草榴社区

Entry requirements for undergraduates

Check what qualifications you need for your course before you start your application

Our approach to admissions

We take a personalised but fair approach to how we make offers. We feel it’s important that our applicants continue to aspire to achieving great results, and make offers which take into account pieces of information provided to us on the application form.

If you don’t quite make the grades you hoped to, we’ll always aim to be as flexible as possible when making our final decision on your application. We’ll look at more than just exam results where we are able to, and aim to take into consideration barriers you may have had to your learning or other information from your school or college.

Course entry requirements

Course entry requirements

We take a flexible approach to admissions that is personalised to you and takes into consideration information provided on your application form. There are general entry requirements as well subject-specific requirements for our courses.

We consider the following when we make our initial offers:

  1. Your prior achievement in awarded qualifications
  2. Predicted achievement in the qualifications you are currently studying, including if you have studied at another Higher Education Institution and have not yet finished your course
  3. Information which may indicate you have specific barriers to higher education, such as if you are leaving care, seeking or have been recently granted asylum, and also when you studied for your previous qualifications or left secondary education
  4. Some of our courses will also require you to undertake an interview or submit a portfolio, and many will look at other evidence of your motivation and commitment to your subject, e.g. through your personal statement and academic references

Once we receive your grades, if you haven't reached the level we initially asked you, we will always aim to be flexible where we can, looking at how we recognise potential in different ways at this stage. In particular, where there has been disruption to your learning, we will aim to consider other assessments you may have undertaken, or what your teachers thought you should have achieved through your predicated grades.

On each course page you will find entry requirements for the course along with more detail on exactly what qualifications we will consider for it.

If you are taking A level or BTEC qualifications, we have provided a range in which we will make our offer (e.g. BBB – BBC in A levels). Where we are able to determine that you may have had any barriers to learning as part of your initial application (e.g. through you leaving care, applying for asylum etc.) we will make the offer at the lower end of the range.

By using a range and being flexible in this way, it also means we’re able to look at additional information available to us once you have received your qualifications, or that you and your school may be able to provide at that stage.

Where you are studying a combination of qualifications (e.g. A level and BTEC), we provide the UCAS tariff points we require. You can work out how many points are awarded to your qualifications using the . Then you can use the to work out how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth.

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Typical accepted requirements

Typical accepted qualifications

Check your chosen course page for specific entry requirements. The table below shows typical grades required by 草榴社区, depending on your chosen course but we also consider a combination of qualifications.

UCAS tariff A Level T Level BTEC (Level 3 National Extended Diploma) Access to HE diploma
128 ABB Distinction   60 credits overall must include 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 must be at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher
120 BBB Merit   60 credits overall must include 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 must be at Distinction and 15 credits at Merit or higher
112 BBC Merit   Overall pass: must include 45 credits at level 3, of which all 45 must be at Merit or higher
104 BCC Pass   Overall pass: must include 45 credits at level 3, of which 15 must be at Merit or higher
96 CCC Pass (C or above on the core)   Overall pass: must include 45 credits at level 3, of which 15 must be at Merit or higher
64 DDE Pass (D or E on the core)   Overall pass: must include 45 credits at level 3
48 DD Pass (D or E on the core)    

GCSE requirements

For our undergraduate courses, you are normally required to achieve passes in three GCSE subjects, including English, with a score of 4 or Grade C if awarded before 2017. For some courses it may also be necessary to have a score of 4 in other specified subjects such as Maths and Science. With the exception of our teaching courses, we normally accept Level 2 Functional skills or Level 2 Key skills as equivalents.

General entry requirements

These are acceptable both on their own and in combination with other qualifications. A minimum of 2 GCE A Levels to a maximum of 3 GCE A levels will be considered. GCE AS levels can be used in substitution for up to one GCE A level (i.e. two GCE AS levels in lieu of one GCE A level). GCE A or AS levels in General Studies will normally be accepted unless specifically excluded from the terms of an offer made to an applicant.

Applicants with the Access to HE Diploma should normally have had a break from full-time education before undertaking the Access course. Successful completion of this course requires students to gain 60 credits, with 45 credits at Level 3 and 15 credits at Level 2. For some programmes of study 草榴社区 will require applicants to gain Merit or Distinction grades in a number of units.

