Undergraduate · Cambridge History and Politics
Cambridge's History and Politics is a three-year BA that combines historical and political study in one degree. It needs History at A level or IB Higher Level, asks for two pieces of written work, and runs an admission assessment at only some Colleges. This guide is written for families planning 2028 entry. Everything cycle-specific in it was last verified for 2027 entry, so treat it as the best guide to preparation and not as the 2028 requirement.
Official information · last verified for 2027 entry
Taken from Cambridge's official History and Politics course page and read on 25 October 2026. For a normal 2028-entry application, made in 2027, every requirement below is last verified for the previous cycle and may change; Cambridge's 2028-entry requirements are awaiting publication.
The minimum offer is A*AA at A level, or 41-42 points with 776 at Higher Level in the IB. Applicants need History at A level or IB Higher Level. If you are not taking History but can show equivalent skills, Cambridge says to contact the College's admissions office for advice.
Cambridge says you will need to submit 2 pieces of written work.
There is an admission assessment at some Colleges for this course, and you do not need to register in advance.
The UCAS code is VL12. In Year 2 students write a long essay of up to 5,000 words, and in Year 3 they can replace one paper with a dissertation of 10,000 words.
Official sources
Read on 25 October 2026 on Cambridge's History and Politics course page, which describes entry in 2027 or deferred entry in 2028. The 2025 applicant numbers and the 2018, 2019 and 2023 subject profile are history, not a requirement. College-level requirements and the Faculty website were not read.
The course
Year 1 combines a History Outline paper with two Politics papers, The Modern State and its Alternatives and International Conflict, Order and Justice, and a core interdisciplinary paper, Evidence and Argument. Year 2 adds a long essay of up to 5,000 words, and in Year 3 students choose three papers or replace one with a 10,000-word dissertation, and also take Theory and Practice in History and Politics. Teaching is through lectures, classes and small-group supervisions with usually 8 to 10 hours of lectures and classes each week, and assessment is mainly through timed examinations at the end of each year. Students won't usually be able to resit exams.
Reading the offer
Cambridge names a single subject and leaves the rest to the College.
You need an A level or IB Higher Level in History. If you are not taking it, contact the College's admissions office with evidence of equivalent skills.
Cambridge says most History and Politics students who started in 2018, 2019 and 2023 achieved at least A*A*A, all took History, and more than half took Government and Politics. It describes this as common patterns, not favoured combinations.
Some Colleges usually set offers at the minimum level, while others have extra subject requirements and/or set extra conditions, such as a higher offer or an A* in a particular subject.
Written work and assessment
Cambridge says you will need to submit 2 pieces of written work. It also says there is an admission assessment at some Colleges, with no need to register in advance. The page read for this guide does not describe the written work in detail, so check the College pages and Cambridge's College admission assessments page for what is expected.
Context
Cambridge's page shows 7 applications per place and 49 accepted for the 2025 cycle. Those are historical figures about a past cohort. They are not a requirement and they do not predict any individual result.
Planning for 2028 entry
Applying for 2028 entry means applying in 2027, under rules Cambridge has not yet published for that cycle. Each item below carries one of two labels. Last verified for 2027 entry means Cambridge published it for the previous cycle and it may change. Awaiting publication for 2028 entry means Cambridge has not yet published it.
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Cambridge has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Check Cambridge's course page and your College's page for the 2028-entry values when they appear.
Secure History, read widely in both history and politics, and start choosing two pieces of written work that show your own argument.
Support
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with the University of Cambridge or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each programme. No outcome is promised.
Questions
A*AA at A level, or 41-42 points with 776 at Higher Level in the IB, with History. This is Cambridge's wording for entry in 2027.
Cambridge asks for History at A level or IB Higher Level. If you are not taking it, contact the College's admissions office with evidence of equivalent skills.
Yes. Cambridge says you will need to submit 2 pieces of written work.
There is an admission assessment at some Colleges, and you do not need to register in advance.
In Year 3 students can replace one paper with a dissertation of 10,000 words.
No. They are Cambridge's wording for entry in 2027. Check the course page again when Cambridge publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their History and politics reading, the Colleges of interest, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.
