Cambridge Judge MBA

01 · Class profile

Who is in the Cambridge Judge MBA class

Class of 2026, the cohort that started in September 2026, as on Judge's class-profile page: 222 students from 43 nationalities. Judge describes the class as c.90% non-British.

Judge's class-profile page carries no class label. We read it as the class of 2026 because its chart titles and photo caption say 2026, and Judge's 2nd Oct 2026 news article on the class of 2026 gives the same figures.

Judge's pages differ on class size: 222 on the class-profile page and in the news article, 'around 245' per cohort on its Women page, and 217 students in 2025 on its student-experience page. This page uses 222.

Where the class is from (number of students)

Number of students in the class of 2026, by country, from the chart on Judge's class-profile page. The chart's counts add up to 223, one more than the 222 headline, and Judge does not explain the difference.

Others: Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Vietnam. Each has 1 to 4 students. The Others total is the sum of those chart counts.

Background before the MBA (share of the class)

Share of the class of 2026, shown on Judge's page as 'Background area'. This is the work background before the MBA, not the jobs after it. Other is Judge's own bucket and Judge does not say what is in it.

Test scores

Judge's pages differ on test averages. The class-profile page gives a GMAT mean of 690 and does not say which edition. The apply page gives the Focus, previous-format and GRE figures above, with no class year. This page uses both pages as labelled.

Judge's MBA overview page gives yet another set: GMAT 680 to 690, GMAT Focus 625 to 635 and GRE verbal 78%, quantitative 71%. Judge publishes no GRE or Executive Assessment figure for the class, no medians and no ranges, and sets no minimum score.

02 · Placements

Where Cambridge Judge MBA graduates go

Class of 2024/25, from Judge's 2026 employment report, which Judge calls its most recently graduated class. This is a different class from the class of 2026 in section 01, which started in September 2026.

Judge's employment-report page gives highlights. The full report is behind a request form that asks for your name and email, so this page uses only what Judge's own pages show. The page carries no publication date.

Judge says 'average base salary' of £71,216 and prints $134,357 as the dollar equivalent. It does not say whether this is a mean or a median, how many graduates reported, or how the dollars were converted.

Judge says 82% of those seeking employment received full-time offers within four months of graduation. It does not state how many graduates there were, how many were seeking employment or how many replied.

Sector of the job (share of the class)

Share of the class of 2024/25, as Judge prints them. They add up to 97%, and Judge does not explain the other 3%.

Judge describes industry as technology, healthcare, energy and e-commerce, finance as particularly investment-focused roles such as venture capital and private equity, and consulting as strategy and specialist advisory firms.

Judge's pages differ on consulting: its careers-in-consulting page says 14% of recent graduates transitioned into consulting, while its 2026 employment report page says 19% of the class of 2024/25. This page uses 19%.

Judge's technology page says 33% of graduates who took jobs in industry work in technology. Its finance page says 26% of graduates who went into finance took venture capital or private equity jobs. Both say the figures come from the most recent employment report.

Change of sector, function and country

Judge says 75% of the class switched sector, 67% switched job function and 45% switched country. It says 88% switched at least one of country, function or industry, and 39% switched both location and sector.

Among graduates who changed geography, Judge says 74% stayed in the UK. Graduates went to 24 countries.

Employers

Judge names Google, Model ML, PwC and TikTok as the recruiters that hired the most Cambridge MBAs in the class of 2024/25. The full employer list is in the gated report.

Judge's employment-report page shows no median, highest or lowest salary, no bonus figures and no split by job function or region. We could not check the full report.

03 · Fees and scholarships

What it costs, and how to pay less

Tuition is £86,250 for September 2027 entry on the one-year programme, and Judge says the same fee applies to British and overseas students.

Living costs of £20,700 are Judge's estimate for a full-time student living alone in Cambridge. Judge's pages disagree on what that covers. Its FAQ (2026/27 figure) says it covers College fees, textbooks, accommodation, meals, extracurricular activities and travel. Its fees page (2027/28 figure) lists set-up costs, including a laptop, mobile and bike, as well as travel and utility bills, as things to plan for.

