How to Get Into UCL

I’ve lost count of how many times students have asked me: ‘How do I get into UCL?’ I can tell you what I do remember though, and that’s the answer. Here at The Profs, 95% of our students get into their first or second-choice universities! 

UCL looks out for completely different characteristics to Oxbridge. Most applicants have great grades so your glowing academic track record alone will not guarantee your admission, nor will it help you to stand out. I’ll run through some tips on how to demonstrate the X factor in this article.

Some of our team at The Profs are UCL alumni, and plenty of our team has worked in admissions for top-tier universities. So, if anyone has the know-how to make your application as perfect as possible, it’s us. In our experience, we’ve seen that very few students know how to write an undergraduate university application that targets UCL’s unique admissions criteria. Thankfully, we offer the right support and preparation to aid you in submitting an application that stands out and maximises your chances of an offer. 

Read on for insider information from our team of UCL admissions experts.

Oh, and don’t forget to check out our other articles on UCL:

Contents

What are the UCL entry requirements?

UCL’s entry requirements vary depending on the course you’re applying to study and the country you’re applying from. The table below shows the A level requirements and some of the most common international qualification requirements for UCL courses in general. If your qualifications are not in this table, or for more information on UCL’s English language requirements, check UCL’s full guide for international students. You can also get in touch with the Profs for one-to-one support from one of our international admissions experts.

QualificationEntry requirements
A LevelsRange from A*A*A-ABB, depending on the course.
International Baccalaureate (IB)Minimum of 34 points overall, with a combined score of 16 in three higher level subjects and no higher level score below 5. Exact requirements differ between courses.
Abitur (Germany)1.8 overall and two subject marks of 12.
Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)Level 5 in English Language and Mathematics (compulsory unit) and level 3 in Chinese and Liberal Studies;
And level 5 in 3 elective subjects.
AP (Advanced Placement) and CGPA (USA)Five AP subjects, taken in the final three years of high school;
Or the successful completion of one year of study at a recognised US university, community or junior college, with an overall CGPA of 3.3/4.0.
Other international qualificationsCheck the full list of international qualifications accepted by UCL.

Note that this is just a general guide. UCL’s entry requirements differ depending on the course you’re applying for, so make sure you check on the specific subject pages before applying. If you’re a UK student and need support in meeting the entry requirements for UCL, then our A level tutors can help you boost your grades.

Don’t meet UCL’s entry requirements? Check out our article on recovery tips!

Warning: You will not increase your chances of getting into a course at UCL by applying to as many courses there as possible. UCL specifically states (on multiple of its course pages):

  • Undergraduates: Multiple applications to the same department will not be considered.
  • Most programmes at UCL don’t accept an additional personal statement. 
  • Postgraduate: Applicants can apply for a maximum of two graduate programmes (a maximum of one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle. 

Hence, the quality of your application is more important than the quantity of applications and you could decrease your chance of admission by applying to several courses at UCL.

Does UCL give contextual offers?

UCL does give systematic contextual offers for its courses if you meet its criteria. These contextual offers are lower than its standard offers and seek to increase higher education participation among underrepresented and disadvantaged students. The majority of students won’t meet these criteria and will be made standard entry offers ranging from A*A*A to ABB, but it’s still worth checking if you are eligible for the Access UCL Scheme. If you are eligible for this you don’t need to do anything in addition to your standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when UCL receives it. More information can be found here.

UCL’s courses and entry requirements

Please note that the entry requirements for UCL differ depending on your chosen course, so make sure you check the relevant course page before applying. Better yet, we’ve synthesised all of UCL’s most competitive and/or popular courses and laid them out clearly in an undergraduate and postgraduate table. Check them out!

Are you an international student? Check out UCL’s help page for international students where you can find your specific country of residence as well as the coinciding entry requirements. If you are international and don’t have the grades you might be able to enter your chosen programme after completing an Undergraduate Preparatory Certificate (UPC). 

What do I do if I don’t meet UCL entry requirements?

