Miss Zoe Allwood
FOI Manager
Simon Smith
By email
Reference: FOI-2021-600
17 August 2021
Dear Mr Smith,
Your request was received on 22 July 2021 and I am dealing with it under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 (‘the Act’).
You asked:
I would like to request the following information for the years 2021, 2020 and 2019:
1. Number of applicants, offers made, and their respective previous university and degree for
the MPhil in Physics.
2. Number of applicants, offers made, and their respective previous university and degree for
the PhD in Physics.
3. Number of applicants, offers made, and their respective previous university and degree for
the PhD in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics.
4. Number of applicants who have been awarded a 3rd, 2.2, 2.1 and 1st class (or equivalent) at
their previous university for the MPhil in Physics, and for each of these classifications, the
number of applicants who were made offers.
5. Number of applicants who have been awarded a 3rd, 2.2, 2.1 and 1st class (or equivalent) at
their previous university for the PhD in Physics, and for each of these classifications, the
number of applicants who were made offers.
6. Number of applicants who have been awarded a 3rd, 2.2, 2.1 and 1st class (or equivalent) at
their previous university for the PhD in Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, and for
each of these classifications, the number of applicants who were made offers.
The requested information is attached. The University has not supplied the grade/degree classification
of each applicant/offer-holder because, coupled with the other information, it believes that individuals
could be identified as a result. In presenting the information in this way, the University is engaging the
exemption at section 40(3A)(a) of the Act because release in the precise format requested would
breach the first data protection principle (the fair, lawful and transparent processing of personal data)
The Old Schools
Trinity Lane
Cambridge, CB2 1TN
Tel: +44 (0) 1223 764142
Fax: +44 (0) 1223 332332
Email: xxx@xxxxx.xxx.xx.xx
www.cam.ac.uk
as set out in the UK General Data Protection Regulation. This part of section 40 confers absolute
exemption under the Act.
Please note that the attached document should not be copied, reproduced or used except in
accordance with the law of copyright.
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your request and wish to make a
complaint or request an internal review of this decision, you should contact us quoting the reference
number above. The University would normally expect to receive your request for an internal review
within 40 working days of the date of this letter and reserves the right not to review a decision where
there has been undue delay in raising a complaint. If you are not content with the outcome of your
review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. Generally, the
Information Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the complaints
procedure provided by the University. The Information Commissioner may be contacted at: The
Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
(https://ico.org.uk/).
Yours sincerely,
Zoe Allwood