Clare
Welcome to Clare College!
Welcome to Clare - the second oldest college in Cambridge (founded all the way back in 1326!). We are a nice medium-sized college, located very centrally in between King’s and Trinity Hall, with a beautiful view of the river.
My name is Barakah Shoubaki and I am a second year Law student, and I am one of the Islamic Society’s Representatives for Clare, which means that I am the first contact for all Muslims at Clare - if you have any questions at all you can email me at bs710@cam.ac.uk and I’d be happy to help!
Pros
Clare is very close to the centre of the city, and so are the undergraduate accommodation sites, so you’ll have close access to most of the main locations, and should be able to walk everywhere you need to go in under 20 minutes (do check beforehand though if your faculty is far out from the centre)
Although our library isn’t very big, we have a very wide selection of books, so if you are a humanities student it is likely that you will be able to borrow all the books that you need from the library (especially for law!)
Memorial Court (one of our accommodation sites) is very conveniently located a 5 minute walk away from Sidgewick site and is directly opposite the University library
Sometimes the buttery serves great food and is very decently priced
Our formals are also very decently priced
We have our own punts!
Cons
The college is currently undergoing lots of building works in Old Court so our dining hall isn’t available and nor is the large Fellow’s garden and other parts of Old Court
Old Court - the main court of Clare - is very small! The rest of our College is just accommodation sites.
Washing Facilities
Washing facilities are available in both accommodation sites. Memorial Court’s washing facilities are really nice and new, and there are enough washers and dryers that there should most of the time be one available. It costs £2 for a wash and £1 for a dry, and this can be paid for using a mobile app which means you don’t need any change!
Muslim Provisions
Prayer Space
We do not have a designated prayer room in our College, as most people find it easier to just pray in their rooms.
Halal Food
All of the chicken and lamb served in both the buttery and formal dinners are halal.
Fridge/freezer Provision
It is not clear whether college will provide you with a fridge/freezer if requested or if you are allowed to use your own one in your bedroom if requested, but you can always email the accommodation manager and make a request.
Ensuite
Pretty much all first years are given ensuites. In second and third year you can request an ensuite for religious reasons, and either way non-ensuite rooms have a washbasin so that you can perform wudhu easily in your bedroom.
Concluding Remark
Clare is a great college and most staff here are very friendly and accommodating! If you have any concerns you can always email the relevant staff member and they will be able to help you out and put you at ease.
More information about the college can be found at https://www.clare.cam.ac.uk/Home/
Signed,
Barakah Shoubaki (bs710)