Terms of residence (postgraduate taught courses)
Please note this guidance does not apply to the LL.M., PGCE, M.A.St., M.C.L., M.Eng., M.Sci., M.Math., Vet.M.B., Mus.B., B.A., or B.Th. Degree, or the M.B., B.Chir. Degrees - students on these courses should contact their College and/or Department in the first instance if they have queries about the requirement to keep terms for their degrees.
Postgraduate research students can find information about terms of residence and research on the Postgraduate Research Student Information SharePoint site.
Terms of Residence
The University year consists of three terms. Term dates are published on the University's website (University of Cambridge term dates).
Full-term students must complete three terms of study to be eligible for the award of their degree. Part-time students must complete six terms of study.
The submission date shall be determined by the Degree Committee. In setting the deadline, the Degree Committee will take into account the requirement to keep terms.
Students on full-time taught Masters courses should remain in Cambridge for the duration of their course and are required to be in Cambridge for the final element of mandatory assessment which may be submission of the final piece of assessed coursework, a presentation or attendance at a viva.
Full-time students
Full-time students:
- Must spend at least three terms resident in Cambridge in order to be eligible for their degree. For a term to be 'kept' a student has to reside in Cambridge and be actively studying for at least 59 nights in Michaelmas and Lent Terms and 52 in Easter Term. These nights must be between 1 October and 19 December (Michaelmas), 5 January and 25 March (or in any leap year on 24 March) (Lent) and 17 April and 25 June (except for any year in which full Easter Term begins before 22 April, in which case the dates are 10 April and 18 June). Full-time students are expected to be in Cambridge throughout their studies unless they have valid academic reasons for working away from Cambridge.
- Are expected to live within 10 miles of the centre of Cambridge while carrying out research in the University. Students who have good reason to live further away must apply formally for permission to reside outside the University's precincts (via their CamSIS self-service) and all relevant parties must agree that this will not impair their ability to study and to attend the University as required. Students whose research requires them to spend a period of time of more than 2 weeks away from their Faculty or Department must apply formally for permission to work away.
Under particular circumstances approved by the Degree Committee and General Board, MPhil students granted permission to work away outside the University may be granted an exemption of up to one full-time term of residence.
Part-time students
Part-time students have no residence requirements but are required to engage fully with their studies and to attend the University on a regular basis as prescribed by their Department and Degree Committee.
If their research requires them to spend a period of time away from their normal place of residence, they must apply formally for permission to work away.
Hours of attendance and holidays
You are expected to attend according to the basic rules set out for your qualification.
Whilst the University does not officially set rules on the hours of attendance, full-time students are expected to work for 40 hours per week and part-time students are expected to devote pro-rata hours to their study each week for the full duration of the course.. You may wish to study for longer hours but this is not an expectation, as it is important to maintain a good balance between study, rest, and other activities.
Full- and part-time taught students are entitled to take 2 weeks (or pro rata equivalent for part-time) of holiday each year, including public holidays and are expected to arrange their holiday outside of term time so that they continue to engage fully with their studies and attend the University as prescribed by their Department and Degree Committee. You are not expected to study while on holiday. If you receive funding, you should be aware that your sponsor may also set a limit on the number of days paid holiday you can take. Please check carefully the terms and conditions of any awards you hold.
Students whose research is subject to export control should comply with Export Control law if you plan to take controlled materials outside of the UK with you on holiday. The law applies even if you have no intention of using the material that you are carrying, for example on your laptop or phone.
For further information, email the Student Registry at student.registry@admin.cam.ac.uk.
Not able to be resident in Cambridge
Full time postgraduate students are expected to be resident in Cambridge for the duration of their course
If you are unable to be resident in Cambridge, you must make an application, possibly to work away or intermit, whatever is most appropriate to your situation. Your College Graduate Tutor or Departmental administrator is available to advise you if you are not sure what is required.
Part-time students have no residence requirements but are required to attend the University on a regular basis as prescribed by the Department and Degree Committee
Statutes and Ordinances
Information about the regulations for all courses can be found in the Statutes and Ordinances: Chapter VII: Degrees, Diplomas, and Other Qualifications.
For further information, email the Student Registry at student.registry@admin.cam.ac.uk.