If you don’t meet UCL’s entry requirements, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should give up on your application.  A) Our expert A level tutors can help you boost your grades. B) It might not be too late to improve your student profile. C) There are many alternative ways to stand out and make up for where you lack. In need of advice? We’ve got you covered.Check out our in-depth article on how to get into UCL if you don’t meet their entry requirements! We offer plenty of recovery tips, including what to do if you have undesirable grades or subject combinations.

Insider tip: If you don’t meet the standard entry requirements for your chosen course, it’s worth contacting the department to check whether you are (or can become) eligible through other qualifications and/or experience. This is because UCL often accepts equivalent or related qualifications and/or work experience in lieu of standard entry requirements.

Insider information on UCL

Your referee

A good referee is important. Obviously, you want them to speak highly of you, but ideally, they will highlight your skills and qualities that are relevant to your chosen degree. For this reason, as well as for the general impression of your application, it is best to choose a referee who teaches your chosen subject or within your discipline. It is also a good idea to choose a referee who knows you well enough to write you something of quality. 

Get to know your referee so that they can get to know you. This is especially important as UCL will contact your referee if there is any missing information. Inform your referee of extracurriculars and anything important that you’ve done well in. Talk to your referee about your strengths that they might not be aware of: what you have read around your subjects, and your work experiences and non-school achievements. You want your referee to convince UCL that you are good at your chosen subject/s, passionate about them, and committed to your discipline. Beyond that, you want your referee to sell you as a person and your characteristics as you’ll have already covered your academic triumphs. If you get to choose, choose wisely.

Use your referee wherever you need them and ask them to vouch for you. If you lack a particular qualification or a high enough grade in something, you want your referee to defend why that is and assure UCL that you are still a suitable candidate with a good academic track record.

UCL offers some advice on selecting referees here. They also offer a video guide on reference advice.

Here is what UCL asks referees to include:

  • Applicant’s academic performance and potential for success in higher education.
  • Suitability for chosen subject plus attitude, motivation and commitment.
  • Skills and qualities and current/past achievements that connect to the chosen subject area.
  • How the applicant compares with others in their class.
  • Achievements, work experience and extra-curricular activities that relate to their chosen programme.
  • Any contextual information which might warrant special consideration.
  • Any mitigating factors that might affect the applicant’s performance.
  • Predicted grades: explain discrepancies, be honest and clear, and mention obstacles the applicant has faced.

Timing: postgraduates

You will usually be asked for the following, and these factors should be just as polished and prepared as your personal statement: CV (have you got the background to execute this work to a world-class standard of excellence?), project proposal (does this have academic merit for new knowledge?) and prospective supervisor (does the department have the expertise to advise on this research?). Start your application early and put just as much time and consideration into these steps as your personal statement.

Postgraduate applications (unlike undergraduate applications) are on a rolling basis. Applications are considered from the opening date and courses remain open until they are full. Hence, UCL advises students to apply as early as possible due to competition. So, you want to be the first to submit; your personal deadline should be the opening date for applications.

Bonus tip from a UCL graduate: 

UCL graduate (2022): “Proving dedication and love for your subject is better than simply saying how you’ve always naturally excelled at it. You don’t want to seem like a talented passenger who ended up here by chance. You want to show a clear sense of direction. I even said that I loved my subject despite the hardships I’d face with it as I have a learning difficulty which has made it challenging. I expressed how this actually motivated me even more to excel. Accordingly, I have a robust academic record to support this.”

Bonus tip from a humanities professor at UCL: 

“My usual advice for personal statements (both undergraduate and postgraduate) is to emphasise the academic side of things, with specific reference to literature/films you have encountered and scholarship that has helped you analyse it and leave need-to-know extra-curricular stuff just to the final paragraph.”