Judge's pages differ on the year of the living-costs figure: its fees page labels £20,700 as 2027/28, while its FAQ gives the same amount for 2026/27. This page uses 2027/28.

How you pay

You must tell Judge your decision on a conditional offer within 3 weeks. Judge says full-time students on one-year programmes are normally not allowed to do paid work during study, and the University requires funding to be fully in place before you start.

Cambridge Judge scholarships

How scholarships are decided

You apply by selecting your interest on the MBA application form, and some scholarships ask for a supporting statement. The Scholarships Committee decides after interview, looking at your academic profile, interview feedback and supporting statement. Judge advises applying early if you rely on scholarships, bursaries or loans.

Judge's class-profile page also names a Scholarship for Entrepreneurs and a Scholarship for Technology. Neither is in Judge's scholarship directory, and Judge does not publish their value or number of awards on a page we found.

Judge's pages differ on the Scholarship for Professional Impact: the class-profile page describes it by sector, while its own page describes professional impact. This page uses the scholarship's own page.

Judge's Global Impact page still lists eligible regions 'for the 2024-25 admissions year', so we leave that list out.

Judge does not publish the share of students who receive scholarships or aid, and does not say whether the £10,000 alumni discount can be combined with a scholarship.

Other scholarships Judge lists

From Judge's scholarships and loans directory, which lists more, such as Skye Foundation, Zonta, Khazanah and CONACYT. Values and dates are as Judge prints them; check each provider before you plan around them.

Loans

Judge says loans are available to all candidates holding a conditional offer. Interest rates and terms are on the lenders' own sites, not Judge's.

The directory also lists loan routes for Canada, Norway, Mexico (FUNED), Australia and New Zealand (Spark Finance) and Colombia (Colfuturo).

04 · Rounds and deadlines

Which round, and by when

Judge has five rounds for entry in September 2027, and says applications for 2027 entry are open. Round 1 and Round 2 have closed. The Round 2 interview day is on 6th Nov 2026, and Round 3 is the next round you can still submit to.

Judge says the deadline is 23:59 on the deadline date and does not give a time zone. It notifies you of a shortlist within about 3 weeks of the deadline, then invites you to a virtual interview day and an interview in a window of about two weeks.

Judge says interviews run over about two weeks in each round, but lists 15th Feb to 12th Mar 2027 for Round 3, which is about four weeks. That is Judge's own inconsistency; check with Judge before you plan around it.

Judge publishes no fixed decision dates. It says a conditional offer usually comes within 3 weeks of the interview, though it can take longer, and you must reply within 3 weeks.

Some scholarships depend on the round. The Dean's Scholarship is for applications in rounds 1, 2 or 3, so Round 3 is the last eligible round now that Rounds 1 and 2 have closed, and several others are awarded on a rolling basis until used up, so Judge advises applying early if you rely on one.

Judge says the programme starts in September 2027.

05 · Clubs and activities

Life outside class

Judge's page on special interest groups and societies lists 29 groups, for MBA and MFin students together. The count is ours, as Judge states no total and does not sort the groups into categories.

Special interest groups (29)

Artificial Intelligence (AI); Australia New Zealand (ANZ); Biotech Pharma Health (BiPH); Cambridge Africa Business Network (CABN); Cambridge ASEAN Business Club; Culture Arts Media Sports Education (CAMSE); Cambridge China Business Society (CCBS); Climate & Energy Transition (CET); Cambridge India Business Forum (CIBF); Cambridge Japan Business Club (CJBC); Cambridge Middle East Business Society (CMEBS); Consulting; Entrepreneurship; Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA); Fashion + RELM (Retail Ecommerce Luxury Marketing); Femtech; Fintech; Ibero-LatAm; Investment management (IM); Infrastructure; Fashion & Digital Influence Association (FDIA); Industry Club (Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Operations); Private Equity and Venture Capital (PE/VC); Pride@CJBS; Social impact & sustainability (SIS); Tech; Travel & tourism (TT); Web3; Women and gender equality.

