Why we have alternative offers

At Bath, we always try to admit students with the greatest potential to succeed in our courses, but we also know that success is individual and our approach to admissions and making offers reflects this.

Many of our applicants will study three A levels and we set our offer levels with this in mind. We never expect or require you to have studied more than this to receive an offer from us. Nevertheless, you may undertake extra studies that show your particular strengths when it comes to preparing for a degree. Where this is the case, we will recognise this additional study through alternative offers, which are made alongside our standard offer.

Our Student Performance Sport Offer Scheme is also available to support student athletes to achieve their academic and athletic potential. Applicants meeting the essential academic and sporting criteria can apply for consideration for an alternative offer via this scheme.

Contextual offers

If you are a Home applicant, you may be eligible for a contextual offer.

A contextual offer includes a grade reduction (often larger than the reduction in an alternative offer) and contextual and alternative offers do not ‘stack’.

If you receive an offer and you are eligible for a contextual offer, you will receive only our contextual offer. Any additional study may benefit your preparation for university study but will not form part of your offer.

Find out about the contextual offer for your chosen course on our course pages.

What our alternative offers look like

Alternative offers are available for A levels. Our alternative offers ask for a reduced grade in your core studies combined with strong achievement in specific extra qualifications. Alternative offer grades depend on the typical offer for your course:

You can find a complete list of our alternative offers for each of our courses listed on the entry requirements section of our online course page

What additional study you need for an alternative offer

We recognise additional achievement in the following areas: Projects, Additional Maths qualifications or Engaging in our Widening Access schemes.

Projects

Undertaking a personal project, such as an EPQ, can help you develop skills in independent research, time management and extended writing. These skills will be invaluable to you when transitioning to undergraduate study at Bath.

Alternative offers can include any of the following project qualifications:

• grade A in an EPQ
• grade A in an AQA or Cambridge IPQ
• grade M1 in Cambridge Pre-U Global Perspectives
• grade A in the International Baccalaureate Extended Essay
• a 1st/2:1 in the Brilliant Club KS5 scholars programme
• a 1st/2:1 in the Seren Award (2023 participants and before)
• active participation in one of the following Seren Academy programme elements:
  • Academic Challenge: Seminar Series
  • Academic Challenge: BPhO Olympiads
  • Academic Challenge: Seren Mathematics Competition
  • Future Graduates Programme

If you are a Brilliant Club KS5 or Seren Award Scholar you will need to email participants@bath.ac.uk once you have submitted your UCAS application. Please include your name and UCAS ID number, so that we can verify your eligibility for an alternative offer.

Eligible learners in The Seren Academy will be contacted directly by Seren with information on how your participation can be shared with us. Please contact Seren directly if you have any questions regarding this.

Alternative offers including project qualifications are available for all honours degrees (excluding Social Work).

Unfortunately, we are not able to consider individualised projects that are set and assessed entirely through your school or college unless they are accredited by a recognised awarding body. You may still find these experiences useful when preparing your personal statement.

Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales

We also recognise the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales as a project, but our alternative offer works slightly differently for this qualification.

We accept the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales in place one A level. If you are studying three or more A levels, you will be eligible for a typical offer which will usually include your Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales and for an alternative offer. You will be eligible only for our typical (or contextual) offer if you study only two A levels.

This alternative offer is over four grades equal to the alternative offer and an additional grade B. Unlike other project alternative offers, the additional grade B can be achieved in either an A level or the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (unless this is not possible with other essential A level subjects).

We also recognise the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (awarded prior to 2025) on the same basis.

Find out more about our approach to the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate.

Additional Mathematics qualifications

Quantitative and analytical skills are invaluable for many degrees, and strong mathematics skills will help you succeed in placements and future employment. Many of our degrees require certain achievements in Mathematics, but we recognise that extra experience beyond these essential requirements can be beneficial to your future studies.

We have alternative offers that include additional Mathematics study, and which qualifications are included varies with the essential Mathematics requirements of your degree. Some of these are detailed on our course pages:

Degrees where A level Maths is not required

If Mathematics is not an essential subject for your degree, you can be eligible for an alternative offer based on:

• grade B in any Core Mathematics qualification:
• certificate in Mathematics for Everyday Life (NCFE)
• certificate in Mathematics for Work and Life (WJEC - last award 2019)
• certificate in Mathematical Studies (AQA)
• certificate in Using and Applying Mathematics (City & Guilds)
• certificate in Quantitative Problem Solving (OCR – MEI)
• certificate in Quantitative Reasoning (OCR – MEI)
• certificate in Mathematics in Context (Pearson)
• grade B in AS level Mathematics or Statistics (unless you study that subject at A level)
• grade B in a fourth A level, where your four A levels include Mathematics or Statistics
• grade 5 in IB Certificate Standard Level Mathematics or Mathematical Studies

If you study four A level subjects and do not study Mathematics or Statistics you will be eligible for our standard offer based on your best three grades (including any essential subjects).