Stand out:

  • You can stand out by mentioning scholarships, awards, class prizes, the percentile you were ranked in your class (if your school offers this), and competitions such as the UK Maths Challenge. Even things like a high level on Minecraft can prove skills such as problem-solving and systems-building. Reading is also important. Demonstrating a keen interest in a wide array of academic texts around your subject and being able to analyse them comprehensively can demonstrate your interest and aptitude in your subject, even if you don’t have the ideal grades. For example, if you’re applying for Anthropology you could stand out by engaging in a complex discussion regarding a range of texts about poststructuralism.
  • Try to link your course to UCL. Why is UCL the best-equipped institution for you to pursue this programme? For example, a UCL graduate on our team at The Profs wrote this in their personal statement regarding studying Comparative Literature: ‘Comparative Literature should consider a multitude of literary cultures, and translations between languages; UCL is equipped with the expansive knowledge to provide this – as it offers a vast, diverse array of languages and cultures.’ They made this stronger by going on to discuss Literature through a sociological lens and the importance of studying non-western literature. If you’re applying to a course with an international focus, it’s great if you can draw a link between that and UCL’s international standing. 
  • Go beyond to demonstrate keen interest and ability in your course. Research the optional modules you’ll have to choose from and say which ones you’d choose and why.
  • UCL (unlike many other top universities) does not require you to take the GMAT or GRE for the MSc in Business Analytics, Finance, or Management. So, you can stand out by taking it anyway! Of course, you should study hard and try to get a high grade too. Similarly, if you excelled in a section/module of a course that you got an average overall mark in, point this out. Highlight any high quantitative grades that you might have. 

Something else that you can do to boost your application is completing an extra higher-level qualification or course. UCL offers many courses at their Summer School, which could drastically improve your application. There are also a bunch of reputable online courses that you can take as well.

8 tips for getting into UCL

1. Do you actually know your specific requirements?

UCL has generic requirements that apply to many courses (see the table above). However, for some courses, there are additional requirements you need to meet. For example, if you’re applying for a Maths-based subject like Computer Science or Statistics, Economics and Finance, you’ll need to get an A* in Mathematics, as well as getting the overall grades for entry (typically A*A*A-A*AA). Our A level tutors have a proven track record of helping students achieve an A*, so if you’re finding yourself slipping behind the grades required for entry, reach out to the Profs for support.

UCL also requires you to take an admissions test for a couple of courses (BMAT for Medicine or LNAT for Law) which you’ll need to register and prepare for in advance. For some courses such as Medicine, UCL will also invite you to an interview as part of the admission process. If you need help preparing for your admissions test or interview at UCL, the Profs admissions consultancy is the perfect way to level up your knowledge, grow confidence in your abilities, and give yourself the best chance of success.

Insider tip 1: When it comes to subject combinations, UCL is a little more flexible than universities like LSE and Oxbridge because it is a multi-disciplinary university that prides itself on its interdisciplinary approach. So, if you are taking one subject seemingly totally unrelated to your chosen course, it shouldn’t weaken your application if you can explain how it links to your other relevant subjects and has equipped you with the necessary skills for your degree. Demonstrate that there are links within the bigger picture. UCL offers a lot of courses combining unlikely subjects, so you can show that you think in the same way as UCL, or even apply for one of their niche courses.

Insider tip 2: UCL has a bunch of unique undergraduate and postgraduate courses, such as, ‘Chemistry with a European Language’, ‘German and Russian’, ‘Human Sciences and Evolution’, ‘Artificial Intelligence Enabled Healthcare’ or ‘the Dual Law degree (UCL/HKU). If you choose one of these courses and use your personal statement to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of it as well as passion, you can really stand out!

Insider tip 3: If you can’t get a grade in a ‘required’ or ‘recommended’ subject try to at least take relevant modules in that subject. Maybe your teacher/professor will let you sit in on some classes so that you can still learn and make notes. Or perhaps you have already taken relevant modules within your existing subjects/degree. Flagging this will give UCL confidence that you have learned about the desired subject even though you don’t have an official grade in it. Pursuing it outside of your usual classes will also demonstrate passion, work ethos, and initiative.

Insider tip (postgraduates): Don’t simply articulate that your undergraduate course is in the same subject as your chosen postgraduate course and that you want to continue learning within this area. This is obvious. Say how your undergraduate course differs from your postgraduate course and why you need this second degree. How will it expand your knowledge and why is this important? Why do you need to do that?

