Ranked: Cambridge colleges with the highest private school intake

Anyone who goes to Cambridge will have encountered a fair number of privately educated students in their time here. Recently, a leaked internal memo at Trinity Hall revealed the college’s intentions to target a select group of independent schools in its admissions.

But, surprisingly, Trinity Hall doesn’t even rank in the top eight Cambridge colleges in terms of its percentage of privately educated students. Instead of being a drive to increase applications, I reckon the policy was suggested to help Trinity Hall earn a place on The Tab’s College BNOC list. No such thing exists right now, but rest assured Trinity Hall, if it ever does, you will definitely make the cut.

In 29 per cent of Cambridge freshers were privately educated, a steadily increasing number from 27.3 per cent the year before and 27.1 per cent the year before that. This change comes after the university scrapped its state school targets for the 2024 admissions cycle. For context, 93.6 per cent of the country are state educated.

So here’s a list of the Cambridge colleges with the highest percentage of private school students, according to official data from the 2024 UCAS data. Or, as I like to call it, the college cohorts where you are least likely to be asked to join a Splitwise.

29. Lucy Cavendish College – 5.7 per cent

28. Fitzwilliam College – 15.7 per cent

27. Jesus College – 19.7 per cent

26. King’s College – 20.9 per cent

25. Selwyn College – 21.9 per cent

24. Homerton College – 23.7 per cent

23. St Catharine’s College – 23.7 per cent

22. Emmanuel College – 27.1 per cent

21. Gonville and Caius College – 27.2 per cent

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20. Corpus Christi College – 28.6 per cent

19. Downing College – 29.1 per cent

18. Newnham College – 29,1 per cent

17. Christ’s College – 29.5 per cent

16. Sidney Sussex College – 33.3 per cent

15. Magdalene College – 30.4 per cent

14. Queens’ College – 30.5 per cent

13. Girton College – 30.8 per cent

12. Churchill College – 30.9 per cent

11. Peterhouse – 31 per cent

10. Pembroke College – 31.5 per cent

9. Trinity Hall – 32.1 per cent

via Wikimedia Commons

8. Murray Edwards College – 34.6 per cent

7. Robinson College – 36.8 per cent

6. Clare College – 38.2 per cent

5. St John’s College – 38.2 per cent

4. Trinity College – 45.6 per cent

3. Hughes Hall – 50 per cent

2. Wolfson College – 50 per cent

1. St Edmund’s College – 75 per cent

via Wikimedia Commons

At a whopping 75 per cent, St Edmund’s comes out top for the Cambridge college with the highest percentage of privately educated students.

It is important to bear in mind that the top three colleges on this list are mature colleges, where the vast majority of applicants don’t apply from a UK school. As a result, the figures come from a smaller data pool so may seem out of proportion from the other colleges on the list.

If you’re a state-educated pupil seeking to apply to Cambridge, don’t let his list put you off applying to your first choice college. The pooling system should offset any concerns and ensure that all those who deserve a place at the university get one.

Featured image via Joaquin Ossorio Castillo/Shutterstock

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