Close
Find out how to apply, about our general entrance requirements, interviews, offers as well as STEP and our bridging course.
- How To Apply
All applications for admission as a full-time student to our programmes should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Normally schools will be able to tell you how to do this, but if you have left school or are applying from abroad, you can obtain the relevant information directly from UCAS or from you nearest British Council office. Completed forms should normally be received by UCAS before 15 January for admission in the following September. Late applications will not normally be considered by the department. For students wishing to take a year's break between school and university, applications should be made in the normal way and, if appropriate, an offer will be made to defer entry for a year.
- Information for Applicants
There is a lot of relevant information on how UCL manages its admissions process available at this FAQ page. Here we highlight aspects specifically relevant to applicants to degree programmes offered by the Mathematics Department.
Policy on Resits
Our degree programmes are usually oversubscribed and successful applicants are typically strong enough to achieve our entrance requirements at a first sitting. As a result we cannot consider applicants who are retaking qualifications. For information on the College's policy on mitigating circumstances that might effect examination results please refer our "after you apply" page.
Please note that this policy on retakes does not apply to AS examinations or, if relevant to your A-level specification, the resit of papers for individual modules. Instead it aims relate to the first aggregation of module scores to give the award of an A-level. It applies to Mathematics, Further Mathematics, and to the third A-level that make up the conditions of a typical offer.
We are aware that some students take A-levels in Mathematics and even Further Mathematics early, after a year of study. We do expect the achieved grade in Mathematics to be an A* in these circumstances but we can consider applicants who achieve a grade A in Further Mathematics in these circumstances. Any offer conditions that follow will ask that an A* be achieved at the end of two years of study.
Advanced Entry
For the current UCAS round, for entry in September 2023, the Mathematics Department is unable to consider applications to join the second year of our degrees. UCL does not consider third year entry into any of its undergraduate programmes
Additional Personal Statements
Due to the large number of applications we receive we are unable to consider supplemental personal statements or references. Do not send UCL any additional documents unless specifically requested to do so.
UCL Undergraduate Preparatory Certificate
UPC students will receive a conditional offer for their chosen degree if they are predicted to meet its entry requirements (and have a clearly relevant personal statement).
Access to HE Diplomas and BTEC qualifications
We are unable to consider Access Diplomas or BTEC qualifications for entrance to our degrees programmes.
Mature applicants
We are happy to consider applications from those thinking of returning to education after a break or after some time working. We normally do ask that qualifications have been
achieved within the two years before applying although there is some flexibility. We do ask that such applicants be taking A-levels in both Mathematics and Further Mathematics. It is possible for mature applicants to be considered for entry on the basis of the two A-levels in Mathematics and Further Mathematics alone.
ATAS
The four-year MSci degree in Mathematics and Physics requires students to be issued with an ATAS Certificate.
- General Entrance Requirements
All students have to satisfy certain basic entrance requirements, given in the UCL Undergraduate Prospectus. Please contact the College Central Admissions Office if clarification is required. You should make sure you are able to satisfy these. In addition you will have to satisfy the department's own entrance requirements. Demand for places on our degrees is very competitive with around 3,000 applicants for about 225 places in recent years. For this reason we ask for high entry grades. We also require these because our programmes are intellectually demanding and academic in nature. You are strongly advised to consult your teachers about your predicted examination grades before making an application to ensure you are likely to meet the requirements.
- In the majority of cases the decision on whether to offer an applicant a place is made on the basis of the information given in the UCAS application. We encourage offer holders to attend one of the department's open days. Where attendance at an open day is impractical for students who are resident abroad or who live a long distance from UCL, we can arrange individual visits to the department. Applicants invited to an open day will not be interviewed but will have the opportunity to meet with staff and members and current students in an informal atmosphere, and have any questions answered.
In a small minority of cases, the department may wish to interview applicants. Those invited to interview will be those that have a very strong and promising overall application but who are weaker in one element of the selection criteria, or an element of their application appears anomalous. The content of the interview, undertaken by a member of staff, will reflect that particular element under consideration.
