MST Application Guide 2019-20
MST Application Guide 2019-20
MST Application Guide 2019-20
Table of contents
Table of contents.............................................................................................. 2
Introduction ...................................................................................................... 4
The application process ................................................................................................ 4
Who’s involved.............................................................................................................. 4
ICE Admissions ......................................................................................................... 4
Department/Faculty ................................................................................................... 4
College ...................................................................................................................... 5
Board of Graduate Studies ........................................................................................ 5
1. Choosing a course ....................................................................................... 6
2. Preparing your application .......................................................................... 7
Language requirements ................................................................................................ 7
Immigration route .......................................................................................................... 8
Non-Standard Applicants .............................................................................................. 8
Fees ............................................................................................................................. 8
Additional Costs ............................................................................................................ 8
Studying for a second MSt ............................................................................................ 9
References ................................................................................................................... 9
Submitting a reference on paper ................................................................................. 10
Funding....................................................................................................................... 10
3. Submitting your application ...................................................................... 12
The application process .............................................................................................. 12
Pre-offer: Applicant Portal ........................................................................................... 13
Post-offer: Graduate Applicant Self-Service Account .................................................. 13
4. Receiving a conditional offer .................................................................... 15
Terms of Admission for Master of Studies (Mst) programme....................................... 15
Accepting or declining your conditional Offer .............................................................. 15
Unspent Criminal Convictions ..................................................................................... 15
5. Confirmation of admission ........................................................................ 16
Supervisor .................................................................................................................. 16
Final stage .................................................................................................................. 16
Contacts .......................................................................................................... 17
ICE Admissions .......................................................................................................... 17
Advanced Subject Teaching (EDM16) ........................................................................ 17
Applied Criminology and Police Management (CRM7) ................................................ 18
Applied Criminology, Penology and Management (CRM8).......................................... 18
Building History (ARM12) ............................................................................................ 18
Creative Writing (ELM7) .............................................................................................. 19
Crime and Thriller Writing (ELM8) ............................................................................... 19
Construction Engineering (EGM13) ............................................................................ 19
History (HSM10) ......................................................................................................... 19
Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment (ARM11) ........................................ 20
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Introduction
Taught elements are normally broken down into discrete residential modules, which all
students must attend. Research projects may be work-related, if appropriate. The
programmes are designed to be flexible in order to support students with a variety of
circumstances, including international students. Note that some MSt programmes
require you to have relevant industry experience.
Cambridge MSts are tough: we offer a lot and we expect a lot. But if you have the
commitment, the ability and the motivation, you can expect great rewards.
This document is designed to help you understand each stage. It is worth noting that
the application process can take a number of months depending on when you
start. If you have other considerations and timeframes are of concern please contact
mst.admissions@ice.cam.ac.uk.
Who’s involved
The MSt programmes at Cambridge are ‘owned’ by a faculty or department relevant to
the particular MSt. There are, however, a number of other bodies with whom you
should be familiar.
ICE Admissions
The ICE Admissions (i.e. the Admissions team at the University of Cambridge Institute
of Continuing Education) will be your first official contact after you have chosen a
course and made an application. ICE Admissions handles the application process for
all of the University’s MSt programmes, liaising with all parties on your behalf.
Department/Faculty
The Department/Faculty responsible for your chosen course will consider your
application in line with the entry requirements. The MSt Administrator within the
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Department/Faculty will be able to provide you with specific guidance regarding the
course content and delivery.
College
The Department/Faculty will seek College membership on your behalf once a
conditional offer has been made. All MSt students become members of a Cambridge
College and hence full members of the University, entitled to pastoral care and support.
Full details can be found at www.ice.cam.ac.uk/college-guide.
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
1. Choosing a course
If you require more specific information about a course’s content or suitability then you
should contact the MSt Administrator for the relevant course.
The Cambridge academic year typically runs from October to June and comprises
three terms, known as Michaelmas, Lent and Easter. Please note that there is no
standard start date for MSt programmes. The start date for your particular programme
can be found in the relevant part of the Course Directory.
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Although many of the requirements for MSt programmes are similar, each MSt is
different. It is important that you understand the particular requirements for your course
so that you can prepare your application in the most effective way.
