12 – DU NO
Corpus Christi 6-8 – DU NO
Downing 5 – DU YES
Emmanuel 11 – DU YES
Fitzwilliam 8-9 – N YES
Girton 10 ↓↓ DU YES
Gonville & Caius 10 – DU NO
Homerton 10 ↓↓ EI NO
Jesus 7-9 – N YES
King’s 10 ↑↑↑ N YES
Lucy Cavendish 6 N/A** N YES
Magdalene 5 – D NO
Murray Edwards 6 ↓↓ N NO
Newnham 6 ↓ N YES
Pembroke 8 – N NO
Peterhouse 8 ↓ DU NO
Queens’ 14 – E NO
Robinson 6 – N YES
St Catharine’s 8-10 – D NO
St John’s 14 – EI NO
Selwyn 6 – N NO
Sidney Sussex 6-8 – N YES
Trinity 40 – N NO
Trinity Hall 6 – N YES
Hughes Hall* N/A N/A N/A NO
St Edmund’s* N/A N/A N/A NO

Note that that the number of places per year in this table is the target intended for next year, and
applications per place is an average based on recent history.

* Hughes Hall and St Edmund’s only accept ’mature’ students, i.e. students who will be 21 or over. The
number of mature applicants in mathematics in any given year is small, so entries in this table would not
convey useful information. By definition mature students have had ‘gap years’ for a variety of reasons
at some point in their lives before applying to university.
** Lucy Cavendish College accepted only mature students until 2020. Following a major change in
admissions policy, the College is now accepting applicants from the standard university age, so average
applications per place based on recent history would not be representative.

Key:
Number of applicants per place Number of applicants per place for Mathematics compared with the
average (of about 5.8) for all Colleges: much higher ( ↑↑↑); higher (↑↑); slightly higher (↑); about
the same (−); slightly lower (↓); lower (↓↓).
Attitude to gap year Attitude to deferred places (i.e. a gap year): Discourage, Discourage Unless you
have something particularly worthwhile/relevant to do, Neutral, Encourage If you have something
particularly worthwhile/relevant to do; Encourage.
Flexible offer see page 12.

14
8 Careers

What Cambridge offers

Mathematics is at the heart of a wide range of careers and underpins many others. A mathematics
degree opens doors to careers in areas as diverse as finance, medical technology, teaching, software
development and many more. Employers greatly value the strong analytical and problem-solving skills
that mathematics graduates have. You will be taught by lecturers whose academic research collabora-
tions and real-life industry experience inform their teaching and directly benefit students. The Mathe-
matics Faculty has a wide interdisciplinary network of industrial, business, governmental and academic
partners. This broad range of connections will enrich your learning as well as your career prospects.

Cambridge mathematics offers you opportunities to broaden your experience. These include:

• Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunities (for 2nd and 3rd year students)
• Post Master Placements (for 4th year students)
• Teaching maths to young students at the Sutton Trust Summer School (for all students)
• Volunteering with the STIMULUS community service programme as a Teaching Assistant in a
classroom (for all students).

Some of these opportunities are competitive.

“My aim was always to work at the interface between biology and
maths. Given that I specialised in pure maths, this was a significant
change, and the Post Master Placement helped enormously to
make this transition as smooth as possible. I received lab training
and designed and carried out experiments, gaining valuable lab
experience."
George, Peterhouse, Post Master Placement at the Sainsbury
Laboratory for plant science

“I spent twelve weeks at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences

through a fully funded internship. My stay included participation in
one of the cruises collecting data offshore, which was a very
interesting experience. I was joined by a large number of interns
mostly from the US and Canada. The people were very friendly and
I enjoyed my stay very much."
Alex, Trinity College, Cambridge Cawthorne internship for
undergraduates - available every other year

Above all, the challenging nature of the work you will do here is the best preparation for any career: you
will develop the ability to think on your feet, be creative, make connections between different topics and
persevere until you crack difficult problems.

