About

Sidney Sussex is smaller than many colleges, yet it has interesting 17th- and 18th-century buildings, most of which were sadly given mock-Gothic "improvements" in 1832. Oliver Cromwell was a student here in 1616; the Hall contains his portrait, and his head has been buried in a secret location in the chapel since 1960.

Just yards away from busy shopping streets, the college is sheltered from the hubbub by high stone walls. On the eastern side is the chapel with its oak panelling. Left unmarked in the ante-chapel is the final resting-place of Oliver Cromwell’s head! Cromwell was originally enrolled at Sidney Sussex on 23 April 1616, the day William Shakespeare died. He went on to lead the Parliamentarians to victory in the English Civil War. Upon the restoration of the monarchy, Cromwell’s corpse was exhumed and decapitated, the head put on display as a warning to traitors of the realm. The college has unpredictable opening hours. Admission: free.

Information
Founded in 1596, Sidney is a diverse, forward-looking and exceptionally informal community set among elegant buildings and lovely, tranquil gardens right in the heart of Cambridge.

We admit around 105 undergraduates each year and our small size fosters genuine inclusion. Undergraduates, postgraduates and academics alike come to study and live here from all walks of life, all over the UK and the wider world. While we particularly encourage applications from state-sector students and those whose families have little experience of higher education, we are firmly opposed to discriminating in favour of any particular sort of applicant: our outstanding students come from every kind of educational background. Admission is based solely upon academic merit and potential.

Sidney is encircled by the city’s shops, pubs, clubs and restaurants. The faculties and departments are a short walk away. Accommodation is excellent. There is no sharing and all rooms are comfortable, with computer points and ready access to kitchens. Many are en suite. Almost all students live in or very near our main site. Costs are competitive.

e fully expect that you match our guidance and support with your hard work. We demand that our students are resolutely committed to academic excellence and admit only those we believe will not disappoint us.

But being a Sidney student is also about participation. Our sports facilities see enthusiastic use. Music and drama especially flourish: our choir, orchestra, and literary and dramatic societies all receive keen support. Sidney bar is student-run and very lively. This and other common rooms are managed by our Students’ Union. Relations between students, Fellows and staff are notably friendly.

Fact file

UCAS campus code: 3

Courses available: The College does not accept applications for Education Studies.

Open days: 2006 by prior arrangement.

All subjects: 6 April, 5 July, 6 July, 20 September, 21 September
Mathematics 6 May
Student numbers: 340 undergraduates, 190 postgraduates. For men and women.

Master Professor: Dame Sandra Dawson