Cambridge life
From centuries-old architecture to museums and libraries, find out what makes studying in Cambridge so special.
In and around Cambridge Judge
There’s something special about Cambridge. It has the vibrancy and opportunity of a city, but the green spaces and picturesque vistas to bring a sense of calm to your busy time here.
There is no ‘campus’ here. The University is spread across the town, and so the community of students, academics and visiting supporters is always on the move, visible and open for new connections to be formed.
At Cambridge Judge Business School, we’re right in the heart of the action. We are eight minutes’ walk from Kings College Chapel, twenty minutes from the rail station to London, and forty minutes from a major international airport.
Pubs, parks, museums and restaurants are on our doorstep, and history is everywhere you look – from the centuries-old Colleges to our own, grade II-listed grounds. But we’re about more than just buildings and spaces. Cambridge Judge is the people that have marked our place in history.
The Cambridge advantage
From art and literature to music and drama, you’ll find a thriving culture scene in Cambridge. There’s always something going on here – and with around 700 student societies across the University, there’s plenty to get actively involved with, too.
Cambridge is known for its sporting achievements and Varsity competitions, with more than 70 clubs across the University. There are societies for all levels, from beginners to Blues, with activities spanning everything from rowing to rugby, skiing to squash and trampolining to taekwondo.
The annual Sports Fair in October provides a chance to find out more, and most clubs run taster sessions to give you a chance to try them out before committing.
At CJBS, our social club (CBSC) sends a team to the annual MBAT competition every year – a sports contest held near Paris that’s open to all MBA students.
With a history spanning the 11th century to the present day, Cambridge is filled with impressive architecture.
Sir Christopher Wren, George Gilbert Scott and Norman Foster have all left their mark on the city, with standout landmarks such as King’s College Chapel, the Mathematical Bridge and the Wren Library joining historic College buildings that each have their own story.
Step across the road from CJBS and you’ll find Peterhouse – the University’s oldest College, whose library was built more than 400 years ago and whose dining hall dates back more than 700.
Cambridge boasts an impressive number of museums and galleries. Standouts include the Fitzwilliam – housing works by Monet, Titan and Picasso, as well as more than half a million other objects from around the world – and the Museum of Zoology, where specimens discovered by Charles Darwin sit beside a giant whale skeleton. Other highlights include the Centre for Computing History, the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology and Kettle’s Yard; the University’s modern art gallery.
From the Cambridge Footlights to the Amateur Dramatic Club (or ADC), the University is known for its vibrant theatre scene – which has given rise to everyone from Stephen Fry and Emma Thompson to John Cleese and Jimmy Carr.
You can see productions at the oldest University playhouse in the country at the ADC Theatre, or check out one of the College theatres for smaller performances – Downing, Christ’s and Pembroke are among those with their own venues.
Every summer, the acclaimed Shakespeare Festival meanwhile descends on the city, bringing open-air performances to several the Colleges’ gardens. In the wider city, you can catch West End touring productions at the Cambridge Arts Theatre or settle in for a night at the Cambourne Comedy Club, which hosts regular stand-up shows.
At Cambridge, you can find exciting live music venues, attracting both international performers and up-and-coming bands. From indie rock, pub gigs and world music to folk, classical and organ recitals, there is something here for everyone.
You’ll find a number of cultural festivals; the Cambridge Festival is held in spring, and a number of music festivals follow in summer, including the Cambridge Rock Festival, Cambridge Summer Music Festival and Cambridge Folk Festival.
The annual Comedy Festival in July is a not to be missed with many Edinburgh Fringe Festival previews and the finest emerging talent in comedy.
You’ll find historic pubs – like The Eagle, where scientists announced they’d discovered the structure of DNA – as well as modern cafes, shops, bars, clubs, cinemas and restaurants.
Market Square is home to a colourful market selling street food, clothes and crafts (Monday-Saturday), continuing a tradition that’s been running since the Middle Ages.
There are lots of special deals and discounts for Cambridge students at various restaurants and cafés, so have your CAMCard to hand.
Cambridge hosts all major high street retailers, alongside independent boutique shops, offering goods you can only find here. Go for a walk in the city centre and explore the historic market square for unique handmade jewellery, arts and crafts, vintage clothes, books and much more.
Don’t miss out on the Mill Road Winter Fair, an annual event that happens on the first Saturday of December. There’s a Food Fair, market and craft stalls, live music, and special offers in many of the shops.
If you’re looking to escape the city, you won’t struggle for options. We’re surrounded by beautiful countryside, with several pretty villages dotting the area and plenty of green space in and around the city.
To the south sits Grantchester Meadows – a popular spot for walking, with flowering fields set on a floodplain around the River Cam. Further out you’ll find several nature reserves, as well as the Cambridgeshire Fens; a vast stretch of marshland covering around 200 square miles.
Back in the city, the Cambridge University Botanic Garden makes for a peaceful escape, while students flock to the River Cam for riverside strolls, olde-worlde pubs and the city’s most famous pursuit – punting.
Living in Cambridge
Whether you’re living in Cambridge for a full year or just visiting on a residential, here are the key things you need to know.
When you’re accepted on to one of our programmes, you’ll be guaranteed College membership (you’ll be asked to give your top 2 choices, and the Admissions Coordinator will arrange the rest).
Most students are offered College accommodation, either on site or at one of the College’s off-site houses. It’s worth noting every College is different; some are more modern, with en-suite bathrooms and other facilities, while others are more historic, embracing the Cambridge traditions.
Demand is high for College accommodation, so it isn’t guaranteed; we encourage you to apply for a place on one of our programmes as soon as possible for the best chance of living in College.