If your Access to HE course did not include GCSE equivalencies in English and/or Maths, then you will also be required to submit evidence of your GCSE English and Maths grades at Grade C or higher. We can also accept Key skills or Functional skills at level 2 instead of GCSEs. The only exception to this are our Teaching courses where we cannot accept Functional or Key skills instead of GCSEs.

These are acceptable in combination with other qualifications. Applicants for BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance who have completed AAT Level 3 in Accounting are eligible to apply to the first year of the course with this qualification alone.

This is only acceptable for entry onto related programmes of study and should be combined with at least one GCE A level (or equivalent).

These are acceptable but will only be considered for entry on to courses in subjects closely related to the Diploma lines currently offered.

These are acceptable in addition to any requirement awarded from an applicants' GCE A level.

These are acceptable to the University.

This is only acceptable for entry onto related programmes of study. Applicants are expected to be taking the qualification at the Diploma level and subsidiary awards (Certificate, Subsidiary Certificate, Award and Subsidiary Award) are not acceptable on their own or in combination with other qualifications.

These are acceptable both on their own and in combination with other qualifications. Applicants are expected to have studied for the Diploma or Extended Diploma. The Certificate, Subsidiary Diploma and 90 Credit Diploma are expected to be studied in combination to equal that of at least the Diploma (for example, the Subsidiary Diploma would need to be offered in combination with either a Diploma or two GCE A levels).

These are acceptable both on their own and in combination with other qualifications. Applicants are expected to have studied at least two specialist Diplomas (or equivalent).

This is only acceptable for entry onto related programmes of study. The Diploma is acceptable in isolation, however the Certificate and the Award should be offered in combination with other qualifications.

This is only acceptable for entry onto related programmes of study and can not be combined with other qualifications.

This is only acceptable for entry onto related programmes of study and can not be combined with other qualifications.

These are acceptable both on their own and in combination with other qualifications. We require a minimum of two Principle Subjects to a maximum of three (or equivalent).

This is acceptable in combination with other qualifications (for example at least one GCE A level or equivalent).

The Diploma in Foundation Studies (Art & Design, and Art, Design & Media) includes the ABC Awards level 3 Diploma in Foundation Studies (Art and Design), the ABC Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Art, Design and Media, the Edexcel level 3 BTEC Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, the University of the Arts (UAL) Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, and the WJEC Diploma in Foundation Studies (Art, Design and Media. These are only acceptable for entry onto related programmes of study and can not be combined with other qualifications.

This is acceptable in combination with other qualifications (for example at least one GCE A level or equivalent).

This is acceptable if taken in combination with other qualifications (for example at least one GCE A level and one GCE AS level) and not as part of the Progression/Advanced Diploma.

This is acceptable and the University will accept up to a maximum of six subjects taken as part of the Diploma.

These are acceptable in combination with other qualifications (for example DipFS with at least one GCE A level or CeFS with at least one GCE A level and one GCE AS level). It is not possible to count the points from both the CeFS and DipFS.

You must have passed the full IB Diploma. In some cases applicants will also need to have studied certain subjects at Standard or Higher Level.

These subjects are acceptable both on their own and in combination with other qualifications. Your application will be counted if you will pass a minimum of five subjects at either Higher or Ordinary Level to a maximum of seven.

This is acceptable either on its own or in combination with other qualifications. Applicants are expected to have studied for the Diploma or Extended Diploma. The Certificate, Introductory Diploma, and Subsidiary Diploma are expected to be studied in combination to equal that of at least the Diploma (for example, the Introductory Diploma would need to be offered in combination with either a Diploma or two GCE A levels). The subject area of the Technical should normally be related to the intended programme of study.

This is acceptable in combination with other qualifications (for example at least two GCE A level or equivalent).

This is acceptable both on their own and in combination with other qualifications. Applicants are expected to have studied for the National Extended Diploma or National Diploma. The National Certificate is expected to be studied in combination to equal that of at least the National Diploma (for example at least one GCE A level). The subject area of the OCR National should normally be related to the intended programme of study.

