Lucy Cavendish becomes first University of Cambridge college to admit more than 90% of undergraduates from state schools

Lucy Cavendish College has admitted more than 90 per cent of its new undergraduates from state schools - a first for a University of Cambridge college.

Ten per cent of those granted places were eligible for free school meals and at least one in four of them will be the first in their family to go to university, the college said.

Having completed the second application round under its new admissions policy, the college said it has progressed towards its goal of becoming broadly representative of society by 2025, and that it has further increased the socio-economic, ethnic and international diversity of its undergraduate intake.

The college confirmed it had once again achieved its goal to admit a majority of students from backgrounds that are either disadvantaged, underrepresented or historically-excluded from Cambridge. More than 64 per cent of its incoming students this year are from such backgrounds.

Some 91.1 per cent of its UK students come from maintained sector schools. This is compared to a university average of 72.5 per cent across Cambridge, and an average of 68.3 per cent at Oxford.

Lucy Cavendish’s admissions director, Dr Mark King, said: “We are once again delighted to be able to welcome such a diverse cohort of exceptional students to Lucy Cavendish. Our college strives to be a pioneer for change within the collegiate university and, for the second year running, our admissions figures demonstrate what is possible when a college specifically searches for talented students from underrepresented backgrounds.

“This year of all years, I am especially proud of our incoming students for what they have achieved. With their education having been so disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and following the return of A-levels examinations this year, our offer-holders were always likely to face significant challenges in their attempt to achieve the grades required by their offers.

“That they have not only done so, but have exceeded them in so many cases, is testament to their ability, drive and perseverance, as well as to the support they have received from their schools and from our college through our offer-holder mentoring programme. We are proud to be admitting such incredible young people to the university and we cannot wait to see what they will accomplish once presented with the life-changing opportunities and education Cambridge can offer.”

Five of the new cohort will be admitted on the university’s flagship new foundation year programme in arts, humanities and social sciences