We consider a wide range of school leaver qualifications for entry to our undergraduate degrees.

This page gives general guidance on how we consider qualifications commonly studied in the UK.

We also consider a wide range of qualifications from outside the UK. Some of these are listed on our course pages.

Getting further advice

If you have questions about the suitability of your qualifications, you can contact our Undergraduate Admissions Team by emailing admissions@bath.ac.uk.

Guidance for all qualifications - UCAS tariff, grading, grade appeals, resits and study over multiple years

Use of grades, marks and unit grades

We generally make offers for UK qualifications based on awarded grades only. Unless otherwise specified, we do not consider individual grades, marks or unit results.

For some larger qualifications (such as BTEC Extended Diplomas) we may specify specific unit grades alongside an overall qualification grade.

UCAS tariff

BSc Social Work and Applied Social Studies

We make offers using UCAS tariff points for this course, and more guidance is available on the course page.

All other courses

We do not use UCAS tariff points in our offers or when making admissions decisions. Your offer will always include exact grades for all qualifications. We do, however, still consider applicants who have narrowly missed their offer and may be able to accept you on that basis where space is available.

Appeals

Find out more about how we consider appeals in our guidance on receiving results.

Grades achieved over multiple years

You do not need to achieve all your qualifications in the year you apply. Previously achieved qualifications can be used to meet conditions listed in your offer.

If you have achieved some or all your qualifications more than three years before entry, there may be additional requirements to ensure you remain prepared for your degree course.

Resits

You will not be penalised when applying to us if you have chosen to resit some or all your achieved qualifications. You will be assessed alongside other applicants based on your new predicted grades.

GCSEs and IGCSEs

Our course pages show GCSE requirements for each course. We accept equally all GCSEs and IGCSEs offered by UK awarding bodies.

English GCSE

We require a GCSE in English (Language or Literature) for all our courses. This is an essential requirement that all applicants must meet.

We accept a wide range of English tests and other qualifications if you have not achieved the required grade at GCSE. Other accepted qualifications are detailed on our English language category pages (Category A, Category B or Category C) – the relevant category is always listed alongside our GCSE requirements.

Maths or Science GCSE

Many of our courses also require a specific grade in GCSE Mathematics and some require a specific grade in a science GCSE.

We do not accept GCSE Mathematics – Numeracy (commonly studied in Wales) to meet GCSE Mathematics requirements.

We accept all combined science GCSEs or GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry or Physics to meet a science GCSE requirement and will use your highest relevant grade.

You do not usually need to meet our maths or science GCSE requirements if you have studied a relevant subject at a higher level.

If you have not studied GCSEs, we will generally expect you to meet any maths or science requirements in your entry qualifications.

Overall GCSE profile

Your overall GCSE profile will normally form part of our selection process. For certain qualifications, such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma, your GCSE profile will form a less relevant part of our selection process.

We look at your average grades across a range of subjects, and aside from English and Mathematics, the grades in any individual subject will be less important.

For many courses, a good applicant will have a mixture of 7s and 6s (or As and Bs). Some of our courses will expect stronger grades – where relevant this is detailed on our course pages.

There is no specific requirement on the number of GCSEs you need to have studied. Most applicants will have about eight GCSEs but you can be considered based on more or fewer subjects. We also consider applicants who have studied a very limited number of GCSEs or with no GCSE study. You will not be penalised in our selection process if you have not studied GCSEs but you will nevertheless need to demonstrate you meet any English or Maths requirements through other accepted qualifications or tests.

A Levels

Our course pages show typical, contextual and alternative offers for A levels.

We accept equally all A levels and International A levels offered by UK awarding bodies. This includes both linear and modular qualifications.

Number of A Levels

Our typical offers require three A levels, and you will never be expected to study more than three A level subjects to be considered.

Applicants with more than three subjects do not have an advantage in our selection processes.

If you study more than three subjects, we accept your best three grades (including any essential subjects) to meet your offer requirements.

We make limited offers that include four A levels as part of our alternative offers for students with additional maths study.

Subjects

Offers shown on our course pages include any essential subjects. You cannot be considered for entry if you do not study all essential subjects.

Some of our courses will have preferred subjects or subject combinations. You do not need to study a preferred subject to be considered for entry, however, for competitive courses you may be less likely to receive an offer.

