It is estimated that around 63% of students at Cambridge University come from state schools.
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According to recent statistics, approximately 63% of students at Cambridge University come from state schools. This is a significant increase from previous years, as the university has taken steps to increase its diversity and accessibility to students from all backgrounds.
As stated by Cambridge’s Vice-Chancellor, “We want to attract the very best students from all backgrounds and support them to achieve their potential and flourish in a world-class university. To do this, it is important that we work hard to ensure that Cambridge is open, welcoming and accessible to all who have the academic ability and potential to study here.”
It’s also worth noting that Cambridge University offers a number of programs aimed at making the application process more fair and accessible to students from state schools. For example, the university runs a program called Target Oxbridge, which aims to increase the number of black British students at Oxford and Cambridge. Additionally, Cambridge’s outreach program works with state schools across the country to provide students with information and support about applying to the university.
Below is a table with some interesting statistics about the diversity of Cambridge’s student body:
| Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| UK students | 65% |
| International | 35% |
| State school | 63% |
| Independent school | 37% |
| Women | 50.2% |
| Men | 49.8% |
| Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic students | 22.5% |
Overall, while there is still progress to be made in terms of increasing diversity at Cambridge, it’s clear that the university is actively working towards this goal and has made significant strides in recent years. As stated by a Times Higher Education article on the topic, “Part of the challenge for Oxbridge will be to address this diversity while still maintaining the excellence of their teaching and world-class research.”
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In 2022 the proportion of places offered to state-school students was 68% at Oxford; 72.5% at Cambridge.
The proportion of state school students among the UK intake at Cambridge University has been increasing in recent years. In 2020, about 65% of students starting at Cambridge were from state schools, and this figure rose to 68% in 2021. In 2021, the university said state school students were likely to make up between 71 and 72 per cent of its intake in autumn, up from 70.6 per cent in 2020, which itself was a record.
The official admission figures for 2019-20 will not be published until next year, but the university says the proportion of state school students among its UK intake will be the highest in records going back to the 1980s. Last year, about 65% of students starting at Cambridge were from state schools – but this year’s figure has risen to 68%.
A record proportion of state school students has won places at the University of Cambridge after this week’s A-level results. The university said state school students were likely to make up between 71 and 72 per cent of its intake in autumn, up from 70.6 per cent in 2020, which itself was a record.
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A college in Cambridge has become the first at the city’s university to admit over 90% of its students from state schools. The Lucy Cavendish College also received the most diverse intake in the history of the university.
Generally, Cambridge has an acceptance rate of approximately 20-21%.
| Year | Applications | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 20,426 | 18.7% |
| 2020 | 19,359 | 23.1% |
| 2019 | 18,378 | 24.2% |
| 2018 | 17,189 | 24.8% |