- Offers
Offers of places are normally made conditional on applicants obtaining three GCE A level subjects. Students must obtain grade A* at A level in either Mathematics, Pure Mathematics or Mathematics with Statistics, and additionally obtain grade A* at A level in either Further Mathematics, Applied Mathematics or Statistics. Alternatively our standard offer may be met with grades of A*A in two Mathematics A levels and additionally a 2 in any STEP paper or a Distinction in the Mathematics Advanced Extension Award (AEA).
It is possible to enter the Mathematics degree (G100) without having done Applied Mathematics/Mechanics at GCE A level or AS level.
Upon application students are asked to supply details of grades and, more importantly, marks achived in Mathematics and Further Mathematics modules that they have sat when filling out the Qualifications section of the UCAS application, where these are available to the applicant. They should do this regardless of whether the modules have been certified and whether they intend to resit the module examination.
UK A levels: G107, G100, G1LC, G1L1, G1NF, G1N2, G1TX, G1T9, GGC3, GG13: A*A*A to include Mathematics and Further Mathematics both at A*; G1FH, G1F3, GF1H, GF13: A*A*A to include Mathematics, Further Mathematics at A* and Physics at grade A. Alternatively our conditions may be met with one A* grade in Mathematics or Further Mathematics, as opposed to two, and a 2 in any STEP paper or a Distinction in the AEA in Mathematics.
IB Diploma: G107, G100, G1LC, G1L1, G1NF, G1N2, G1TX, G1T9, GGC3, GG13: 39-40 points with a score of 20 points in three higher level subjects to include grade 7 in Mathematics or 19 points in three higher level subjects including 7 in Mathematics and a 2 in any STEP paper or a distinction in Mathematics AEA; G1FH, G1F3, GF1H, GF13: As for the courses above, but Physics must be passed at higher level with a mark of at least 6 points.
We are also happy to consider making offers to applicants with alternative qualifications equivalent to GCE A level, Scottish Advanced Highers/CSYS, the various baccalaureates and other European qualifications, etc. subject to overarching UCL regulations. If you are not sure whether your qualifications would be suitable, you should contact the Departmental Admissions Tutor.
- STEP Support
The Mathematics Department expects to again offer a programme of support for the STEP qualifications, starting in February/March 2023 and running through to June.
- Further Mathematics Support for Access - UCL Offer Holders
- UCL runs a Contextual Offer Scheme - Access-UCL. We offer a Further Mathematics programme supporting your school-based study of the Further Mathematics A-level to applicants successful in attracting an offer under this scheme.
- Mathematics Bridging Course
Two weeks before the beginning of term the department offers a mathematics bridging course. Of course the study of areas of mathematics that are done at A-level, particularly calculus, continues in mathematics degree course. However, university mathematics differs considerably from A-level, both in the style of teaching and in the greater demands made on the student's ability to:
(i) understand (and construct) quite complex logical arguments and formal definitions;
(ii) solve multi-stage problems;
(iii) deal with increasing levels of abstraction.The bridging course aims to introduce students to these features of university mathematics via some interesting new topics in pure mathematics, while also having another look at some of the mathematics familiar from A-level in this new context.
It is an excellent opportunity to meet your fellow students and familiarise yourself with the College and its surroundings. For further details please see the following Mathematics Bridging Course webpage:
- Gap Year
Many students want to defer entry to university and have a 'gap year'. The department is happy to accept such students. After ayear away from study, students will find that their knowledge of mathematics has become a little rusty. They will therefore need to make a thorough revision of A level Mathematics before taking up their place. The Departmental Admissions Tutor can advise prospective students about this. In particular, students may wish to attend the department's Mathematics Bridging Course.
- The Panos Tofarides Prize For Excellence in Mathematics
Panos Tofarides, an alumnus of the Department, has kindly sponsored an award of 1000 Euros for the most academically promising Cypriot student joining the Mathematics Department. The award winner will be chosen by the Mathematics Department in August from amongst the cohort of incoming first year students.
The prize winner for 2023-24 is Ioannis Chrysostomou. Congratulations to Ioannis!
- Scholarships
Scholarships available to students in the Department can be found on the UCL scholarships page.