Judge does not describe what each group does. The names are as Judge prints them, with the short forms it uses.

What the groups and clubs do

Events and activities

Colleges and the wider University

Judge says every MBA student is guaranteed membership of a College, one of 31. Colleges run their own clubs and societies, a Middle Common Room for postgraduates, formal halls, bops and May Balls.

Judge names Hughes, Darwin and Queens' as Colleges with bigger MBA contingents, and Churchill as better equipped for partners and families. Accommodation is normally offered by the College but is not guaranteed, because demand often exceeds supply.

Judge also says the wider University has more than 400 societies, from sports and arts to consulting and entrepreneurship, with a Freshers' Fair at the start of the year.

06 · Process

From application to decision

1. PreparationBefore the deadline

   Create an account and start the application on the online portal. You can save it as often as you like.

2. Application submission

   Submit the complete application with all supporting documents and the £165 fee.

   Judge says your application cannot be reviewed until the fee is received.

3. Application reviewWithin 3 weeks of the deadline

   The Cambridge Admissions Committee reviews your whole application and decides whom to shortlist. You are notified within 3 weeks.

   Judge says it gives no individual feedback to unsuccessful candidates. Judge says an appeal can be made if you believe there was an administrative error, you were treated unfairly because of bias or prejudice, or circumstances unknown to it might have affected the decision.

4. InterviewBy invitation

   Shortlisted candidates are invited to a virtual interview day, then to an admissions interview in a window of about two weeks.

   Judge says all MBA admissions interviews are virtual. It does not publish how many interviews there are or how long each lasts.

5. Conditional offerUsually within 3 weeks of the interview

   Judge says this can take longer. You must reply within 3 weeks. On acceptance you pay the £7,950 reservation fee and give a financial guarantee.

   Judge puts you forward for College membership if you receive a conditional offer. Its pages describe no waitlist stage.

6. Unconditional offerWhen conditions are met

   You meet the conditions of your offer, for example verifying your academic credentials through Qualification Check (ECCTIS). Judge confirms the unconditional offer by letter.

   Judge says it is a paperless office and does not accept postal transcripts.

07 · What you need

What goes into the application

1. Eligibility

At least 2 years of full-time work experience after graduation by the start of the programme. Judge says part-time work normally does not count unless there are extenuating circumstances, such as caring responsibilities. The class average is about 6 years. Judge sets no upper age limit and does not require a business background.

Judge asks for a good 2:1 Honours degree on the UK scale or an international equivalent. It may consider a lower result with a good GMAT, GRE or Executive Assessment score. It considers applicants without a degree only in exceptional circumstances and advises them to ask the Admissions team for a profile review first.

Judge's pages differ on the degree: its apply page says 'a good 2:1', its FAQ says 'a 2:1', and its 'who we are looking for' text says 'a high 2:1'. This page uses a good 2:1 as the minimum and a high 2:1 as the profile of a good fit.

2. Test score

A valid GMAT (current or previous format), GRE or Executive Assessment score is compulsory. Judge has no preference between tests and accepts test-centre and online tests. It offers no waivers and cannot review your application without a score report. Self-report your score on the form and upload the report. The official report must be made available to Judge online, not by post.

Scores are valid for 5 years and must be valid when you apply. The GMAT programme code is WF1-T3-68 and the GRE institution code is 0832. Judge specifies no minimum score. It does not currently consider the GMAT Superscore and evaluates single-attempt scores for this cycle, and says a visible Superscore will not harm your application.

3. English test

Fluency in English is a prerequisite. If English is not your first language, you need a recognised test taken in the 2 years before September of the entry year. Judge accepts IELTS Academic, IELTS for UKVI Academic, IELTS One Skill Retake, TOEFL iBT, TOEFL iBT Home Edition and Cambridge English C2 Proficiency.

