The University of Cambridge is the second oldest university in the English-speaking world. Comprising 31 constituent colleges and over 100 academic departments, the institution has a rich academic diversity and is regularly ranked amongst the world's top universities. As a student at Cambridge, you will have an incredible range of opportunities, both academic and social, at your fingertips. Don't forget to check out the list of societies that exist on the CUSU website.

A wide variety of institutions exist within the University. It is particularly useful to be aware of the following:

University Library (UL)

You can access the UL from West Road near Selwyn. It is a Copyright Library, which means that it is entitled by law to receive a free copy of every single publication published and sold in Great Britain. To get access to the library, you need to activate the library account on your University card the first time you visit the library. It may take a few days to process books that are from certain specialist collections, so request it in advance to avoid disappointments or delay in your work! For more information, please visit http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/.

Cambridge University Students' Union (CUSU)

All Selwyn students (undergrads and grads) are members of CUSU, which is affiliated to the National Union of Students (NUS). It plays a vital role in protecting the rights and interests of students within the University, in areas such as education, welfare, and funding and access. For more information, please visit http://www.cusu.cam.ac.uk/.

Graduate Union (GU)

This organisation is independent of the University and is run by a sabbatical officer and a voluntary Executive Committee. The GU specialises in three main graduate issues: 1) graduate representation of university committees; 2) student advice such as legal, financial, academic and welfare issues; 3) providing cheap services such as stationery, binding and photocopying. For more information, please visit http://www.gradunion.cam.ac.uk/. 

University Centre

This is situated just behind the Mill pub next to Silver Street Bridge. All Selwyn students are automatically members of the Centre. You may find facilities such as a cafeteria, a formal restaurant and a coffee lounge. It also has a gym for members and public meetings rooms available for hire at a fairly competitive price. For more information, please visit http://www.unicen.cam.ac.uk/. 

Language Centre

This is a great place if you have any interest in learning a language relevant to your future ambitions or just for fun! Depending on your degree and the department you belong to, you may be entitled to certain subsidies. For more information, please visit http://www.langcen.cam.ac.uk/lc/index.html. 

University Counseling Service

While most people resolve personal problems by talking to a friend or family member, sometimes one may appreciate advice from someone outside of their immediate environment. Counseling is not the same as befriending or giving advice. Instead, a counselor aims to help you explore and understand more clearly matters that concern you. Counselors are trained to work with people from all walks of life. This service provides individual and group-based workshops and peer support. For more information, please visit http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/.