Cambridge Downing - Student Life

Housing: For 3 years; many rooms ensuite, prices in line with rest of university.

Eats: In college: good, wide choice and generous portions; vegetarian, excellent salads; separate sandwich & cappuccino bar; credit system, £3+ for a meal. Out of college, many jacket potato. pizza (student discount), indian and chinese restaurants at £5-£10 for a meal.

Drink: College bar good (£1.80+ a pint): range of alcoholic fruit juices and cocktails; Adnams, Greene King, IPA & Abbot, hand-pulled. College wine reasonable, £3+ a bottle. Surrounded by pubs: All Bar One, Wetherspoons, Spread Eagle, Fountain and more.

Nightlife: Few clubs, eg Life has student night on Wednesdays. But very good college ents. Annual June Event extremely popular university-wide. Parties, bands in Corn Exchange and many student bands; pub crawls. Many productions and revues in college and throughout Cambridge; recently refurbished party room. Locals: Generally friendly.

Sports: College sports ground some distance (but paddock in college for practices); short cycle ride to boathouse. Netball, tennis, squash courts and multi-gym within college, and sports centre planned. Uni sports centre, gym and weights cheap; swimming pool nearby.

Travel: Travel grants available; some standard links with USA.

Financial help: Funds available; application to impartial Vice Master who considers individual cases.

Jobs: Very few get paid term-time work (other than college bar and supervising in college library), largely because of studies (no time). Many students get paid work at home in summer (very few stay in college over summer). Best features: Architecture, friendliness.

And worst: Apathy; poor laundries.

More info: Ring JCR President, on 01223 334825.

Past students: Sir Graham Smith (Astronomer Royal), John Cleese, F R Leavis, Lord Goodman, Prof Lord John Butterfield, Brian Redhead, Michael Winner, Mark Cox, Michael Atherton, Dr Alan Howard, Sir Peter Hall, Trevor Nunn, Thandie Newton (actress).