Our Cambridge admissions consultants provide expert, one-to-one guidance for students applying to Cambridge colleges. From choosing the right course and college to personal statements, admissions tests, and interviews, we support families through every stage of the Cambridge application.
Our consultants, all Cambridge or Oxford graduates, guide your child through course and college choice, the personal statement, admissions tests, and interviews, building the strongest possible application from first consultation to offer.
A Cambridge admissions consultant guides your child through the parts of the application that Cambridge weighs most heavily, and that differ most from a standard UCAS application.
That means the My Cambridge Application and subject-specific assessments, the personal statement, and the supervision-style interview, each prepared for in the way Cambridge expects.
Our consultants are all Oxford or Cambridge graduates who have been through the process themselves. They bring first-hand insight into what admissions tutors are really looking for, and translate that into clear, actionable steps for the applicant.
Why Work With an Oxford Consultant?
The Oxford application is front-loaded and unforgiving
Whether it be the October UCAS deadline, additional registration for admissions tests, written work submissions for some courses, or interviews held in December, missing or underpreparing for any one stage can end an application.
Working with a consultant gives your child a clear strategy and an honest, expert assessment of their chances — early enough to act on it. Our consultants provide impartial advice, candid feedback, and a structured plan from the first consultation through to the offer.
Why Families Choose Us for Cambridge Admissions
Cambridge (alongside Oxford) is the most competitive UK application of all. All our consultants are Oxford or Cambridge graduates, helping your child meet it with confidence.
Oxbridge Interviews
0%
of our applicants to Oxford or Cambridge were invited to interview
Oxbridge Offers
0%
of our Oxbridge applicants received an offer — against a ~21% national average
Our Consultants
0%
are Oxford or Cambridge graduates who know the process first-hand
Years' Experience
0+
supporting Oxbridge applicants across every subject and college
Oxbridge figures based on Ivy Education students supported through our application consultancy, [2015–2026]. National offer rate per published University of Oxford and University of Cambridge admissions statistics.
How We Support Your Cambridge Application
Every student's journey is unique, which is why our Cambridge consultancy is built around individual goals. From course and college choice to the supervision-style interviews Cambridge is known for, our consultants align every stage with your child's academic strengths and ambitions, whether they are applying for the Natural Sciences Tripos, Engineering, or Law.
Course and College Choice
Guidance on choosing between Cambridge colleges, as well as selecting the course that best matches your child's strengths, including the range of Triposes and subject combinations Cambridge offers. We also assist with college selection, considering subject offerings, application ratios, and overall fit. College selection strategy is unique to Cambridge among other universities. Our consultants provide tailored advice for your academic requirements.
Personal Statement Support
One-to-one help planning, drafting, and refining a personal statement that demonstrates genuine, evidenced subject interest: the academic depth Cambridge tutors look for.
Realistic mock interviews that recreate the Cambridge supervision style, run by Oxford and Cambridge graduates — training your child to think aloud and handle unseen material under pressure. For courses that require written work to be submitted, our consultants provide a final review of the entire application before submission to ensure consistency and accuracy.
Cambridge Colleges We Have Prepared Students For
Choosing the right college is one of the most important early decisions in an Cambridge application, and our consultants have guided students towards offers at colleges right across the university.
Donald has over a decade of successful experience advising and tutoring students through applications, entrance interviews and exams for Oxbridge and other top universities.
Oyin is a First Class Law graduate from the University of Cambridge and an admissions specialist. With an MSc Legal Practice Course (Distinction) from the University of Law and current experience as a trainee solicitor at a leading London law firm, she is able to give students an authentic insight into what leading universities, particularly Oxbridge, expect from applicants.
Camilla gives well-informed and thoughtful advice on every element of the university entrance process. She has been advising families on university entrance since 2006, and before that worked for the Access Scheme whilst an undergraduate at Oxford University. Camilla works closely with potential undergraduates and their parents to ensure they reach some of the UK’s most prestigious universities.
Caitlin has been guiding families on university applications since 2012. Caitlin is well placed to navigate clients through the elite US & UK education system due to her own experience at Harvard and King’s College London. She specialises in UCAS, SAT & UKCAT advice and preparation.
University Admissions: Oxbridge, Science, Biology, Geography
, Phoebe also specialises in university applications. She has helped many students navigate the application system, providing mentoring in choosing universities, support with personal statements and interview preparation. Phoebe is very proud that all the students she has worked with have gained offers from their top choice universities, including numerous Oxbridge applicants.
Secondary Education, A Level, Entrance Examinations (13+), SEN
Rob has over eight years’ experience of classroom teaching and private tuition. With an MPhil in Multi-Disciplinary Gender Studies and a BA in Classics from the University of Cambridge, Rob has taught a wide range of ages and abilities across the humanities, and has helped students secure places at top independent schools and at Oxbridge colleges.
Lyndon specialises in both UK & US university admissions, including SAT and ACT preparation. Having studied at both Cambridge and Harvard University, Lyndon understands the intracacies of the application processes, and takes an individually tailored and holistic approach to mentoring his students.
Alex is an expert in helping students navigate the university applications system - and has a wealth of experience, specifically working with potential Oxbridge students in sciences and humanities subjects. This ranges from business management, helping students choose a course and university; to writing a strong UCAS form (including a personal statement); to preparing for any admissions tests or interviews. He's also an accomplished tutor at GCSE at KS4 and KS5 in a range of subjects, including Economics, Business, Politics, and Philosophy.
Saskia graduated from Oxford University in 2022 with a First-Class degree in Maths and Philosophy. Since then, she has balanced a career in classical singing with work in education.
Philip has an exceptional academic background, achieving 4 A*s in A-level sciences before graduating from Brampton Manor Academy, London. He matriculated at the University of Cambridge in 2022, where he is a medical student, and alongside his studies completed a BA in Engineering in 2025.
