Submitting written work

Submitting Written Work

Some Cambridge courses require you to submit written work as part of your application.

Certain courses at Magdalene require you to submit additional written work as part of your application. This written work plays a significant role in your application. If you are invited to interview your written work may be discussed during the interview.

What Written Work to Submit

Your submissions should typically consist of essays or project work completed during your A Level (or equivalent) studies. These pieces must be marked by your teacher and should be certified copies of the originals. You are not expected to create new work specifically for this application.

General Guidelines

  • Length: While there is no set word count, we generally expect essays to be around 2-3 pages if typed (single-spaced) and 3-5 pages if handwritten (depending on handwriting size). Due to the admissions timeline, we cannot accept longer submissions.
  • Language: Unless otherwise specified, all written work should be submitted in English.
  • Cover Sheet: Each submission must include a completed cover sheet, available at the bottom of this page. Remember to keep a copy for yourself, as it may be useful during your interview.

Submission Process

Submit your written work to the Academic Office via the Applicant Documents Upload Form. The deadline for submission is tbc November.

Course-Specific Requirements

  • Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic: Two essays on a historical or literary topic.
  • Archaeology: One essay (not science coursework or a timed exam) with a word limit of up to 1500 words. The work can be taken from an EPQ. Ideally it will be on an historical topic.
  • Architecture: Submit a PDF (6 A4 pages, and less than 15MB in size) of your own artwork prior to interview. The selection of images should, in part, reflect material you might bring to interview as part of your portfolio. See the Architecture Course page for Architecture portfolio guidance information.
  • Asian and Middle Eastern Studies: Written work is not required unless you are proposing to combine this course with a European language. In that case, submit one piece in the European language you intend to study.
  • Classics (3 and 4 year): Two pieces on Classical topics, usually work part of A Level studies. At least one should be in essay format.
  • Design: Submit a PDF (6 A4 pages, and less than 15MB in size) of your own artwork prior to interview. The selection of images should, in part, reflect material you might bring to interview as part of your portfolio. See the Design Course page for Design portfolio guidance information.
  • Education: Two pieces of written work. This should be in essay format (not science coursework or a timed exam) and can be extracted from an EPQ.
  • English: Two essays on subjects studied at A Level. At least one essay should have a strong literary component.
  • History: Two essays on a historical topic (word limit 3000). These should be two essays which you found interesting, and need not necessarily be those marked best by your teachers. The choice of essay topics will be taken into account by the College historians as well as their quality. 
  • History and Modern Languages: Two essays, ideally in the form of marked A Level essays, at least one of which should be on a historical topic. If applying for a post A Level language, one should be in the language you intend to study.
  • History and Politics: Two essays that you feel relate to the course. At least one should be on a historical topic.
  • Human, Social, and Political Sciences: Two essays or recent pieces of A Level course work that relate to the course.
  • Modern and Medieval Languages: Two recent examples of writing (an essay, for example) completed for A Levels, one should be in one of the languages you intend to study at university. The pieces must be dated school work which has been marked by a teacher.
  • Music: One recent essay, and one piece of harmony or composition work.
  • Psychological and Behavioural Studies: Two school essays or recent pieces of project work (word limit 2000) that relate to the course. If you would like to submit an EPQ, we would request that you submit a section of it.
  • Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion: Two essays. These do not have to be on a theological topic, but it is helpful if they have some relation to the subject.

Please do not submit any written work beyond what has been requested above, as it will not be considered by the interviewers or Admissions Tutors and cannot be returned.

Courses Not Requiring Additional Written Work

The following courses do not require the submission of written work:

Get help with submitting written work

If you have any questions about what written work you need to submit, please contact the Magdalene Academic Office and we will be happy to help.

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