We accept Mathematics and Further Mathematics as separate A level subjects.

We accept language A levels equally for all applicants, including if you are a native speaker.

We do not accept multiple versions of the same subject from different awarding bodies (or qualifications) – only your best grade in each subject will be considered.

Science Practical Endorsements

Science practical endorsements (for A levels in England or Northern Ireland) are not required or included in offers for any of our courses.

AS Levels

We do not require AS levels.

To ensure all applicants are treated fairly, we will not consider your AS grades as part our selection process.

We make limited offers that include an AS level as part of our alternative offers for students with additional maths study. We do not otherwise include AS levels in our offers.

Extended Project Qualifications (EPQ and IEPQ)

We do not accept Extended Project Qualifications (EPQ) or International Extended Project Qualifications (IEPQ) in place of A levels. We do however recognise them through our alternative offers.

Your project does not need to be related to your chosen course – we value the skills and experiences you develop.

Core Maths

We do not accept Core Mathematics qualifications in place of A levels, including A level Mathematics. We do however recognise these qualifications through our alternative offers.

Welsh Baccalaureate

Starting with new applications in September 2024, we will generally accept the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (and its predecessor the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate) in place of one A level subject at the same grade.

The Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales cannot substitute for an essential A level subject.

We do not accept the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales alongside A level Mathematics and Further Mathematics alone, but this combination is suitable if you a third A level (or equivalent) in a different subject. Some Mathematics degrees will accept this combination of two A levels and the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales alone.

You will need to study the equivalent of at least two A levels alongside your Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales to be considered. If you are studying three or more A levels alongside it, you will be eligible for a typical offer on your best three grades and an alternative project offer over four grades.

Prior to September 2024, we have not accepted the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate in place of an A level.

We have, however, recognised it through our alternative offers.

International Baccalaureate

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Our course pages show typical and contextual offers for the IB Diploma. If you are studying the IB Diploma programme, you will be expected to complete and pass the whole diploma. We do not normally consider separately awarded IB Certificates.

Our offers include grades in three Higher Level subjects. If you are studying four Higher Level subjects, your three best grades will be accepted (including any essential subjects for your course).

Offers shown on our course pages include any essential Higher Level subjects. In some cases, we may be able to accept a Standard Level in an essential subject – where this is possible, the course page will include the typical offer we make. You cannot be considered for entry if you do not study all essential subjects.

We accept any IB Higher or Standard Level in English or Mathematics as meeting our essential GCSE requirements. By studying the IB Diploma you will develop your skills across a broad range of subjects, and as such, your GCSE profile is not a significant part of our selection process. Your application will not be disadvantaged if you have not studied GCSEs before starting your IB Diploma.

International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme

We consider applicants studying the IBCP on a case-by-case basis based on the individual IB certificates and vocational qualifications you study within the programme.

You will need qualifications equal to at least three A levels to be considered.

We accept any IB Higher or Standard Level in English or Mathematics as meeting our essential GCSE requirements.

Some courses will require you to study one or more IB Higher Level Certificates in a specific subjects to be considered – this is explained on our course pages.

International Baccalaureate Certificates

If you are studying IB subjects as part of the IB Diploma, you will usually need to complete the full diploma programme to be considered.

If you do not follow the IBDP, we can consider stand-alone IB Higher Level Certificates either on their own or combined with other qualifications.

We accept an IB Higher Level Certificate as equal to one A level with equivalent grades:

• 7 = A*
• 6 = A
• 5 = B
• 4 = C

You will need to study the equivalent of at least three A levels to be considered. If you are studying only three Higher Level Certificates, we will also be looking for evidence of a high academic standard across a breadth of study through your wider school curriculum or additional qualifications.

Your IB Higher Level Certificates will need to include any essential subjects, as listed on our course pages.

We do not normally accept IB Standard Level Certificates as equivalent to A levels. Where a Standard Level subject can be considered to meet an essential subject requirement for the IB Diploma, we may exceptionally be able to consider one IB Standard Level Certificate on the same basis as part of a collection of stand-alone IB Certificates.

Scottish Highers

Our course pages show typical offers based on Advanced Highers.

We cannot accept Scottish Highers for entry. As a guide, our course pages show the usual Scottish Higher grades we expect you to have achieved alongside your Advanced Highers, however, you may be considered if your grades do not meet this profile.

