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Below you'll find answers to the questions we get asked the most about applying for undergraduate study.
Qualifications
- Do you accept a mix of qualifications?
Our qualification requirements are set to ensure that individuals are suitably prepared for the rigour of study at UCL, so we would usually be looking for an applicant to offer all their qualifications from one suite, such as three A levels, or an IB Diploma. However, some departments may be willing to consider a mix of the qualifications that UCL usually looks for. Each case would be considered on an individual basis, in conjunction with an explanation from the referee, and we would be looking to see that an applicant had obtained the breadth and depth of knowledge in their chosen subjects to succeed at UCL. For further information, please contact your country representative.
- Does taking four A-levels make an application more competitive?
We would always look at the best three A-levels, so taking four A-levels would not necessarily give an applicant an advantage over someone taking three A-levels.
- What English Language qualifications do you accept?
Accepted English language qualifications can be found by following the English language requirements page.
- Does UCL require students to have a GCSE (or equivalent) in a Modern Foreign Language?
No. This requirement has been removed. A Modern Foreign Language is no longer a requirement for graduation.
Application
- Do you limit the number of students that you take from a particular school?
No, we do not impose any limits like this. We simply seek to recruit the strongest set of students for a limited number of places. To do that, we will look at applications as a whole - including grades, evidence of an interest in, commitment to, and aptitude for the subject(s).
- Do any of your undergraduate degree programmes require interviews?
The degree programmes which currently require interviews are Architecture, English, European Social Political Studies Dual Degree, Fine Art, Medicine and Pharmacy.
- For students applying to Law, is there a minimum score for the LNAT?
UCL Laws does not have a benchmark or minimum score required for the LNAT. In the academic year 2022/23, the average LNAT score of test results received by UCL was 23, and the average LNAT score of candidates who received an offer at UCL was 29. For contextual offers, the average LNAT score of candidates who received an offer at UCL was 27. Offers can be made to applicants who score lower when all other elements of their application, including the LNAT essay, are particularly strong. Similarly, a high score in the LNAT is not a guarantee of an offer as applications are considered on the basis of all the information provided (including the academic profile, personal statement, reference, LNAT score and essay).
- How many places do you have for international students?
For MBBS programmes it is a UK government requirement that only 7% of each cohort are non-EU students. Therefore all medicine programmes in the UK can only accept a maximum of 7% overseas fee status students. No other programmes have a quota system in this way.
- Do offer conditions vary for students with similar credentials?
Offers are typically made in line with the advertised entry requirements, which vary by programme and are listed in the online prospectus.
As such, it is possible for students with similar credentials to receive different offers if they are applying to different programmes
- How often are students with predicted grades below the entry requirements made an offer?
Due to the high number of applications and level of competition, it is very unlikely that we will make an offer to a student with predicted grades below our entry requirements.
- Can students transfer to UCL from another institution?
All applicants studying at another higher education institution, including those who wish to transfer to a full-time degree programme at UCL, whether to commence a new programme of study, or to enter direct into the second year of a degree programme, must apply through UCAS and not directly to UCL.
Regardless of where applicants are applying from, they must submit their UCAS application by the dates published by UCAS. Second year transfers are relatively uncommon and most students are asked to enter Year 1 of our programme. Students should contact the relevant country representative for further information.
- What type of work experience can be recommended for students interested in Medicine?
We are often asked about the type of work experience that we expect students to undertake in preparation of making an application. We recommend that prospective students read the Medical Schools Council pdf guide to work experience following the pandemic.
The applicant’s ability to demonstrate and reflect on what they have learnt, about themselves and about medicine, through any experience is the main factor we are looking for when assessing experience. This ability to reflect on what they have learnt will be assessed via the personal statement, and may be assessed at interview.
- What is the application to places ratio for your courses?
UCL is a competitive institution and we receive a large number of applications for places. Please find more on our pdf file below.
- What can you tell me about the Computer Science admissions test that has been introduced for the 2024 UCAS application cycle?
UCL have introduced an admissions test, the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT), for Computer Science BSc/MEng applicants applying in the 2024 UCAS admissions cycle. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to sit the STAT to assist with the selection of applicants’ suitability for these heavily oversubscribed programmes. The STAT is run by the Australian Council for Education Research (ACER). The STAT is an online multiple-choice test of 80 critical and quantitative reasoning questions. The test will last 130 minutes.
Please view the STAT Information for UCL applicants webpage and the PDF file below for more details.
General
- Are students guaranteed accommodation at UCL?
All first year Undergraduate students, including international students, are prioritised a place in UCL accommodation as long as they meet our eligibility criteria in full. Further information about eligibility criteria can be found on the Accommodation page.
- How is accommodation allocated?
We consider the preferences applicants indicate on their application including room type, budget and factors that are important to them. Accommodation applications are processed in a random order using our automated allocation system based on the stated preferences. This allows UCL to successfully allocate 89% of students to the room type they have selected and ensures the process is fair to all applicants.
- What scholarships can students apply for?
Details of scholarships and bursaries for undergraduate students can be found on the UCL Scholarships and Funding page.
- Can students visit the campus?
We run campus tours through our the year where students can book, with up to one guest, where they can visit the UCL Bloomsbury campus. This is a general campus tour and will not include access to UCL Halls of Residences or Academic departments. Futher information about Campus Tour and the booking form can be found on the Campus Tours website. If students are unable to attend a scheduled Guided campus tour students can explore the UCL Bloomsbury campus in their own time by accessing the Self-guided tours.
If you have specific questions about a specific area of study, we would recommend contacting the department directly for further information. Contact details can be found on every degree programme webpage.
- What support is provided for disabled students?
Our aim is to promote and implement an inclusive learning and teaching environment, allowing students to study as independently as possible during their time at UCL. This page provides information on the support available for students with learning difficulties, disabilities and long-term health conditions. Information on who and how we can support can be found on our Support and Wellbeing website.
- Entering UCL via the International Foundation Year
If your school does not offer a qualification recognized by UCL for direct entry, your students would be considered for the UCL International Foundation Year.
Post application
- How can I communicate changes to an applicant’s predicted grades?
UCL will only consider changes to predicted grades if there has been a genuine administrative error by the school/college when the original reference was completed.
In these circumstances we can only consider changes to predicted grades if we receive them before a decision is made on the application AND before the 31 January 2024 UCAS deadline. We will not consider revised predicted grades whether due to a school error or improved performance after a decision has been made on an application OR after the UCAS Equal Consideration deadline, even if a decision has not yet been made.
Referees should contact Undergraduate Admissions via our contact form from an official school/college email address (e.g. name@school.org) and include:- an explanation of the error
- revised predicted grades
- applicant name
- applicant UCAS PID number
- the course the applicant has applied to
- What happens if my student narrowly misses their offer conditions?
They will need to wait until A level results are released on 15th August 2024 when the Admissions team will have a better idea of how many offer holders have met their conditions. If we are able to make a decision before then we will confirm this via the UCL Applicant Portal.
- When can my student expect a decision from UCL?
We do consider applications as quickly as we can. However, as our degree programmes attract a large number of well qualified applicants, it may be some time before final decisions are made. It is quite usual for some applicants to hear sooner than others, but if the student doesn’t get a quick response from us it doesn't mean that an application will be unsuccessful. The majority of programmes at UCL use a 'semi-gathered field' whereby an admissions selector will wait until a sufficient number of comparable applications have been received to make a decision. Each annual admissions cycle will involve several such 'fields' between September and April.