Lucy Cavendish College Offer Holders' Page 2024

Ahead of A-level results day on Thursday 15th August, please read the below for some important details about how we will communicate decisions. Please ensure you read this information very carefully, and email us if anything remains unclear. 

Communication from us

Where offer holders have either met their academic conditions, or have missed them by a significant enough margin that they fall below the minimum entry requirements for the University, they will receive an updated decision at UCAS on the morning of Thursday 15th August. They will also receive an email containing an attached letter that communicates the decision.

Where offer holders have narrowly missed the terms of their offer, they will not see an updated decision at UCAS straightaway on Thursday morning. Please do not be immediately concerned if you find yourself in this position. It is routine for offer holders who have narrowly missed their offer from us to be placed in the Summer Pool, which means that they continue to be under consideration by Lucy Cavendish, as well as other Colleges. If this happens to be the case for you, then we will provide full information to you in a letter on Thursday 15th August. If an offer holder in this position has also missed the terms of their Insurance Choice, then we would communicate with them to check if they would rather be released into Clearing straight away.

You may also not see an update if you have yet to meet the non-academic conditions of your offer, such as your Financial Guarantee or English Language requirement. We will also clearly communicate this you in our letter to you.

Communicating with us

We appreciate that results day is a very nerve-wracking experience during which emotions can, understandably, run high. In order to best support you on this day and to facilitate the smooth running of our communications, please allow us to outline some important rules:

·         According to UCAS regulations, we can communicate with you or your UCAS referee only.

·         If you wish to contact us, you must do so over email. We are not able to take any phone calls over the entire confirmation period, which covers 15th-20th August inclusive.

·         If your referee wishes to contact us, they must also do so over email.

·         We will not be able to respond whatsoever to communication from anyone who is not you or your UCAS referee. This includes parents/guardians.

What if I’ve narrowly missed the terms of my offer?

Under these circumstances, it is very helpful to know how close you are to meeting the terms of your offer. If your school is able to provide or procure from the exam board a full breakdown of your marks, including grade boundaries, please send these to us by email as soon as possible.

What if I want to go for a remark/appeal?

Under UCAS regulations and procedures, we are obliged to process a rejection on any student who has missed their offer condition by a significant margin, such that they can be released to their insurance choice (if any) and can begin making arrangements with them.

However, this does not preclude you from going ahead with a remark/appeal. Please inform us as soon as possible if you intend to pursue an appeal or remark. Should this remark or appeal result in you meeting the original terms of your offer in full by 31st August 2024, then your application can be retrieved and your place reconfirmed.

We do strongly recommend that you continue to make contingency plans with your insurance choice in the meantime, in case your appeal does not result in the required grades.

Next steps for joining Lucy Cavendish College

Accommodation

If your offer has been confirmed, I am sure that you will be keen to get started with practical arrangements for joining us. We would also kindly ask for your patience at this stage too. Accommodation arrangements will be being finalised, and you will not hear from us until the end of August at the earliest. There is therefore no need to email to check on the status of your accommodation. This is entirely normal for Cambridge. Please remember that your place in our accommodation is guaranteed, so you do not need to worry that you will not be give a room.

Visas

Similarly, if you are an international offer holder who requires a visa, then please allow us to reassure you that your CAS will be in hand. We do not issue the CAS ourselves. This is done by the International Student Office (ISO) automatically, once your place is confirmed. Once the documentation has been prepared and the place confirmed, our role in the visa process effectively ends. We cannot affect the timelines for the CAS being released other than to ensure that we provide all the information ISO needs in a timely fashion.  CAS usually takes around five days to be issued following confirmation of your place, although as I’m sure you can appreciate, this is a peak period for ISO.

Freshers’ digital welcome pack

 We will endeavour to email all our confirmed offer holders in the week beginning August 19th with a digital ‘welcome pack’ which contains essential information related to next steps and arrival. We would strongly encourage you to read all of this guidance thoroughly, especially before contacting us with a query relating to a practical matter. Please also remember that your arrival date at Lucy Cavendish is one week earlier than the start of full time owing to our complimentary and compulsory bridging week. If your place is confirmed, you should make your travel arrangements to allow you to arrive at Lucy Cavendish on Sunday 29th September 2024.