2. Is your academic record as polished as possible?

UCL’s acceptance rate is similar to that of Oxford University at around 15%. On the whole, courses are incredibly competitive and high grades go a long way in making your application stand out. 

Most of UCL’s courses require ABB-A*A*A. For some of the most competitive subjects, including Computer Science and European Social and Political Studies, the entry requirements are as high as A*A*A-A*AA. 

It is highly recommended that you meet the grade requirements for your course, or better yet exceed them. It is definitely recommended that you achieve an A-A* in your chosen subject. Attaining higher than the minimum A level requirements will boost your application. Ensuring that you achieve the best grades possible throughout your A-level studies should therefore be a top priority if you want to get accepted into UCL.

Our A-level tutors have helped many students achieve top grades and get offers from their first and second-choice universities, including UCL. Whether you’re falling behind in one subject or need more intensive, all-round support, reach out to our team and we’ll get you the help you need.

Please note: 

  • Even your GCSEs can increase or decrease the competitiveness of your application. All of UCL’s courses require a grade 5 (C ) or higher in English Language and Maths (or equivalent). Some programmes have higher expectations or additional subjects, so it’s important that you check the requirements of your specific course. See our course and entry requirement tables on UCL for more information.
  • If you are taking four A levels, UCL will consider your three highest grades – including any required or preferred subjects. Hence, your offer may be based on the three most relevant subjects for your programme. 
  • If you have studied any A levels at an accelerated rate and completed the qualification alongside your GCSE level study, UCL may specify the A levels you are currently studying in your offer conditions.

Postgraduates: The majority of UCL’s courses require a 2:1 or a First Class Honours undergraduate degree. If you only just meet these requirements or fall beneath them, then your academic past will probably go under the microscope, and you should really consider revisiting and brushing up on any past grades which are sub-par. Another option could be retaking one element of your degree (an exam with strong weighting or your dissertation) to improve your overall grade.

3. Lay the ‘groundwork’ for acceptance

Extracurriculars should not be overlooked. They can prove you have relevant transferable skills and that you’re dedicated to your subject outside of school.

Here is a quick list of tips pertaining to extracurriculars when it comes to your application to UCL:

  • UCL views itself within the global context and aims to promote global understanding in all its activities. Hence, you could demonstrate cohesion with this if you’ve volunteered for an international Charities like Amnesty International, participated in World Challenge (or another form of volunteering abroad), took a language course abroad, or were part of the Model UN at school or university.
  • UCL aspires to foster a lifelong community, so it could make you an attractive candidate to cite the societies you’ve participated in within the past as well as those you wish to become a part of at UCL. UCL has a bunch of niche events and societies so research them and talk about how you would like to get involved. Prove that you would be engaged with UCL’s community! Plus UCL is looking for students who will “make the most of the many opportunities being a UCL student affords them”, so show that that’s you!
  • UCL values innovation and open-mindedness so try to frame your extracurriculars through this lens. This should be easy with anything creative, against the grain, experimental, or led by the motivation of discovery. 
  • The power of extracurriculars is their ability to prove genuine passion. Watch a lot of documentaries or attend a lot of museum exhibitions on X subject? Mention it! Just be ready to answer any questions on this.
  • UCL values communication and collaboration skills, so any extracurriculars that demonstrate this are valuable.
  • When talking about your extracurriculars, ensure that you are tailoring what you say and how you say it to UCL. They want to know they’re your first choice as well as what you offer them. 
  • UCL is interested in how you think, as well as whether you’re engaged in current affairs and will fit in with their liberal and diverse campus. If you have attended political talks and events concerning BLM, LGTBQIA+, freedom of speech and/or the Free Palestine Movement, etc, it’s definitely worth mentioning. If you care about any political causes and take an active role in fighting for them, this could be an important part of your application.

