Your guide to applying

• Read our entry requirements page to find out our general requirements and see which qualifications we accept. Many courses accept a range of qualifications, not just A-levels.
• Use Course Search to check the specific entry requirements for your course as the minimum grade requirements can vary depending on the course.
• Check if you're eligible for one of our contextual admissions schemes, if you're a UK student from a background that is less represented at university. These schemes could offer you the chance to study a degree with lower entry requirements than listed on our course pages.

Visit the International entry requirements page for information about the qualifications we accept and our English language requirements.

If you’re aged 21 or over when you begin your studies, you’re classed as a mature student. We welcome applications from mature students from all backgrounds onto both full-time and part-time programmes.

Your life and work experience mean there are alternative entry routes available other than formal qualifications, including a foundation course, a validated access course and the Access to Higher Education Diploma.

For specific entry criteria, please search for your course.

You can also find out about study options and support for mature students.

If you have an unspent criminal conviction, you may need to declare it to us. This is usually required when we make you an offer that you wish to accept. For a small number of our courses, you'll need to declare it when you apply. Having a criminal conviction will only rarely stop you from studying at Leeds. Find out more about declaring a criminal conviction.

You should apply online through UCAS for full-time courses. International students should apply through the UCAS system in the same way as UK students. Find out about our overseas teams and support you can get with applying in your country.

Get advice about writing your personal statement. 

UCAS provides comprehensive information on the entire application process, from choosing your university and course right through to starting university and settling into student life.

Video transcript: Applying through UCAS — University of Leeds

If you’re applying for a part-time degree, you should apply directly to the University by emailing our Lifelong Learning Centre: lifelonglearning@leeds.ac.uk.

Visit the application dates and deadlines page.

For many courses, we’re happy to receive applications for deferred entry, which can be submitted during your last year at school. We’d encourage you to use your personal statement to explain your reasons for taking a gap year. Please note that you’ll still need to meet any conditions of your offer in the academic year in which you apply.

However, for some particularly competitive courses we’re not able to consider applications for deferred entry. This is because we receive a high number of applications to these programmes and we need to assess all applications for a given year of entry at the same time to ensure fairness. Check Course Search to find out whether we accept deferred entry for your chosen course.

Many of our academic schools will consider requests to transfer onto a course from another university. You usually need to show that you've met the course's standard first-year entry requirements and that you're performing well in your current degree, which must be relevant to the new course. For further information, get in touch with the relevant admissions team using the contact details on the course page.

We advise that your school includes information about your mitigating circumstances in the reference that they write as part of your UCAS application and, where possible, expect that this should have been taken into consideration by the exam board so that any adjustments could be made during assessment and marking. If you’d like to discuss your situation, please contact the admissions team for your course, using the contact details on the course page.