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Which A-levels do you need for engineering? 431 courses at 41 UK universities compared
Of the 431 engineering degree courses in 8 areas at 41 UK universities (2027 entry), 375 require Mathematics (87%) and 56 require Physics (13%), with 211 more accepting Physics as one option; Further Mathematics is required by none and recommended by 13. The safest three subjects are Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, which keep 429 of 431 courses open.
- Courses
- 431
- Universities
- 41
- Most common standard offers
- AAA (135), ABB (101), AAB (82)
- Admissions tests
- ESAT (11 courses), TARA (2 courses); the other 418 courses do not ask for one
By engineering area 8 degree areas
| Degree area | Courses | Universities | Maths required | Physics required | Most common offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 69 | 32 | 67 (97%) | 18 (26%) | AAA |
| Civil Engineering | 69 | 27 | 57 (83%) | 4 (6%) | AAA |
| Electrical & Electronic Engineering | 87 | 33 | 80 (92%) | 7 (8%) | AAA |
| Chemical Engineering | 32 | 22 | 30 (94%) | 0 (0%) | AAA |
| Aerospace Engineering | 33 | 19 | 32 (97%) | 7 (21%) | AAA |
| Biomedical Engineering | 39 | 21 | 34 (87%) | 5 (13%) | AAA |
| Materials Science | 19 | 9 | 7 (37%) | 1 (5%) | AAA |
| General Engineering | 83 | 29 | 68 (82%) | 14 (17%) | AAA |
Subject demand across 431 courses
RequiredOptionalSelect a subject to see what it opens in the Course Finder.
- Mathematicsrequired 375 · optional 42 · recommended 3
- Physicsrequired 56 · optional 211 · recommended 26
- Chemistryrequired 14 · optional 173 · recommended 16
- Design and Technologyoptional 131 · recommended 10
- Biologyrequired 1 · optional 125 · recommended 11
- Further Mathematicsoptional 118 · recommended 13
- Computer Scienceoptional 96 · recommended 7
- Electronicsoptional 95 · recommended 3
The safest three subjects
Ranked by how many courses' subject requirements the three meet. This covers subjects only, not grades.
Mathematics + Physics + Chemistry
Keeps 429 of 431 courses open
Check Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry in the Course FinderMathematics + Physics + Design and Technology
Keeps 417 of 431 courses open
Check Mathematics, Physics, Design and Technology in the Course FinderMathematics + Physics + Biology
Keeps 417 of 431 courses open
Check Mathematics, Physics, Biology in the Course Finder
Chosen your subjects? Check them course by course
Enter your A-level subjects and grades (or predictions) and the Course Finder checks them against the official requirements of every course at 43 universities.
Do you need A-level Maths for engineering?
Almost always. Of the 431 engineering courses at 41 UK universities, 375 list Mathematics as required (87%); 56 do not (42 of them accept it as one option among others), for example Civil Engineering MEng at UCL, Robotics Engineering with Artificial Intelligence BEng at Warwick and Materials Science and Engineering BSc at Manchester. Without A-level Maths (and so without Further Maths), the subject requirements of only 34 of the 431 engineering courses can be met.
Do you need A-level Physics for engineering?
Usually not as a fixed requirement. 56 of the 431 engineering courses list Physics as required (13%) and 211 more accept it as one option among others. It is required most often in Mechanical Engineering (26%) and Aerospace Engineering (21%), and least often in Chemical Engineering (0%). Physics is still in the safest three, because 211 more courses name it in their choose-from lists.
Do you need Further Maths for engineering?
Rarely as a requirement: none of the 431 engineering courses list Further Mathematics as required, while 13 recommend it and 118 accept it as one option. If your school offers it, it is worth taking.
Which three A-levels are safest for engineering?
Counting the courses whose subject requirements they meet, the safest three are Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, keeping 429 of 431 courses open; next, 5 combinations tie at 417 of 431, including Mathematics + Physics + Design and Technology and Mathematics + Physics + Biology.