Homerton is one of the most attractive colleges in Cambridge, with a mixture of old and new buildings set in spacious wooded grounds away from the noisy centre of town. It is also one of the largest colleges in terms of student numbers, with a thriving and diverse community.In 2007 the College made a formal submission to the University of Cambridge for full collegiate status. This was granted and Homerton was awarded a Royal Charter as a self-governing College of the University of Cambridge in 2010. The College now offers everything from Anglo-Saxon to Zoology, including – from 2016 – Medicine. Homerton’s first premises were acquired in London in 1768 – making 2018 the 250th anniversary of Homerton’s foundation – although its origins go back to the late seventeenth century. The College has always had strong ties to public service as well as academia, and over the years has educated alumni of considerable influence, including prominent dissenting thinkers, educationalists, politicians, and missionary explorers. In 1976 the College began to take men again and became an 'Approved Society' of the University of Cambridge with most of its undergraduates reading for the Education Tripos.