Students at the Computer Laboratory occasionally work away at other universities for the summer vacation or for an entire academic year. Students from other universities occasionally spend time at Cambridge in the same way.
Cambridge's system of synoptic examination at the end of the year means that exchanges for part of a year are not possible.
Computer Science at Cambridge operates as a closely integrated undergraduate course over three years followed by a further year of advanced study for the integrated or free-standing Master's degree. Exchange in or out of the undergraduate course is difficult, and students who would like an international experience are advised to complete an undergraduate course in one university and then transfer elsewhere for postgraduate study.
In particular, the Computer Laboratory does not accept visiting students under the European Erasmus scheme run through the University's International Office.
Some other universities have private arrangements with individual colleges to send students to Cambridge for all or part of the academic year. These visiting students should matriculate as members of the University, and so can attend lectures for the Computer Science Tripos. However, they can not be candidates for examination, so all supervision and assessment is arranged by the host college and not by the department.
See also: Advice for visiting students taking Part IB of the Cambridge Computer Science Tripos
Cambridge-MIT Exchange
The Cambridge-MIT Exchange was concluded after 15 year and ran for the last time in 2016/17.
Summer internships
Cambridge undergraduate students often work with research groups in the Computer Laboratory over the summer (from July to September). Some funding is available for specific undergraduate research opportunities, but these often have restrictions on eligibility. Check the project page for details and information about how to apply.
It is not usually possible to offer financial support to other students, but we can sometimes waive bench fees if the project is suitable and no assessment is required. Restrictions imposed by the UK Border Agency make it very difficult to obtain visas for students from outside the EU. If you would like to apply, send a brief description of your background and interests together with a 300-500 word proposal for the project that you would like to undertake to the relevant member of staff. Remember to include details of how you would pay for your visit. Please do NOT contact several members of staff independently, as this wastes a lot of time through duplicated effort.
Graduate exchanges
Graduate students in the Computer Laboratory often spend summers as interns with groups in other universities or commercial research laboratories. Discuss the possibility with your supervisor in the first instance.
The Computer Laboratory is approached by many students from elsewhere who would like to visit for a few weeks and it is departmental policy not to follow up any unsolicited requests.