Undergraduate · Cambridge PBS
Cambridge's Psychological and Behavioural Sciences course, usually shortened to PBS, is a three-year BA that is accredited by the British Psychological Society. It is a separate course from Human, Social, and Political Sciences and from Education, and its entry rules have a feature that is easy to miss: it needs a science subject or Mathematics at A level or IB Higher Level, and individual Colleges add their own subject conditions, assessments and written work. This guide is written for families planning 2028 entry. Everything cycle-specific in it was last verified for 2027 entry, because Cambridge has not yet published its 2028-entry requirements.
Official information · last verified for 2027 entry
Taken from Cambridge's official PBS course page and College admission assessments page and last verified on 20 October 2026. For a normal 2028-entry application, made in 2027, every requirement and date below is last verified for the previous cycle and may change; Cambridge's 2028-entry requirements are awaiting publication.
The minimum A level offer is A*A*A and the minimum IB offer is 41–42 points with 776 at Higher Level. Colleges that usually set the minimum may sometimes ask for higher grades or an A* in a particular subject, while Churchill, Corpus Christi, Jesus, Lucy Cavendish, Queens', Selwyn and St John's have extra subject requirements and/or extra conditions for most or all offers.
Applicants need A levels or IB Higher Levels, or the equivalent, in at least one of Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science or Physics. Cambridge says a science subject or Mathematics is now a requirement, and some Colleges specify which science subject or subjects they require.
There is an admissions assessment at some Colleges for this course and you do not need to register in advance. For 2027 entry Cambridge listed Selwyn and St Edmund's as the Colleges that ask PBS applicants to take one, with the details provided by the College.
Robinson requires one piece of written work, and Magdalene, Murray Edwards, Pembroke and St Edmund's require two.
PBS is a three-year full-time BA (Hons), offered at all Colleges except Peterhouse and starting in October 2027. It is accredited by the British Psychological Society, so graduates with at least second class Honours get the graduate recognition needed to pursue a career in psychology.
Official sources
Last verified on 20 October 2026 for 2027 entry, on Cambridge's PBS course page and College admission assessments page. Applicant numbers quoted in the guide are for the 2025 cycle and are not a requirement. College requirements are set by the Colleges: check the College pages.
The course
PBS is a distinct Cambridge course. Cambridge lists Human, Social, and Political Sciences and Education as separate related courses, so do not treat them as interchangeable choices on the application. In Year 1 three papers are compulsory (Introduction to Experimental Psychology: From Brain to Cognition; Social Psychology and Individual Differences; From Subjective Questions to Objective Science) and one more is chosen from around nine options. Year 3 includes a 7,000-word research dissertation on a psychology topic of your choice. Assessment uses laboratory reports, written examinations and oral examinations, and Cambridge says you will not usually be able to resit exams.
Subjects
The subject rule is looser than the course name suggests and tighter than some applicants expect.
At least one of Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science or Physics, at A level or IB Higher Level or equivalent.
Some Colleges specify which science subject or subjects they require. Read the College's own page before you choose a College preference.
Cambridge's list of qualifying subjects does not include Psychology. Cambridge's page says what students have studied, but that is a description of past entrants, not a requirement.
Colleges
Colleges set offers, assessments and written work, and for PBS the differences are concrete.
Most Colleges usually set offers at the minimum level and may sometimes ask for higher grades or an A* in a particular subject. Churchill, Corpus Christi, Jesus, Lucy Cavendish, Queens', Selwyn and St John's have extra subject requirements and/or extra conditions for most or all offers.
For 2027 entry Selwyn and St Edmund's asked PBS applicants to take a College assessment, with details provided by the College. You do not register in advance.
Robinson requires one piece of written work. Magdalene, Murray Edwards, Pembroke and St Edmund's require two. If you choose one of these Colleges, plan the work well before the application.
PBS is offered at all Colleges except Peterhouse.
Context
Cambridge's page shows, for the 2025 cycle, 8 applications per place and 79 accepted. These are historical figures about past cohorts. 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, and Colleges can change their own conditions.
Check Cambridge's PBS page, the College admission assessments page and each shortlisted College's page for the 2028-entry values when they appear.
Secure at least one science subject or Mathematics at the higher level, and shortlist Colleges with their subject, assessment and written-work conditions side by side.
Support
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with the University of Cambridge or any College 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 within one advisory plan. Support is tailored to the student, and no outcome is promised.
Questions
No. Cambridge lists Human, Social, and Political Sciences as a separate related course. Psychological and Behavioural Sciences is its own course.
Cambridge's list of qualifying subjects is Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science and Physics, and you need at least one at the higher level. Psychology is not on that list.
At some Colleges. For 2027 entry Cambridge listed Selwyn and St Edmund's. You do not need to register in advance, and the College provides the details.
At some Colleges. For 2027 entry Robinson required one piece and Magdalene, Murray Edwards, Pembroke and St Edmund's required two.
No. They are Cambridge's wording for the 2027 application cycle. Check the course page and your shortlisted Colleges' pages when the 2028-entry requirements appear.
Students and families
Tell us about the student's curriculum, which science subject or Mathematics they are taking, any College preferences, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.
