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What is the Faculty of Economics at Cambridge?
The Faculty of Economics at Cambridge is the University of Cambridge's academic department for teaching and research in economics. It is a University faculty rather than a standalone college: it runs degree programmes, hosts researchers and PhD students, and organises seminars, lectures and public events. Its homepage highlights research and teaching news, including awards, conference appearances and policy engagement.
Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge
Who it is for
- Prospective undergraduates considering Cambridge's economics course.
- Master's and MPhil students, including specialised routes such as Economics and Data Science.
- PhD candidates and visiting researchers looking for supervision, seminars and an academic community.
- Journalists, policymakers and alumni tracking the faculty's research and public commentary.
What it actually does
- Teaching: undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, plus a residential week for the Economics and Data Science MPhil.
- Research and events: lectures, conferences and initiatives such as SCORE, which examines links between religion and economic development.
- Public and policy engagement: faculty members contribute evidence to parliamentary inquiries and appear in national media.
H3. How it differs from other Cambridge institutions The faculty is the central economics department; individual colleges provide accommodation, pastoral care and small-group supervision. If you want to study economics at Cambridge, you apply through the University admissions process and are also affiliated with a college. For broader university information, see University of Cambridge.
A useful next step: check the faculty's admissions and course pages for entry requirements and deadlines, then look at recent faculty news to see whether the research areas match your interests.
What undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes does the Faculty of Economics offer?
The Faculty of Economics at Cambridge offers both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, though the homepage evidence gives only a partial view of the full catalogue.
At undergraduate level, the Faculty teaches Economics within the University of Cambridge's Tripos system, and the page highlights a teaching framework developed in undergraduate Economics that won a 2026 Eduventures Program Innovation Award. At postgraduate level, the page directly references an MPhil in Economics and Data Science, noting a residential week that brought together industry experts, students and alumni.
For a prospective applicant, the practical next step is to check the Faculty's own admissions and programme pages rather than relying on news items, since the homepage is a news and events feed rather than a prospectus. A student choosing between the two routes might note the distinction: the undergraduate course gives a broad grounding in economic theory, mathematics and applied analysis, while the Economics and Data Science MPhil is aimed at those wanting to combine economics with computational and statistical methods.
For official programme details, see Faculty of Economics and the wider University of Cambridge.
How can I apply to study Economics at Cambridge and what are the admission requirements?
Undergraduate Economics at Cambridge is a three-year BA (with an optional fourth year leading to the MPhil-level qualification), taught by the Faculty of Economics and admitted through the University's central admissions system. You apply via UCAS by the mid-October deadline, and the process has several distinct stages: a written application, an admissions assessment, and an interview for shortlisted candidates.
Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge
Typical academic requirements
Cambridge states its requirements in terms of A-levels or equivalent. For Economics, the standard offer is AAA at A-level, with Mathematics essential and Further Mathematics strongly preferred. For the IB, expect around 40–42 points with Higher Level Mathematics. Other qualifications (Scottish Highers, Irish Leaving Certificate, APs, and so on) are assessed on a comparable basis. These are indicative: exact offers are set by the college admitting you, and some colleges ask for specific subjects or grades.
The admissions assessment
Applicants for Economics sit a pre-interview written assessment. This is used to gauge mathematical and analytical reasoning rather than prior economic knowledge, so you are not expected to have studied Economics at school. Check the current test name and format on the official admissions pages, since these have changed in recent years.
How the application is assessed
Admissions tutors weigh several things together:
- Academic record and predicted grades
- The admissions assessment score
- School or college reference
- Personal statement (or the newer structured application questions, depending on the cycle)
- Interview performance, for those shortlisted
Competition is strong, so a single strong element rarely compensates for a weak one.
Practical next steps
- Check the official course page for the current entry requirements and assessment details for the year you intend to apply.
- Choose a college, or make an open application if you have no preference; the college handles your interview and any offer.
- Prepare for the assessment with past or specimen papers, focusing on maths fluency under time pressure.
- If shortlisted, expect an interview that probes how you think through unfamiliar problems, often with a mathematical flavour.
A realistic reader scenario
Suppose you are in Year 12 with predicted AAA including Maths, no Further Maths, and a strong interest in policy. You would still be eligible, but you would be competing against applicants with Further Maths, so strengthening your mathematical preparation and performing well on the assessment becomes especially important. If you are unsure whether your qualifications match, the University's official admissions site and the Faculty page are the places to confirm before you commit to a college choice.
What research areas and initiatives, such as SCORE, is the Faculty of Economics involved in?
