Metadata
Title
Undergraduate study
Category
undergraduate
UUID
668b2dec8c1e445c8fea44f1972d16fd
Source URL
https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/theologyreligiousstudies/
Parent URL
https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/how-to-apply-for-an-undergraduate-degree/cho...
Crawl Time
2026-03-24T07:17:42+00:00
Rendered Raw Markdown

Undergraduate study

Source: https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/theologyreligiousstudies/ Parent: https://www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/how-to-apply-for-an-undergraduate-degree/choosingyourdegree/advanced-entry/

Undergraduate

Theology & Religious Studies BD/MA

Theology & Religious Studies encompasses the study of religion, religions, the Bible and theology – not as worlds apart, but as they relate to politics, history, literature, philosophy, art and culture as well as to personal belief and practice.

We are passionate about exploring the way that religion shapes political and cultural life. We will help you understand the impact of religion in the contemporary world, in literature and art, in political conflict, and in responses to urgent challenges such as armed conflict and climate change.

Register your interest for more information

Year of entry 2026 2027 2028

Country of residence

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Apply via UCAS

Programme structure

We offer two programmes, MA and BD, which differ in how the first two years of study are organised.

Students who wish to specialise in Christianity, or who are training for the ministry, often take the BD.

MA

You will explore the role of religion in the rich textual, cultural, artistic and philosophical heritage of humankind, and the influence of religion in politics, conflict and social attitudes.

You can choose from a variety of subjects across the sub-disciplines of theology and religious studies.

The programme can be structured to introduce you to a variety of religions or to focus on the Christian tradition.

MA: Year 1

In year 1 you will take at least two of these four courses and you may take Greek or Hebrew:

MA: Year 2

In year 2 you will take at least two of these four courses, and a language if you wish:

You will also study other subjects in years 1 and 2: see Flexible degrees.

BD

If you are hoping to work in pastoral ministry, a caring profession or a voluntary organisation, the BD could be suitable for you. It combines academic study with practical application and placements, and offers the opportunity for in-depth reflection on your experience in a supportive and challenging environment.

BD: Year 1

Introductory courses in the Bible and Theology & religious studies introduce you to some of the basic concerns of those practising religion today and give you tools for analysis and critical thinking.

You will also explore worship and liturgy, considering how theology is “put to work” in the practice of the church. You may choose to study a Biblical language: Hebrew or Greek.

BD: Year 2

You will take further courses in the Bible, history and theology. You will also study ethics and reflect on pastoral practice and explore some of the issues that confront believers as they seek to reconcile their faith with the challenges presented by contemporary technological, social and environmental change.

MA and BD: Years 3 and 4

If you successfully complete years 1 and 2 , you may be admitted to Honours.

You can choose from courses including:

You will also write a 12,000-word dissertation.

Course details

MA

Year 1

In Year 1, you will study two courses from Theology & Religious Studies with courses from two other subjects. You may also take Greek or Hebrew.

Year 2

In Year 2, you must study at least 2 courses from Theology & Religious Studies, but you can choose up to 4 courses in this subject. Your remaining courses will come from other subjects.

You will take at least two of these courses, and a language if you wish:

BD

Year 1

You must take at least 4 courses from Theology & Religious Studies. Your remaining courses will come from Theology & Religious Studies or other subjects.

Year 2

You must take at least 4 courses from Theology & Religious Studies. Your remaining courses will come from Theology & Religious Studies or other subjects.

MA and BD

Years 3 and 4 (Honours)

Example courses

These are examples of courses you may study in Years 3 and 4. Courses may not run every academic year due to staff research interests, student interest, timetabling etc.

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Programme alteration or discontinuation\ The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a programme. For more information, please see: Student contract.

You may study for one semester or one year (usually your third year) of your degree at an overseas university as part of a student exchange programme.

In recent years our students have studied in countries including Argentina, Austria, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden and the United States, returning with a fantastic experience of different cultures and traditions.

Entry requirements

for entry in 2026

You should refer to the entry requirements for both subjects and the degree award when applying for a joint honours degree programme. The higher entry requirement (where applicable) and additional requirements must be met for both subjects.