“Studying mathematics at Cambridge has helped me in a number of ways. Of course, the specific
subject matter from some courses can be useful. In addition, being able to solve problems and
understand logical arguments is an important skill. But also, the experience of having to deal with
difficult work, not always with a clear path forward laid out, has been an important grounding for real-
world work. It has made me relish tackling situations where the best course forward is not obvious
and a combination of creativity and hard work is called for." Tim, Trinity College

15
What some of our former students say
Understanding diseases using machine learning
‘I joined GSK in 2016, with a Masters in Computational Biology to comple-
ment the Mathematics BA. Now, nearly 5 years on, I work in a research-
driven machine learning team dedicated to understanding, modelling, and
predicting the complex behaviour of different diseases. Designing good
models requires familiarity with the underlying mathematics, and I regularly
rely on knowledge from a range of my old courses, from Differential Equa-
tions to Statistics to Graph Theory. My maths degree gave me the tools I
need to keep on top of the fast-paced world of machine learning."
Finnian Firth, Emmanuel College, Machine Learning Engineer at Glaxo-
SmithKline

Managing investment portfolios

“Maths taught me how to think. After finishing my maths degree, I went to
Goldman Sachs trading desk, then joined Bayview as a portfolio manager.
The more I advanced my finance career, the more I learned to appreciate
the skills that the maths degree at Cambridge equipped me with. Not only
do I apply the maths modelling knowledge daily, but I also leverage my
analytical and critical thinking whenever I navigate uncharted waters. The
rigorous logic training gave me the tool to learn new knowledge, the ability
to find novel solutions, and the confidence to take on new challenges."
Zhu Gong, Lucy Cavendish College, Head of European ABS at Bayview
Asset Management

Doing a PhD in Algebraic Number Theory

“The Cambridge maths course is challenging, exciting and rewarding – it
teaches you to learn and more importantly enjoy a lot of beautiful maths,
and has given me the perfect platform to start a PhD and career in research.
During my time there I met people from a huge variety of backgrounds and
interests, as well as friends who I will keep for life!"
Muhammad Manji, Trinity College, PhD student in Algebraic Number
Theory at the University of Warwick

Developing software to analyse financial risk

‘After graduating in 2020, I now work as a data scientist in a Risk Technol-
ogy team at Morgan Stanley. My job varies from coding to analysing trends
and I use the problem solving skills from my maths degree every day."
Anna Neely, Murray Edwards College, Technology Associate at Morgan
Stanley

Making AI work for us

“After graduating in maths from Cambridge, I did a PhD in Physics at Queen
Mary University of London, then I switched into AI, working in industry, be-
fore going back into academia, with postdocs in Montreal and Oxford. Most
recently I joined DeepMind, where I now work as a Research Scientist. My
research is focused on how to correctly specify what we want an AI system
to do. It involves a mixture of maths, computer science, statistics and phi-
losophy. My maths degree is the foundation of all of my research - I think it
can provide students with the ability, outlook and confidence to tackle chal-
lenging mathematical problems across the sciences"
Zac Kentonn, Emmanuel College, Research Scientist at DeepMind

16
Developing machine learning models for text
“Two years after graduating from Part III, I now develop machine learning
models for text at AstraZeneca. This is a really exciting time, as I am a part
of introducing this new, disruptive technology into a careful and regulated
industry. I notice the value of my maths degree everyday: we were trained
to have a sensitivity for hidden assumptions, the creativity to propose new
ones, and the skill to work out the outcome, which is useful for designing
machine learning systems, coding, and even big project meetings. Also,
being a maths graduate means the symbols in machine learning papers
are nothing to fear!"
Khyla Kadeena-Miller, Trinity College, Data Scientist at AstraZeneca

Communicating science news to a non-specialist audience

“Going into journalism after doing a maths degree always felt like an odd
move. I knew I’d be competing with lots of people with what seemed to me
to be far more appropriate degrees. I was dead wrong; the media is well
aware that there are too few science-literate people in the business, and we
are in demand. I didn’t start by covering science. In the course of my career
I’ve been sent to the top of Mont Blanc and to two different swingers’ clubs.
I’ve also been arrested in three different countries, only once for espionage.
Eventually, though, science called me back. I’ve spent ten years happily
covering the most exciting subject in journalism - including, in 2017, being
sent back to my old department to interview Stephen Hawking."
Tom Whipple, Churchill College, Science Editor at the Times
Working as an actuarial consultant
“After graduating from Newnham College, I am now working as an actuar-
ial consultant and studying towards the actuarial professional qualification.
At work, mathematics comes everywhere in modelling and calculations for
client deliverables. A Maths degree has allowed me to obtain good problem
solving skills which greatly help my effectiveness and efficiency working as
a consultant."
Ruby Zhao, Newnham College, Actuarial Associate at PwC

