Understanding the Price Tiers
Cambridge May Week events span a wide range of prices. Understanding the tiers helps you decide where to spend your money.
£80-120 - June Events & Soirees
These are the most affordable formal events. June Events (the term used by colleges that hold events in their "off" year) and soirees are smaller, more intimate affairs. They typically have fewer headline acts and no fairground rides, but still offer a full evening of food, drink, and entertainment in beautiful college grounds. Examples include Homerton June Event, Christ's Soiree, and various garden parties.
£150-200 - Mid-Tier May Balls
The sweet spot for many people. These balls offer a full-night experience with multiple entertainment stages, a good range of food and drink, and often a well-known headline act. Colleges like Selwyn, Downing, Sidney Sussex, and Fitzwilliam typically fall in this range. You get the full May Ball experience without the premium price tag.
£250-350 - Major May Balls
The big-name balls. Jesus, Emmanuel, Caius, Queens', Clare, and similar colleges charge in this range for external tickets. These events have major headline acts, extensive entertainment, elaborate theming, and are among the largest events of May Week. Internal member tickets are typically £50-100 cheaper.
£225-335 - Flagship May Balls
Trinity (£290 external) and St John's (from £225 for Johnians, £280 external) are the largest and most prestigious events. These have the biggest budgets, the most headline acts, and the most elaborate productions. They are also the hardest tickets to get. Prices vary by membership status — college members always pay less than external guests.
Note: These are approximate external ticket prices. Internal member prices are almost always lower, sometimes by £50-100 or more.
Most Affordable Options
If your main priority is attending a formal May Week event without spending £200+, here are the kinds of events to look for:
- June Events - these are run by colleges in their "off" year (when they're not running a full May Ball). They're smaller and cheaper, often £80-120, but still offer a full evening of entertainment, food, and drink in a college setting.
- Garden Parties - some colleges hold afternoon/evening garden parties that are even more affordable, typically £40-80. These are shorter events (usually ending by midnight) but are a lovely way to experience May Week.
- Soirees - similar to June Events, these are more intimate affairs. Christ's Soiree, for example, is well-regarded despite being one of the more affordable options.
- Smaller college events - keep an eye on the smaller colleges. They often offer excellent value because they have lower overheads and smaller venues, which keeps costs down.
Internal vs External Tickets
The single biggest way to save money on a May Ball ticket is to buy an internal ticket through a college member. Internal tickets are reserved for current students (and sometimes Fellows and staff) of the college running the ball. They go on sale weeks before external tickets and are almost always cheaper.
The price difference can be substantial. At some of the bigger balls, internal tickets might be £200 while external tickets are £300 or more. If you know anyone at the college - a friend, a coursemate, someone in your sports team - ask if they'd be willing to buy a guest ticket for you at the internal rate.
Most balls allow internal ticket holders to purchase one or two guest tickets at the internal price. This is one of the most common and easiest ways to get a cheaper ticket.
Bursary Tickets
Most May Ball committees offer subsidised bursary tickets for students who receive financial support from the University or their college. These can be significantly cheaper than standard tickets - sometimes 50% off or more.
Bursary tickets are typically available to students who receive a Cambridge Bursary, a college bursary, or other means-tested financial aid. The application process varies by college - some require you to apply directly to the committee, while others allocate bursary tickets automatically based on your financial aid status.
If you're eligible, this is one of the best deals available. Check your ball's website or contact the committee directly to find out about bursary ticket availability. Don't be embarrassed to ask - these tickets exist specifically so that financial circumstances don't prevent anyone from enjoying May Week.
Working at a May Ball
One option that many people overlook: working at a May Ball. Most balls hire hundreds of workers for the night, from bar staff and food servers to security and cloakroom attendants. This is a legitimate way to experience a May Ball while getting paid.
How It Works
- Workers are typically paid £10-15 per hour (or more for specialist roles).
- Shifts usually run for 4-6 hours, either in the first half or the second half of the evening.