Summary of entry requirements for Theology & Religious Studies

SQA Higher entry requirements

SQA Higher adjusted entry requirements* (by end of S5 or S6)

* See Access Glasgow for eligibility.

A-level standard entry requirements

IB standard entry requirements

Entry requirements for advanced entry to Theology & Religious Studies

Applicants who achieve exceptional grades in their Advanced Highers, A-levels or International Baccalaureate may be considered for advanced entry, meaning that an Honours degree can be completed in three years instead of the normal four years, or four years for five-year integrated Masters programmes. Not all joint honours subjects are available for advanced entry and applications to joint honours programmes will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Choose point of entry 2nd year on your UCAS application to indicate you wish to be considered for advanced entry.

SQA Higher requirements for advanced entry

A-Level requirements for advanced entry

IB requirements for advanced entry

Admissions guidance

English language

For applicants from non-English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Government, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.

English language requirements

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)

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Common equivalent English language qualifications for entry to this programme

TOEFL (ibt, mybest or athome)

Tests taken up to 20 January 2026

Tests taken from 21 January 2026

Pearsons PTE Academic

Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE)

Oxford ELLT

LanguageCert Academic SELT

Password Skills Plus

Trinity College Tests

University of Glasgow Pre-sessional courses

School Qualifications

International School Qualifications

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Alternatives to English Language qualification

For international students, the Home Office has confirmed that the University can choose to use these tests to make its own assessment of English language ability for visa applications to degree level programmes. The University is also able to accept UKVI approved Secure English Language Tests (SELT) but we do not require a specific UKVI SELT for degree level programmes. We therefore still accept any of the English tests listed for admission to this programme.

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Pre-sessional courses

We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:

For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see:

We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:

FAQs

What do I do if...

my language qualifications are below the requirements?

The University's School of Modern Languages and Cultures offers a range of Pre-sessional courses to bring you up to entry level. The course is accredited by BALEAP, the UK professional association for academic English teaching.

my language qualifications are not listed here?

Please contact External Relations

If you require a Tier 4 student visa, your qualification must be one of the secure English language tests accepted by UK Border Agency:

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Visa requirements and proof of English language level

It is a visa requirement to provide information on your level of English based on an internationally recognised and secure English language test. All test reports must be no more than 2 years old. A list of these can be found on the UK Border Agency website. If you have never taken one of these tests before, you can get an initial idea of your level by using the Common European Framework self-assessment grid which gives you a level for each skill (e.g. listening B1/writing B2 etc.) However, please note that this is not a secure English language test and it is not sufficient evidence of your level of English for visa requirements.

Further information about English language: School of Modern Languages & Cultures: English for Academic Study

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Career prospects

Career openings include all jobs where employers are looking for graduate skills. Former students have gone into business or journalism, and have worked in the charity and voluntary sectors.

Recent graduates have become lawyers, teachers, social workers, bankers, civil servants, youth workers, or work in NGOs, the NHS or the churches.

Degrees and UCAS codes

When applying you will need to know the UCAS code for the subject or subject-combination that you wish to apply to:

BD (Hons)

Theology & Religious Studies: V600 (4 years)

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Apply to V600

MA (Hons)

Theology & Religious Studies: V621 (4 years)

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Apply to V621

Theology & Religious Studies/Archaeology: VV46 (4 years)

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Apply to VV46

Theology & Religious Studies/Celtic Civilisation: QV56 (4 years)

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Apply to QV56

Theology & Religious Studies/Celtic Studies: Q5V6 (4 years)

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Apply to Q5V6

Theology & Religious Studies/Classics: QV86 (4 years)

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Apply to QV86

Theology & Religious Studies/Comparative Literature: VQ62 (4 years)

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Apply to VQ62

Theology & Religious Studies/Computing Science: VG64 (4 years)

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Apply to VG64

Theology & Religious Studies/Digital Media & Information Studies: GV5P (4 years)

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Apply to GV5P

Theology & Religious Studies/Economics: LV16 (4 years)

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Apply to LV16

Theology & Religious Studies/English Language & Linguistics: QV36 (4 years)

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Apply to QV36

Theology & Religious Studies/English Literature: VQ63 (4 years)