Please see here for a breakdown of important deadlines, please read this carefully and make a note of the deadlines that apply to you:

Cambridge Trust applications

Friday 9th February- application form must be sent to Admissions Team at admissions@lucy.cam.ac.uk.

March- Successful applicants contacted.

Student finance funding

March- Applications for student finance in the UK are expected to open. We encourage Offer Holders who are eligible to make applications to student finance as soon as possible. Please note that when you apply you must enter your campus as Lucy Cavendish College - University of Cambridge. If you enter your campus as just University of Cambridge, your application for student finance may not be processed correctly.

Visas

Spring 2024 - Offer Holders who may require a Visa will be contacted about next steps

• Once you have met all the conditions of your offer (academic and non-academic), you will be issued your CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies) number. You can only apply for a visa once you have this number. CAS are issued from July onwards.

• We cannot provide advice on student visas, so please contact the International Student Office on international.students@admin.cam.ac.uk

• There’s lots of guidance on the International Students website, and the International Student Office will also run guidance webinars in June and July (details will be sent closer to the time). You can also access the International Student Office’s free, confidential visa advice service.

Accommodation

Accommodation preference form - this has now been sent out to all Offer Holders to allow you to communicate your accommodation preferences to us. 

As a student here, you would be guaranteed accommodation for at least the first three years of your studies here. We aim to accommodate all first year students in Main College Site Accommodation. If you wish to find out more about accommodation on offer in College, feel free to browse our accommodation webpages.

Financial Guarantee

All Offer Holders with Overseas fee status must complete and return a Financial Guarantee, which evidences their ability to meet the costs of their course for the full duration. Providing this information also enables us to work with you and support you to fund your studies. The timeline for the Financial Guarantee is as follows:

April - Financial Guarantee form sent to students with Overseas fee status.

1-30th June- window during which form must be returned to Admissions Office.

Financial Information Form

All offer holders with Home fee status will be asked to complete a Financial Information Form. This short form will ask for information on how you plan to fund their studies. This information will have no bearing on confirmation decisions, but will be used to assist us in streamlining student support processes. 

We ask that those who are planning to use loan from the Student Loans Company please apply for this funding before completing this form.

April - Financial information form sent to students with Home fee status

30th June - deadline for completing this form

UCAS reply date

6th June - All Offer Holders must reply to their offer (accept or reject) by this date, or UCAS will automatically reject their offers for them.

Certificates for completed qualifications

1st-30th July- Please ensure you provide copies of your examination certificates relating to any already completed examinations, as referred to in your UCAS application. Examples of certificates we need to receive include:

• Your GCSE / IGCSE certificates (if you took GCSE / IGCSEs)
• Your AS level certificates (if you took AS levels)
• Your Scottish Higher certificates
• Your A level certificates (if you've already taken one or more A levels)
• Your IB Diploma certificates (If you've already taken the IB Diploma)
• Any vocational or extra-curricular qualifications that you mentioned in your UCAS application if they have been formally assessed. 

Please send scans of these certificates to admissionsdocuments@lucy.cam.ac.uk, in a single pdf where possible. In the email please include your full name, UCAS PID, and the course for which you hold an offer.

Meet your English Language condition

31st July 2024- please ensure that you met your English language condition by this point at the latest.

Meet academic terms of your offer

31st August 2024- Outstanding qualifications must be completed and final, official results received.

Bridging Course and moving in

The official move-in date for incoming first year students will be September 29th, as this is when our bridging course will begin.

Important additional information

Receiving results of your qualifications

There are a number of qualifications for which we receive the results directly. There are a number of other qualifications, however, for which the results are not automatically communicated to us. In this instance, it is essential that you inform us of the results as soon as possible, including the official certificates once you receive them. There is more information about these qualifications below.

