Downing College

Image source click here
Always check directly with the University of Cambridge and Downing College for the correct and most up to date information. Please report any errors here.
Year founded[❔] 1800
Mature (21+)[❔] ❌
Women only ❌
Postgraduate only ❌
Accepts part-time students ✔️
Oxford sister college[❔] Lincoln College
Gold/Platinum Green Impact Award 2018[❔] ❌
College website click here

User reviews
  • 5
    Not many tourists even though it is in the centre of town
  • 3
    Big open grounds
  • 1
    Really good quality accommodation, and all on-site
  • 0
    Favourite student bars just down the road (Spoons, Revs, and many more)
  • 0
    Huge, open spaces!
  • 0
    Directly opposite the Chemistry department and super near other NatSci departments
  • 0
    Lovely cafe with great hot chocolate and cakes tucked behind the library
  • 0
    Really active MCR, with lots of events, talks, meet-ups, etc. organised for postgrads (and JCR seems pretty active too)
  • 0
    Amazing food - formals are fantastic, and even the normal food in hall is really good
  • 0
    Amazing food, amazing accommodation. Never regret choosing Downing as my College
  • 0
    Plenty of restaurants in close proximity (Nandos, Pizza Hut, etc.)
  • 0
    We serve Costa coffee at our bar during the day

  • 5
    Friendliest Portes' Lodge

  • 1
    Close the gates earlier

UG - usual # years on-site room provided[❔] 2
UG - usual # years room provided[❔] 4
PG - usual # years on-site room provided[❔] 0
PG - usual # years room provided[❔] 1
Couples rooms ✔️
Family rooms ❌
Ballot system[❔] ✔️
% full-time PG in college room (~)[❔] 54
PG single room min. (~£/wk) 137
PG single room max. (~ £/wk) 202
Deadline to have met conditions to be eligible for college accommodation 1st of August
Kitchen fixed charge [❔] ✔️
UG accommodation website click here
PG accommodation website click here

User ratings
On-site room quality: Avg: 4.2/5
(rate me!)
On-site room value for money: Avg: 3.7/5
(rate me!)
Off-site room quality: Avg: 3/5
(rate me!)
Off-site room value for money: Avg: 3/5
(rate me!)

User reviews
  • 4
    Amazing, all very high quality and many ensuite
  • 0
    Excellent value for money too, the prices are a little higher than some other colleges but the rooms are MUCH better
  • 0
    Lots of ensuite rooms, particularly for postgrads
  • 0
    For Postgrads, almost all rooms are on-site, lots of ensuits, accommodation almost guaranteed till 2nd year and possible till 3rd year.

  • 2
    Closest thing to "off-site" is the houses on Lensfield Road, but they are all connected to Downing.
  • 0
    Don't think we have any off-site accommodation?

24/7 library ✔️
College cafe ✔️
Anglican chapel ✔️
Interdenominational chapel ❌
Discounted punting[❔] ✔️
Free punting[❔] ❌
Radio station ❌
Garden plot ✔️
Bicycle scheme ❌
Art room ❌
Gym (weights) ✔️
Cinema ❌
Badminton court ❌
Basketball court ❌
Dance studio ❌
Eton Fives court ❌
Netball court ✔️
Squash court ❌
Swimming pool ❌
Tennis court ✔️
Rugby field ✔️
Lacrosse field ❌
Hockey pitch ❌
Cricket pitch ❌
Volleyball court ❌
Football pitch ✔️
Brunch Saturday ✔️
Brunch Sunday ✔️
Daily vegan option ✔️

User ratings
Value for money: Avg: 4.3/5
(rate me!)
Quality of food: Avg: 4/5
(rate me!)

