The University has confirmed in a statement this evening (10/08) that it will honour the offers of all offer holders who met the relevant criteria for the upcoming academic year.

A spokesperson congratulated all students who have successfully met their offers amidst “another year of exceptional challenges brought on by the Covid pandemic”, acknowledging that “many have faced disruption to their studies.”

They continued: “We’re pleased to say that we’re able to accommodate everyone who met the terms of their offer.”

The spokesperson explained that the University is in a position to uphold all successful applicants’ offers due to its “diligent numbers management process [which] was essential in avoiding the position of having to ask any students to defer or switch College”, as well as UCAS Adjustment, an initiative which grants successful A-level students approximately a week after results day to consider studying different courses at different universities, “for selected widening participation students, for the third year in a row.”

The news comes as the University confirmed to Varsity in February that, in the “unlikely” event of oversubscription, it may have asked offer-holders to “transfer Colleges or defer their places” until October 2022. 

Pressure was placed on the University last year after it made at least 4,500 offers for 3,450 places. The government’s U-turn and decision to ditch the divisive algorithm which initially saw 39.1% of all results downgraded also meant many students who missed out on offers were eventually accepted. 

The announcement comes off the back of a record-breaking A-level results day which has seen 91% of all students with a confirmed place secure their first choice course, with the proportion of students achieving an A* and A increasing from 38.1% in 2020 to 44.3% this year. 19.1% of students have achieved A* grades this year compared to 14.3% last year, with approximately 13,000 students obtaining three A* grades, compared to around 7,700 a year ago.

The incoming cohort can expect to attend in-person small-group teaching such as supervisions, seminars and practicals in the 2021-22 academic year. Students will be expected to reside in Cambridge, and lectures will be held in-person where possible except for “when there is a strong reason” not to, such as staff being able to teach in-person or lecture theatres being unable to accommodate large numbers of students. 

Varsity has approached the University for comment.