If you are being considered for a place, you will be required to undergo an interview.
Interviews can take many different formats; for example, face-to-face, Skype or
telephone. The Department/Faculty responsible for your chosen course will contact you
directly to make suitable arrangements.
If you are an Overseas Applicant, or if English is not your first language, please pay
particular attention to the Language Requirements and Visa sections below. Failure
to fulfil the associated requirements could jeopardise your place on the course.
Language requirements
If your first language is not English, then you must meet the University’s English
Language Requirements. Please note that some MSt programmes require a higher
level of proficiency than others. See the Entry Requirements for your specific MSt for
details.
If you are an Overseas Applicant, note that, if you are offered a conditional place on the
course, the University of Cambridge cannot provide a visa support letter until you have
met all of the conditions of the offer. These conditions may include passing a
recognised English language test (and achieving the minimum scores required for the
particular MSt course). You should therefore ensure that you leave yourself enough
time to apply for a visa after you receive the results of your English language test and
after any other conditions are fulfilled. Under these circumstances, we recommend that
you do not wait until you hear the outcome of your MSt application before arranging to
take an English language test. (These tests are considered valid by the University for 2
years).
The University’s Graduate Admissions Office website has a language calculator which
you can refer to for an informal assessment of whether you will be required to provide
further evidence of your current English language proficiency. ICE Admissions will
provide a formal assessment if your application is accepted by the Department. The
calculator can be accessed via
https://www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/international/competence-english
Please note that you will be responsible for all costs associated with meeting the
English language requirement, regardless of the outcome of your application.
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Immigration route
The appropriate UK study immigration route for non-EEA nationals to attend MSt
sessions is the short term study route – please see the website for further
information.
You should contact your prospective Department/Faculty to obtain a short term study
visa letter which you will need to include in your visa application or present at the
border each time you visit, depending on your nationality. You cannot apply for this visa
until your place is confirmed and therefore we recommend applying for your MSt as
soon as you can.
If you already hold immigration permission for the UK and believe that this will allow
you to enter for MSt sessions, you must send a copy of this to your Course
Administrator and await confirmation that this will be acceptable – please note, the
standard visitor visa is not appropriate for study. Students who arrive in Cambridge
without the correct immigration permission for study will not be able to start the course.
You should note that MSt students are not eligible for Tier 4 visas as Tier 4 is for full-
time study and there is no study visa that will allow you to remain in the UK for the full
duration of the programme.
Non-Standard Applicants
You are a Non-Standard Applicant if you do not meet the academic entry
requirements of the programme – normally at least a 2.i honours degree from a UK
University, or an equivalent standard from an overseas institution – but have other
experiences or circumstances that could be considered as a substitute. We welcome
Non-Standard Applicants with relevant professional experience. If you think this applies
to you, please contact the MSt Administrator for your chosen programme to discuss
your situation.
Fees
As an MSt student, you will pay a consolidated course fee which includes the Tuition
Fee and College Membership known as a University Composition Fee (“UCF”). The
value of this is stated in the Course Directory, and is dependent on your Fee Status.
Your Fee Status is classified as either UK/EU or Overseas. For further information
please see Appendix 1: Fee Status. ICE Admissions will determine your fee status
once a decision to accept an application is received from the department.
Additional Costs
In addition to the CGF outlined above, you may need to meet additional costs. The
University has highlighted this in the advance information given about the programme
and set this out in your offer letter.
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
You will be expected to have appropriate finances to support all your costs for the
duration of your programme. As well as those costs referenced in the paragraph
above, your additional costs may include (but are not limited to):
• personal expenses while you are on your programme (e.g. clothes, leisure
activities, travel, membership of clubs and societies etc.); and
Neither the University nor the College accepts responsibility for any personal debt you
may incur.
The MSt degree is a ‘state of grace’, meaning that once a student has been awarded
the degree, they cannot be awarded it again. They may, however, undertake a further
MSt degree and its associated examinations, and receive confirmation that they have
followed the degree. All such applicants will be advised to submit a letter with their
application confirming that they are aware that the degree will not be conferred on them
again.
