Newnham College, Cambridge
Created | Updated Oct 5, 2006
Newnham College is one of the 29 colleges of Cambridge University which admit undergraduates; it's medium to large in Cambridge terms, with about 400 undergrads and about 150 graduate students. Newnham started life in 1871, to provide lodgings within the city for young women studying at the university – they had previously had to commute. The philosophy lecturer Henry Sidgwick rented a house in the city centre for five young women, and the College later moved to its present site on Sidgwick Avenue.
The first Principal of Newnham was Anne Jemima Clough, who had previously run a school in the Lake District. She was succeeded by Eleanor Sidgwick (née Balfour, Henry's wife), and the College coat of arms includes references to the family arms of the Balfour, Clough and Sidgwick families, as well as that of Marion Kennedy, who was in charge of out-students in the early days.
Women were not admitted to full membership of the university until 1948, and it was not until the 1970s that the men's colleges began to admit women undergraduates. Newnham is proud of its radical history and believes that as a women's college it has a lot to offer women in the university.
Newnham is only about ten minutes' walk from the historic city centre of Cambridge, but this means the students don't have tourists peering in their windows every five minutes. It has fabulous gardens – and everyone can walk on the grass, and even sunbathe!
Rooms are allocated by random ballot (unlike some other colleges where it depends on exam results – those with the best grades get first pick). Some of the rooms are huge and you may well get a piece of antique furniture, but all rents are the same, for the sake of equality. Facilities include: a sports field and tennis courts on site, a gym, music practice rooms and an art room.
At the time Newnham was founded, women were not allowed to use the University Library (or even to take exams!), so it was important for the College to have its own comprehensive collection of books. This has been maintained and Newnham Library is now one of the biggest college libraries in Cambridge. A major refurbishment was completed in 2004, with a new building added on to the Grade II listed library dating from 1897.
The fact it is a women-only college puts some people off applying, but current students generally seem very happy and report a very supportive, friendly atmosphere, with Fellows providing strong female role models. According to current undergraduates, kitchens and bathrooms tend to be cleaner than in other colleges too (oops! - not that I'm implying men can't clean)!
Newnham women are very active in University societies, and in recent years have been strongly represented among the sabbatical officers of the University students' union, CUSU.
Conditional offers based on A-levels normally range from AAA to AAAB or AAAA, and AS subjects are occasionally included. If you're doing the International Baccalaureate, a typical offer would be 39 or 40 points overall, with 7,7,6 at the Higher Level in relevant subjects.
120-130 students a year are admitted to study all courses offered at Cambridge except Education Studies, and the biggest group at intake is for Natural Sciences (up to 30, divided about 50:50 between Biological and Physical Sciences).
Famous alumni include actresses: Eleanor Bron, Emma Thompson, Olivia Williams; writers/journalists/media: Clare Balding, AS Byatt, Margaret Drabble, Germaine Greer, Dame Patricia Hodgson (Principal Elect), Iris Murdoch, Sylvia Plath, Ali Smith, Katharine Whitehorn; politicians: Diane Abbott, Anne Campbell (MP for Cambridge until the last election), Patricia Hewitt, Julia Neuberger; philosopher: the Baroness Onora O’Neill (current Principal); scientists: Rosalind Franklin, Jane Goodall.
The first Principal of Newnham was Anne Jemima Clough, who had previously run a school in the Lake District. She was succeeded by Eleanor Sidgwick (née Balfour, Henry's wife), and the College coat of arms includes references to the family arms of the Balfour, Clough and Sidgwick families, as well as that of Marion Kennedy, who was in charge of out-students in the early days.
Women were not admitted to full membership of the university until 1948, and it was not until the 1970s that the men's colleges began to admit women undergraduates. Newnham is proud of its radical history and believes that as a women's college it has a lot to offer women in the university.
Location and facilities
Newnham is only about ten minutes' walk from the historic city centre of Cambridge, but this means the students don't have tourists peering in their windows every five minutes. It has fabulous gardens – and everyone can walk on the grass, and even sunbathe!
Rooms are allocated by random ballot (unlike some other colleges where it depends on exam results – those with the best grades get first pick). Some of the rooms are huge and you may well get a piece of antique furniture, but all rents are the same, for the sake of equality. Facilities include: a sports field and tennis courts on site, a gym, music practice rooms and an art room.
At the time Newnham was founded, women were not allowed to use the University Library (or even to take exams!), so it was important for the College to have its own comprehensive collection of books. This has been maintained and Newnham Library is now one of the biggest college libraries in Cambridge. A major refurbishment was completed in 2004, with a new building added on to the Grade II listed library dating from 1897.
A college for women at the heart of a mixed university
The fact it is a women-only college puts some people off applying, but current students generally seem very happy and report a very supportive, friendly atmosphere, with Fellows providing strong female role models. According to current undergraduates, kitchens and bathrooms tend to be cleaner than in other colleges too (oops! - not that I'm implying men can't clean)!
Newnham women are very active in University societies, and in recent years have been strongly represented among the sabbatical officers of the University students' union, CUSU.
What grades do you need?
Conditional offers based on A-levels normally range from AAA to AAAB or AAAA, and AS subjects are occasionally included. If you're doing the International Baccalaureate, a typical offer would be 39 or 40 points overall, with 7,7,6 at the Higher Level in relevant subjects.
120-130 students a year are admitted to study all courses offered at Cambridge except Education Studies, and the biggest group at intake is for Natural Sciences (up to 30, divided about 50:50 between Biological and Physical Sciences).
Famous Newnhamites
Famous alumni include actresses: Eleanor Bron, Emma Thompson, Olivia Williams; writers/journalists/media: Clare Balding, AS Byatt, Margaret Drabble, Germaine Greer, Dame Patricia Hodgson (Principal Elect), Iris Murdoch, Sylvia Plath, Ali Smith, Katharine Whitehorn; politicians: Diane Abbott, Anne Campbell (MP for Cambridge until the last election), Patricia Hewitt, Julia Neuberger; philosopher: the Baroness Onora O’Neill (current Principal); scientists: Rosalind Franklin, Jane Goodall.
