TRINITY COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE
Provision, along with the University, of education of the highest standard for some 1100 undergraduate and graduate students; maintaining a Chapel, extensive Library, and substantial buildings; promoting research by its Fellows and students; and making grants to others with similar objects. Although situated in Cambridge, Trinity's members come from a very wide range of areas and backgrounds.
Latest income
£105.5m
Latest spending
£101.2m
Registered
2010
Accounts read
FY2025
Financial health, per its FY2025 accounts
The accounts state that net assets increased by £150m to £2.563bn, driven primarily by a £142m increase in investment valuations. The College maintains unrestricted general reserves of £45.7m, which the trustees confirm are comfortably within their stated policy target range of £25.1m to £75.3m. The pension scheme is in surplus and the trustees consider the financial position strong with sufficient liquidity to meet operational and capital requirements.
What the accounts disclose
Largest income source: Investment income (77% of income)
“Total income from investment rents was also up modestly in the year. Total dividends income continued to increase significantly. Total income from equity dividends increased by £2.6m, bank interest dropped by £2.6m and property income was up by £0.3m.” — page 9
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Reserves position: below the charity's own stated reserves policy (held: £45.7m; policy: six to eighteen months worth of the annual cost of its General Funds charitable activities)
“The general funds are therefore comfortably within the required range.” — page 10
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Payments to trustees: Payments to Trustees for teaching, research and administrative duties amounted to £831,000.
“Payments to Trustees (including benefits in kind and pension contributions), made under the authority of and in accordance with the Statutes of the College, in respect of teaching, research and administrative duties amounted to £831,000 (2024: £855,000).” — page 36
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Donation to Cambridge Trust
“During the year the College made a donation of £2.7m to the Cambridge Trust, a related party due to a common trustee.” — page 36
“The College operates a fellows housing loan scheme. At the year end there were amounts owing to the College through that scheme by 3 Trustees (2024: 2) with the total amount owed being £240,250 (2024: £147,250).” — page 36
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Trustee housing loans
“During the year the College made a donation of £2.7m to the Cambridge Trust, a related party due to a common trustee.” — page 36
“The College operates a fellows housing loan scheme. At the year end there were amounts owing to the College through that scheme by 3 Trustees (2024: 2) with the total amount owed being £240,250 (2024: £147,250).” — page 36
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Trustee remuneration
“During the year the College made a donation of £2.7m to the Cambridge Trust, a related party due to a common trustee.” — page 36
“The College operates a fellows housing loan scheme. At the year end there were amounts owing to the College through that scheme by 3 Trustees (2024: 2) with the total amount owed being £240,250 (2024: £147,250).” — page 36
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Related-party transaction: Subsidiary transactions
“During the year the College made a donation of £2.7m to the Cambridge Trust, a related party due to a common trustee.” — page 36
“The College operates a fellows housing loan scheme. At the year end there were amounts owing to the College through that scheme by 3 Trustees (2024: 2) with the total amount owed being £240,250 (2024: £147,250).” — page 36
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Trading subsidiary: Trinity (B) limited, Trinity College (CSP) limited, Trinity (D) limited, Trinity (F) limited, Walton Farms limited, Dunsfold Airport limited
“The College has 9 fully owned subsidiaries which are consolidated into these accounts. They are all established for investment purposes.” — page 4
Per its FY2025 accounts as filed with the Charity Commission.
Corporate structure
- Trading subsidiary: WALTON FARMS LIMITED Companies House 01324706
- Trading subsidiary: TRINITY COLLEGE (CSP) LIMITED Companies House 03393539
- Trading subsidiary: TRINITY (B) LIMITED Companies House 06286726
- Trading subsidiary: TRINITY (F) LIMITED Companies House 06287666
TRINITY (F) LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts
- Profit before tax: £-2.4m
- Note 10 discloses £111,405 owed to group undertakings (2024: £105,507).
WALTON FARMS LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts
- Turnover: £728k
- Profit before tax: £-108k
- Amounts owed to group undertakings are unsecured, have no fixed date of repayment and are repayable on demand.
TRINITY (B) LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts
- Turnover: £34k
- Profit before tax: £-356k
- Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £26k
- Amounts owed to group undertakings and undertakings in which the company has a participating interest 26,525
“A gift aid payment of £26,266 (2024:£32,573) has been recognised in the period.”
