Course Summary · 2027 Entry
Linguistics at University of Cambridge
Key requirements for Linguistics at University of Cambridge, compiled from the official course page, with 1-to-1 tutoring from Oxford or Cambridge graduates.
In a nutshell
Cambridge Linguistics is a three-year theoretical linguistics degree - phonology, syntax, semantics, sociolinguistics, historical linguistics. Distinct from the four-year Linguistics and Modern Languages course (QR91), which combines linguistics with one modern language.
Course summary
What University of Cambridge publishes for Linguistics.
- UCAS code
- Q100
- Degree
- BA (Hons)
- Duration
- 3 years
- Typical A-Level offer
- A*AA
- Admissions test
- No pre-registered admissions test. Most colleges (23 of the 29) set the Linguistics College admission assessment at interview on 17 November 2026: three data-analysis parts of about 20 minutes each, 60 minutes in total. No advance registration is needed.
- Interview
- The interview rewards reasoning under uncertainty. A small data set in (say) Swahili or Greenlandic with the question "what is the rule here?" is a typical opener. Olympiad-style language puzzles (UKLO, NACLO) are excellent practice.
- Official course page
- https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/linguistics
Always verify these details on the official University of Cambridge course page before applying - entry requirements and assessment formats can change between cycles.
Insider tips
Things Linguistics applicants commonly miss.
- 01
You do not need any prior linguistics - the discipline is taught from first principles. Strong reasoning under uncertainty matters more than reading list.
- 02
Linguistics ≠ language learning. If you want a deep modern language plus linguistic theory, Linguistics and Modern Languages (QR91) is the right course.