The Faculty of Economics at Cambridge is active across several research areas and initiatives, with SCORE being one prominent example. Its work spans international trade and geopolitics, religion and economic development, investment and growth policy, and teaching innovation, alongside contributions to central banking and economic policy debates.
Research areas and initiatives
- SCORE (religion and economic development): The faculty hosts the SCORE initiative, which produced a white paper described as a comprehensive assessment of research on the relationship between religion and economic development. Professor Steven Durlauf delivered the 2026 SCORE Strand 3 Lecture on this theme.
- Trade, geopolitics and international economics: Meredith Crowley discussed global tariffs at the ECB Annual Conference, examining how economics, geopolitics and international trade are changing.
- Investment and UK economic growth: Professor Jagjit Chadha contributed evidence to a UK Parliamentary inquiry into how the country can strengthen investment and improve long-term growth.
- Teaching and learning innovation: A faculty team won a 2026 Eduventures Program Innovation Award for a "Learning by Doing" framework developed in undergraduate Economics.
- Economics and data science: The Economics and Data Science MPhil held a residential week bringing together industry experts, students and alumni.
- Public engagement: Faculty members appeared at the Cambridge Festival, including a talk on the UK's economic journey and one on generative AI.
Who this is useful for
Prospective graduate students can use these areas to judge fit: if you are interested in data science applied to economics, the MPhil residential structure and industry links are relevant. Researchers looking at religion and development should note SCORE as a focal point. Policy-focused readers may find the parliamentary investment work and trade commentary most directly useful.
Next step
Identify the two or three areas closest to your own interest, then look at the faculty's news and research pages for the people and outputs behind them. For official information, see Faculty of Economics.
Who are the faculty members and what awards or recognition have they received?
The Faculty of Economics at Cambridge lists several faculty members and their recent awards or recognition. Based on the page's news section, the following individuals and honors stand out:
- Dr Oleg Kitov — won the 2026 European Economic Association Award for Exceptional Teaching (Senior category) and also received the Pilkington Prize 2026 for outstanding contribution to teaching and learning.
- Professor Steven Durlauf — delivered the 2026 SCORE Strand 3 Lecture, exploring religion and economic development.
- Professor Jagjit Chadha — contributed evidence that helped shape a UK Parliamentary report on strengthening investment and long-term economic growth; also gave a talk at the 2026 Cambridge Festival on the UK's economic journey.
- Dr Bryony Reich — promoted to Professor.
- Meredith Crowley — discussed global tariffs at the ECB Annual Conference.
- Lennart Niermann (PhD student) — won the European Central Bank's 2026 Young Economist Prize.
- Melvyn Weeks — spoke on Generative AI at the 2026 Cambridge Festival.
A faculty team also won a 2026 Eduventures Program Innovation Award for a "Learning by Doing" teaching framework in undergraduate Economics.
If you are considering studying or collaborating with the faculty, use these names as a starting point to explore research areas and teaching strengths. For the most current staff list and individual profiles, check the faculty's official site directly: Faculty of Economics.
How can I stay updated on Faculty of Economics news, events, and media appearances?
The Faculty of Economics at Cambridge publishes its news, event coverage and media appearances directly on its own site, so the simplest approach is to make that page a regular stop rather than relying on secondhand summaries.
Faculty of Economics
What you'll find there
- Faculty News — a running feed of announcements and achievements, from award wins to new publications and promotions.
- Spotlight — a small set of featured items the Faculty wants to draw attention to, useful if you only have a minute.
- Media Mentions & Appearances — a separate stream for when faculty members appear in or are quoted by outside outlets, which is easy to miss if you only check the news feed.
- Events coverage — items such as the Economics and Data Science MPhil residential week or the Cambridge Festival talks, showing where faculty have spoken publicly.
A practical routine
If you want to keep up without checking constantly, skim the news feed monthly and read the media mentions page separately, since the two cover different things: one is what the Faculty announces, the other is where its people turn up elsewhere. For anyone deciding whether to apply, follow a specific researcher or track a policy debate, the media mentions page is often the more revealing of the two.
Related sources
For broader economics coverage from Cambridge, the University's main news pages carry cross-faculty stories. If your interest is specifically in UK economic policy commentary, following the individual economists you see named in the news feed — through their own pages or public profiles — will surface their output faster than a faculty page can.
Decision criterion
Ask yourself what you actually need: institutional announcements (news feed), public commentary and outside coverage (media mentions), or a person's work (follow the individual). Choosing one keeps the habit sustainable.
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