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Apply to VQ63

Theology & Religious Studies/French: RV16 (5 years)

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Apply to RV16

Theology & Religious Studies/Gaelic: VQ56 (4 years)

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Apply to VQ56

Theology & Religious Studies/German: R2V6 (5 years)

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Apply to R2V6

Theology & Religious Studies/Greek: Q7V6 (4 years)

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Apply to Q7V6

Theology & Religious Studies/History: VV16 (4 years)

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Apply to VV16

Theology & Religious Studies/History of Art: VV36 (4 years)

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Apply to VV36

Theology & Religious Studies/Italian: R3V6 (5 years)

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Apply to R3V6

Theology & Religious Studies/Latin: Q6V6 (4 years)

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Apply to Q6V6

Theology & Religious Studies/Mathematics: GV16 (4 years)

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Apply to GV16

Theology & Religious Studies/Music: WV36 (4 years)

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Apply to WV36

Theology & Religious Studies/Philosophy: VV56 (4 years)

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Apply to VV56

Theology & Religious Studies/Politics: VL62 (4 years)

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Apply to VL62

Theology & Religious Studies/Portuguese: R854 (5 years)

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Apply to R854

Theology & Religious Studies/Psychology: CV86 (4 years)

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Apply to CV86 \ Applicants must meet the Psychology requirements

Theology & Religious Studies/Russian: VR67 (5 years)

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Apply to VR67

Theology & Religious Studies/Scottish History: VVF6 (4 years)

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Apply to VVF6

Theology & Religious Studies/Scottish Literature: QV26 (4 years)

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Apply to QV26

Theology & Religious Studies/Social & Public Policy: VL64 (4 years)

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Apply to VL64

Theology & Religious Studies/Sociology: LV66 (4 years)

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Apply to LV66

Theology & Religious Studies/Spanish: RV4P (5 years)

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Apply to RV4P

Theology & Religious Studies/Theatre Studies: VW64 (4 years)

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Apply to VW64

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

How and when you pay tuition fees depends on where you’re from: see Tuition fees for details.

Scholarships

The University is committed to supporting students and rewarding academic excellence. That's why we've invested more than £1m in additional scholarship funding in recent years.

World Changers Glasgow Scholarship UG (EU)

The University of Glasgow continues to be committed to ensuring a strong relationship with our existing and future EU students, and supporting EU talent to make their home at the University of Glasgow. 

We appreciate the challenging financial implications that have arisen for our European applicants, and are therefore delighted to offer the World Changers Glasgow Scholarship UG (EU) to new incoming EU students starting an undergraduate programme for Academic Session 2026-27. The scholarship is awarded as a tuition fee discount of £5,000 for every year of study and is subject to satisfactory progress for consecutive years of study. This discount cannot be combined with another University scholarship.

World Changers Global Excellence Scholarship

The University of Glasgow has a number of World Changers Global Excellence Scholarships available to new International and EU Undergraduate students for 2026 entry.

The scholarship is awarded as an annual tuition fee discount, based on the academic college of your chosen degree:

Scholarships are renewable each year, subject to satisfactory academic progress.

World Changers RUK Excellence Scholarship

The RUK Excellence Scholarship of £1,000 for each year of study will be awarded to first degree new entrants who have attained academic excellence in one sitting at A Level.

Beaconhouse Schools

The University of Glasgow offer a 15% discount on the first year of tuition fee to students from Beaconhouse Schools and who enrol on an undergraduate programme at the University of Glasgow. The discount does not apply to Veterinary Medicine, Medicine and Dentistry programmes.

World Changers RUK Access Bursary

The bursary supports talented students who may not be able to take their place at University for reasons of financial hardship. It is available to new entrant full-time, undergraduate students of the University of Glasgow who are fully registered for the up coming academic session, ordinarily domiciled in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and paying full annual tuition fee.

Care Experienced and Estranged Student Bursary

The University of Glasgow is offering five bursaries specifically for Care Experienced and Estranged Students. These bursaries aim to support students who have been in care or are living independently due to family estrangement. Definitions of these terms are provided below, and further details are available here.