Judge's 2026-27 English language policy sets these minimums. IELTS Academic: 7.0 overall, 7.0 in Listening, Writing and Speaking, and 6.5 in Reading. TOEFL iBT taken before 21st Jan 2026: 100 overall and 25 in each section. TOEFL iBT taken from 21st Jan 2026: 5.5 overall, with at least two sub-scores at 5.5 or higher and none below 5.0. C2 Proficiency: 200 overall and no element below 185.

Judge does not normally require a test for nationals of a List A country (such as the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or Ireland) who completed secondary or tertiary education in English there. Nationals of a List B country who completed secondary or tertiary education in English there are assessed internally by the University Language Centre on admission instead of taking a TOEFL or IELTS test. Judge's policy puts India on List B, not List A. Judge can still require a test or assessment at any stage. Applicants who narrowly miss a minimum may be referred to the University Language Centre.

4. Essays

Judge says you must complete the careers objectives statement and three shorter essays. All four are required.

Essay 1: Careers objectives statement (required, up to 500 words)

Essay 2 (required, up to 200 words)

Essay 3 (required, up to 200 words)

Essay 4 (required, up to 200 words)

5. One recommendation

One reference, from a supervisor: someone who has worked with you in a supervisory or managerial role. Judge does not accept academic references or references from relatives, peers or colleagues. Your referee gets an automatic request once you enter their contact details in the References section of the online application.

If you do not want to ask your current line manager, Judge accepts a former line manager or supervisor and, failing that, a customer, supplier or adviser you work with professionally. Self-employed applicants may nominate a customer, supplier or professional adviser. Judge advises starting your referee early so a late reference does not hold up your application. Judge does not publish the referee's questions or a word limit on its public pages.

6. Video or assessment

Judge lists no video essay in the standard application. A video assessment applies only to applicants shortlisted for the Forté Foundation Fellowship or the ROMBA Fellowship, with details sent after the interview invitation. Judge's pages mention no other online assessment.

7. Other documents

Your degree certificate and transcripts, uploaded in the Academic information section. If you get an offer, you verify them through Qualification Check (ECCTIS), which has a small fee paid directly, or your university can verify them electronically by email. You also need your test score report, an English test result if needed, and the £165 fee. At acceptance Judge asks for proof that you can finance the MBA.

Judge's apply page and FAQ list no CV among the requirements. Master's details can be included but are not required.

08 · What Judge wants

How Judge reads your file

Judge describes who the Cambridge MBA is right for. Here is what each point means for your application.

Judge says intellectual ability and mindset are key to its admissions requirements, and that it values diversity. If you meet only some criteria, it points to exceptions it may make on its apply page, which does not list them.

Judge's 25th Sep 2026 interview guidance says to expect a conversation, know your own story, be clear on why an MBA and why Judge, think about what you will bring, and not over-rehearse.

It says interviewers want to see how you think, respond to new ideas and reflect on experience.

Judge publishes no percentage weights for these areas. The Admissions Committee reviews your whole application and decides whom to shortlist.

09 · Interview questions

What candidates say Judge interviewers ask

These are not Judge's own list. They are five types of question that candidates say Judge interviewers ask, based on candidates' own accounts of their Judge interviews from 2021 to 2025.

high means it comes up in close to half of candidate accounts or more, medium in roughly a quarter to just under half, and low in fewer than a quarter.

The group of accounts is modest and uneven: we have none from 2022 or from this year, and people who did well are more likely to share. Treat the tags as a guide, not a forecast.

Candidates also describe questions on walking through your background and CV, why you want to leave your job now, the most innovative thing you have done, and hobbies and books. Some questions follow up on your CV, essays or earlier answers.

10 · Interview experience

What the interview is actually like

What Judge says

What candidates report

Based on candidates' own accounts from 2021 to 2025. Nothing is reported for this year, and the accounts of older in-person interview days are not used, so check Judge's pages for the current format.

11 · FAQs

Questions students ask about Cambridge Judge MBA