International Students
3. Food
College Food
- Canteen Meals
- Downing provides a canteen service; breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided during the week and a reduced service operates at the weekends. Outside of term, provision varies. Food is typically of a reasonable standard, with several options, and fairly cheap.
- Formal Hall
- Formal Hall is probably the aspect of Cambridge that most corresponds to the Cambridge image: a three-course meal served by waiters in an ancient, candle-lit hall with sherry, wine and port. Formal wear (including an academic gown) is required, Grace is said at the beginning and end of the meal and the Fellows sit at a different table (High Table) than the students. The food is generally better than typical College food and Formal Hall is often a good way to get involved in college life and to see other colleges.
- Kitchen Fixed Charge (KFC)
- The KFC is a charge that some Colleges require graduate students to pay as a contribution towards the overhead costs of catering. Downing's policy is to charge £50 per term for those living in College accomodation and £30 per term for those living out.
- Shops
- The main supermarkets in central Cambridge are Sainsbury's on Sidney Street and, for a pricier alternative,
Marks and Spencer's on Market Square. Larger supermarkets can be found slightly further afield:
- Asda - Beehive Centre, Coldhams Lane
- Sainsburys - Brooks Road
- Tesco - Newmarket Road
- Waitrose - Hauxton Road, Trumpington
- Restaurants
- There are dozens of restaurants and pubs that serve food in Cambridge. Some useful websites are http://www.cambridgerestaurants.com/ and http://www.cambridge-pubs.co.uk/.
4. Grants, Funding, Studentships and Bursaries
For all international students
The following publications may be of use to you in searching for funding:
- Awards for Postgraduate Study at Commonwealth Universities - published by the Association of Commonwealth Universities
- The British Council
- Charities Digest - published by Waterlow Legal Publishing
- Directory of Grant Making Trusts - Published by the Charities Aid Foundation
- The Educational Grants Directory - published by the Directory of Social Change
- The Fulbright Commission (for American students only): http://www.fulbright.co.uk/ or http://www.iie.org/fulbright/
- The Grants Register - published by the Macmillan Press
- Money to Study: the Complete Guide to Student Finance - published by the Family Welfare Association, 501-505 Kingsland Road, Dalston, London, E8 4AU
- The Awards Edition of the Cambridge University Reporter - published by the University of Cambridge around November each year.
- The Rotary Club
- The Spalding Trust - awards are offered for research on comparative interfaith projects: write to The Secretary, The Spalding Trust, PO Box 85, Stowmarket IP14 3NY
Many of these publications should be available in Libraries or British Council Offices and contain information about funding sources for prospective graduate students.
For Applicants Ordinarily Resident in the EU
- Enquiries about nomination for Research Council Studentships should be made direct to the Faculty or Department concerned.
- Application forms for Arts and Humanities Research Board Studentships may be obtained from http://www.ahrb.ac.uk/ or from College Tutors in the case of EU applicants and students aready at Cambridge and, in the case of other UK applicants, from the university to which you currently belong. If you intend to apply for AHRB Studentships you should submit your applications for admission as early as possible and certainly no later than 15 February. The eligibility of students normally resident in EU countries outside the UK is restricted to the Fee elements of Research Council and AHRB awards.
- The University offers Domestic Research Studentships and Millennium Scholarships for prospective research students nominated by their Faculty or Department. Awards are for incoming students only and provide for fees and maintenance awards for UK students. Domestic Research Studentships are open to UK graduates and to EU graduates who will be considered for a fees only award. Millennium Scholarships are available for UK students only. Students should ask to be considered for nomination by their Faculty or Department from whom application forms are available from February. Students hoping to be nominated must also apply for a public award (e.g. AHRB, ESRC) as a condition of eligibility. The University shares the cost of Domestic Research Studentships with a number of Colleges. Students gaining a shared DRS-College award will have half their costs paid by the College. Applilicants for Part III of the Mathematical Tripos classified as 'home' students for fees purposes who have graduated after three years at Cambridge and who have taken Part II of th Mathematical or Natural Sciences Tripos will normally be eligible for fee and loan support through their LEA if they have previously been eligible for such support; applicants in similar circumstances who are classified as EU students for fee purposes will normally be eligible for fee support but not loan support. Graduates from other universities must normally find their own funding. Similarly, applicants for the Diploma in Architecture who have graduated after three years at Cambridge and who intend to take the Diploma as part of a five-year course qualifying for exemption from both Part 1 and Part 2 of the RIBA examination will normally be eligible for fee and, where relevant, loan support through their LEA if they have previously been eligible for such support; applicants from other universities must normally seek funding from other sources.
