Entry requirements

UPDATES

Occasionally it may be necessary for the university to make changes to the entry requirements stated here after the prospectus is published. We do endeavour to keep any changes to a minimum, but all applicants are advised to visit royalholloway.ac.uk/ prospectus-updates for any changes before making an application.

ADMISSIONS POLICY

Royal Holloway has a comprehensive Admissions Policy which sets out how your application will be dealt with. For further information visit royalholloway.ac.uk/ admissionspolicy

CONTACT DETAILS

If you would like further help or advice, please contact our Admissions team +44 (0)1784 414944 study@royalholloway.ac.uk Whilst we cannot list all the possible qualifi cations accepted, those listed below indicate the typical academic requirements for admission.

GCSEs Applicants who have completed their schooling in the UK will normally be expected to have gained at least fi ve GCSE passes at grades A*-C (or grades 9-4 for reformed GCSEs) including English and Maths. Some courses may have additional GCSE requirements and these are listed on our online course fi nder.

GCE A-levels Entry requirements for each course are listed on individual course pages. Off ers are made on the basis of the grades achieved in three subjects at A-level. There is no general requirement that subjects must have been passed at the same time or on a specifi ed number of occasions. Most subjects are acceptable, although some of our degrees do have preferred subjects.

International Baccalaureate Entry requirements for each course are listed on individual department pages. Off ers are made on the basis of gaining specifi c Higher Level grades with a total number of points overall. Students taking the International Baccalaureate Certifi cate in combination with other international qualifi cations equivalent to A-levels may be considered for entry. For specifi c enquiries about potential combinations please contact our Admissions Team. Students taking only the International Baccalaureate Certifi cate should consider applying to a foundation course. For further information about the International Foundation Year run by Study Group at Royal Holloway visit our website.

Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers

Cambridge Pre-U We welcome applications from students with Scottish qualifi cations. Entry requirements for each course are listed on individual pages on our website.

We are pleased to consider applicants taking the Cambridge Pre-U, whether as the full diploma or individual principal subjects combined with A-levels or other qualifi cations.

BTEC qualifi cations Entry requirements for each course are listed on our website. We accept the QCF and RQF BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma for entry on to most of our degree courses, although this should be in a subject area related to the degree course you are applying for. Students taking separate subjects in the QCF or RQF BTEC National Level 3 Diploma or Extended Certifi cate / Subsidiary Diploma can be considered when taken in combination with A-levels.

Access to Higher Education Diploma

Extended Project Qualifi cation (EPQ) Applications are welcomed from mature students studying a QAA recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma. Access off ers are usually conditional upon the candidate passing the Diploma and achieving grades of Pass, Merit or Distinction in individual units.

Royal Holloway welcomes applications from students taking additional qualifi cations while at school or college. Where an applicant is taking the EPQ alongside A-levels, the EPQ will be taken into consideration and result in lower A-level grades being required.

Non-traditional entry routes

Our academic departments welcome applications from students with a range of educational profi les, and we are committed to encouraging more applications from groups who are underrepresented in Higher Education or who do not follow ‘traditional’ qualifi cation routes.

Educational context

Royal Holloway is committed to widening access to Higher Education for applicants from underrepresented groups. Socio-economic factors which may have impacted an applicant’s education will be taken into consideration, and alternative off ers may be made to these applicants. For full details please see our Admissions Policy at royalholloway.ac.uk/ admissionspolicy Mature students

Royal Holloway has a long tradition of welcoming mature students and we recognise and value the experience of people returning to study after time spent in the workplace or raising a family. Mature applicants without the standard entry requirements for their chosen degree course may be considered for admission if they are able to show evidence of competence in their chosen fi eld of study, and/ or ability in appropriate academic or professional fi elds. This will usually be discussed at interview. Most mature applicants will be required to refresh or acquire new skills before beginning an undergraduate programme e.g. by completing a QAA recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma course. For more information on these courses visit accesstohe.ac.uk Care leavers and young people in (or previously in) care

Royal Holloway is proud to have been awarded the Buttle UK Quality Mark for our commitment to supporting care leavers during their time at the university. Young people who are in care and are interested in applying to university are welcome to participate in the many events and activities we organise for students aged 11-18.

Dedicated support

We welcome applications from people with disabilities and those with specifi c learning diffi culties such as dyslexia. These applications are assessed using our standard academic criteria. Our Disability & Dyslexia Services coordinate the admissions process and clarify the nature and level of support each student requires, both before and after arrival. We strongly recommend that all applicants with a disability or learning diffi culty declare it in their application in order to obtain the best advice and guidance from the outset. We also recommend that you talk to the Disability & Dyslexia Services and visit campus before application if possible. royalholloway.ac.uk/ wellbeing International applicants

We welcome applications from international students whose qualifi cations are equivalent to our entry requirements. To fi nd out if your current qualifi cations are acceptable for undergraduate study, look at the International Qualifi cations section under the individual course’s entry requirements at royalholloway.ac.uk/courses All international applicants should submit applications through UCAS.

English language requirements

We have specifi c English language requirements to ensure that you can cope with the demands of a degree programme. Our standard IELTS entry score is 6.5 overall, however this may vary by degree course and therefore you should ensure you check our website for further information. Royal Holloway accepts a range of other qualifi cations as evidence of your English language skills, including Pearson PTE and CAE where results are equivalent to the IELTS scores required. If your English language skills do not meet our entry requirements, you may be eligible to undertake a presessional English language programme. royalholloway.ac.uk/international Visiting and study abroad students

We welcome applications from visiting and study abroad students who wish to study with us as part of their degree with another university. royalholloway.ac.uk/studyabroad