Come and study Classics at Sidney! Whether or not you have studied this subject before, you will be amazed and inspired by the breadth and scope it offers as you unravel the many facets of classical antiquity.

Important Note Concerning Interviews for 2023

Please note, all undergraduate admissions interviews at Sidney Sussex for the 2023-24 admissions round will be held online. Further details regarding interview platform will follow.

Do myths and ancient literature fascinate you? Do you feel inspired when visiting museums and archaeological sites? Are you interested in ancient history, linguistic puzzles and good philosophical challenges? Would you like to learn or master ancient Greek and Latin? Then, Classics is for you!

Sidney has many famous Classics alumni, including Thomas Twining (son of the famous tea merchant, Daniel Twining, and celebrated eighteenth-century translator of Aristotle), and more recently, Peter Salway (Romano-British historian), John Bennet (Professor of Aegean Archaeology at Sheffield and Director of the British School at Athens), and Roy Gibson (Professor of Classics at Durham).

Within Sidney there is a strong community of classicists who organise a number of social events throughout the year. Our annual Classics dinner is generously funded by alumni to allow interaction between current and former students and celebrate the achievements of both.

We also have a distinguished tradition of Sidney classicists participating in theatrical productions with great success, including the Cambridge Greek Play and Footlights.

Whether it is literature and languages that bring you to study Classics at Sidney, or art & archaeology, history, philosophy and linguistics, here you will develop your creativity and skills and feel intellectually and personally valued.

Undergraduate Study

Sidney welcomes applications for the three- and four-year Classics courses. We also welcome applications from students who would like to study Modern & Medieval Languages (MML) with Classics (Latin or Greek).

Classics students at Sidney receive significant in-house teaching and support, especially for the language elements of the course. Reading classes for both Latin and Greek target texts are provided throughout the first two years, in addition to those organised by the Faculty, allowing students the opportunity to develop their language skills in small supervision groups.

New undergraduates are encouraged to try out the range of different subjects that can be studied within Classics, including archaeology and art, ancient history, philosophy and linguistics.

The Sidney library contains an excellent collection of Classics books, including textbooks required for the Classics Tripos. The College Librarian is always eager to help students get the books they need for their studies.

With a Faculty recognised internationally as one of the best in the world for the study of Classics, Sidney students get excellent teaching all-round: through lectures, classes, supervisions, and museum visits.

Written work

Two essays. We will send out more specific information about what is required after the UCAS deadline, but you will not need to write anything new specially for this.

Admissions assessments

Applicants are required to take a written assessment.

Interviews
  • All undergraduate admissions interviews at Sidney Sussex for the 2023-24 admissions round will be held online. Further details regarding interview platform will follow.
  • Three interviews, all with a focus on Classics. One interview will involve a discussion of a short piece of unseen Latin (with vocabulary) for those taking the 3-year course. The third subject-related interview will take place in another College and is part of the Faculty of Classics' interview structure, in which applicants are seen by more than one College.
Subject requirements
  • Learn about our standard entry requirements for Classics on the University website.
  • At Sidney, you can study Classics regardless of whether or not you have formally studied any classical language or subject before. If you have at least one classical language to A-level standard (Latin or Greek), or you have both, apply for the three-year course in Classics.
  • If you have not studied one of the two languages to A-level, you will receive classes and college supervisions to help you acquire the language. If you have both, you will also receive teaching to help develop your skills further to tackle the full breadth of ancient language & literature!
  • If you have no Greek or Latin, or you have some knowledge but not to A-level standard, no worries! Apply for the four-year course in Classics. The whole purpose of our four-year course is to help you learn these two languages from scratch. What we are looking for from you is language aptitude and your enthusiasm to study the Classical world!
  • Suitable subjects that offer grounding in the skills required for the course (beyond any classical-related subjects that you may have already studied) are ones that offer training in languages, linguistics and essay-based topics. For example, English and other modern languages, literature, classical civilisation, history (ancient and modern), history of art, philosophy, literary criticism...
  • We are also very happy to welcome students in Modern & Medieval Languages (MML) with Classics (Greek or Latin). We have a growing number studying, for example, French & Latin or German & Latin. If you are interested in this degree, please check the entry requirements at MML with Classics.
  • Please note that offers are set on an individual basis using all of the information available to us in context of the entire field of applicants.
Beyond the syllabus

Are you excited to learn more about the subject by delving beyond the school syllabus? Explore our Beyond the syllabus resource hub to discover interesting websites, podcasts, videos, and books related to the subject you love!

Typical intake

2 - 3

Typical A-level offer

A*AA

Typical IB offer

41-42 points overall, with 776 at Higher Level

Postgraduate Study

We welcome applications for postgraduate study at Sidney Sussex in all subjects of Classics. Sidney’s excellent Classics community means that you have an intellectual home within the College. There are also opportunities to get involved in intellectual and social events in College, and if you are a doctoral student, to get experience of university-level teaching as well! To find out more about higher degrees in Classics, please visit Classics postgraduate studies.

At the University of Cambridge applications for postgraduate study are processed centrally by the Postgraduate Admissions Office. The application form and supporting documents are submitted electronically via their website and the online self-service system, though academic decisions on applications are made by the Faculty or Department.

Funding

There are many funding opportunities at Cambridge from a wide variety of sources including the Cambridge Trust, Gates Cambridge, Colleges, Departments, Research Councils and central University funds. You can use the Postgraduate Admissions' Cambridge Funding Search to find out which type of funding you might be eligible for, and how and when to apply. They also operate a Postgraduate Funding Competition to co-ordinate some of these funding opportunities and make the process easier for you as an applicant.

To find information about the funds available for postgraduate students at Sidney, visit our Studentships and funding page.

Useful links

Course directory | Postgraduate Admissions | University of Cambridge

Funding | Postgraduate Admissions | University of Cambridge

How do I apply? | Postgraduate Admissions | University of Cambridge

International students | Postgraduate Admissions | University of Cambridge

Opportunities to work, travel, and study

There are a number of College grants available for travel related to the study of the Classical world, including support to work on an archaeological excavation over the summer or simply to visit classical lands. There are also prizes to reward academic excellence at all stages of the course, especially for progress (from one year to the next) and overall exam performance.

Discover more on our Opportunities to work, travel, and study page.