The UCAS system of Adjustment provides students with a second chance of getting on to their first-choice course.

Adjustment is an optional process that allows students who have met and exceeded the terms of the conditional offer that they are holding to refer themselves for consideration by another institution.

Seventy one students from under-represented backgrounds who referred themselves for consideration on A-level results day (15 August) were offered places on courses from English to Computer Science, and 67 accepted. Seventeen medics got places through Adjustment, while others will study Economics, Engineering, Law and Natural Sciences.

Students took to social media to express their delight at earning a place, including Selina B who tweeted: "soooo I’m #GoingToCambridge now ?????? WHat is LIFE. SEE U SOON".

Dr Sam Lucy, Director of Admissions for the Cambridge Colleges, says: “When we announced the Adjustment scheme, we received many emails from students saying the second chance of a place at Cambridge was inspiring them to work even harder to achieve the best A-level results they could.

"It is wonderful to see that so many who may not have managed to show their full academic potential during the main admissions round have gone on to excel at A-level due to their hard work and determination.”

She added: “We are delighted to have been able to offer so many of them a place at Cambridge in the pilot year of Adjustment and hope that more disadvantaged students will make an application to Cambridge in future years with the knowledge that this route will also be available to them.”

Each student who applied under the Adjustment scheme had to meet at least three criteria (known as ‘contextual flags’) demonstrating they have not had the same educational advantages as others.

Competition for Cambridge’s approximate 3,500 undergraduate places grows fiercer each year, with more than 14,000 students who apply not being made offer.