- Once your shift ends, you're free to enjoy the rest of the ball as a guest. Most balls provide workers with a wristband that gives them access to food and drink for the remainder of the night.
- Some balls also provide a meal and drinks during your shift.
Finding Work
Ball committees typically advertise worker positions through college mailing lists, Facebook groups, and word of mouth. Positions are often filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Bar experience is helpful but not usually required - many roles are general event staff. Apply early, as these positions are popular.
Is It Worth It?
It depends on what you're after. If you work the first shift (9pm-1am), you'll miss the opening act and the early evening atmosphere but arrive fresh for the best part of the night (1am-6am) - with money in your pocket rather than having spent it. Many people who've worked a ball say they had just as good a time as guests who paid full price.
Splitting Costs with Doubles Tickets
Many May Balls sell "doubles" or "couples" tickets that admit two people at a discounted rate compared to buying two individual tickets. The per-person cost of a doubles ticket is often £20-40 cheaper than a single ticket.
You don't need to be in a romantic relationship to buy a doubles ticket. Any two people can buy one together. Find a friend who also wants to attend and split the cost. Just make sure you coordinate on the purchase, since doubles tickets are often bought as a single transaction.
The Resale Marketplace
If your preferred ball has sold out, the official resale marketplace is your best option. Some balls that use MayBall.com as their ticketing platform have a built-in marketplace where ticket holders can list their tickets for resale at face value (or sometimes below, if the seller is keen to offload).
The marketplace is safer and more reliable than buying from strangers on social media. Tickets are transferred through the official system, so you get a legitimate ticket in your name - no risk of fakes or double-selling.
Prices on the marketplace sometimes drop below face value in the final weeks before the ball, as people who can no longer attend try to find a buyer. If you're flexible on which ball you attend, watching the marketplace can be a way to get a bargain.
Avoid unofficial resale. Buying tickets from strangers on Facebook or Twitter carries a high risk of scams. Stick to official resale channels.
Free May Week Activities
May Week isn't only about balls. There are plenty of free or very cheap things to do:
- College open gardens - many colleges open their gardens to visitors during May Week. It's a lovely way to see the grounds without paying ball prices.
- Free concerts - various musical groups and college choirs perform free concerts in chapels and outdoor spaces throughout the week.
- Punting - hire a punt on the Cam (from about £25 per hour for a group) or walk along the Backs and watch others try not to fall in.
- Jesus Green and Parker's Piece - on warm evenings, the parks fill up with picnics and impromptu celebrations. Bring some food and drink and join in.
- Suicide Sunday - the traditional garden party on the Sunday of May Week, often held on Jesus Green or college grounds. These range from informal free gatherings to ticketed events.
- Bumps - the May Bumps rowing competition runs during May Week. Watching from the towpath is free and exciting, especially on the final day.
Is a May Ball Worth the Money?
This is the question everyone asks. The honest answer: it depends on what you value.
A £200 May Ball ticket gives you around nine hours of unlimited food, drinks, and entertainment in one of the most beautiful settings in the country. If you break it down by the hour, that's roughly £22 per hour for an all-inclusive evening. A night out in London - dinner, drinks, club entry - can easily cost the same or more, and you won't get dodgems or a fireworks display.
The value also depends on how much you engage with the evening. If you eat well, try different entertainment, dance, explore, and stay until dawn, you will feel you got your money's worth. If you stand in one spot drinking and leave at midnight, you probably won't.
For most Cambridge students, a May Ball is a once-or-twice-in-a-lifetime experience. Many alumni say their May Ball was one of the highlights of their time at Cambridge. If you can afford it without putting yourself under financial strain, it's genuinely worth doing at least once.
If £200+ is genuinely out of reach, look into bursary tickets, working the event, or the smaller June Events and soirees. There is a May Week option at almost every budget level. Don't feel pressured to spend more than you can comfortably afford - the memories are what matter, not the price tag on the ticket.