Degrees where A level Maths is required

If Mathematics is an essential subject for your degree*, you can be eligible for an alternative offer based on:

• grade A in AS level Further Mathematics (unless you study it at A level)
• grade B in a fourth A level, where your four A levels include Further Mathematics

If you study four A level subjects and do not study Further Mathematics you will be eligible for our standard offer based on your best three grades (including any essential subjects).

*Certain degrees in Mathematics have different alternative offers:

• BSc Mathematics, Statistics and Data Science has an alternative offer based on three A levels if you study Further Mathematics
• Some Mathematics degrees require Further Mathematics and have a different alternative offer if you study it only at AS level – this is listed on each course page

Degrees in Mathematics or Statistics requiring Further Mathematics

We do not offer alternative offers for degrees where Further Maths is essential if you have studied A level Further Maths. We do have an alternative offer if you have only studied AS Further Maths including a relevant additional Maths test.

Student Performance Sport Offer Scheme

The Student Performance Sport offer scheme is available to applicants who meet both essential academic criteria and sport-specific performance criteria.

Essential academic criteria

To be eligible for nomination, you must meet these essential academic criteria:

• You meet any essential GCSE requirements of your course;
• Your entry qualifications include all essential subjects for your course;
• Your application meets a minimum academic profile suitable for your course;
• You must be studying A levels or the IB Diploma. We cannot consider predominantly BTEC qualifications. Other qualifications may be considered on a case-by-case basis, please contact spsoscheme@bath.ac.uk for advice
• Your application must include a suitable personal statement and academic reference;
• If you have already achieved some or all your entry qualifications, you must be able to meet any offer we may make you.

The scheme is available on all University of Bath courses except FdSc Sport (Sports Performance), BSc (Hons) Social Work and Applied Social Studies and MPharm Pharmacy with preparatory year.

Nomination Process

You can nominate yourself for the scheme once you have submitted your UCAS application, and you must submit your nomination prior to the deadline. You must first ensure that you meet all essential academic and sport-specific performance criteria.

Please click here for the nomination form

Nominations will be considered by a Nomination Panel, comprising of representatives from the Department of Sports Development and Recreation, UG Admissions and academic departments.

Successful applicants will be made an alternative offer one grade below our typical offer. Applicants who are not selected for an alternative offer will still be considered for our typical offer in line with other applications.

If you receive an alternative offer through this scheme, you will not be eligible for any other alternative offer for additional study (as your offer is already reduced).

If you meet our contextual criteria and are made an offer, you will automatically be made the contextual offer.

For any enquiries, please contact spsoscheme@bath.ac.uk

Stacking offers

If you are fortunate enough to be studying qualifications that would make you eligible for more than one alternative offer, any offer you receive will include each of them. However, these alternative offers do not stack: we will not reduce our typical offer by more than one grade if you achieve multiple extras.

Exceptions and Limitations to Alternative offers

If you are studying additional Mathematics qualifications we will always make an offer based on the highest level of the qualification that can be achieved.

Alternative offers including a project qualification are only available on our Computer Science & Mathematics, Economics & Mathematics, Mathematics, Mathematics & Statistics and Mathematics & Physics degrees and if you are studying both Mathematics and Further Mathematics at A level.

We are not able to make an alternative offer based on an A level in Further Mathematics for our Natural Science course.

We do not make alternative offers for our FdSc Sports Performance, BSc Social Work and Applied Social Studies and MPharm Pharmacy with preparatory year degrees.

Other qualifications (such as the IB Diploma, BTECs and T levels)

Our alternative offers are currently only available to students studying A levels or a mix of qualifications that includes A levels: please contact admissions@bath.ac.uk for advice.

Our IB Diploma offers for additional study already recognise the IB Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge as part of the overall points score.

Due to the more varied experience of BTEC, Cambridge Technical and T level students, alternative offers are not generally suitable.