Chapel fan vaulting

King's College is committed to intellectual excellence and the development of new knowledge. It was founded in 1441 by Henry VI who built the Chapel, one of the most famous buildings in the world.

The Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge is one of the most important medieval buildings in Europe. Since its Foundation by King Henry VI over five centuries ago, Choral services have been an essential part of the daily life of the College. The architectural majesty of the Chapel and the great musical quality of the Choir are admired and loved by millions of people the world over.

The Gibbs building at sunset

The College is known for its character and lack of formality. With its art-world connections and reputation for progressive politics, even in the early 20th century, King's was never staid. It was one of the first men's colleges to admit women in the 1970s and is also proud to have been one of the first Cambridge colleges to actively encourage applicants from non-traditional backgrounds. Today King's seeks promising applicants from both independent and state schools; it has the highest proportion of state-educated pupils of any Cambridge college.

The College has four Nobel Prize winners among its distinguished members, who include E M Forster, John Maynard Keynes, Alan Turing, Frederick Sanger, Zadie Smith, Salman Rushdie, Robert Tear, Patrick Blackett, Sydney Brenner, Tam Dalyell, Eric Hobsbawm, Frank Kermode, David Baddiel, John Bird and John Fortune.