Undergraduate Accommodation FAQs

First year students are automatically allocated a room within College accommodation before they arrive.  As new students, they cannot specify a specific room, but once their place at Magdalene is confirmed, they can submit an Accommodation Preferences form, to indicate their preference about things such as cost, location, and facilities.

Students going into their second, third, and fourth years of study can generally choose their rooms themselves through the JCR ballot. This is run by the Accommodation Coordinator, with involvement from the JCR Catering & Accommodation Officer, to ensure that everyone has a fair chance at getting the room they want.

No, all our undergraduate and postgraduate accommodation is kept separate.

No. All Magdalene undergraduate rooms are single occupancy, but you may have to share a gyp room, bathroom, and other communal rooms with other students.

Magdalene accommodation is made up of a varied mix of rooms in buildings ranging from the medieval to the modern, and there is no standard or average room size or shape. Rent bands depend on a number of factors, including room size, the gyp and bathroom facilities, and recent redecoration.

Magdalene rents include the cost of the room, and basic utilities and internet. For more information on rent and other charges, please see Accommodation Costs.

A gyp room is a Cambridge term for a small kitchen area, which can be used to prepare snacks and lights meals. Most gyp rooms in Magdalene have a combination microwave, induction hob, kettle and toaster, but this does vary slightly from staircase to staircase.

Yes, we have two wheelchair accessible rooms in Cripps Court. However, due to the age of many of Magdalene’s buildings, other areas of the College are inaccessible to wheelchair users. Please do contact us at rooms@magd.cam.ac.uk to discuss your needs further.

No; there is no male-only or female-only accommodation at Magdalene.

We don’t have any specific rooms for those with special dietary requirements, but we work with students to accommodate their dietary requirements where at all possible. At least one vegan or vegetarian option is available at every meal in Ramsay, and a range of special dietary needs can be catered for a meal in Formal Hall.

No. All Magdalene students are encouraged to eat together in Ramsay or in Formal Hall. Undergraduate accommodation has gyp rooms, which are equipped with small electrical appliances (e.g. toasters, hobs) intended for preparing snacks and light meals, but they are not suitable for students to completely self-cater.

Magdalene undergraduates pay rent during term time, and are charged for a minimum stay of 70 nights, plus any additional nights they stay on top of this. During the vacation periods, if they are not in residence, they do not have to pay rent.

Yes, if you are granted an Out of Term Residence (OTR) by the Accommodation Coordinator. However, the granting of an OTR is not guaranteed, and will depend on room availability, and the reason why you need to stay.

During the Christmas vacation all undergraduates can leave up to 6 large suitcases or bags of belongings in a corner of their room.

During Easter vacation, most students can leave suitcases or bags in their room, but those in areas which will be used for Access residentials and conferences will be required to completely clear their rooms. This will almost always affect students in en suite rooms, and may also affect others, depending on which areas are being used for guests that year.

All students must completely clear their rooms over the Long Vacation.

Magdalene has very limited room for storing students’ belongings. Students living overseas may store a small number of belongings in one of the Overseas Storage Rooms, overseen by the Porters Lodge. There is no storage facility available to students living in the UK.