Entry requirements for UK students

Interviews and qualifications

Interviews

Some courses have interviews as a mandatory part of the selection process and we try to make the process as relaxing and enjoyable as possible for you. Other courses may offer a voluntary interview to help you and the Course Team confirm the course is a good fit between your motivation and abilities and the demands of the course. If the interview is successful you may not require as many UCAS points as a standard offer would require.

GCSE requirements

We require undergraduate applicants across all courses to have five GCSEs at grades 9-4/ A* to C including English Language and Mathematics. This is an essential requirement for entry. In some cases we will accept other Level Two qualifications that are equivalent to GCSEs but this exception is not available on some courses.

A limited number of courses do not require GCSE Mathematics. This exemption is indicated in the Entry Requirements section of the relevant course pages. Check our Equivalent Qualification Information for the equivalent Level Two qualifications that we will accept for entry.

A levels

A level applicants are required to have three A2 Levels. We may include AS grades within an offer but we are not able to accept two AS Levels in place of one A2 Level. In some courses it may be necessary for entrants to have passed specific A2 Levels in nominated subjects. Please see the course pages for more information.

Core Mathematics Level 3 qualifications

We welcome the introduction of Core Mathematics and would be pleased to receive applications from students offering these qualifications.

Core Mathematics will not typically form part of any offer for entry to Coventry, unless specified as a subject requirement at individual degree level.

Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers

We accept Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers for entry to all courses. Where a course requires a specific subject at A2 Level, we will require you to have studied this subject at Advanced Higher Level.

Dipolmas, BTEC Level

Access Diplomas

We welcome applicants who have completed, or who are studying, the Access to HE Diploma developed by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). Successful completion of the course will require you to gain 60 credits with at least 45 to be achieved at Level 3 (with the remainder at Level 2). In some cases we will require you to have gained Merit or Distinction grades in a number of units or in nominated subjects. For more information on the entry requirements for your chosen course please see the relevant course pages.

Advanced Diplomas and Progression Diplomas

We accept Advanced Diplomas for entry to many of our courses. In some cases we will require applicants to have studied a Diploma in a certain subject or to have completed a specific A2 Level for the ASL component of the Diploma. We do not accept the Progression Diploma for entry to any of our courses. For more information on the entry requirements for individual courses please visit our course pages.

OCR Level 3 Nationals

We accept the OCR Level 3 Extended Diploma for entry to most courses. In some cases we will require applicants to have studied either certain named modules or a specific named Diploma. For more information on the entry requirements for your chosen course please visit the relevant course pages.

We also accept the OCR Level 3 Certificate and OCR Level 3 Diploma for entry to degree programmes, provided that they are studied in combination with other qualifications that are equivalent in total to three A2 levels. For example, you could be studying an OCR Level 3 Diploma plus an A2 Level, or an OCR Level 3 Certificate plus two A2 Levels. Where a specific A2 or OCR subject is required for entry then you must be offering this as part of your combination of qualifications.

Art and Design Foundation Year

Applicants applying for the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities will generally be required to have achieved a Merit grade if they have already completed previous study at A level or equivalent. If applicants are applying for the Foundation Diploma course directly from GCSEs, then a Distinction grade will usually be required. In addition to the academic requirements, portfolios will be assessed at the interview. 

BTEC Level 3 Diplomas

We will accept the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma for entry to most courses. In some cases we will require applicants to have studied either certain named modules or a specific named Diploma. The appropriate course page will have full information on the entry requirements.

The university also accepts the following BTECs for entry to degree courses:

• BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma
• BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate
• BTEC Level 3 National Diploma

The university will accept BTECs provided that they are studied in combination with other qualifications that provide a total volume of study that is equivalent to three A2 Levels. For example, you could be studying a BTEC Level 3 National Diploma plus an A2 Level, or a BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma plus two A2 Levels. Where a specific A2 or BTEC subject is required for entry then you must be offering this as part of your combination of qualifications.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Coventry University accepts the International Baccalaureate Diploma for entry to all courses. However, in some cases we will require you to have studied certain subjects at Higher. For more information on our entry requirements for individual courses please visit the relevant course pages.

Postgraduate application requirements

Postgraduate courses - what to include with your application

• Copies of degree/diploma certificates
• Copies of degree/diploma academic transcripts
• One current reference on official headed paper or from a professional email address (this can be a work or academic reference and must be signed and recently dated)
• Please note for some courses we will require both, work and academic references, like for Health and Nursing courses
• Personal statement (at least 500 words)
• If you do not have a degree and are applying with work experience then please submit a detailed CV
• We will require evidence of English language proficiency, this can be GCSE grade C/4 or above or IELTS 6.5 or equivalent qualifications
• For certain courses we will also require evidence of GCSE Maths grade C/4 or above, we will also consider qualifications equivalent to this
• For Art and Design based courses a portfolio of art work may be requested

Mature students

Coventry University welcomes applicants who have completed or are studying the Access to HE Diploma. We recommend this as a good route into higher education for individuals who have not been in formal education for several years, and we offer places each year on a wide variety of courses to applicants who are studying the Access Diploma. For Access entry requirements for an individual course please visit the relevant course pages.

We also welcome applications from those who have significant work or life experience and who may not necessarily meet the published academic requirements for their chosen course. As an applicant without traditional entry qualifications, you will be required to demonstrate evidence of your motivation, potential, knowledge and ability to study the course of your choice, and the university must be satisfied that your work or life experience is equivalent to the qualifications that other applicants will be studying. We want all our students to succeed and will only offer a place where we believe that an applicant is capable of completing their chosen course with a good final degree classification.

Professional Health and Social Care Courses

All students entering a Professional Course will be required to undertake a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check. Further details will be made available if you are offered a place.

Other qualifications

NVQ qualifications

The AAT NVQ Level 3 in Accounting is acceptable for entry to business-related courses, provided that other qualifications are being studied alongside it. We will consider applicants with other NVQ qualifications at level 3 and above on an individual basis. For more information please contact the Recruitment and Admissions Office by calling +44 (0)24 7615 2222.

Other qualifications

While we welcome a broad range of qualifications, the following qualifications are not included within any conditional offers made by Coventry University.

These awards do, however, indicate that you have a wide selection of interests and have prepared well for Higher Education, so we would be pleased to see them included within your Personal Statement.

• Key Skills,
• Essential Skills/Essential Skills Wales, 
• Functional Skills,
• ASDAN Certificate of Personal Effectiveness,
• ASDAN Community Volunteering qualifications,
• British Horse Society qualifications,
• ABRSM/Guildhall/LCMM/Trinity music examinations,
• Speech and drama examinations,
• Higher Sports Leader Award,
• Trinity Arts Award
• CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma
• Irish qualifications
• Foundation year/degree
• VTCT Diploma
• Apprenticeships
• UAL
• Cert HE
• NCFE
• EAL
• AAT
• Welsh Bacc