4. Invest in your personal statement

Your personal statement is supposed to demonstrate passion. However, it is best to do this without saying “I am passionate about X” like most other students. Why would you like to study this subject, why do you love this subject, and why should this department as well as UCL take you on as a student? Speak from the heart and talk with motivation. Remain short, focused and concise: you should constantly be talking about your course. Your subject is the only thing your personal statement should be about so allow this to structure your writing and remain relevant. Any achievements, activities, and/or soft skills should only be mentioned in the context of your subject. 

Demonstrate that you’ll be a good student for the next 3-4 years by showing that you’re an analytical and critical thinker, who’s willing to learn and has good time-management skills (all characteristics specifically mentioned by UCL). UCL also values strong communication skills so try to showcase this in your experiences and writing. It’s even better if you can mention more transferable skills you’ve acquired and how they’re transferable. It’s also important that you indicate your pathway or elective within your course (if applicable) to show that you know your intentions with this course and you’ve done your research.

UCL claims they “integrate [their] education, research, innovation and enterprise for the long-term benefit of humanity.” Thus, a mission statement within your personal statement is doubly important for UCL. What are your values and what is your personal idea of success? Try to align this with UCL’s ambition of benefiting humanity. If UCL loves your mission statement, they won’t want to turn you down e.g. UCL might feel they’re contradicting their ethos to reject a Medicine student who dreams of one day opening a free healthcare clinic in Costa Rica.

Insider tips from UCL students and graduates: 

  • Tell UCL how you will contribute to the school in a positive way. 
  • Don’t introduce yourself as another typical hardworking student – how are you interesting or unique?
  • Actually tell UCL who you are. Be truthful.
  • Remain specific and to the point.
  • Tell them why you’re suited to a multidisciplinary university, especially if your subject is interdisciplinary. How would your research complement this?
  • UCL grounds itself in a global context and presents itself as an international university. How do you fit into this? Are you globally ambitious? If you have international links and/or experiences, these could be presented in a relevant way to show why you’re a good fit for UCL’s culture and that you have applicable skills.
  • Will your research contribute to global understanding?
  • Presenting yourself as an innovative thinker, especially if this can be backed up with an example, is attractive to UCL and fits their ethos.
  • Show that you’re genuinely thirsty for knowledge and curious about your chosen field.
  • Demonstrate that you’re a creative student who can use logical reasoning to solve complex problems. Prove that you have the capacity to analyse information and offer innovative solutions. 
  • Your personal statement is personal. It isn’t about checking boxes, it’s more about showing you care and are interested in your degree. Tell UCL your worldview, passion, and what you hope to achieve with your degree. What do you expect from UCL and what do you want from it? How will this degree at UCL help to build your career?

The Profs offer advice on crafting the perfect personal statement, just watch our video or read our previous blog on this subject.

You might also want to check out UCL’s Director of Admissions’ top tips and UCL’s Head of Undergraduate Admissions video on Applying to UCL via UCAS.

5. You’ve mentioned a solid 5-year plan, right?

UCL values applicants with a clear career plan because they want their students to continue on to get good jobs after university and maintain a strong UCL alumni network. UCL wants to know what you intend on doing after your degree, and if you have work experience, how this will help you in your degree as well as your future career and other goals. UCL wants to know why you need this degree. So, mention your career aspirations in your application and be specific. 

If you’re applying for a postgraduate degree, this is even more important. Why do you need to extend your studies and how will this postgraduate course help you to reach your goals in ways that your undergraduate course couldn’t? 

Insider tip 1: If you are applying for a course offered by the UCL School of Management (UCL’s business school), you should note that this part of UCL is based in Canary Wharf. Reference this in your application, showing interest and enthusiasm for the geographical networking and employment opportunities Canary Wharf poses. Show awareness of UCL being a well-connected institution across the world. This will demonstrate that you’re ambitious, thinking ahead and planning on using UCL to get employed.

