Prospective Students

Why Emma?

Emmanuel College (affectionately known as ‘Emma’) is widely considered the friendliest college in the university. Situated on St. Andrew's Street in the heart of central Cambridge, it's also considered one of the best located colleges! MCR members are a varied bunch; some join straight after their undergrad study while others have come back after a break from university. Members represent a wide range of subjects, too, with every kind of study: from MBAs to medics and from art historians to mathmos. See the Emmanuel College admissions page for information on applying.

A Place to Call Home

Most postgrads live in college housing for at least a year of their degree. The primary residences for postgrad housing are Barnwell Hostel and Blantyre Hostel, both located about a 10–15 minute walk away from the main college site. There are also other grad rooms on Tenison Road; in houses near Addenbrooke’s Hospital for the medics and vets; and in Park Lodge and Park Terrace on the college site itself. See the Emmanuel College postgraduate accommodations page for more information.

Grad housing provides all you would expect from student accommodation, with cooking facilities enough to make an undergrad jealous and their own laundry machines, though most grads find it just as easy to use college services—famously, for example, Emma will do your laundry for you! (A staffed laundry service is included as part of your accommodation fees.) Meals in hall are always a good place to meet up with other students.

The MCR is not just shorthand for the postgrad student body; it’s also a room to call our own in College. The Ogilvie MCR room, located in the Furness Lodge, is equipped with a pool table, a mini foosball table, a Nintendo Switch, and plenty of board games. During term time, the JCR-run bar is also a good place to relax.

Being Sociable

Social activities are a key feature of College life and Emma is no exception. The MCR Committee has three Social Secretaries who, along with other Committee members, organise events throughout the terms and during the summer holiday. We have MCR Formal Dinners three or four times a term. These are grand, three-course events in the Hall, where students and guests dress up and get waiter service. At each dinner we invite guests from other colleges to join us—and we get to attend swaps at their colleges with them in return. This is a great way to see other colleges and as everyone wants to swap with Emma, we’re never short of colleges to dine at.

It’s not all eating and drinking! The MCR arranges an array of activities throughout the year, from movie nights to football in the MCR room; and from zoo outings to walks around the local countryside.

Working Hard

Emma MCR is not just a social hub. It’s a great place for academic networking and development. Emma consistently ranks among the top three Colleges in the annual Tomkins Table and although that’s undergraduate-focused, the grads do not shy from making their own contribution. Each term we host three Grad Talks, which provide opportunities for Grads and Fellows to come together and hear about the work of our MPhil and PhD students. Our Formal Dinners often provide a chance for students to mingle with the Fellows, too.

The range of research undertaken by our grad students, pushing boundaries in topics as varied as selection in South American butterflies, medieval child kings and literary translations, means that there’s always someone around to give you a fresh perspective on your own research!

The Paddock

The college’s well-tended grounds are a popular place for students and picnickers alike to relax, especially in the summer months. The Paddock, one of the few grassy college spaces on which students can walk freely, is home to many ducks and moorhens, and houses a very pretty fish-filled pond and a miniature bamboo garden.