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EST.1209
EST.1209
52.2054°N
0.1132°E
cambridge
england
Execute — Enlightenment

UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE MCCIX—MMXXV

From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. The world's third-oldest university in continuous operation.

126Nobel Prizes
31Colleges
816Years
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Hinc lucem et pocula sacraEst. 1209126 Nobel Laureates 31 Colleges816 YearsCambridge, EnglandRanked No.1 UK Hinc lucem et pocula sacraEst. 1209126 Nobel Laureates 31 Colleges816 YearsCambridge, EnglandRanked No.1 UK
King's College
King's College Chapel
Trinity College
Trinity College Great Court
Mathematical Bridge
Mathematical Bridge
Bridge of Sighs
Bridge of Sighs
Fitzwilliam Museum
Fitzwilliam Museum
01 — About the University

A Collegiate research university unlike any other.

The University of Cambridge is a collegiate public research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, it is the world's third-oldest university in continuous operation — born from a dispute between scholars and townspeople at Oxford.

The university comprises 31 semi-autonomous constituent colleges and more than 150 academic departments, organised into six schools. Undergraduate teaching centres on weekly small-group supervisions — an intimate pedagogy shared only with Oxford.

"Hinc lucem et pocula sacra"From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge.
Trinity College
Trinity College — Est. 1546
02 — Explore Cambridge

DISCOVER
CAMBRIDGE

Hover over each landmark to see it come alive. Eight centuries of architecture, scholarship and discovery — each building a chapter in the world's greatest university story.

03 — History

815 Years of Legacy

Cambridge's founding followed scholars fleeing Oxford after a violent dispute with townspeople. From a royal charter in 1231 to cracking the code of DNA — every century has left its mark on the world.

1209

The Founding

Scholars dispossessed from Oxford arrive in Cambridge following a dispute with local townspeople. The nucleus of a new university forms alongside scholars already resident in the city.

1231

Royal Charter

King Henry III grants formal recognition. Rents in Cambridge are set by university custom, establishing it as a formal institution with legal standing and protections.

1284

First College Founded

Peterhouse, the oldest of Cambridge's 31 colleges, is founded by Hugh de Balsham — establishing the collegiate model that defines Cambridge to this day.

1687

Newton's Principia

Isaac Newton, conducting experiments at Trinity College, publishes Principia Mathematica — fundamentally reshaping humanity's understanding of the physical universe.

1953

Structure of DNA

Francis Crick and James Watson, working at the Cavendish Laboratory, reveal the double-helix structure of DNA — one of the most profound scientific breakthroughs in history.

2025

Into the Future

With a £2.76 billion endowment and 126 Nobel Prizes, Cambridge continues shaping the frontiers of knowledge — from artificial intelligence to climate science and beyond.

04 — The Colleges

31 Colleges

Each college is a self-governing institution within the university — managing its own property, personnel and policies. All students are required to hold a college affiliation, making each college a home, not just a classroom.

01
Christ's
02
Churchill
03
Clare
04
Clare Hall
05
Corpus Christi
06
Darwin
07
Downing
08
Emmanuel
09
Fitzwilliam
10
Girton
11
Gonville & Caius
12
Homerton
13
Hughes Hall
14
Jesus
15
King's
16
Lucy Cavendish
17
Magdalene
18
Murray Edwards
19
Newnham
20
Pembroke
21
Peterhouse
22
Queens'
23
Robinson
24
Selwyn
25
Sidney Sussex
26
St Catharine's
27
St Edmund's
28
St John's
29
Trinity
30
Trinity Hall
31
Wolfson
05 — Notable Alumni

Minds That Moved the World

126 Nobel Prizes · 11 Fields Medals · 14 Prime Ministers · 9 Monarchs

Isaac Newton
Formulated classical mechanics and universal gravitation. Conducted experiments at Trinity College.
Charles Darwin
Christ's College alumnus. Developed the theory of natural selection — forever changing our understanding of life.
Alan Turing
Devised the foundational basis for modern computing. King's College alumnus and fellow.
John Maynard Keynes
Revolutionised macroeconomic theory and shaped modern fiscal policy across the 20th century.
Stephen Hawking
Lucasian Professor of Mathematics. Transformed our understanding of black holes and spacetime.
Bertrand Russell
Shaped analytic philosophy and mathematical logic. Nobel Prize in Literature, 1950.
Srinivasa Ramanujan
Made extraordinary contributions to number theory and infinite series as a Fellow of Trinity College.
Ernest Rutherford
Father of nuclear physics. Split the atom. Spent his career at the Cavendish Laboratory.
Salman Rushdie
One of the most celebrated novelists of the 20th century. King's College, Cambridge.
#1

World-Class Rankings

Consistently ranked among the top universities on Earth across every major international framework.

Complete University Guide (2026)
#1
Ranked first nationally — the top position in the United Kingdom.
QS World Rankings (2026)
#6
Sixth globally across 1,500+ institutions evaluated for research impact.
Times Higher Education (2026)
#3
Joint third in the world for teaching, research, citations and industry.
ARWU Shanghai (2025)
#4
Fourth globally, measuring research output and alumni achievements.
CWUR Top Public University
12yr
Top public university in the world for twelve consecutive years.
Nobel Prize Alumni
126
The highest concentration of Nobel Laureates of any institution on Earth.

"Hinc lucem et pocula sacra — from this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge."

University Motto — Est. 1209