Building open-source tooling for the data ecosystem

“I help build and implement open-source libraries and tools for the data
ecosystem, helping data engineers, scientists and researchers around the
world democratise cutting-edge data analytics. I’ve also helped our teams
use these tools for various projects, of which my favourite was building a
self-learning driving agent to help a Formula E racing team win. The an-
alytical and problem-solving skills I picked up during my maths degree at
Cambridge come into play every day, but some of the more specific courses
I’ve taken, like Bayesian inference are often directly applicable to my work."
Zain Patel, King’s College, Software Engineer at QuantumBlack

Developing and evaluating climate models

“Thirty years after going up to Cambridge to read Maths, I am now a science
fellow at the Met Office leading a group of scientists working on modelling
the global ocean and the shelf seas. I am also a coordinating lead author of
the Ocean, Cryosphere and Sea Level Change chapter for the IPCC Sixth
Assessment Report. My work has included managing people and projects,
publishing research papers and briefing government departments, but my
maths degree underpins every aspect of my work."
Helene Hewitt, Fitzwilliam College, Science Fellow at the Met Office

17
Appendix A STEP
This section is intended to give you more information about the Sixth Term Examination Papers (STEP),
and the resources available to help you prepare for it, in addition to what, as already mentioned, is
available at https://maths.org/step.

The Admissions Testing Service, which administers STEP, has a STEP website at
www.admissionstesting.org/for-test-takers/step/about-step/
and maintains a technical e-mail helpline via an online form at
support.admissionstestingservice.org/hc/en-gb/requests/new;
or you can call 01223 553366.

STEP papers are taken in June. They fit in the time-line for applications as follows (you should check
the exact dates yourself).

• 15 October: deadline for UCAS applications.

• December: interviews (you will be invited for interview unless we believe that our course is not
suitable for you).
• January: conditional offer letters sent.
• Early May
• June: STEP examinations. You sit the papers specified in your conditional offer (see below);
you can sit a paper or papers not specified in the conditional offer (if, for example, required or
recommended by another university).
• Mid-August: STEP results (at the same time as A-level results).

There are two mathematics papers, paper 2 and 3 (paper 1 was discontinued in 2020; past papers
are still available, though, and they are useful initial preparation for STEP 2 and STEP 3). Each paper
has 12 questions: 8 pure, 2 mechanics and 2 probability, and you are assessed on 6 questions (the 6
questions best answered). There are five grades: S, 1, 2, 3 and U.
Your Cambridge offer will normally be based on grades in STEP 2 and 3.

The syllabus for STEP 2 is based on A-level Mathematics plus AS Further Mathematics.
The syllabus for STEP 3 is based on a ‘typical’ Further Mathematics A-level syllabus, with the pure
mathematics content based on the Further Mathematics core syllabus. Full syllabus specifications can
be found on the Admissions Testing Service website above.

If STEP clashes with one of your other exams, then you should contact the exam officer at your school/-
college. You can also check online at
support.admissionstestingservice.org/hc/en-gb/sections/360006564652 what to do in such a
case.
If you live in the UK, you should be able to sit the STEP examinations at your school. If you live
abroad, it is still possible for you to sit STEP at your own school, provided your examinations officer is
happy to administer the test. This may involve setting up the school as a CIE (Cambridge International
Examinations) examination centre: see
www.admissionstestingservice.org/administering-our-tests/become-a-test-centre/;
further information can be obtained from the STEP e-mail helpline (see above). Alternatively, you can
sit the examination at a British Council office, or the STEP helpline may be able to advise you of a
nearby school in which candidates are taking STEP papers, and you can also use their online search
at www.admissionstestingservice.org/find-a-centre/ to find a centre, in the UK or abroad, where
you can sit your STEP exams.
You can find answers to most other questions you may have about STEP at
www.admissionstesting.org/for-test-takers/step/faqs/

