Physical activity and sport

Cambridge offers extensive sporting opportunities whether you're a complete beginner or a competitive athlete. Participating in physical activities and sport develops many skills, from interpersonal communication to self-management, while providing an excellent way to de-stress and support your wellbeing during your studies.

If you're already involved in sporting activities, use this page and the Skills Glossary to think about which skills you're developing, or evaluate your skills with the Skills Discovery Tool.

Give It A Go

The Give It A Go programme provide weekly physical activities designed for complete beginners, offering one-off sessions that you can easily fit around your studies. These low-pressure opportunities allow you to try new sports for fun, developing your sociability skills, self-regulation and courage to embrace new experiences. There's no long-term commitment required, making it perfect for exploring different activities without pressure.

College sport

Most Colleges offer a range of popular sports, such as football, rugby and netball. These are at the recreational and recreationally competitive level, so you’ll have fun practicing with your team and play matches against other Colleges.

Playing for your College team builds strong teamwork skills, persistence and adaptability as you learn to work effectively with teammates and improve your techniques. College sport often includes social activities and tours, developing your interpersonal skills and creating lasting friendships.

Taking on leadership roles, such as team captain, develops your coaching abilities, skills in motivating others, and planning and organisational capabilities as you coordinate training sessions, matches and team activities.

Rowing is an iconic Cambridge activity – most people won’t have tried rowing before university, so don’t be afraid to go along to introductory sessions. With famously early morning training sessions, rowing develops your time management abilities, collaboration skills and grit. 

Get involved

You can find the sports your College offers through their website, or at a Sports & Societies Fair run by your JCR. Some sports might be intercollegiate, such as the ‘Newbroke’ (Newnham/Pembroke) women and non-binary football team. If your College doesn’t have a team and you want to play at this level, get in touch with the University club for that sport for advice.

University sport

Cambridge has an incredible variety of University-wide sports clubs. Most welcome beginners and people of all abilities, and you can find uncommon sports that don't have College teams. Trying something completely new like Kabaddi or Korfball demonstrates your initiative, willingness to embrace uncertainty, and openness to new experiences.

Many University teams are competitive, and you can attend try outs at the start of the year. Don’t feel you need to be an Olympian to get involved – most clubs have multiple teams for different ability levels. Participating in competitive sport requires commitment, developing your time management and resilience.

The training and competition schedule builds your ability to monitor and adjust your performance and embrace a goal-orientated mindset.

Taking on leadership roles in University clubs, such as Captain or committee positions, involves substantial responsibility. You'll develop advanced leadership skills, accountability, and the ability to serve as a role model for other team members.

Get involved

You can find a full list of University clubs and information about how to get involved on the University Sports Centre website. You find out more about sporting opportunities at the dedicated Sports Fair in Michaelmas, or at the main SU Freshers’ Fair.

Disability sport

There are opportunities for everyone to get involved in sport at all levels, including those with disabilities. The 2025 Sports Person of the Year was Paralympian and PhD student Jan Helmich, and Varsity Athletics, the world’s oldest athletics competition, recently introduced Para-Athletics matches. Read this interview with an elite student athlete who is visually impaired to learn about her sporting experiences at Cambridge.

Get involved

Many sports can be adapted for those with disabilities, and both College and University teams are keen to make their sports inclusive, so don’t be shy to reach out to clubs you are interested in to ask about accommodations. You can also ask for information and support from the University Sports centre or at the Sports Fair. There is a dedicated accessibility hour at this event.

Funding

Many Colleges offer grants for costs associated with taking part in sports, including for equipment and travel expenses to get to competitions. Check out your College website to see what’s available, or reach out to your JCR Sports Officer. Cambridge also offers funding and training for high level athletes. Find more information on the University Sports Centre website.