Students applying in the 2012 cycle were the first to choose Cambridge knowing they faced a £9,000 tuition fee, the maximum allowed by the UK Government.
The proportion of successful applicants from under-represented groups, including students from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, students living in areas where low numbers go on to higher education, and students educated in the state sector, also increased. Full data is available here.
As a result, Cambridge remains on target to meet its goal of a more representative undergraduate body, achieved without compromising academic standards. 97.4% of successful applicants achieved at least A*AA or equivalent, counting only their three best A Levels and excluding General Studies and Critical Thinking.
The University attributes the positive trend to its flexible and generous financial support package, its innovative and extensive outreach activities, and its commitment to transparent admissions decisions based on an applicant’s most recent academic results.
- Cambridge Bursary: the University is committed to ensuring that no UK student with the ability to succeed at Cambridge is deterred from applying by financial concerns. The Cambridge Bursary Scheme provides bursaries of up to £3,500 (or £5,650 for some mature students) per year for students with household incomes of less than £42,600.
- Commitment to outreach: The collegiate University invests around £2.7 million a year in a wide range of outreach initiatives across the UK designed to identify and engage with students from under-represented groups, and encourage them to apply.
- Fair admissions based on the most up-to-date academic data: University research has found that AS marks, achieved in public examinations at the end of Year 12, are a reliable and transparent indicator of future success. They correlate well with success at Cambridge, and demonstrate progress since GCSE in an objective way. Their use enables Admissions Tutors to make fair decisions which minimise non-academic factors.
Dr Mike Sewell, Director of Admissions for the Cambridge Colleges, said “The collegiate University works hard to reach talented and ambitious students throughout the UK, talk with them about why they should consider Cambridge, and tackle the barriers that might put them off applying.
“Our undergraduates enjoy teaching focused on the individual student, outstanding facilities, a relatively low cost of living, and a generous bursary scheme available to all who need it.
“Our commitment to fair admissions makes this available to students from all backgrounds, who succeed in their application because they have demonstrated academic excellence.
“AS results enable fair and transparent admissions by allowing universities such as Cambridge to make assessments based on a student’s most recent academic attainment.”
Applications to the University of Cambridge rose 2% in 2012 despite the introduction of higher fees by the UK Government, according to undergraduate admissions statistics published today.
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