Thinking of applying to one of our undergraduate courses? Hear first hand advice from our Student Enrolment team.

Applying to study on an undergraduate course can be daunting, but the Institute of Continuing Education has a fantastic student enrolment team to help guide you through the process. We spoke to Student Coordinator, Cally Cardines, about her advice and for more information about the help available.

Please outline the application process.

Applying for a course is a straightforward process. Once you’ve selected your course you can begin your application directly from the course page by clicking the ‘Apply Now’ button at the top right-hand side of the page.

You will  then move through a series of steps asking you to provide information such as your contact information, previous education, and a personal statement. If you’re applying for a diploma, you may also be asked for some additional details.

What support is in place for Undergraduate students when applying? 

As a prospective student, my colleagues and I in the Student Enrolment team will likely be your first point of contact when you explore studying with us. Most of the students we speak to tend to get in touch with us via the website, by filling out a “Contact us” form or by email us directly at enquiries@ice.cam.ac.uk. We also enjoy speaking to students over the phone or on a Zoom call if this is your preferred method of contact. A part of our role here at The Institute is to provide you with the information, guidance and support you need to find the right course.  We will work with you on an individual basis to provide help with a range of topics including financial support, work-life balance, course content information and any reassurance you may need to ensure you’re choosing the course that best fits your needs.

How can you help applicants feel less daunted about the process?

We speak to many prospective students daily who are all at different stages of their lives. It could be their first time studying in a higher education setting, they could be well into their professional career and looking to broaden their knowledge within their current role or thinking about a change in career direction.  We also speak to lots of students who have retired from their professional career and are keen to enrich the next stage of their life with learning. Some students we speak to prioritized raising families and can now dedicate some time to themselves. We love to speak to all prospective students no matter what stage of life you’re at and if you feel like you need extra support, please do reach out to us and we can book in some time to have a call with you.

What can applicants do to best prepare themselves for application?

Ensure you have all your information readily available to include in your application. It is  worth investing some time into thinking about what you would  like to include in your personal statement. Use your personal statement to tell us about your relevant academic, professional and/or life experiences relevant to the course you are applying for. Please share your interest in the course and why you wish to enrol. Our Academic Directors often tell us that they are looking for more than simply stating that you are interested in the subject. You could demonstrate this by sharing ways you have engaged in subject-specific material, such as readings, podcasts, book clubs, volunteering, and workshops, to name a few.  Here is  a link where you can find more useful tips on how to write a great personal statement https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/writing-a-great-personal-statement

If you would like to speak to the enrolment team, you can get in touch via our website, using the contact us button or ‘ask a question’ button on any of our course pages. You can also email the enrolment team directly on enquiries@ice.cam.ac.uk

See our full list of undergraduate courses here and apply today.