Corpus Christi

Welcome to Corpus Christi College!

Welcome to Corpus Christi College, a college which is much smaller in comparison to most others in both size and student population. However, it’s a convenient and cosy college located in the central area of Cambridge.

My name is Zeeshan, and I am a 2nd year Engineer. I am more than happy to be contacted at zt254@cam.ac.uk for any issues, concerns, or general advice.

Before discussing Pros and Cons, I would like to preface this by saying that Corpus Christi is one of the smallest colleges, there are around 90-100 freshers each year. You can decide whether this is a Pro or Con for you. If you are in STEM, you might expect to have 5 to 6 freshers doing the same course, if not then it may be even less.

The main college campus is also rather small (this is discussed in Cons below) but you might prefer that it doesn’t require as much walking to get around the campus compared to other colleges.

Pros

  • Located in the city centre, near many other colleges, departments, and the central market area

  • Beautiful main court, stunning view from the street, and even better when you enter

  • The college is quite lenient with giving out monetary grants, such as travel grants, sports and societies, financial aid on top of student finance, etc.

  • College gym and playing fields (free, of course)

  • Food is great for both price and taste, as well as an amazing Weekend brunch

Cons

  • The main campus will quickly begin to feel very small, especially when compared to other colleges such as Trinity, Kings, Johns, etc. If you want to experience that kind of grandeur, then Corpus Christi may not be the right place for you.

  • Gym and playing fields are far out, roughly 20-25 minutes by walk from the main campus

  • Most rooms facing out to the main road, which is usually busy and noisy

Accommodation

  • As a fresher, you will unfortunately not get to choose your accommodation, unless you state you want an ensuite - there are not a whole lot of ensuites at Corpus. I believe there aren’t any on the Main Campus. You can generally expect a staircase with a few floors, and 2-3 rooms per floor, with an allocated shared kitchen and toilets (shared between 3-6 people). Most rooms should have a wash-basin within the room (just a sink), to wash your face, brush your teeth, and perform wudhu of course. I would highly recommend you specify to the college that your minimum requirement for a room is that it must at least have a wash-basin, if you are not trying to get an ensuite. A word of caution: almost NO kitchens around the main campus have hobs for cooking.

  • In Beldam (just across the street from Main Campus), there are ensuites. This is where you will likely be if you ask for an ensuite. Beldam is generally regarded to be quieter, cleaner, and a more new accommodation. Kitchens are nicer and have hobs. Rooms might be slightly more expensive per term.

  • There is Bene’t accommodation in the same location as Beldam. There aren’t any ensuites, it’s directly above a pub and overlooks a busy area which means it may be loud throughout the day and late into night. I’m not sure about the quality of kitchens/toilets, although I would doubt that they have hobs. From what I have seen and heard, I’d say this ranks as the worst of the 4 locations.

  • The 4th is Botolph (also just across the street, but on the opposite side). Botolph is also generally considered to be a quiet accommodation, and some kitchens may have hobs here as well.

  • If you decide not to apply for an ensuite, you are most likely to be placed in Main Campus, Bene’t or Botolph (in order of likelihood). Remember that most regular rooms will likely have a wash-basin regardless, but still ask for a wash-basin as a minimum requirement (these rooms do not cost more or anything). If you can state you want an ensuite, you can say that it’s for religious and hygiene reasons. If you are a girl coming to Corpus Christi, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND getting an ensuite.

Prayer Space

  • Currently we have a fairly small prayer room, capable of fitting around 6-7 people at most. Luckily, St. Catherines college (directly opposite Corpus Christi) has a larger prayer room, where brothers usually go to pray in Jamaat as it is conveniently just across the road.

Halal Food

  • Corpus Christi sources Halal chicken, so all chicken options (except those with alcohol) will be Halal. All other meats are currently not Halal. On a side note, you can see an ‘allergens’ list for each food option, which will mention if there is alcohol or not. However, you may only find between 1-2 chicken options per week, so you will have to suffice with the vegan and vegetarian options (which are always available!).

  • Corpus Christi’s cafeteria is fairly well priced in comparison to other colleges; a main and side will cost on average £3. From personal experience, the serving sizes for main dishes are usually not enough to fill you up, so taking a side is usually necessary. The food variety is quite extensive. Saturday and Sunday brunch is also amazing, you can fill up your plates relatively cheap, and the desserts are great alongside an endless supply of chocolate drizzle or berry sauce to go with them - I would highly recommend it once in a while.

Fridge/Freezer Provision

  • Kitchens/gyp rooms will always have a shared fridge; the amount of people you share with can be between 3-6 depending on where your room is. You can request a small fridge to be kept in your room, although you will need to provide reasoning. I do not think that the college provides freezers, and you also cannot bring your own large-scale electrical appliances due to electrical safety and fire safety regulations.

Washing Facilities

  • 2 Washing Machines + 2 Dryers (Main Campus)

  • 5 Washing Machines + 4 Dryers (Beldam - College accommodation, just across the road)

  • There is a £10 laundry charge per term, and you can use the machines and dryers whenever you want, which is very convenient. The Beldam site more often than not will have free machines, whether you need to use just one or two. Just remember to take your clothes out on time.

Concluding Remark

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