Exams results we do receive

• AS and A-levels (including EPQs)
• Cambridge International AS and A-level, including Singapore H1, H2 and H3
• Cambridge Pre-U
• International Baccalaureate
• SQA Highers and Advanced Highers
• Welsh Baccalaureate
• Access to HE

Exam results we do not receive

• The vast majority of European qualifications (e.g. the German Abitur, the French Baccalaureate, the Romanian Baccalaureate etc.)
• English language results, including IELTS
• Advanced Placement Tests (APs) and SATs
• Canadian Diplomas
• Hong Kong Diploma
• Indian school leaving certificates
• Australian secondary school certificates
• Degree results

If you are in any doubt, then please ensure you contact us as early as possible.

Results days

• SAT results - more information here
• AP results- July 2024 
• IB results- 6th July 2024
• SQA results- 6th August 2024
• A-level results- 15th August 2024
• Irish Leaving Certificate- August/September 2024

Classics (and MML with ab initio Classical Greek)

Students who do not or will not have A-level Greek or equivalent when they begin their Cambridge course are required to undertake 30 hours of tuition in Greek before arriving in Cambridge. In order to attain the required tuition, students are normally expected to attend the JACT Greek Summer School at Bryanston School (Sunday 28th July to Saturday 10th August 2024). Details of the course can be found at: https://www.greeksummerschool.org   

The Faculty of Classics makes funding available to ensure that all those eligible will receive generous bursaries from the JACT Summer School to cover all or part of the costs.  

If for unavoidable reasons you are not able to attend the JACT summer school, please a) try to make alternative arrangements, and b) contact Dr Rosanna Omitowoju (rso20@cam.ac.uk) to check that any alternative arrangements are suitable and for help or advice in facilitating them. 

Classics 4 Year Course

As a Four Year Course candidate you will be required to attend a summer course in Cambridge running for the first two weeks of September. Please keep 1 – 14 September 2024 free in your summer planning. The tuition, course materials, accommodation and most meals will be free of cost to you. You will be given further details of this course after the confirmation of your place after results in August. If for any reason (e.g. serious travel or visa issues) you foresee that you would not be able to attend this course then please contact the course director, Dr Charlie Weiss at cw322@cam.ac.uk. 

Medicine

Please ensure you return your completed Health Assessment Form and Immunisation Record Form to Occupational Health by the date specific in your offer email.

You will be contacted directly by Student Registry with details of your DBS check.

Veterinary Medicine

Please ensure you return your completed Health Assessment Form to Occupational Health by the date specified in your offer email.

You will be contacted directly by Student Registry with details of your DBS check.

Mathematics

Your registered test centre (usually your school/college) must register you to take STEP by the date specified on this webpage.

You can find out more here about registering for STEP here.  Please ensure you check with your school/college if they are a registered test centre well ahead of the deadline. If your school/college is not a registered test centre, then they can either apply to become, or you can take the exam at another test centre local to you.

You can find key dates for STEP (including when the examinations will be held) here.

We are delighted to welcome you to our campus! 

On your tour, you will be guided around the college grounds and facilities, including the library, the dining hall, and the café. Tours will be led by either a student ambassador or a member of the Admissions Team, and they will be happy to answer any questions you might have about Lucy Cavendish College or Cambridge during the tour. College tours last approximately 30-45 minutes.

College tours are currently all fully booked. Further dates may be added throughout the year, but for the time being we have aimed to provide tour dates within UK school holidays.

Please kindly note that we are unable to offer tours to students who have not booked or arranged a time with the Admissions Team. If you have not yet attended a tour and would like to visit the College, please get in touch with the team at admissions@lucy.cam.ac.uk to see if another time can be arranged. 

Am I guaranteed accommodation?

Yes, you are guaranteed accommodation for the duration of your course as an undergraduate student at Lucy Cavendish College.

How do I apply for accommodation?

You are guaranteed accommodation, you therefore do not need to apply as such.

