Visiting Students

We are willing to consider candidates wishing to spend a full academic year (October to June) reading for a Part II Tripos - that is, the final year of the course - in the following subjects: Archaeology and Anthropology, Economics, History, History of Art, Philosophy, or, if they are applying from a German University, Mathematics or Natural Sciences (Physics, Chemistry and Biology).

We ask candidates to fill in, as far as they are able, the Cambridge Online Preliminary Application, available on the University Undergraduate Admissions website; to provide a complete transcript of their school and university education to date (a list of the courses taken in their degree so far will be particularly helpful); and to arrange for two of their current teachers to write confidential letters of reference to us independently. They should also enclose a statement about their academic intentions in coming to study for a year at Cambridge, together with (if they wish to read an Arts subject) two of their best recent pieces of written work in English. If they have no work in English to submit, we shall set them some to complete by 1 December of the year of their application.

All successful candidates are accommodated in College during their academic year and are treated in exactly the same way as other Peterhouse Freshers. Visiting Students are usually expected to sit the relevant University examination at the end of the year.

Competition is severe: we have never been able to admit more than one or two students a year, and, in some years, none.

Applications should reach Peterhouse by 15 November of the year before candidates wish to come into residence. Decisions are made by early January.