TRINITY COLLEGE (CSP) LIMITED — per its own Companies House accounts
- Turnover: £6.4m
- Profit before tax: £4.7m
- Donated/gift-aided to the charity: £1.6m
- Amounts owed to parent undertaking: £466,031 (current) and £941,299 (non-current).
“A gift aid payment of £1,588,400 (2024:£6, 170,262) has been recognised in the year.”
Leadership, per the charity’s website
- Sir David Baulcombe — Master
Structured financials (annual return, FY ending 30/06/2025)
Total income
£109.2m
Total spending
£101.2m
Cost of raising funds
£35.9m
Reserves (reported)
£45.7m
Employees
729
Trustees
- Dame Sally Claire Davieschair
- Dr Aleks Reinhardt
- Dr Mark Robert Morris
- Dr Susan Framji Daruvala
- Emma Davies
- Professor Andrew John Sederman
- Professor Hugh Edmund Murray Hunt
- Professor Louise Merrett
- Professor Michael Dominic Hurley
- Professor Michael Squire
- Professor Stuart Kenneth Haigh
- Professor Timothy Whitmarsh
- Richard Reginald Turnill
- Steven David George Grahl
Income and spending
| Financial year end | Income | Spending |
|---|---|---|
| 30/06/2025 | £105.5m | £101.2m |
| 30/06/2024 | £104.2m | £87.6m |
| 30/06/2023 | £97.3m | £82.2m |
| 30/06/2022 | £80.2m | £79.0m |
| 30/06/2021 | £65.2m | £64.9m |
Common questions
Is TRINITY COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE financially healthy?
Per its FY2025 accounts: The accounts state that net assets increased by £150m to £2.563bn, driven primarily by a £142m increase in investment valuations. The College maintains unrestricted general reserves of £45.7m, which the trustees confirm are comfortably within their stated policy target range of £25.1m to £75.3m. The pension scheme is in surplus and the trustees consider the financial position strong with sufficient liquidity to meet operational and capital requirements. Its FY2025 accounts were audited by Crowe U.K. LLP.
Who funds TRINITY COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE?
Funders whose own accounts filings name TRINITY COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE as a grant recipient include THE ENNISMORE CHARITABLE TRUST, THE MASTER CHARITABLE TRUST, THE SYNCONA FOUNDATION.
Known funders
| Funder | Year | Amount | Purpose (as stated by the funder) |
|---|---|---|---|
| THE ENNISMORE CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2023 | £61.4m | |
| THE MASTER CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2025 | £505k | Advancement of education |
| THE ENNISMORE CHARITABLE TRUST | FY2022 | £100k | |
| THE SYNCONA FOUNDATION | FY2022 | £30k | Other charities |
| THE SYNCONA FOUNDATION | FY2023 | £5k |
Funders of similar charities
| Funder | Similar charities funded | Amount to them |
|---|---|---|
| THE ISAAC NEWTON TRUST | 4 | £126k |
| CAMBRIDGE IN AMERICA (UK) LIMITED | 3 | £369k |
| MONDAY CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £191k |
| THE JOHN BROWNE CHARITABLE TRUST | 1 | £105k |
| THE KAJATAWA FOUNDATION | 1 | £60k |
| THE GREG & ROSIE LOCK CHARITABLE FOUNDATION TRUST | 1 | £10k |
| THE ORR MACKINTOSH FOUNDATION LIMITED | 1 | £10k |
| Friends of the Nations' Libraries | 1 | £7k |
Charities like this
- TRINITY HALL CAMBRIDGE
- ST JOHN'S COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE
- THE MASTER AND FELLOWS OF THE COLLEGE OR HALL OF SAINT CATHARINE THE VIRGIN IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
- FITZWILLIAM COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
- CHURCHILL COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
- JESUS COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
Side by side with its peers
| Charity | Income | Top pay band | Staff >£60k | Reserves vs policy | Fundraising cost | Going concern |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TRINITY COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE | £105.5m | — | — | below | — | no doubt |
| TRINITY HALL CAMBRIDGE | £16.4m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| ST JOHN'S COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE | £58.7m | — | — | above | — | no doubt |
| THE MASTER AND FELLOWS OF THE COLLEGE OR HALL OF SAINT CATHARINE THE VIRGIN IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE | £19.9m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |
| FITZWILLIAM COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE | £20.3m | — | — | below | — | no doubt |
| CHURCHILL COLLEGE IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE | £28.6m | — | — | unclear | — | no doubt |