Please complete our online Accommodation Preference form sent to you by the Admissions Office in April 2024. This form aims to establish certain preferences you may have for the kind of accommodation you wish to be housed in. 

How does the accommodation preference form work?

The online accommodation preference form will ask you the following:

• Your basic details (full name, contact details and course)
• Whether an en-suite or rent price point is most important to you.
• To rank which kind of accommodation you would prefer to be housed in
• Information on any disabilities/additional needs that we should take into account when allocating accommodation.
• Whether you would require all-female accommodation for religious, cultural or other reasons.

Please kindly note that we will do our very best to accommodate your preferences, but it is unfortunately not always guaranteed.

I have completed the accommodation preference form, when will I receive my offer?

You will receive an offer of accommodation towards the end of August once you have met your conditions and your offer has been confirmed.

I didn’t get my first preference accommodation, can I change?

Usually not as all rooms will most likely be allocated.

What will happen if I reject an accommodation offer?

If you decide not to take up your offer of accommodation, please let us know straight away so that the room can be offered to another student. You would then be responsible for sourcing your own alternative accommodation. If you have already accepted your occupancy licence (accommodation contract) then it will not be possible to reject your accommodation.

How will my special accommodation requirements be taken into account?

These will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis taking into account any supporting documentation provided during the Admissions process. We will endeavor to accommodate your requirements, where possible, if supported by relevant evidence.  

We will ask you to tell us about any adjustments required in the accommodation preference form.

If you have flagged up an additional need when applying to University, then Accessibility and Disability Services will contact you between March and July to ask for more information. If you have not disclosed a disability on your application form, then it is still not too late. Please see here for more information about how to share details with the University Accessibility and Disability Services.

Will I be able to select all-female accommodation?

We do have a limited amount of all-female accommodation available, and the accommodation preference form will ask if you require this kind of accommodation for religious/cultural or other reasons.

Why are contracts for nine months?

This enables you to leave all your belongings in your room and not have to pack up and move your things for each holiday period. It also means that you have the flexibility to stay in your room over the holiday if you choose. Students have found this particularly useful during the Easter holidays before exam period.

How would I know what the total rent payment is for the year?

A typical occupancy licence is approximately 37 weeks and 6 days, so you can multiply the daily charge by this to roughly work out how much you would pay over a total academic year. Until you know which accommodation you have been allocated, however, please do bear in mind these will only be rough calculations.

When and how can I pay my accommodation charges?

You will receive notification from the Finance Office after your accommodation offer has been confirmed and the rent charges are payable termly, via your College account. Rent charges are due usually by the end of September approximately but the specific date will be stated on your bill. It is not possible to matriculate unless your all charges have been paid. 

Can I ship luggage from overseas to the College ahead of my arrival?

Unless there are exceptional circumstances then we cannot accept advance shipments as we have nowhere to store them.

Can I store belongings in College over the summer?

There is a limited amount of storage available over summer, which we reserve for international students. International students can ask at the Porter’s Lodge for a form to complete when they need the storage, which will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. We would strongly recommend that you also research storage solutions with external companies, as we cannot guarantee that there will be storage available. Please also note that storage at Lucy Cavendish is used at the owner's own risk.

Can I arrive a few days earlier?

We expect students to arrive in College on September 29th for the Bridging Course. If you need to arrive earlier than this, please contact admissions@lucy.cam.ac.uk as early as possible to discuss if this may be possible.

Do I need to empty my room over the holiday period?

Due to the continuous nature of our occupancy licences, it will not be necessary to empty your room in the holiday periods giving you flexibility over when you come and go. You will be asked for information on when you will be away from College in the holiday periods for health & safety and security reasons.

Can I stay in College accommodation over summer?

Usually not, you will almost always be required to vacate your room a week after the end of Easter term. If you are a Care Leaver, Estranged, or find yourself in exceptional circumstances, then we will work with you to arrange accommodation over the summer, in College accommodation where possible. Please get in touch with the admissions office (admissions@lucy.cam.ac.uk ) if you have any concerns or anticipated needs in this regard.

