Downing College MCR Social Membership Scheme

Post-doctoral workers are nominally affiliated to their department, and are not usually members of a College. However, Downing College MCR offers membership of the MCR to selected postdocs and some visiting research students. If you feel that, through membership of our MCR, you would benefit from the social network the College has to offer as well as bringing something to the already thriving community, then Downing is the place for you!

Membership Conditions and Benefits

Downing College will offer membership of the Middle Common Room (MCR) to selected Post-doctoral workers or postgraduate visiting students attached to the University of Cambridge who are not already members of other Cambridge colleges. Applicants must have been awarded an undergraduate degree.
Applicants must be physically based in Cambridge for the duration of their affiliation.
Not more than twenty five affiliates at any given time will be made members of the MCR.
The number of affiliates from individual departments or groups will be limited to ensure a broad spectrum of participation across the University, and encourage integration.
Post-Doctoral members of the MCR shall have been awarded their PhD within the previous 10 years.
No affiliates shall be eligible for election onto the MCR Executive, nor are they eligible to vote in either MCR or DCAC meetings.
Membership of the MCR shall be terminated when the affiliate’s qualifying appointment or placement in the University of Cambridge ends. Membership can also be cancelled by the College at any time by notice in writing.
The privileges of affiliates made members of the MCR shall be as follows (subject to availability):

Use of the Middle Common Room.
Use of the College Library. Not permissible to borrow books.
Use of College sports facilities on the domus. To book the tennis courts, email both porters@dow.cam.ac.uk and it@dow.cam.ac.uk with a date and time (subject to availability).

To be able to access the multigym during opening hours (6am – 10pm) you must have completed the Gym Membership form. Please email it@dow.cam.ac.uk for access to this form, stating that you are an MCR Social Member. The form consists of membership details, induction videos (compulsory for new members), a physical readiness questionnaire, GP letter submission (if applicable), Terms and Conditions, and a Risk Assessment.

Once you have completed the form successfully, the College Office will confirm your access to the gym by email (it can take up to one week to grant you access to the gym after completing the form). Please note that the Porters’ Lodge are unable to provide you with access to the multigym.

The Gym Membership form must be completed, and approval granted, at the beginning of every academic year.
Use of College sports facilities off domus (eg river facilities).
Invitations to special MCR dinners (at student rate) and other MCR events where space permits.
The right to dine at Formal Hall (not at High Table) at own expense at the rate applicable to students (gowns must be worn). MCR Social members may only bring one guest to Formal Hall.
NB: Only those members who have obtained an @cam email address through their department/faculty can be set up with a Upaychilli account, which is the process through which Formal Hall can be booked.
The use of the Post doc/Affiliate pigeon hole in the Downing Porters’ Lodge for the delivery of mail.
A tour of the College by the MCR President for new Members, at the beginning of the Term of which membership commences (date provided by the MCR President; one tour per term only).
For relevant College accesses (to College gates, Library and MCR), please visit the Porters’ Lodge who can programme your University Card (if one has been issued by your Department/Faculty). If your Department has not issued you with a University card, the Porters’ Lodge can provide a temporary College card for this purpose.

For the avoidance of doubt, affiliate membership is social membership as described above, and such members do not have access to other facilities (including accommodation, the College’s pastoral care provision, including access to the Nursing and Wellbeing Team, or the right to representation by the College MCR).
Affiliate members of the Downing MCR may, on the termination of their membership, request to receive selected mailings from the Development Office to maintain their contact with the College (please contact development@dow.cam.ac.uk if this is the case).
Individual affiliates who have been made members of the MCR may be offered such further privileges as the General Purposes Committee shall determine.
The cost to affiliates of membership of the MCR and of the other privileges set out above shall be a payment of £226.80 for the 2025/26 academic year. A pro rata fee can be arranged (partial month fees will be rounded up). Membership shall not commence until the fee has been paid and is renewable at the discretion of the College.
Should we be notified by the Downing Bursary that a College bill has not been paid by the required date, or you should fall into arrears, membership will automatically be terminated with immediate effect. Once payment has been made for the full amount of the College bill, a College decision will be made as to whether membership can be reinstated.
There is a minimum membership period of 2 calendar months.

To apply, please submit the following documents (preferably combined into one pdf document) to Ellie Tucker: graduate@dow.cam.ac.uk

Your CV which should include the following information: current email addresses (@cam if you have one and an alternative), date of birth, nationality, Cambridge address, university education record, professional qualifications, employment history, teaching experience, current position and date of termination of contract, future plans.
A brief explanation as to why you would like to join the College.
A letter or email of support from your Faculty/Department in the University of Cambridge confirming the dates of your stay.

Subject to approval by the MCR President/Committee, you will then hear within several weeks whether you have been granted MCR affiliation. We look forward to receiving an application from you and wish you every success with it.

For queries, please contact Ellie Tucker: graduate@dow.cam.ac.uk