JCR ALTERNATIVE PROSPECTUS 2024
Corpus Christi College Cambridge
You know you want to study at Cambridge, but not sure which College is for you?
Your College will be your academic and personal home at Cambridge for three years, so it's worth choosing the one where you're going to thrive. When it comes to Corpus Christi College, who better to ask than Corpus students themselves?
Scroll through this Prospectus to find out more about what our students say it's like to work, study and play at Corpus Christi.
Old Foundations. New ideas.
Yes, Corpus boasts Hogwarts architecture, centuries-old buildings and Formal Hall dinners. But we're definitely not stuck in the past.
Tight-knit community
Corpus is small compared to most other colleges, so it really does feel like a family. Not only do you quickly get to know other students, but one of the best Fellow-to-student ratio means plenty of contact with the academic staff through regular events like subject dinners or BBQs.
Close to everything
The main College site is in the city centre, just minutes away from not only most of the University departments and faculties, but also from the market where you can buy fresh food and great kebabs, bars and shops. The River Cam is just a few minutes in the other direction if you fancy taking out one of our student punts or joining the Boat Club and trying your hand at rowing.
Space to stretch out
Some of our undergraduates and most of our postgraduates live at Leckhampton, a beautiful 10-acre property just 10 minutes from the main site. It boasts flowering meadows, tennis courts, playing fields, croquet pitches, and its own catering service and bar. It's a fantastic place to picnic, have a garden party, or play a game of five-a-side.
Leckhampton is where we hold our garden parties and barbecues - and if you have a green thumb you could even try growing some of your own veg in the Student Garden.
Nobody is a stranger
What I like about Corpus is that it's really close-knit. There's always someone you can turn to if you have a question or if you need support, so you can focus and get stuck into your studies.
Since its founding, Corpus has had a commitment to diversity. Our student body is proudly 75% from state schools. You'll make friends within and beyond your subject group from all over the UK - and beyond.
Corpus is community
Find yourself at Corpus
Express yourself
Join a choir, study music, sing Gilbert & Sullivan - or just bring your guitar to Chapel and play.
Challenge yourself
Row on the river, play on our rugby and football pitches, hit on our tennis courts, or work out in the gym.
Enjoy yourself
Experience BBQs at Leckhampton, picnics by the river, slacks (parties) in the JCR, or take a Corpus punt on the river.
Hungry minds need feeding
Best chefs in town
Ilias the Head Chef and his team produce delicious vegan, vegetarian and Halal dishes, keep the salad bar stocked, and make their own yummy desserts in-house.
Places to chill
Go underground in The Pelican Bar, which serves light food and drinks all day. Or head out to Leckhampton to enjoy a pint sitting in a deckchair on the lawn.
Insta-food
Our catering and kitchen staff are a friendly bunch who love to show off their work and celebrate events. You'll see them a lot at College - and on Instagram.
Formal Hall
From your very first Freshers' Formal Hall, you soon get used to putting on a gown and enjoying a meal by candlelight in the beautiful Dining Hall (ps BYOB).
Home from home
Old Court
Fancy waking up in historic 14th-century surroundings? Make the magnificent Old Court your new home. Alternatively, choose a view over the rich green lawn of New Court . Or you may take a room in the modern Beldam Building next to the legendary Cambridge pub, The Eagle.
Botolph Court
You might live in one of our hostels, all located within a few minutes of the main site. Sixteenth-century Botolph Court is tucked away on a small street once called Penny Farthing Lane.
Newnham House
Many second-year students choose to live in Newnham House, which has its own common room and kitchens. You can see some of the accommodation we have on offer on our 360 degree virtual tour.
Academic support
Corpus is lucky to have an engaged group of Fellows, many of them lecturers, Directors of Studies (who help guide you through your course) and Tutors (who help you navigate life at Cambridge). One-to-one and small group supervisions bring out the best in students.
You'll learn from leading academics, scientists and researchers, many working on the cutting edge of their fields, whether in arts, humanities or sciences. You might even get a lecture from a Nobel Prize winner!
It's true that a Cambridge degree is rigorous - but the Admissions Team reviews every application carefully and admits those students who have the intelligence and the ability to thrive, no matter what academic opportunities they have had in the past. The Tutorial team and your fellow students are here to help every step of the way.
Looking back on how I was before and how I am now it's absolutely insane; I have learned and grown so much. There are so many people who don't realise they could have the same opportunity that I had. They need to know that Cambridge is available to them.
Revise indoors or out
When you need to hit the books, the Taylor Library is probably your first choice. Built only 10 years ago, it contains the back end of the Corpus Chronophage, with large windows overlooking King's Parade - which are cleverly positioned so that you can see out but the tourists can't see in.
The Taylor is open 24/7, you are welcome to come in your pyjamas. It's really cosy with over 60 desk spaces and discussion rooms if you want a group study location. It holds pretty much all the books an undergrad needs - and the librarians are happy to order any books to help you out.
"Seeing other people in the Library is a reminder that everyone is in the same boat. The handy location of the Pelican Bar next door is great for taking well-earned coffee breaks - but during exams the Librarian puts on Library Teas with hot drinks and biscuits."
The lawns in Old Court and the Fellows' Garden (where you can sit underneath a 400-year-old mulberry tree) are favourite spots for studying, especially during Easter Term (also known as Exam Period). And don't forget you can also hop on your bicycle to head over to Leckhampton to study in its spacious grounds.
Corpus is for everyone
Edoardo, what made you choose Corpus?
Edoardo, what made you choose Corpus?
Why do you like studying history at Corpus, James?
Why do you like studying history at Corpus, James?
See yourself at Corpus
Choose your course
Corpus offers most of the undergraduate courses at Cambridge.
How to apply
The Admissions team can help guide you through the application process.
Financial support
Corpus does not want any capable student to miss out due to lack of funds.
FAQs
(Brought to you by Heidi the Access Dog; also available for cuddles.)
The Bridging Course
Every year, Corpus invites the brightest students from traditionally under-represented backgrounds to a three-week immersive College experience - an opportunity to hit the ground running when Michaelmas Term starts.
Corpus curiosities
The Corpus Chronophage
The Corpus Chronophage
A creepy clock
The Corpus Chronophage is one of Cambridge's most famous tourist attractions. Invented by Corpus alumnus Dr John C Taylor it 'eats' up time outside the Taylor Library. If you're sitting in the Library you may occasionally hear the rustling of chains and the sound of a hammer striking a wooden coffin when the clock marks the hour.
The Parker Library
The Parker Library
Rare old books
The Parker Library is a world-renowned library of rare books and manuscripts, with a significant number of all surviving Anglo-Saxon texts, letters from Anne Boleyn and Erasmus, one of the earliest examples of music written on a stave, and the earliest known picture of an elephant in Europe. Sub-Librarian Tuija Ainonen is always happy to talk medieval manuscripts!
The Eagle Pub
The Eagle Pub
A famous pub
We don't exactly have our own pub (remember, we do have two bars) but The Eagle has been owned by Corpus for centuries. It's the place where Watson & Crick used to go for a pint when they were researching the structure of DNA - and where they announced they had discovered "the secret of life" (with a little help from Rosalind Franklin!).
Contact our Admissions & Outreach Coordinator with any questions about applying to Cambridge or Corpus.
The JCR represents student members in College, supports undergraduates, hosts ParTeas and looks out for the welfare of all. Visit the JCR Instagram to find out more.
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