William Pitt the Younger’s record as the youngest student ever to attend Cambridge University was almost broken this week, as Fitzwilliam College made a conditional offer to 14-year-old maths whiz Arran Fernandez.

The young maths prodigy received the offer after having passed the STEP entrance exam which all prospective maths students must take, Arran took the exam last summer having only turned 14 in June.

Professor David Cardwell of Fitzwilliam College said: “Fitzwilliam College decided to make Arran Fernandez a conditional offer after considering his application very carefully, as we do with all students who apply.

"The college looks forward to welcoming Arran Fernandez in October 2010 should he meet his offer, and to helping him develop and fulfil his considerable academic potential.” To obtain a place at the University Arran must now obtain an ‘A’ in his Physics A-level.

Calum Dodd, a third-year mathmo, said: “These exams are really tricky; a massive amount of 17 and 18 year olds don’t meet the requirements, so for somebody of 14 to get an offer is very impressive.”

Yet Arran has already broken the record for the youngest person to obtain a GCSE after he passed his Maths foundation paper in 2001. In 2003, at only seven years of age, Arran gained an A* grade in Maths GCSE. Since then he has breezed through A-level Maths and further Maths.

Arran, who is tutored by his dad, said: “Maths has been my favourite subject for as long as I can remember. I enjoy being home-schooled because I'm more involved. I can see the mark schemes and help my dad decide the curriculum.”

He now aspires to be a research mathematician for Cambridge University: “It would be nice to work for Cambridge. There are a few things I want to work on. I'd like to solve the Riemann Hypothesis.”

The Reimann Hypothesis is an unsolved mathematical mystery concerning the patterns of prime numbers which has had mathematicians at a loss since 1859.