References
You will need to provide the details of two referees who can provide references written
in English. These can be either academic or professional references. Once you provide
the details of your referees, the system will automatically contact your referees prior to
submission of your application. It is therefore important that you discuss your
application with your referees before providing their details in the application form.
Your choice of referee should be someone who is best able to comment on your
academic ability or explain why your work experiences would suit academic study.
Your referees will not be required to give character references.
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
You will be asked to provide professional email address for your referees when you
apply. We cannot accept references provided directly by applicants, or provided
via a referee’s personal email address.
Please check that you have the correct email addresses and that your referees are
happy and able to provide a reference for you before you submit your application form
and payment. You can access and manage your referees’ details via the Applicant
Portal. You can amend your referees’ details up to the point at which a reference is
submitted.
ICE Admissions may need to take extra steps to verify such references when we make
an offer. This might include asking for the reference to be sent again, on official headed
paper, if authenticity cannot be confirmed by other means.
References are submitted by the referee via an Electronic Reference System. We will
contact your referees to give them access to this system after you have submitted your
application.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your references are submitted. You should
contact your referees directly to ensure they provide the reference by the application
closing deadline.
After a reference has been successfully submitted by a referee, you will receive a
confirmation email, and the reference status will be updated in your Applicant Portal.
accept references sent by email either from the applicant or via a third party.
use references from any previous application that you have made.
Funding
You are strongly advised to research funding opportunities in advance of
submitting your application.
If you are offered a conditional place you will be required to complete a Financial
Undertaking Form. The purpose of this form is to confirm that you understand the
financial obligations of your MSt programme.
It is not the intention of the form to prove your personal ability to pay the fees, unless
you are receiving funding from a third party such as a scholarship or bursary award (of
which evidence will be required).
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
You should not expect to be able to obtain funding once you have started your course.
Employer. In some instances your employer may be willing to offer financial support
for your personal and professional development. A supporting letter from your
employer will be required, confirming their intention to offer financial support and
outlining the amount that they will be providing.
Postgraduate Loan. You can find details of the UK government’s Postgraduate Loan
scheme on the GOV.UK website: www.gov.uk/postgraduate-loan
Other loans. If you are a US citizen, you may be able to apply for a US loan once you
have been accepted at a Cambridge College, as Colleges have individual school codes
for the US Department of Education. You can find details of these and other loans at:
www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/student-loans
GOV.UK student finance page. You can find details of funding and financial support
administered by external bodies, including Professional and Career Development
Loans, on the GOV.UK website: www.gov.uk/browse/education/student-finance
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Applications to MSt courses are normally made online, via the Course Directory
(www.ice.cam.ac.uk/msts). If you are applying for more than one course you will need
to complete separate applications. Please ensure that you complete your application/s
before the application deadline as specified in the Course Directory.
Application Fees:
An application fee of £65 is normally charged for online applications (unless you are
from a country which is eligible for fee waiver). The application fee payment is subject
to a 14 day cancellation period, during which you will receive a full refund. For more
information, see the Terms & Conditions of the Application Fee.
Please note that if you wish to apply on paper rather than online, an application fee of
£130 will be payable for paper applications unless a paper application is provided as
part of a reasonable adjustment relating to disability or long standing medical condition.
You will need to pay the fee via the online Applicant Portal when submitting your
application. Please contact mst.admissions@ice.cam.ac.uk for details of how to pay
the paper application fee.
Applications are accepted until 11.59pm (British time) on the day of closing.
Email: mst.admissions@ice.cam.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0)1223 746262
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Pre-Offer
Pre-Offer Post
Post Offer
Offer
Here you will be able to upload your supporting documents, complete and submit your
application and pay the application fee (where applicable).
Please note that whilst it is possible to submit your application without all of your
supporting documents, this may not give us enough information to assess your
application. You should contact mst.admissions@ice.cam.ac.uk prior to submitting your
application if you are unable to provide all the required supporting documents.
It is important that you check your Self-Service Account regularly as it is the primary
way in which we will communicate with you about your application. We will update your
Self-Service Account as and when information becomes available.
