The University has revealed it has made “no decision” on the publication date of key undergraduate admissions statistics, after internal communications described Oxford’s decision to delay its own publication due to current “world events”.

However the statement from the University, provided to Varsity yesterday (04/06), appears to contradict information circulated amongst Oxford staff members on Wednesday afternoon (03/05) which asserts that the decision was also informed by “learning that Cambridge will not be publishing its admissions data until late June”.

A spokesperson for the University told Varsity “we have already released some admissions figures for our 2019 intake, including those relating to our black students and students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds. These were published in September and October”.

“No decision has been taken yet about when the remaining data from the 2019 cycle will be published”.

The University has been approached for comment on this apparent inconsistency.

Typically published jointly in either May or early June each year, the admissions data from both universities breaks down the current student intake by ethnicity, age, gender, disability and socio-economic background.

However, internal emails disclosed by HuffPost UK show that after “careful consideration of the current world events” as well as a purported delay from Cambridge, Oxford have decided to delay the publication of their admissions statistics to a date ‘later this month’.

Cambridge's admissions data was ultimately published on 11th June. 

Anti-racism rallies have been held in cities around the world sparked by the death of George Floyd in police custody last week (25/05). It is estimated that around 15,000 people joined a Black Lives Matter demonstration in London on Wednesday, and many more are set to take place across the country in the coming days, including a protest in Cambridge on Saturday.

In a statement published on Tuesday, Vice Chancellor Stephen Toope said that he was “deeply disturbed” by recent events in the United States.

“In the face of intolerance and historically entrenched racism, our community must strive to represent the alternative: openness to all with respectful engagement across our differences. We do not always live up to these aspirations,” he said.

Cambridge has often been criticised for its low BME admissions statistics, particularly Black students. In 2018, at least 20 courses at the university accepted fewer than three Black students.

In 2019, a total of 91 Black students were admitted, increasing the overall number of Black undergraduate students to more than 200, the highest in the University’s history.

Updated Thursday 11th June 6:00pm: This article was updated to include the publication of the University's admission data.