Academic decisions
The Management Studies Tripos Admissions Office cannot provide feedback on admissions decisions. The programme’s Admissions Office is not obliged but may agree to provide feedback and should be contacted directly.
If your application has been rejected then you may be able to appeal the decision using the appeals procedure set out on this page.
Admissions Appeals & Complaints procedure
1. Purpose
An undergraduate applicant who is dissatisfied an aspect of the admissions process may submit a complaint or appeal using the following process.
An undergraduate applicant who is dissatisfied with the admissions decision made by the Management Studies Tripos Admissions Committee, can also follow this process to appeal the decision on one of the following grounds:
- an error in the decision-making process or a procedural irregularity
- bias or perception of bias in the decision-making process
- extenuating circumstances, about which, for good reason, Cambridge Judge Business School was not informed of in your application, and which would have had a material impact on the admissions decision
An admissions appeal cannot be made based on any other grounds, including the academic judgement of the decision-makers.
If applicants have an informal query about the admissions decision that was made, or wish to receive feedback, they should contact the Management Studies Tripos Admissions Office directly.
2. Submitting a complaint or appeal
A complaint or appeal must be submitted using the Admissions Complaints & Appeals form to the Vice-Dean for Programmes’ Office within 28 days of receiving the formal written admission decision.
Forms can be submitted in one of three ways:
- Online
Submit the online version of the Admissions Complaints & Appeals form. - Email
Download and complete the form, then submit it via email to dcsecretary@jbs.cam.ac.uk. The email subject line should read “FAO Vice-Dean for Programmes, ADMISSIONS COMPLAINTS & APPEALS”. - Post
Download and complete the form, then send it by post to this address:
Vice-Dean for Programmes
c/o Degree Committee for Business and Management Secretary
Cambridge Judge Business School
Trumpington Street
Cambridge CB2 1AG
United Kingdom
The Vice-Dean for Programmes’ Office may choose to accept a complaint or appeal submitted after the 28-day deadline for exceptional reasons where he or she considers that a valid reason for delay has been evidenced.
An applicant can withdraw a complaint or appeal at any time by emailing or writing to the Vice-Dean for Programmes’ Office. Once a complaint or appeal has been withdrawn it cannot be reinstated.
An applicant will not be disadvantaged for submitting a complaint or appeal if it is made in good faith. Submitting a complaint or appeal will not prevent an applicant from being able to re-apply to Cambridge Judge Business School in the future or affect the applicant’s ability to comply with any offer of study already issued.
3. Responding to a complaint or appeal
The Vice-Dean for Programmes (or delegate), will acknowledge a complaint or appeal within five working days.
An admissions complaint or appeal can be declined to be considered if it does not fall within the permitted grounds; if it is trivial, vexatious, malicious; if it has been submitted outside the timeframe and there are not valid and evidenced reasons for late submission; or if the appeal remedy requested does not include amending the admission decision.
If a complaint or appeal is not declined it will be investigated by the Complaints & Appeals Panel. The investigation is likely to include requesting responses from the staff or office involved in considering a graduate applicant’s application. This will involve sharing a copy of the applicant’s complaint or appeal with the relevant staff.
As part of the investigation, the written documentation and legal obligations of the Management Studies Tripos Admissions Office will be taken into consideration.
An applicant will normally receive a complaint/appeal decision letter within 20 working days of receiving a complaint/appeal acknowledgement. If a complaint/appeal decision will take longer than 20 working days, the applicant will receive an update regarding the investigation.
The complaint/appeal outcome letter will include a description of the investigation that took place; the decision; the reasons for the decision; and any actions being taken because of the decision.
The complaint/appeal decision letter confirms Cambridge Judge Business School’s final decision in relation to an undergraduate admissions complaint/appeal. This decision is likely to be communicated to any staff or office involved in the investigation.