If you are studying a combination of qualifications, we can accept a single Advanced Higher as equal to one A level (with A = A*, B = B, C = C).

T Levels

We accept T Levels for some of our courses, and our course pages include which T level subjects are considered for each course.

Some courses can only consider a T Level when studied alongside an A level, to make sure you have covered all necessary content to start your degree. We appreciate that studying one or more A levels alongside a T Level is a significant amount of additional work and not usually an option for most students. You do not need to complete all relevant study at the same time, and may, for example, wish to pick up any required A level after you have finished your T Level.

Your GCSE profile will be an important part of selection if you apply with a T Level. You will also be required to undertake an interview as part of the admissions process.

Pearson BTEC (RQF and QCF) and Cambridge Technical

Level 3 Extended Diplomas

We accept Level 3 Extended Diplomas (equivalent to three A levels) for most of our courses.

Typical offers for BTEC (RQF) and Cambridge Technical Extended Diplomas are listed on our course pages.

Our grade requirements for BTEC (QCF) Extended Diplomas are the same as those for the Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma – please contact us by emailing admissions@bath.ac.uk if you have questions about required BTEC subjects.

Some courses can only consider an Extended Diploma when studied alongside an A level, to make sure you have covered all necessary content to start your degree.

The subject of your Extended Diploma is very important, and some courses can only consider specific subjects. Some courses will also specify specific optional units you will need to study as part of the diploma. Your GCSE profile will be an important part of selection if you apply with a BTEC Extended Diploma.

Depending on your chosen course, you may also be required to undertake an interview as part of the application process – this is specified on each course page.

Level 3 Diplomas, Extended Certificates and Subsidiary Diplomas

We accept Level 3 BTEC and Cambridge Technical qualifications as equal to one or two A levels:

Two A levels – BTEC (RQF) Diploma:

Two A levels – BTEC (QCF) or Cambridge Technical Diploma:

One A level – BTEC (RQF) Extended Certificate:

One A level – BTEC (QCF) Subsidiary Diploma or Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate:

You will need qualifications equal to at least three A levels to be considered. If you are studying qualifications equal to four or more A levels, we will usually consider your best grades within them.

Your combined subjects must include any essential subjects for your course (typically through A levels) – these are listed in the ‘Combination of qualifications’ section of each of our course pages.

We accept most subjects for BTEC and Cambridge Technical qualifications.

WJEC Level 3 Applied 3 Diplomas

We accept the following Level 3 Applied Diplomas as equal to one A level (with equal grades):

• Criminology

• Medical Science

• Professional Construction Practice

We accept the WJEC Level 3 Applied Diploma in Health and Social Care as equal to two A levels (with equal grades).

We can consider for WJEC Level 3 Applied Diploma in Food Science and Nutrition for our FdSc Sport (Sport Performance) course only. We accept it as equal to one A level (with equal grades). You will need qualifications equal to at least three A levels to be considered.

LIBF Level 3 Diploma in Financial Studies (DipFS)

We accept the LIBF Level 3 Diploma in Financial Studies (DipFS) in place of one A level with equal grading.

Access to HE Diplomas

We accept Access to HE Diplomas for almost all our courses. Typical offers are listed on our course pages.

Typical offers often include a number of credits you must achieve in certain subjects within the overall diploma.

Given the nature of an Access to HE Diploma, your overall GCSE profile is not a significant factor when assessing your application. However, you will still be expected to meet core GCSE requirements in English and Mathematics – these requirements can also be met using other equivalent qualifications.

Depending on your chosen course, you may also be required to undertake an interview as part of the admissions process – this is specified on each course page.

Cambridge Pre-Us

We accept Cambridge Pre-U principal subjects for all our degrees, either standalone or combined with other qualifications.

We accept each principal subject as equal to one A level with equivalent grades:

• D2 = A*
• D3 = A
• M1 = B
• M3 = C

We make offers equivalent to our A level offers, including typical, contextual, or alternative offers.

Degree-level study

We can consider transfers for students who have completed one or more years of study at a UK university in some circumstances. While some courses will accept transfers into the 2nd year, many are only available for first year entry.

If you are looking to transfer we recommend you contact us with your circumstances by emailing admissions@bath.ac.uk before you apply.

We also accept Open University credit – typical requirements are included on our course pages.