Care Experienced\ "Care-experienced" refers to anyone who has ever been in care, regardless of the duration. This includes individuals who have been in the care of a local authority at any stage, whether through residential care, foster care, kinship care, or under a supervision requirement at home. This category also includes those who have been adopted from care.

Estranged\ Estranged students are young people studying independently without family support due to a breakdown in family relationships. These students often have limited or no contact with their families, and any contact that does occur is usually infrequent or strained. Causes of estrangement may include emotional or physical abuse, conflicting family expectations, personality clashes, or differing values.

Each bursary is typically valued at £1,500 per year for each consecutive year of the degree programme.

Beatrix Whistler and James McNeill Whistler Scholarship

The Beatrix Whistler and James McNeill Whistler Scholarships originate with an important collection of works by Whistler gifted by Miss Rosalind Birnie Philip to the University in 1935. Since then, and thanks to further gifts and acquisitions, the Hunterian has come to hold one of the two leading collections of Whistler’s work in the world and History of Art (SCCA) has become an international centre of expertise for the study of Whistler and his 19th century world.

At her death in 1958, Miss Birnie Philip, Whistler’s heir and executrix, bequeathed the remainder of her art collection to the University, together with part of her residual estate for the purpose of establishing a scholarship scheme for students engaged in any branch of learning within the College of Arts & Humanities. In 2019, the Whistler scholarships scheme was revised in acknowledgement of the continuing links between Miss Birnie Philip’s 1958 bequest of artworks and her wish to support student learning at the University.

The Whistler Scholarships are open to students in all disciplines of the College of Arts & Humanities. The award committee is willing to consider both individual applications AND joint applications (from up to THREE students). Innovative interdisciplinary work is particularly encouraged. However, students may only involve themselves in the submission of ONE application (individual OR joint).

The Whistler Scholarships cover travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses ONLY.

James McCune Smith Undergraduate Scholarship

The University of Glasgow has up to 30 undergraduate scholarships available for students of African/African-Caribbean backgrounds. The scholarship supports students who could face financial difficulties taking up their place to study at the university. The value of the scholarship is £4,000, paid in instalments for year one of undergraduate study. The scholarship is open to new applicants to the university for 2026 entry. Current students who have previously been in receipt of the award may reapply, however, preference will be given to applicants entering their first year of study.

Undergraduate Talent Scholarships

The University of Glasgow is awarding c.50 undergraduate Talent Scholarships to support students who could face financial difficulties in taking up their place to study at the University for 2026 entry. The value of each scholarship is typically £1,500 p.a. for each year of the degree programme, subject to satisfactory progress. Talent Scholarships are available to students entering any of the University's Colleges.

Dental School students are eligible for a Talent Scholarship in their first year of study only. They are eligible for the NHS Dental Student Support Grant in the following years.

Cowrie Foundation Scholarship - CLOSED

The University of Glasgow and The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation (CSF) will offer a scholarship to support Black African and Caribbean heritage applicants from socio-economically challenged backgrounds.  Applicants must be ordinarily resident in the UK and commencing an undergraduate study programme.

The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation wants to fund 100 Black British students through UK universities in the next decade. More information on the Foundation can be found here.

Travel Bursaries

The University of Glasgow is offering travel bursaries to assist with public transport travel costs, to support undergraduate students who could face financial difficulties in taking up their place to study at the University for 2026 entry. The value of the bursary is 50% of your monthly public transport travel costs to get to University, up to a maximum value of £50 per month. Priority is given to new entrants to the Univeristy. Continuing students previously in receipt of the bursary can apply, however, preference will be given to new entrants.

The Scottish Government’s Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel scheme gives free bus travel to young people under 22 years of age. Please note that if you are under 22 years of age and can reasonably travel to Campus by bus, you will not be considered for the travel bursary.

GyanDhan Scholarship

The GyanDhan Scholarship 2026 is a test-based program for students across the globe, reflecting GyanDhan’s commitment to rewarding talent fairly. Open to students at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, it supports higher studies in India and abroad, ensuring that ambition isn’t limited by past academic scores.

Sanctuary Scholarships

The University of Glasgow Sanctuary Scholarship has been created to support applicants with Refugee or Asylum Seeker status who are currently living in the UK and hold an offer to study with us in the 2026/27 academic year. The scholarship is open to prospective undergraduate and postgraduate taught students at the University of Glasgow applying for entry in September 2026/27. Please note that you must have applied to the University before submitting an application for this scholarship.

