Cambridge University is one of the crown jewels of the English university system. It consistently ranks as one of the top universities in the world and welcomes students from around the globe into its 800-year-old academic tradition. The Cambridge system is ideal for hard-working, focused students who are passionate about academics and who crave an intellectual challenge.

Member Colleges

Cambridge University is a federation of individual colleges. Each college has its own tutors, administrators, grounds, residence halls and traditions. While each college monitors students' academic progress and personal welfare, Cambridge University conducts degree examinations, confers degrees, organizes lectures and maintains museums, libraries, laboratories and lecture halls.

The faculties of the university are responsible for teaching and scholarship within their disciplines and provide tutors to students within their disciplines in the colleges. During a supervision, your instructor can help you clarify points from lectures, give criticism on your essays, debate ideas and point you toward research materials. In general, Cambridge colleges restrict Visiting Students to one subject.

Supervisions

The hallmark of Cambridge University academics is the supervision system. The supervision is typically a one-hour meeting between one or two students and the tutor. Supervisions usually meet once a week or every other week, and at the center of the supervision is an essay on a topic the tutor previously assigned. The tutor will lead a discussion about the essay topic in an effort to provide new insights. At the end of the supervision, the tutor will assign a new topic and may offer recommended reading.

Cambridge University organizes formal weekly lectures on myriad academic subjects, and all students at the University, regardless of college, are welcome to attend. Tutors often recommend them as good supplements to supervisions and research.

At Cambridge you'll be expected to do much more work on your own and think more independently than in most other teaching methods. Your tutor is there to guide your studies, rather than to feed you facts and information, and this provides the opportunity for intensive academic study under a unique and prestigious system.

Visiting Students

The IFSA-Butler program at Cambridge University is a Visiting Student program, which means that students are considered full members of both the college that accepts them and Cambridge University. Visiting Students have unrestricted access to all University facilities, including the renowned University Library, and with the exception of varsity sports, they may join any club, association or sport offered at the University or collegiate level. Visiting Students live in housing owned and assigned by their college and eat meals in the college dining hall.