- Information about Career Development Loans can be obtained from UK banks or by calling 0800 585 505.
- Information about EU funding can be obtained from: http://europa.eu.int/comm/sg/aides/en/p3ch1.htm
Downing College Funds and Prizes
All candidates for college studentships or bursaries must be, or intend to become, members of Downing College.
- Graduate Bursaries
- Graduate students admitted to the College and intending to read for the Ph.D. Degree will be awarded a Bursary of £250 a year for up to three years. Downing graduates who stay in residence to undertake Ph.D. research are similarly eligible for Bursaries. There is no application form and all graduates admitted to the College will be automatically given an award.
- Other Bursaries
- The F.E. Fritsch Prize Studentship (Phycology)
The holder will be required to undertake research for the Ph.D. Degree in the area of phycology, broadly defined, in the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge. The Studentship will normally be held for three years. All College and University Fees will be paid on behalf of the student who will receive, in addition, a living allowance and a contribution towards the cost of his or her research. The value of the allowance and research contribution will be determined annually by the Electors by reference to other similar studentships, notably the Wellcome Studentships and the Gasby Awards. Enquiries should be made to the Head of Department of Plant Sciences, Downing Site, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA. - Treherne Bursary in Biological Sciences
Applicants must be in the second or third year of their Ph.D. in the coming academic year, in the University of Cambridge and must have demonstrated a high aptitude for research. The maximum tenure of a Bursary is two years, subject to a satisfactory annual report by the recipient. The value of the Bursary will be £1,500 per year. - Oon Khye Beng Ch'hia Tsio Bursaries in Preventive Medicine
Top-up Bursaries of £1,500 a year are offered, tenable for up to three years, for Ph.D. research in preventive medicine, broadly defined. Eligible candidates who have been accepted by the University of Cambridge and Downing should apply direct to the Senior Tutor, Downing College. - Parke Davis Bursary for American Students in Biological Sciences
The Parke Davis Bursary is available for US citizens wishing to undertake research in Biological Sciences in the University of Cambridge. The sum of £5,000 per annum for up to three years is available to contribute towards the cost of University and College Fees. Candidates must be seeking registration as graduate students with a view to reading for the Ph.D. Degree in the University of Cambridge. Applicants should write to the Senior Tutor, Downing College, for further details. - Sports Funds
The Hawks Charity Fund and Eric Evans Fund can be used for applying for assistance with sports related travel and expenses. Details are available from the Tutorial and Admissions Office. - Hardship Funds
These are provided to Downing graduate students (including Overseas and EU students) in financial difficulty. For further information, please contact Jane Perks (jep22@cam.ac.uk) at the Tutorial and Admissions Office, Downing College.
- The F.E. Fritsch Prize Studentship (Phycology)
University Scholarships and Prizes
These are published in the University Reporter every November. See the website here.- Loans
This is to assist students who, through unavoidable changes in their circumstances, are unable to complete their university course. These are only grants to graduates in exceptional circumstances but you should be aware of their existence. - Crane Benefaction
This is the principal medical charity in the university. It provides financial assistance to members of the university who need treatment for physical or mental illness or for treatment resulting from accidents, provided that the treatment cannot be provided by the NHS. Applications can be made at any time and must be made through Tutors. - Students with Children
The University Central Childcare Bursary Scheme makes grants to students to help them meet childcare costs. Contact CUSU or the University Registry for application forms. - Students with Disabilities
Tutors should be the first port of call for disabled students in financial difficulty or contact the Disability Resource Centre, Keynes House, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QA, Telephone: 01223 332301, Textphone: 01223 766840, Fax: 01223 766863, E-mail: ucam-disability@lists.cam.ac.uk
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