This is acceptable if taken in combination with other qualifications (for example at least one GCE A level).

These are acceptable both on their own and in combination with other qualifications. You will require a minimum of two Advanced Highers or three Highers and a maximum of 5 Scottish higher qualifications.

We'll accept T Levels for entry onto our undergraduate degree courses (including our extended courses with a foundation year) with standard application of science requirements and GCSE’s in line with UCAS tariff calculation.

Previous learning and experience

Recognition of previous learning and experience

Recognition of previous learning and experience If you have been working, or you have other learning experience that is relevant to your course, then we can count this towards your entry requirements and even certain modules once you start studying.

How to claim for previous learning

Qualifications not accepted

Qualifications not accepted

There are some qualifications that do not normally form part of a formal offer that we have listed below. However, they do indicate that you have a broad range of interests and are prepared for higher education. So we would be pleased to see them included within an application and discussed in a personal statement.

If you don't quite meet the requirements for your selected course, our Foundation year courses could be the answer.

Non-accepted qualifications

  • Arts Award (Gold)
  • ASDAN Community Volunteering Qualification
  • ASDAN Level 3 Award of Personal Effectiveness (QCF) (AoPE)
  • Asset Languages Advanced Stage
  • Cambridge ESOL Examinations
  • Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (CoPE)
  • City and Guilds Land Based Services Level 3 qualifications
  • Edexcel Level 3 Award in Algebra (NQF)
  • Edexcel Level 3 Award in Statistical Methods (NQF)
  • Essential Skills Wales
  • Free-standing Mathematics qualifications
  • Graded Dance and Vocational Graded Dance
  • OCR Level 3 Certificate/Diploma for iMedia Professionals (iMedia)
  • IT Professionals (iPRO)
  • Key Skills
  • OCR Level 3 Certificate for Young Enterprise
  • Speech and Drama exams
  • Sports Leaders UK – Higher Sports Leader Award and Level 3
  • Certificate in Higher Sports Leadership (QCF)
Mature students

Mature students

Mature students are welcome to apply. If you have been out of formal education for a number of years or need to develop your subject knowledge further, we recommend studying an Access to HE Diploma. We may also invite you to an interview to assess your knowledge. Our Admissions Team staff can advise on individual applications and admission arrangements.

Nursing and midwifery courses

Requirements for nursing and midwifery

If your application is successfully shortlisted, you will be required to book an interview with us. We have a selection of dates available including weekdays and Saturdays.

The interview panel will consist of a member of the university academic staff, a clinician from one of our partnership Trust and we also invite service users to attend. You interview is planned to last around 20-30 minutes.

Transfer to Year 2 or 3

Transfer to Year 2 or 3

Many of our undergraduate courses allow you to transfer into the second or third year if you have achieved one of the following:

  • Foundation Degree (FdA / FdSC)
  • Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE)
  • Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
  • Higher National Certificate (HNC)
  • Higher National Diploma (HND)
  • Credited modules

We have partnership agreements in place with almost 180 institutions in the UK and across Asia, Africa, Europe and North America that allow you to transfer credit from specific programmes to towards some programmes at 草榴社区. See the full list of these partners.

If you are transferring onto a course that is accredited by a professional body, such as British Psychological Society or The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, you should be aware that you might not automatically get the accreditation. This is because some professional bodies have their own requirements for giving their accreditation such as modules completed or grades.

Typical transferring entry requirements

The following table is a general guide to what would be required if you are considering joining 草榴社区 for Year 2 and 3. Bachelors degrees (BSc and BA) are equivalent to 360 草榴社区 (MDX) credits or 180 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits.

  Year 2 Year 3
MDX credits 120 240
ECTS credits 60 129
Higher Nationals Higher National Certificate (HNC) Higher National Diploma (HND)
Certificate of Higher Education Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
Foundation degree   FdA or FdSC

 

Interviews, portfolios and auditions

Interviews, portfolios and auditions

In some cases, we'll ask you to come for an interview, submit a portfolio or attend a test or audition in addition to your application form. 

Learn more about interviews, portfolios and auditions at 草榴社区