St Catharine's offers accommodation in College for all three or four years of the normal undergraduate course. The College's accommodation is accredited by ANUK (Accreditation Network UK). Please take the time to read the College’s accommodation handbook and your occupancy agreement (when you receive it – usually in September) for further information.
Locations
All first years live on the main site and are allocated rooms based on band preference, subject to availability. Second years live 10 minutes away in St Chad's flats on Grange Road unless the intake for that year is higher than the number of rooms available, in which case students will be offered rooms on main site. Third years are allocated rooms on main site, unless the intake for that year is higher than the number of rooms available in which case alternative options will be offered during the ballot process. Fourth year's(*) will be allocated to Belfield and Silver House at St Chad's and South Green Lodge, subject to availability. Third year students will receive an email towards the end of Lent term asking if they plan to continue for a fourth year and if you will require accommodation.
*The exception to this is fourth year vets and medics who should apply for accommodation via the graduate application process.
The ballot
Rooms in the second and third year are allocated by ballot, and students with a disability can make an application in advance if a specific type of room is required. Those returning from a year abroad will be counted as 'third years' for accommodation purposes.
Residence periods
In your first year you only have the option of a 'short' contract, but in later years there are some rooms available on a 'long contract', which means you get an extended residence period (an extra week at Christmas and you can stay over the Easter vacation too).
Accommodation charges
The termly accommodation charge for a room varies according to its size, location and facilities. The charge includes the costs of heating, electricity, water and internet connection. Please refer to the full list of what is included in our accommodation.
Accommodation charges are set by the College each year. Please refer to the College's accommodation charges for 2023-24.
Please refer to the College's webpages on financial support and billing arrangements for undergraduates,
Kitchens and mealtimes
Rooms on the main College site have access to a small shared kitchen called a 'gyp' with fridge, sink, kettle and microwave. Off-site accommodation such as St Chad's contains fully-equipped kitchens to enable students to cater for themselves if they wish. Please adhere to the advice poster regarding kitchen/gyp use located in each kitchen/gyp.
Breakfast, lunch and an evening meal are available in the self-service cafeteria in the College Hall. Formal hall (with gowns) is available several nights each week.
Additional items
If you would like to make an application for a personal fridge or longer bed for your room please first refer to the College's additional items policy. To make a request, before the start of Michaelmas Term, please complete the additional item request form.
Keys and security
Room keys are issued by the Porters and students should never leave their rooms unlocked. The College does not accept liability for loss or damage to private property in College rooms, so students are strongly encouraged to take out insurance for their belongings.
Unreturned/lost keys represent a security concern for the St Catharine’s community so please keep your keys safe and remember to return them to the Porters’ Lodge when you vacate your room at the end of each period of residence. Any misuse or loss of keys represents a serious breach of discipline and will be dealt with accordingly. A fine will automatically be levied for lost/unreturned keys, which varies subject to the cost of the replacement(s).
Guests
Guests may also be invited to College meals for a small surcharge. There are sometimes a couple of main site rooms available for students’ guests during term. Please review and complete the guest room request form.
Cars
Cambridge was not built for cars. If students have an exceptional reason to keep a car in Cambridge then they should first read the Motor Vehicles Proctorial Information on the University Website and consult with their College tutor. Applications for a licence need to be made online. Fortunately, Cambridge is so compact that many students find that they can cope without even owning a bicycle.
Other accommodation
By exception, students may seek permission from the Senior Tutor (senior.tutor@caths.cam.ac.uk) to live outside of College owned accommodation. All students, including those who live elsewhere, must comply with the University’s rules about where you live. The College is not responsible for finding private accommodation for students.