If you’d prefer to live in private accommodation, the University Accommodation Service can help with finding flats.
Cambridge is well set-up for families, and we welcome students coming with partners and children. Some Colleges offer family-sized apartments, giving you a chance to live in a community of other families. Others can’t guarantee accommodation, so it’s worth checking which are the most well-equipped. We can advise on the best options, and help with finding private rentals outside of College if you’d prefer your own space.
The University runs two nurseries, located close to CJBS, as well as various other family facilities, and can provide advice on healthcare, accommodation, childcare and financial support available.
Here are some useful links for students with family:
There are excellent transport links across Cambridge, with bus routes connecting different parts of the city.
London is less than an hour away by train, and a number of other towns and cities are within easy reach. The riverside city of Ely, famous for its cathedral, is 15 minutes away and is well worth a visit, while the historic market town of Bury St Edmunds is less than 40 minutes away.
If you’re looking to go further afield, London Stansted Airport is around 30 minutes away by direct train, with flights connecting you to the rest of Europe.
What’s on in the city
There’s always something to explore here. Find out more about the city and what’s on by visiting:
I chose the Business School because of the rankings, academic excellence, and broad network it offers. Little did I know that by studying in Cambridge I would be immersed in a unique place full of traditions, history and knowledge. Definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience worth living.
The Cambridge College system
At CJBS, we’re part of a University that’s led academia for more than 800 years. Studying here means following in the footsteps of Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawking. It means interacting with some of the world’s greatest thinkers, making friends with the leaders of the future and collaborating with people who share your passion and ambition.
We’re one of the only business schools in the UK to offer a collegiate system, and we have access to hundreds of clubs and societies across the University – helping you extend your network beyond your cohort and make lifelong contacts.
When you’re offered a place on one of our programmes, you’ll be assigned membership at one of the University’s 31 Colleges.
Your College is more than just a place to live. It’s a place to get involved with extra-curricular activities, grow your network beyond CJBS and become part of a powerful community of ambitious students passionate about their subject areas.
Here are some useful links about Cambridge Colleges:
There are more than 700 student societies across the University, offering a chance to network with likeminded people who share your interests – from art and theatre to sports, politics, business and more. Visit the Freshers’ Fair at the start of the academic year to find out more (it isn’t just for freshers!)
Here are some useful links to help you discover our clubs and societies:
Many of the world’s leading academics and researchers have found their home in Cambridge. At CJBS, we’re home to more than 70 faculty members – many of them leaders in their field – with research interests spanning the full spectrum of business, from entrepreneurship to economics, sustainability to business strategy.
As a student at Cambridge Judge Business School, you can taste the University’s whole educational programme. You’re free to attend lectures in any other faculty, many of our own classes are even taught in accommodation in departments across the University.
Several of our masters programmes draw heavily on the expertise of sister faculties, with whom the School shares graduate courses. We work particularly closely with the Faculties of Economics, Engineering and Mathematics, but you’ll be welcomed at lectures hosted by Faculties across the University, from Music to Medicine.
Hear from our students
Our students tell us about what it’s like to live, study and learn in Cambridge.
I think the College experience adds a lot to the Cambridge experience. I think it means that you’re given an opportunity to mix with people from other faculties, other backgrounds, as opposed to the Business School, which is a little bit more obviously focused in one particular area. So that diversity is a definite advantage. It also gives the opportunity to get involved in sports and clubs and societies that you may not otherwise be able to.
So I’ve taken up rowing, which is new for me. And I think a lot of people use the College as an opportunity to get involved in that sort of thing and perhaps things they haven’t done in the past. And it’s also just another network within Cambridge and the ability to sort of integrate with Cambridge itself a little bit better and get a feel for as far as what goes on outside the Business School.
College is basically a place where you eat, you live, and you socialise. And through my College activities, I’ve come to know people from all walks of life as well as different faculties at Cambridge. In my residential flat itself, I’ve met people who are doing their PhD in music, the undergrads in law, and even science researchers.
So in College, we have a lot of activities together. And one of those I really enjoy include the formal nights. So basically, it’s a night we immerse ourselves into the old traditions of Cambridge where we cite degrees in Latin before for our fine-dining dinner.
I think the beauty of the College experience is that you get to mix with people from all walks of life, not necessarily from a financial background. So in choosing a Business School, I thought that it was really important to interact with people also at the other parts of the university. And the College is spread across all sorts of disciplines. So the diversity which the College experience brings is fantastic.
There are lots of sports clubs, societies you can get involved in on the side to meet a bunch of people. And for me, I think one of the best things has been the ability to meet people outside my area of study. So I’ve met PhD students studying archaeology, PhD students studying experimental psychology.
So you meet a wide array of really, really interesting people. I’m not sure if there are other Schools out there that give you that same opportunity. And there are no shortage of settings where you can get to know all these people. So those are definitely the highlights for me of Cambridge.
Why I chose Cambridge Judge for my MBA
I really wanted to feel like a goldfish in an ocean of endless possibilities. And the only way I could do that would be to do a world class MBA and so I looked at classes all over North America and here in the UK. And I decided that Cambridge would be top of my list.
Why Cambridge – number one, the city is beautiful. People don’t understand what I mean, they would think that I would go to London and that I didn’t want to come back here – I love being here.
Cambridge is a vibe. Everybody that comes here realises it, it’s beautiful.
Two, class sizes are really small, so you get extra attention.
Three, educational excellence across the board, you have that access to a wonderful network of persons.
Four, Silicon Fen is here, which is the largest ecosystem of entrepreneurship across Europe and five just because it’s Cambridge.