Short answer: far more than you think. Most degrees don't ask for particular A levels. The ones that do are mainly in medicine, science, engineering and maths. This guide shows what each common combination leads to, and how to check your own subjects.
Enter your subjects and see which degree subjects students taking the same A levels actually applied to, based on real UCAS choices.
What can I study with my A levels? →For most courses, no. Universities set two kinds of entry requirement: the grades you need (for example AAB), and sometimes required subjects (for example "A level Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics or Maths"). If a course lists no required subjects, any A levels count.
Subjects like Law, Psychology, Business, History, English, Politics, Criminology, Philosophy and most social sciences usually accept any mix. Some selective universities prefer at least one traditional academic or essay-based subject, so check each course's entry requirements before you apply.
The courses that almost always need specific A levels are:
| Degree | A levels usually required |
|---|---|
| Medicine | Chemistry, plus Biology at most medical schools (some accept Physics or Maths instead) |
| Dentistry | Chemistry and Biology |
| Veterinary Science | Chemistry and Biology, often a third science or Maths |
| Pharmacy | Chemistry, plus another science or Maths |
| Engineering | Maths, plus Physics for most branches (Chemistry for Chemical Engineering) |
| Physics | Maths and Physics |
| Mathematics | Maths, often Further Maths at the most selective universities |
| Chemistry / Biochemistry | Chemistry, plus another science or Maths |
| Economics | Maths at most selective universities (Economics A level itself is rarely required) |
| Computer Science | Maths at many universities |
| Modern Languages | The language you want to continue, unless you start it from scratch |
| Music | Music A level or equivalent grade exams at many universities |
Requirements vary between universities, so treat this as a starting point. You can search every UK course and filter by your grades on Browse all courses.
Below are the combinations students ask about most, with the degrees they open up. Each link shows where students with that mix really applied, from our What can I study tool.
Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Biomedical Science, Psychology, Neuroscience, Nursing, Biochemistry.
See where students with this mix applied →Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, Pharmacy, Biochemistry, Natural Sciences, Chemistry.
See where students with this mix applied →Every branch of Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Natural Sciences, Materials Science, Computer Science.
See where students with this mix applied →Maths, Physics, Engineering, Computer Science, Economics, Actuarial Science, Data Science.
See where students with this mix applied →Economics, Accounting and Finance, Business Management, Management, Banking, Actuarial Science.
See where students with this mix applied →Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electronic Engineering, AI, Data Science, Maths.
See where students with this mix applied →Law, History, English, Politics, International Relations, Philosophy, Journalism.
See where students with this mix applied →Psychology, Criminology, Sociology, Social Work, Policing, Law, Education.
See where students with this mix applied →Psychology, Nursing, Midwifery, Biomedical Science, Sport Science, Social Work, Criminology.
See where students with this mix applied →History, Geography, English, Law, Archaeology, Planning, Politics, Teaching.
See where students with this mix applied →Graphic Design, Fine Art, Architecture (with a portfolio), Fashion, Illustration, Film, Marketing.
See where students with this mix applied →Modern Languages, Translation, International Relations, Law with a language, English, History.
See where students with this mix applied →Taking something different? The tool works with any mix of two to five A levels, so enter your own subjects.
Most degrees don't need specific A levels, so you can usually apply for far more courses than you'd expect. The ones that do (Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Science, Engineering, Physics, Maths, Chemistry and some Economics and Computer Science courses) list required subjects in their entry requirements. To see which degree subjects students with your combination applied to, enter your A levels here.
For most courses, no. Subjects like Law, Psychology, Business, History, English, Politics and most humanities and social sciences accept any A levels, though some universities prefer at least one essay-based or traditional academic subject. Science, medical and maths-heavy courses usually ask for particular subjects.
Biology, Chemistry and Psychology is one of the most flexible combinations. It covers the subject requirements for Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Biomedical Science, Biochemistry, Psychology, Neuroscience, Nursing, Midwifery and most allied health courses.
Maths, Physics and Chemistry opens almost every science and engineering degree, including all branches of Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Natural Sciences, Computer Science, Materials Science and Economics. Add Biology or swap Physics for it and Medicine becomes an option too.
Plenty: Law, English, History, Psychology, Sociology, Politics, Philosophy, Languages, Business, Marketing, Criminology, Nursing, Education, Media and creative courses all accept students without A-level Maths. Most Engineering, Physics, Maths and Economics courses at selective universities do need it, as do many Computer Science courses.
Yes. Many degrees, such as Law, Psychology, Philosophy, Criminology, Anthropology, Business and Architecture, are rarely taught at school, so universities expect you to be new to them. Courses with required subjects may also offer a foundation year if you don't have them.
Free, no sign-up needed. Add your subjects and get a breakdown of the degree subjects students with the same mix chose.
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