“Conor was fantastic in helping us prepare for the 7+ assessment. He really understands what’s being tested and knows the process inside out. In just a few months, our son made a huge leap in English, and thanks to Conor we secured an offer from our first-choice school. We’d absolutely recommend him.”
★★★★★
“We’ve had a completely positive experience with Ivy Education; our daughters tutor has been nothing short of brilliant - entirely capable of keeping her on track with kind, yet firm direction when needed. Would highly recommend to any parent needing some accessible & robust support”
★★★★★
“Ivy Education helped me enormously in achieving the A-level grades I needed to secure a place at Durham University (A*AA). Their incredible tutors, support, and top quality feedback allowed me to prepare for my exams in the best way possible, helping me in organising my studies and mastering the topics that I found most challenging, with a particular focus on Chemistry. Their structured and well-suited sessions gave me so much more confidence, and helped me massively. Would 100% recommend!”
★★★★★
“Ivy Education's contribution to my daughter's education has so positive. She's now confident in maths and english. The tutor adapted to her needs (and mine supporting her!) and the Ivy team were responsive. I would recommend them to anyone who needs the flexibility of online learning.”
★★★★★
“We approached Ivy Education to assess our daughter and provide us with detailed feedback on suitable secondary schools and a mapped out timeline to reduce the noise from the school gates and have a concrete practical approach. The whole team was brilliant from communication, the assessment and the meeting with Mrs. Faber. I can highly recommend them if you're in need for more visibility into the British school system and require a tailored roadmap for your child's education.”
★★★★★
“Thank you Ivy Education for putting us in touch with Lizzie for English Language GCSE tuition. Lizzie was brilliant, she helped my daughter understand what was required to improve her grade and assisted with exam and revision techniques. We would highly recommend both Lizzie and Ivy Education.”
★★★★★
“Ivy Education were extremely helpful, and professional in assessing our children and advising re new schools. They have breadth of experience and based on the children’s profile they can make recommendations for the right school for the right child.”
★★★★★
“Our Chemistry A Level tutor (Halima) was amazing. Very diligent and encouraging throughout the whole year. Would highly recommend her. Thank you”
★★★★★
Cambridge assesses applicants more closely than most universities, and on more than grades alone. Alongside the UCAS form, applicants complete the My Cambridge Application, many subjects set a written assessment, some require submitted written work, and shortlisted candidates are interviewed in December. Teaching is built around the supervision, a small-group or one-to-one session, and interviews are designed to mirror that style, testing how a student thinks rather than what they have memorised.
Cambridge's UCAS deadline falls in mid-October, almost three months earlier than the standard January deadline for most universities, and the My Cambridge Application must be completed shortly afterwards. Because so much has to be ready by then, including the personal statement, any written assessment registration, and often submitted work, preparation needs to begin well before the autumn of Year 13. We help students plan backwards from the October deadline so nothing is left to the last minute.
You can either apply to a specific Cambridge college or submit an open application, where the university assigns you to one. Neither route changes your chances of an offer, since Cambridge uses the winter pool to allow strong applicants to be considered by other colleges, but college choice does affect your experience, from size and location to subject provision and atmosphere. Our consultants help you weigh these factors and choose a college where your child is likely to thrive, rather than choosing on reputation alone.
Many Cambridge courses require a written admissions assessment, and the exact format depends on the subject, so it is important to check the current requirement for your child's course on Cambridge's admissions pages. Some assessments are sat before the interview and others at interview. We match students with specialist tutors for their admissions assessment and help them prepare in good time alongside the rest of the application.
Cambridge interviews are academic and designed to resemble a supervision: tutors present unfamiliar problems, texts, or ideas and explore how a student reasons through them aloud. They are looking for intellectual curiosity, flexibility of thought, and the ability to engage with challenge, not polished or rehearsed answers. Our mock interviews, run by Oxford and Cambridge graduates, recreate this style so students learn to think on their feet under real conditions.
Cambridge makes offers to roughly one in five applicants overall, and the most oversubscribed courses, such as Computer Science, Economics, and Medicine, are considerably more competitive still. Strong predicted grades are expected as a starting point rather than a distinguishing feature, so what sets successful candidates apart is usually the strength of their personal statement, admissions assessment, and interview. This is why focused, early preparation makes such a difference.
The winter pool is how Cambridge ensures strong applicants are not disadvantaged by applying to an oversubscribed college. If a college has more strong candidates than places, it can place some in the pool, where other colleges with capacity can consider them, and a meaningful share of offers are made this way each year. Being pooled is a sign a college rated an applicant highly, not that the application was weak. You can read more in our guide to the Cambridge winter pool.
Ideally in Year 12, or earlier for Medicine and the most competitive courses, which gives a student time to read widely around their subject, prepare for any written assessment, and develop a personal statement with academic depth before the October deadline. Early preparation also allows for unhurried college research and proper interview practice. We do, however, support students who begin later in the cycle, and can build an intensive plan where time is short.
Yes. We work with international students applying to Cambridge from around the world, supporting the same stages as UK applicants while also helping with the considerations specific to international candidates, such as qualification equivalences, English language requirements, and sitting admissions assessments in their home country. Our consultants are experienced in presenting an international academic background clearly within Cambridge's admissions framework.
Our consultants include Cambridge graduates who have been through the application process themselves and understand first-hand what tutors are looking for, from the written assessments and submitted work through to the supervision-style interview. They bring direct experience of specific courses and colleges, which they translate into clear, practical guidance for each student. You can read more about the team on our consultants page.
Contact Ivy Education today to arrange a free introductory consultation. Our expert university consultants are ready to provide bespoke advice and guidance for your child’s Oxford University application.