Insider tip 2: Take a look at LinkedIn and Facebook. You can search there for senior students from the same school, country, or subject as you who completed a postgraduate course at UCL. Have a look to get an idea of their background. This will give you an idea of what kind of experience to pursue. Not to mention, you can reach out to them directly, network, and ask for advice or for an opportunity. Searching through UCL alumni is especially important if you are not applying with ideal grades as you can find graduates with similar grades to you and deduce from their profile what they might have done additionally to get in. However, minimum entrance requirements can vary year-to-year, so some profiles of UCL alumni could be misleading. Plus, people with subpar grades might opt out of sharing them on their profiles.

6. How to ACTUALLY go beyond your school syllabus

Prove subject expertise. Show that your understanding of the course is beyond comprehensive by talking about very specific and complex concepts. The best way to do this is to do your research and go beyond the curriculum and A level understanding. If you take the time to read a large breadth of quality literature around your subject, you can reference academic texts or textbooks and analyse them to demonstrate that you are an independent knowledge hunter and are able to work at university level. Be careful not to read the most popular texts that most students in your field might point to. Express something unique to your personal interests. Or find something unknown, underrated, niche, and/or peculiar to talk about. It’s important to demonstrate passion and knowledge for sub-subjects within your main subject.

Better yet, research your specific department, and discuss how you would contribute to their existing published research or accomplishments. If you really want to impress UCL, you could study the first 2-3 weeks of a first-year module for your chosen course and talk about this in your application to show that you are an independent learner that’s ahead of the competition. Generally, it’s good to show an understanding of what your chosen course involves and your potential lecturers. A lot of UCL’s postgraduate courses expect you to already have selected and/or contacted a supervisor.

Insider tip 1: UCL claims that their “distinctive approach to research” will “transform how the world is understood, how knowledge is created and shared and the way that global problems are solved.” How do your research methods or findings align with this goal? Demonstrate that you’re cohesive with UCL’s vision.

Insider tip 2: UCL is London’s Global University; it is concerned with the wider world, committed to changing it for the better, and aims to be publicly engaged in addressing real-world problems. Keep up to date with national and international current affairs relevant to your field. It can boost your application to link the outside world to your discipline. 

Our tutors can help you to understand where the ‘sweet spots’ are and what to read in order to stand out in your application. Reading as extensively around your subject as possible will help to prove that you’re proactive and engaged and that, most importantly, you would make an outstanding UCL student.

7. Don’t trip on your admissions tests

Your admissions test should not be neglected. UCL considers every aspect of your application so there is no exception here. Your A level grades are not more important than your admissions test score. Those that study hard for both have a better chance of getting in!

UCL has programme-specific requirements e.g. written work, portfolio and/or admissions test. You may be expected to complete none, one or more of these steps for your chosen course. Ensure that you check what the expectations are for your specific degree.

For more specific advice, check out our previous articles on how to prepare for the LNAT, BMAT, GMAT and GRE.

8. Remember the purpose of your interview

UCL does not routinely or systematically offer interviews. You may or may not be invited to one.

Generally, you will almost certainly be interviewed if you are applying to UCL as an undergraduate for: Law, Medicine, Art (after the portfolio), English and Pharmacy. Chemical Engineering usually offers a non-mandatory open day. You are also likely to be interviewed if you are shortlisted for a postgraduate course in a Business or Finance discipline.

Unsure about what to expect from your chosen course? See here to check what additional selection tasks, tests and/or interviews are to be expected from your course. If your programme is not listed on this page, there are none.

UCL’s interview style is extremely different from Oxbridge’s and offers a variety of styles. Here are a few of UCL’s interviewing styles that are good to be aware of:

  • English interviews: Most applicants from outside the UK and some from within the UK will be considered without an interview. Shortlisted applicants who are invited to an interview will take part in an online interview, which will last about twenty minutes and will involve speaking to tutors. On the morning of the interview, applicants are emailed a short piece of poetry or prose about which they are asked to write a short essay highlighting anything they find interesting or noteworthy about the text. Those who are actively considered may be contacted for further information or asked to complete a questionnaire.
  • Pharmacy interviews: All candidates will be contacted by the School of Pharmacy by email about an online test.
  • Medicine interviews follow the MMIs (Multiple Mini Interviews) format. These consist of 8 stations (each 5 minutes in length with 2-3 questions) that candidates rotate around. Find out more about how to prepare for an MMI in our helpful guide to preparing for Medicine interviews. 
  • Business Analytics (MSc) interview: Shortlisted applicants might be invited for an online interview via Kira Talent. Applicants invited to interview will have a period of 7 calendar days from receipt of the email to complete the interview. Check out our previous article on how to prepare for your Kira Talent Prep Interview.

