The founding of Wolfson marked a radical departure in the history of Cambridge and its colleges. This was the first college to be established for both men and women and it was to be for graduate students with a focus on research and scholarship. Later the college was permitted to admit a limited number of mature students wishing to study for a first degree, but the college has never taken students straight from school.

The college determined at the outset that it would encourage senior and junior members to mix in together by having no special table in the dining room for the senior members and by making the common rooms open to all. The college also made a point of attracting students from overseas. Nearly two-thirds of our students come from outside the United Kingdom and it is not unusual to have more than seventy countries of residence represented in the student body.

From the start, Wolfson set out to welcome visiting academics to Cambridge. The social and intellectual life of the college is greatly enhanced by the presence every term of twenty to thirty such senior scholars working away from their own universities and institutes. Also, Wolfson has an enviable reputation for its links with the non-academic world, symbolised by the fact that each term up to a dozen journalists, policemen, bankers and others from business, the professions and the public services live and work in the college.

Over the past thirty-five years, Wolfson has played a very full part in the tremendous development of Cambridge as a modern university. The college is committed to the full realisation of the tremendous potential of the University as a centre of advanced scholarship and research.

The college thrives because of the academic excellence of its students and fellows and because of their dedication  to the development of their subjects. The social, cultural and sporting contributions they make to the college further ensures that being at Wolfson is a stimulating and exciting experience.