Hi! I’m Natalie and I’m a second-year History student at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, which is affectionately known as Fitz.
I visited lots of Cambridge colleges during an open day, but felt drawn to Fitz due to its friendly atmosphere being located a short distance away from the bustling city centre. Coming from a small village, I didn’t really want to live in central Cambridge – Fitz is around a twenty-minute walk away, which is perfect for me. I met several student ambassadors on the open day, who were incredibly helpful and down-to-earth, which I really appreciated. I applied directly to Fitz and was very grateful to receive an offer from the college.
The best thing about Fitz is undoubtedly the people. Fitz students and staff are known in Cambridge for being some of the friendliest people. Upon arriving at Fitz as a fresher, I immediately found friends both amongst my fellow freshers and older students, such as other historians, members of my netball team, or those similarly interested in improving access to the university.
One of the first events I attended in freshers week was the Matriculation Dinner, where we were seated amongst the fellows for our subject. I was surrounded by some incredibly intelligent academics, including those who had interviewed me less than a year previously (top tip: they rarely remember you!), and quickly became comfortable chatting to them, as I have continued to do over the last few years. Through being a member of the college JCR (like a students’ union), I’ve met yet more people and interacted with college staff members in order to implement new outreach initiatives to benefit prospective applicants, which has shown that the college truly values students’ input.
I think prospective applicants should choose Fitz if they are looking for a friendly, down-to-earth environment where student welfare is prioritised over academic achievement – that doesn’t mean we don’t work hard, we’re just lucky to have supportive and understanding tutors and Directors of Studies. The college also has a high proportion of state school students, and generous bursaries including the Fitzwilliam Top-Up Bursary which some students receive as well as the main Cambridge Bursary.
Because Fitzwilliam is one of the newer Cambridge colleges, the buildings don’t exactly look like the typical images of an old college. The architecture is certainly an eclectic mix and has generated varying reviews. The Modernist dark brick courts probably aren’t the iconic image of old Cambridge student accommodation. That said, these are certainly made up for by the Grade II listed The Grove dating from 1813 and the interior of the more modern Olisa Library.
The Fitz accommodation provides an excellent range of rooms which suit all budgets and group sizes. Freshers are randomly allocated rooms within college, all of which are semi-ensuite, meaning the toilets are shared but everyone has their own sink and shower. In second year, students form groups of up to nine people and ballot for rooms, either in college or in the college-owned houses which are just across the road. Students can choose whether they ballot for slightly more expensive, fully-ensuite rooms, or opt for a cheaper room and save on rent. In third year, students once again ballot for rooms, this time all within college, and are positioned higher in the ballot so they have a good chance of getting their desired accommodation.
A great thing about accommodation at Fitz is the quality of kitchens – lots of Cambridge colleges have tiny ‘gyp rooms’, whereas Fitz has fully-equipped kitchens, some of which also have an attached dining room / social space. Students don’t have to cook all the time, however – we also have the buttery which serves an affordable lunch and dinner, as well as a fantastic cooked brunch on the weekends!
Fitz is known for being quite a sporty college, so lots of students spend time at the college sports pitches which are located just a five minute walk from college. The college has several mens’ and womens’ football, rugby and rowing squads, as well as ladies and mixed netball, mixed hockey, badminton, and many more!
Having been here for almost two years, I’m certain that Fitz was the right choice for me, and I wouldn’t wish to be anywhere else. The friends I’ve made here are some of the best people I have ever met, and I’m immensely grateful to the college for giving me that opportunity. I think Fitz is a place that prioritises wellbeing and balance, rather than an overwhelmingly work-intensive lifestyle, which I believe allows students to achieve highly while maintaining other important aspects of university life. If everything you’ve read above sounds like what you’re looking for in a Cambridge college, I would highly recommend applying to Fitz!
Visit the Fitzwilliam College website for more details!
Natalie is also Head of Content at InsideUni.org, a website providing advice on Oxbridge applications!