Insider tips: UCL interviews

As mentioned, the structure of the interview can depend on the course you’re applying to, however, there are some general rules of thumb. We have compiled a list below of interview tips that are specific to UCL:

  • UCL is looking for students that are genuinely thirsty for knowledge and curious about their chosen field. So, ensure that you express this.
  • Take any opportunity to demonstrate your analytical and critical thinking abilities. 
  • Employ creativity and logical reasoning to solve complex problems. UCL wants students with the capacity to analyse information and offer innovative solutions.
  • Showcase your very best communication skills.
  • Be thoroughly prepared to talk about your personal statement, including any reading or research that you mentioned in your application, or that might have been included in your curriculum.
  • Interviews can often be online and won’t follow a typical structure. So, if this is the case for your course, get to know the online platforms and structure by completing mocks e.g. Kira Talent. 
  • Generally, UCL is checking whether you think independently and are excited about your course. 
  • Be real! Don’t memorise things to say and try to look intelligent. It’s better to be actively engaged and present. 
  • Showing curiosity and asking questions is encouraged.
  • Start preparing and practising early!
  • If you have a radical or innovative idea, share it! UCL values these characteristics.

How can we help?

At the Profs, we have experienced admissions consultants who can guide you through the process of applying to UCL, as well as Oxbridge, LSE, and other top universities. 

Admissions are our thing! That’s why 95% of our applicants receive an offer from their first or second-choice universities. Join our winning 95%!

We can even support you in your wider degree-level education, helping you with everything from writing your dissertation to applying for postgraduate courses. Get in touch with our friendly team today to access our dedicated support.

FAQ

What is the UCL acceptance rate?

The UCL acceptance rate is 12% (based on data from UCAS). This is a higher number of acceptances than in previous years, and that is largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

It’s also worth noting that this is just the average acceptance rate. Many of UCL’s most competitive courses have a far lower acceptance rate, for example, Fine Art (BFA), UCL’s most competitive course, has an acceptance rate of around 4.8%. For extra support in applying for UCL’s competitive courses, contact the Profs’ admissions experts.

Is UCL a good university?

University College London (UCL) is one of the best universities in the UK and internationally. It is ranked 4th in the UK by Times Higher Education (2023) and 9th in the world by QS World University Rankings (2024). 

With its outstanding academic reputation, getting into UCL is the goal of many UK and international students alike. Application rates to programmes at UCL are high and its undergraduate courses are some of the most competitive in the country, however with the right support, hard work and preparation, you can maximise your chances of getting in to study at UCL. With key stats and insider knowledge on how to make your application stand out, the Profs’ admission experts are here to help.

What are the most competitive courses at UCL?

The most competitive courses at UCL are Fine Art, Architecture, Computer Science, European Social and Political Sciences, and Politics and International Relations. Thankfully, our network of expert tutors can offer one-to-one support for each of these subjects and more. 

Is UCL a Russell Group university?

UCL is one of the 24 Russell Group universities and one of the largest research-intensive universities in the UK. Though belonging to the Russell Group of universities isn’t the only mark of a top university (many leading universities are not Russell Group), it is a good indicator that the quality of UCL’s research is very high. 

What subjects is UCL known for?

UCL ranks in the global top 10 for the following subjects (2023): Education (1), Architecture & Built Environment (1), Archaeology (3), Anthropology (4), Pharmacy & Pharmacology (4), Psychology (5), Geography (6), Medicine (6), Anatomy & Physiology (6), and Biological Sciences (8).

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