Cambridge mistakenly tells postgrads their offers have been withdrawn

Early this morning many incoming Cambridge postgraduate students received a shocking email with the subject line “Your application for postgraduate study has been withdrawn”, telling them that because the University “did not receive the documents we needed” to complete offer conditions, students would be unable to start their courses this year. The emails were complete with students’ names and course titles.

The email went on to say: “Don’t worry: in order to be considered for entry in 2021-2022, you can submit a new application via the course directory.”

The University sent out another email a few hours later, explaining that the email was sent in error, and apologised “for any distress that this may have caused.”

Part of the second email sent out to postgraduate students today

According to the second email, there had been an “error” in the University’s system and that any offer withdrawals were “not reflective of your standing or whether you have any offer conditions remaining.”

When asked for comment on their reaction to the accidental email, an anonymous postgraduate student told The Cambridge Tab: “It’s pretty embarrassing that the admissions department made such a basic error – especially one which prevents me from sorting out my accommodation and prepayment at my college.”

In a statement to The Cambridge Tab, a University spokesperson has said that “Due to a technical error, postgraduate offer-holders were wrongly informed their places were being withdrawn. As soon as the error was discovered, students were emailed to inform them their applications would be reinstated. The University apologises for any distress this may have caused.”

Featured image credit: Genevieve Holl-Allen