Can I bring furniture into my room?

No unfortunately this is not possible as your room is already furnished.

Where do I eat?

Breakfast, lunch and dinner is available in College via the dining hall and the Café. Please see this webpage for more information on timings and menus.

You are also welcome to cook for yourself, there is no formal requirement to eat in College facilities.

How does the gym work at Lucy Cavendish?

The College gym can be found on the ground floor in Oldham Hall and access is available from 7am until 10pm with a University ID card. Before using the gym, all users must complete a health questionnaire and undertake a health and safety session with a trained instructor.

Use of the gym is restricted to students, staff and Fellows of the College only. It contains a treadmill, exercise bike, rowing machines, a cross trainer, weights and further multi-gym equipment.

The gym is free of charge to College members.

Can I bring a car with me to College?

University Regulations

All Undergraduates, and Postgraduates under the age of 24, must obtain a University Motor Licence from the University's Senior Proctor before they can either keep a car or motorcycle in Cambridge or get a College parking permit. In order to get a University Motor Licence, students must first see their Tutor and obtain a certificate confirming that they have College permission to keep a motorised vehicle in Cambridge and confirmation that the vehicle will only be parked in approved, off-street parking spaces. It is a serious breach of University rules to own a car without permission.

College parking permits

There is no parking available for students except in exceptional circumstances for those Undergraduate students living in College accommodation and who meet the following criteria:

• Students with certified disabilities affecting their mobility who live in College accommodation
• Clinical Vets, Clinical Medics and CGCM students (undergraduates only) who live in College accommodation

To apply for a car parking permit, students must complete an online form which they will be given access to before the start of term.

Timeline for Accommodation Provision

• Accommodation form sent to offer holders – April
• Provisional accommodation sent out – End of August after offer has been confirmed
• Deposit requested – End of August
• Occupancy licences sent – Early September

General Information 

• See our Fees and Funding webpage for an introduction to funding your studies.
• Schwab and Westheimer Trust - Grants and scholarships for Refugees and Asylum Seekers.
• Scholarship opportunities for displaced students (Refugees and Asylum Seekers).

For students with Home fee status:

• If you are eligible, we recommend that you apply for Student Finance as soon as possible. 
  • Please note that you must enter your campus as Lucy Cavendish College - University of Cambridge. 
  • If you enter your campus as just University of Cambridge, your application for student finance may not be processed correctly. 
• Disabled Students Allowance - if you're eligible, apply for DSA after you've submitted your main student finance application.
• The Cambridge Bursary - to receive the Cambridge Bursary you must apply for UK Government Student Finance and be assessed, but you do not need to take out a student loan to receive the Cambridge Bursary. There is no other application process for The Cambridge Bursary. For the 2024-25 academic year, Lucy Cavendish College students who are also Cambridge Bursary holders in College accommodation will receive a £500 rent bursary.
• OCR Bursary Scheme - for students from the West Midlands. Applications are open until May 7th.
• University scholarships - applications for 2024 will open later in the year, we will email you when they are open. 
• KINShiP Bursary - bursaries for Black women based in London, see webpage for full eligibility criteria
• Stand Alone Guides - support for making an application for Student Finance as a student who is estranged from their parents/family. 

For students with Overseas fee status:

• Funding Opportunities for International Students - read our reference document for more details
• International Disabled Students' Fund
• Singaporean Public Service Commission (PSC) - funding and leadership programmes for Singaporean citizens 

Academic resources:

• ZNotes - Free, student-led resource that provides revision notes, videos and resources for over 30 subjects across various qualifications.
• Isaac Physics - Free online resource to support those studying Physics at A-level (or equivalent)

Other guidance and support:

• University of Cambridge International Student Guide
• University of Cambridge Accessibility and Disability Services - see this website for more information regarding accessibility and disability support at Cambridge. If you have a disability, please complete the service's student information form.
• 'Life as a Cambridge Vet Student' webinar - June 6 - Online event
• Careers In Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Webinar - June 27 - Online event