18
Section 5 carried two important pieces of advice:

• Do not worry if your school is not able to provide much help with STEP.
The University of Cambridge provides a wealth of mathematical resources designed to develop
your problem-solving skills, mathematical confidence and mathematical thinking, and some specif-
ically designed to help you prepare for STEP:

 An online STEP support programme, at https://maths.org/step, to help potential

university applicants develop their advanced problem-solving skills and prepare for sitting
STEP Mathematics examinations. This includes:
∗ foundation modules to gradually build up your confidence with STEP questions at
https://maths.org/step/assignments
∗ topic notes to support your preparation for A-level at
https://maths.org/step/level-notes
∗ videos showing worked solutions to past STEP questions at
https://maths.org/step/videos

 An NRICH site intended to help students to prepare for studying mathematics at university:
nrich.https://maths.org/advancedps This is an accessible and structured introduction to
advanced problem solving, which will help build confidence, fluency and speed. An excellent
starting point.
 STEP questions with solutions at Underground Mathematics, available at
undergroundmathematics.org/step. Underground Mathematics offers free resources to
support the teaching of A-level mathematics, as well as selected past STEP questions with
fully worked solutions and explanations.
Further free resources:

 Advanced Problems in Mathematics: Preparing for University is a combined and

much improved version by Stephen Siklos of his two previous booklets on STEP problems:
Advanced Problems in Core Mathematics and Advanced Problems in Mathematics. It is
free to download from www.openbookpublishers.com/product/1050. It has past
papers, hints, full solutions, and much useful advice.

 The Admissions Testing Service has past papers (with some hints and solutions), available
from www.admissionstesting.org/for-test-takers/step/about-step/
 The MEI website at mei.org.uk/step-aea-solutions has full solutions to the papers for
1996 to 2019, to guide you if you get stuck.
You can get tuition support and much more when studying Further Mathematics, whether in a
school/college or by yourself, from the Advanced Mathematics Support programme:
amsp.org.uk/

• Do not worry if the STEP questions seem difficult.

As mentioned previously, STEP is supposed to be difficult and you need to adjust your sights
when tackling a STEP paper. It is also worth repeating: the questions are much longer and more
demanding than A-level questions and you are only expected to answer a few of them.
You may be interested to know the exact borderlines in terms of marks. They vary from year to
year, since the marks are not scaled to fit pre-stated borderlines (such as UMS marks at A-level).
Here are some examples (questions are marked out of 20); more information can be found on the
Admissions Testing Service STEP website.

2017 S/1 1/2 2/3 2019 S/1 1/2 2/3 2021 S/1 1/2 2/3
Paper 2 101 80 69 Paper 2 90 68 55 Paper 2 92 67 54
Paper 3 95 69 57 Paper 3 77 57 48 Paper 3 89 67 54

As you see, the grade borderlines can vary significantly from year to year, depending on how hard
the paper turns out to be. However, the standard required for the different grades does not vary.

19
This guide is intended for students who are considering applying to Cambridge to study the undergrad-
uate Mathematics, or Mathematics with Physics, course starting in October 2023.
The information contained here is only a rough guide. Further general information about admissions
can be found in the University Undergraduate Admissions Prospectus obtainable online at
www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/
or from
Cambridge Admissions Office, Student Services Centre,
New Museums Site, Cambridge, CB2 3PT
(telephone (+44) (0) 1223 333 308, e-mail: [email protected]),
or from individual Colleges.
Further information about the mathematics course can be found in the leaflet Guide to the Mathematical
Tripos (undergraduate course in mathematics) obtainable from
www.maths.cam.ac.uk/undergrad/course/
or from
Undergraduate Admissions, Undergraduate Office, The Faculty of Mathematics,
Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA
(telephone: (+44) (0) 1223 766879; e-mail: [email protected]).
All the documentation is available at
www.maths.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate-admissions
The pages of the individual Colleges can also be accessed from this site.

We hope that you have found this information useful, but let us know if you have any questions
which are left unanswered.

Our contact:
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44(0)1223 766879

Undergraduate Admissions,
Faculty of Mathematics,
Centre for Mathematical Sciences,
Wilberforce Road,
Cambridge CB3 0WA,
United Kingdom

May 11, 2022

20