As a University of Sanctuary, we are committed to ensuring that those with the ambition and determination to pursue higher education have the opportunity to do so. This scholarship provides a full tuition fee waiver along with financial support for living costs, helping recipients focus on their studies and thrive both academically and personally.

Through this initiative, we aim to offer meaningful opportunities to talented individuals seeking sanctuary, enabling them to rebuild their futures and become part of our global #TeamUofG community. Full eligibility criteria can be found below.

The scholarship will meet the cost of tuition fees for the duration of your programme, for applicants who are unable to access mainstream funding through Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) or Student Finance. The Sanctuary Scholarship also provides a £5,000 per year stipend, to assist with study costs.

This scholarship is not available to PGdip, PDGE or part time programmes.

Undergraduate students with refugee status (or equivalent) and access to funding, are eligible to apply for the scholarship and would receive the £5,000 stipend towards study costs only, if successful.

Postgraduate Taught Masters students with refugee status (or equivalent) and access to funding, are eligible to apply for the scholarship and would receive the £5,000 stipend towards study costs and a partial tuition fee waiver, to cover any shortfall not met by your Postgraduate Masters tuition fee loan.

The Clan Gregor Society Prize

The Clan Gregor Society is offering an award incoming students to the University of Glasgow who descend from Clan Gregor. Students will be asked to submit an application highlighting areas of consideration such as academic excellence and financial need. The award is open to both Undergraduate and Postgraduate applicants who are joining us for 2025/26 entry.

The Dima Alhaj Scholarship

The Dima Alhaj Scholarship was set up in 2024 in memory of a University of Glasgow alumna. After graduating, Dima worked in Gaza with the World Health Organization as a patient administrator at the limb reconstruction centre, as part of the trauma and emergency team and was tragically killed in Gaza in November 2023.

The University is offering the Dima Alhaj Scholarship to 1 undergraduate applicant and 1 postgraduate taught applicant joining us in September 2026. Please note that you must have a programme application in progress before applying for this scholarship. If you have not yet started a programme application, please submit this first and then return to complete the scholarship application process.

This scholarship is not available to PhD, PGdip, PDGE or part time programmes.

This scholarship can not be combined with any other University of Glasgow scholarship. In the event you are offered 2 scholarships, the lower value scholarship will be removed from your student account.

Travel Bursary for Forced Migrants

The University of Glasgow is offering travel bursaries to assist with public transport travel costs, to support undergraduate and postgraduate students are currently asylum seekers and who could face financial difficulties in taking up their place to study at the University for 2026 entry. The value of the bursary is 50% of your monthly public transport travel costs to get to University, up to a maximum value of £50 per month.

Glasgow Highland Society Scholarship

The University of Glasgow is excited to promote this scholarship opportunity on behalf of the Glasgow Highland Society. 

The Glasgow Highland Society is offering multiple grants of up to £500 for new and continuing students of Glasgow university who fit the eligibility requirements of the scholarship

The scholarships above are relevant to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database

How to apply

Full-time students must apply through the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

SQA applicants who are eligible for our Widening Participation programmes are encouraged to participate in one or more of these programmes, including Summer School, to support your application and the transition to higher education.

International students to Arts, Engineering, Law, Nursing, Science, and Social Sciencescan also apply using The Common Application: however, if applying to more than one UK university, we recommend using UCAS. Applications to Dentistry, Education, Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine must be made through UCAS.

Application deadlines

We do not usually accept any applications after these deadlines.

It's your responsibility to ensure the accuracy of your application before submission. Requests to correct application content, change degree programme or change college of entry, will not be accepted after these deadlines. This policy is in place to ensure fairness and consistency to all applicants, and no exceptions will be made.

How to apply for Advanced Entry

Apply for year 2 (Y2) on your UCAS application. If the specific subject is unavailable for Advanced Entry or your application for year 2 entry is unsuccessful, you will be automatically considered for year 1 entry. You do not have to submit a separate UCAS application.

Apply via UCAS

Undergraduate events