A significant feature of living in Selwyn - guaranteed accommodation on a single site for the three or four years of the course - is that you only pay rent for the time that you are in residence (usually around 7 to 8 months). Room rents include all utilities and maintenance charges. Living costs are therefore strikingly low when compared to market rates or even those expected at other universities.
In addition to the various types of financial support available to our students through government and Cambridge-wide schemes (student loans, Cambridge bursaries and so on), Selwyn has a large number of grants to help our students including, at last count: travel grants (eight types); course-related grants (seven types); music-related awards (three types); a chapel fund; sports grants; a range of grants for summer vacation projects; and several other miscellaneous grants.
Financing your course
You'll need to have funds for two areas when studying at Cambridge:
1. Tuition fees
Like most other English universities, in 2025 the tuition fees for UK students studying for their first undergraduate degree will be £9,535 per year for all courses (information for Overseas students is below).
2. Other costs
These are whatever else you need to pay for, excluding tuition fees, while you are at university. This will include accommodation, food, personal expenses and there may be course costs/study materials or transport. We estimate that single students need to allow approximately £11,000 per year for living costs (this will vary depending on your lifestyle).
College rents are well below those in the commercial private sector in Cambridge, and also below the average for Universities throughout Britain. Students pay rent for three terms of 70 days each, with a typical weekly rent of around £209, for an ensuite room, including utilities. The actual rent payable varies between £138 and £256 per week, depending on the size and facilities of the accommodation.
The College provides basic kitchen facilities for preparing drinks and snacks, but it is expected that the majority of students will eat in the cafeteria/dining Hall or the cafe-bar.
Financial Support
There is plenty of support available including government student loans for tuition fees and living costs, government grants, the Cambridge Bursary Scheme.
Some support is available to all UK students. Eligibility for other funding depends on your financial circumstances. Please see the university website for details.
International students
Costs include tuition fees, the College Fee and living expenses. You will be required to provide evidence (such as a banker’s reference) of your ability to meet the costs of fees and expenses for the duration of the course.
The financial support available for overseas undergraduate students is limited but at Cambridge this includes Cambridge Commonwealth and Overseas Trusts Awards and country specific awards. Few full scholarships are available at undergraduate level; most support is a partial contribution to your overall costs and is means-tested. Please see https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/international-students for details.