The Self-Service Account is accessible 24 hours a day and allows you to:
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
You will have provided details of your referees in your application form. These will be
contacted automatically on your behalf, and you will not need to become involved
unless we have difficulties in securing your references.
It is your responsibility to make sure that any remaining supporting documents are
uploaded via your Self-Service Account under the category stated in your Offer
Conditions. In most cases, we can accept scanned copies; however we reserve the
right to ask for original/certified copies at any stage.
Your Self-Service Account displays a due date for the supporting documents you need
to provide. If your supporting documentation arrives late there may be a delay in you
meeting your Offer Conditions and you may not be confirmed on the MSt programme.
We aim to process all materials received via your Self-Service Account within 10
working days, but during peak periods (May–July) this may take a little longer.
We will assess the supporting documents provided and if the evidence is sufficient to
meet your Offer Conditions, the conditions will be marked as completed on your
checklist as shown in your Self-Service Account.
If the documents you have provided are not sufficient to meet your Offer Conditions, we
will alert you to this and let you know what you need to do to meet the conditions.
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
When a formal conditional offer has been made, we will notify you by email, and via
your Self-Service Account, where you will be able to:
You will need to upload any outstanding or additional supporting documentation via
your Self-Service Account as evidence of meeting each condition.
In some cases conditional offers can be made prior to all the supporting documentation
being uploaded. This is dependent on a number of factors and the particular MSt
programme you are applying for.
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
5. Confirmation of admission
When we are satisfied that you have met all of the Offer Conditions, we will notify you
via your Self-Service Account, where it will show an updated status of Admission
Confirmed. You will also be able to print a certificate of confirmation.
You will need to accept your offer, via your Self-Service Account, before we can
confirm your admission to Cambridge. Under no circumstances should you attempt
to start your course until we have notified you via your Self-Service Account that your
admission has been confirmed.
Once your place is confirmed, your Department/Faculty will be able to issue the
required letter to allow you to apply for a visa should you need one.
Supervisor
Where we have been notified of your proposed supervisor, his/her name will be
detailed in both your notification of offer email and your Self-Service Account. If it is
not, don’t worry – we will contact you as soon as your supervisor is allocated. For some
MSts, the Course Director is the supervisor for all students at the start of the course.
Final stage
Once your admission has been confirmed, you will be contacted by the
Department/Faculty for your MSt to initiate the preparations for you to start your
studies. There will be some final administrative details to complete, such as fee
payments, access to course materials and any dates of events that you are required to
attend.
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Contacts
To contact us by phone, please dial 01223 (or 0044 1223 if outside the UK) followed by
the appropriate number below.
ICE Admissions
Course Director
Course Administrator
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Course Directors
Course Administrator
Course Director
Course Administrator
Course Director
Course Administrator
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Course Director
Course Administrator
Course Director
Course Administrator
Course Director
Course Administrator
History (HSM10)
Course Director
Course Administrator
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Course Director
Course Administrator
Course Directors
Course Administrator
Course Director
Course Administrator
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Course Director
Course Administrator
Course Director
Course Administrator
Course Director
Course Administrator
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Course Director
Course Administrator
Course Director
Course Administrator
Course Director
Course Administrator
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Entrepreneurship (MGM22)
Course Director
Course Administrator
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
ICE Admissions has responsibility for determining your Fee Status for the purpose of
paying the University Composition Fee and is obliged to follow UK Government
regulations when making Fee Status assessments.
In your conditional offer of admission to the University, we will tell you what we have
assessed your Fee Status to be, based on the information you have provided in your
MSt application. If you disagree with your Fee Status, you may request a Fee Status
re-assessment by submitting a Fee Status Assessment Questionnaire (see
www.ice.cam.ac.uk/fee-status-assessment-questionnaire, PDF file), together with
supporting documentation (this may include a copy of your passport, utility bills to
prove residence, etc.). These should be uploaded to your Self-Service Account using
the Fee Status category.