User reviews

Acapella ❌
Africa ❌
Altruism ❌
Anglo-Japanese ❌
Anthropology ❌
Apotheosis ❌
Archeology ❌
Art ✔️
Baking ❌
Ballroom dancing ❌
Bachata ❌
Bee keeping ❌
Board Games ❌
Book Club ❌
Botanical ❌
Caledonian ❌
Card games ❌
Casino ❌
Charity ❌
Chess ❌
Chinese Culture ❌
Choir ✔️
Christian Union ❌
Classics ❌
College Brass Band ✔️
Comedy ❌
Computer science ❌
Consulting ❌
Contemporary dance ❌
Current affairs ❌
Debate ❌
Drama ✔️
Economics ✔️
Engineering ✔️
English ❌
Entrepreneurship ❌
Families Club ❌
Feminist ✔️
Film ❌
Finance ❌
Food ❌
French ❌
Gardening club ✔️
Gender equality ❌
Geographical ✔️
History ✔️
Humanities ❌
Investment ❌
Irish ❌
Islamic ❌
Jewish ❌
Land economy ❌
Languages ❌
Law ✔️
Lawn Games ❌
Literary ❌
Lockpicking ❌
Maths ❌
Medical ✔️
Mindfulness ❌
Music ✔️
Musical ❌
Orchestra ✔️
Oriental ❌
PhD ❌
Philosophy ✔️
Photography ❌
Pilates ❌
Poetry ✔️
Poker ❌
Politics ❌
Quiz ❌
Role playing games ❌
Russian ❌
Salsa ❌
Science ✔️
Serbian ❌
Sign language ❌
Smoothie ❌
Social science ❌
Speakers ❌
Steel pan band ❌
Student publication ❌
Swiss ❌
Tango ❌
Tea ❌
Theology ❌
Ukelele band ❌
Veterinary ❌
Video games ❌
Wine ❌
Yoga ❌
Zouk ❌
Zumba ❌
Aerobics ❌
Athletics ❌
Badminton ✔️
Basketball ✔️
Climbing ❌
Cricket ✔️
Croquet ❌
Cycling ❌
Football (mens) ✔️
Football (womens) ✔️
Golf ❌
Hockey ✔️
Kayaking ❌
Lacrosse ✔️
Netball ✔️
Netball (womens) ✔️
Ninjitsu ❌
Pole ❌
Pool ❌
Rounders ❌
Rugby (mens) ❌
Rugby ✔️
Rugby (womens) ❌
Running ❌
Sailing ❌
Shooting ❌
Ski ❌
Squash ❌
Swimming ❌
Table football ❌
Table tennis ✔️
Tennis ✔️
Tiddlywinks ❌
Ultimate Frisbee ✔️
Volleyball ✔️
Waterpolo ❌
Windsurfing ❌
% 1st Class degree achieved (~)[❔] 26
JCR/MCR split[❔] ✔️
Student trustee[❔] ❌
UG student website click here
PG student website click here
Free formals ✔️
Free formals per year 3
Free formal for guest ✔️
Private dining discount ❌
Free formal for guest per year 3
Free parking ❌
Use of squash and tennis facilities ❌
Free sports facilities ❌
Right to step on grass ❌
Gym membership discount ❌
Punt booking ❌
Corporate event discount ❌
Wedding discount ❌
Accommodation discount available ❌
May Ball frequency (years)[❔] 2
June Event frequency (years)[❔] 0
Winter Ball frequency (years)[❔] 0
Spring ball frequency (years)[❔] 0
Other ball frequency (years)[❔] 0
Entrepreneurship competitions[❔] ✔️

User ratings
May/Spring/Winter/other ball rating: Avg: 4.0/5
(rate me!)

User reviews
  • 2
    amazing ball in 2017, best headliners by far. Cant wait for 2019
  • 0
    Amazing Ball, probably get the most for your money because it's so big. Went to both Downing and Jesus in 2019 and think Downing maybe was actually better.
  • 0
    Downing Ball was fantastic what a beautiful setting and a wonderful night. 2022.
  • 0
    Well organized, been to quite a few balls in my time at both Oxford and Cambridge this was up there with the best. Well done to the organisers!


# full-time Bachelor's (~) 450
% full-time Bachelor's (~) 65
# full-time Master's (~) 70
% full-time Master's (~) 10
# full-time PhD (~) 150
% full-time PhD (~) 25
Total # full-time students (~) 670
% full-time UK (~) 65
% full-time EU (non-UK) (~) 10
% full-time non-EU (~) 25
% full-time female (~) 45
% full-time Male (~) 55
# part-time Master's (~) 50
# part-time PhDs (~) 0
Total # part-time students (~) 50
Total # students (~) 710
% Arts and Humanities students (~) 35
% STEMM students (~)[❔] 65
High-table[❔] ✔️
Gowns required[❔] ✔️

User ratings
Formal food quality: Avg: 3.7/5
(rate me!)
Value for money: Avg: 3.5/5
(rate me!)

User reviews
  • 0
    Pretty standard formals


Formals
Term Out of term
Mon ❌ ❌
Tue ❌ ❌
Wed ✔️ ❌
Thu ❌ ❌
Fri ✔️ ❌
Sat ❌ ❌
Sun ✔️ ❌
Graduate-only formals
Term Out of term
Mon ❌ ❌
Tue ❌ ❌
Wed ❌ ❌
Thu ❌ ❌
Fri ✔️ ❌
Sat ❌ ❌
Sun ❌ ❌
Net assets (est.) 192.0 million
Net assets/student (~£/student) 288,000
Scholarships and awards (~£/student ) 700