Cambridge set to scrap separate application process
Cambridge application needs to be "as straightforward as possible for applicants"
Cambridge University has announced that it will scrap its separate application form from 2009, with the £10 fee currently charged to applicants also being dropped.
The move leaves Oxford as the only university in the UK which uses a separate application form for all courses.
The university made the decision in response to criticism that it attracts too few applicants from state schools. In January a report from education charity The Sutton Trust claimed that many teachers hold misconceptions regarding the institution that negatively impact upon the number of applicants from state-funded schools.
A statement from the university said: “The changes reflect Cambridge’s determination that its application procedure should be as straightforward as possible for applicants, especially those from ‘non-traditional’ backgrounds.”
Currently, applicants to Cambridge must complete a standard application form through UCAS in addition to a Cambridge Application Form (CAF) and a separate questionnaire. The new process will remove the CAF, but the questionnaire, used to gather more precise exam information such as marks obtained in separate units, will remain.
The step is part of a wider campaign by the university to attract students from a diverse range of backgrounds, and earlier in the month, a conference was held by the Cambridge University Students Union for 260 pupils from state schools. The event was aimed at individuals who the union believes would not normally have been attracted to the university, with many coming from families with no history of higher education.
The university's Director of Admissions, Dr Geoff Parks, said: “We are aware that the transition from school or college to university can seem daunting to young people and their families if they are unfamiliar with the process.
“We are pleased to be able to make these changes now to simplify the process of applying to Cambridge and bring it in line with that at other universities. Naturally we hope that, as a result, gifted students all over the country will feel encouraged to apply to the university.”
The university will retain a 15 October deadline for its applications, three months before the deadline for most UK institutions. This is due to the logistics of the university's interview process, which sees over 20,000 applicants throughout December.
Applicants to all courses at Oxford University, as well as those applying for courses in Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Dentistry are also subject to the earlier October deadline.
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