If you are unable to upload these materials, you should send them to:
Admissions Manager
University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education
Madingley Hall, Madingley
Cambridge CB23 8AQ, UK
There are a number of requirements that must be met in order to be eligible for Home
(UK) or EU fees. Students must meet the requirements of both ‘settled status’ and
‘ordinary residence’:
Ordinary residence means that in addition, students must also have been ordinarily
resident in the UK, the EEA (defined as the EU together with Iceland, Lichtenstein and
Norway), Switzerland or the Overseas Territories for the three years prior to the start
date of the course for which they are applying, and that residence should not have
been wholly or mainly for the purposes of receiving education. Being absent from the
UK/EEA due to study abroad is usually considered a ‘temporary absence’ and does not
affect ‘ordinary residence’ if the home/permanent address is within the UK/EEA.
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Note
This is a general summary of the main criteria for Fee Status classification, but there
are exceptions, as well as other requirements, which must be taken into account. There
are also other categories of students who might be eligible for Home or EU fees, for
example, Swiss workers and their family members, children of Swiss nationals or
Turkish workers, humanitarian and refugees or those not granted refugee status but
allowed to remain in the UK.
In assessing Fee Status, we act on behalf of the UK Government and taxpayers, and
use the terms of the UK Government Student Fees and Award Regulations. Evidence
will be checked rigorously and we reserve the right not to change our assessment if we
decide it is not appropriate to do so.
If you are still unsure, or require further information, the up-to-date guidance that we
use is available from UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs). For a full
description of the latest requirements and fee status regulations, please see the
UKCISA website: www.ukcisa.org.uk
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Appendix 2: Policies
If your application has been rejected, in some circumstances you may have recourse to
appeal or complain about the decision.
The Institute of Continuing Education (ICE) cannot give reasons for not offering
admission, nor advise you how to improve your application. However, if you believe
that there has been an administrative error, or if you believe you have been treated
unfairly because of bias or prejudice, or if there are circumstances unknown to the
University that might have affected the decision, you should write to the Director of
Programmes at the Institute of Continuing Education within three weeks of receiving
notification of the outcome, setting out your reasons. Please note, however, that there
is no right to appeal against academic judgements made by the University.
Complaints
Academic decisions
The Institute of Continuing Education cannot provide feedback on admission decisions.
Departments/Faculties are not obliged to provide feedback, but may agree to do so and
should be contacted directly.
The Institute of Continuing Education will not consider an appeal against an academic
judgement made by the University.
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MSt Application Guide 2019/20
Personal data
For information about how your personal data is used as part of the application and
admission process please see https://www.information-
compliance.admin.cam.ac.uk/data-protection/applicant-data
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If you have any disability, including a specific learning difficulty or a long term health
condition, you are encouraged to disclose this via the Personal Data Sheet, which
accompanies your application. It is helpful for us to know about these so that the
University can assess your needs as early as possible and to give sufficient time for
any reasonable adjustments to be made to enable you to undertake a particular course
of study at Cambridge.
The Personal Data Sheet is circulated to Departments/Faculties along with the rest of
your application, but information on this sheet will not be considered when making the
academic decision on whether to make an offer of admission. The sheet is circulated
with the application because, if you do disclose a disability, it may be helpful for your
Department to know this in the event that they wish to organise an interview, so that
any relevant adjustments can be made. If you are made a conditional offer, this sheet
will also be sent to Colleges that consider your application.
If you have disclosed a disability, including a specific learning difficulty or long term
health condition, and if you are made a conditional offer, your details will then be
forwarded to the Disability Resource Centre (DRC). They will contact you to discuss
your particular needs and offer advice on, for example, access to
Departments/Faculties, transport options, or colleges which may have accommodation
suitable to your needs. It is important that you respond to the DRC as early as possible.
Other things you may need to consider before applying include:
If you have a specific disability which might need to be taken into account during your
studies or examination, you are strongly encouraged to disclose this on the Personal
Data Sheet and to inform the supervisor and college tutor. The staff of the DRC can
advise on accessing a range of support provisions including study skill support, specific
examination/assessment arrangements and support for non-medical personal
assistants such as proof readers, library help, etc.
Further information
Disability Resource Centre: www.disability.admin.cam.ac.uk
Disabled Students’ Campaign: www.disabled.cusu.cam.ac.uk
Disability Access Guide: www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/disability/guide
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