Arts and Humanities with Foundation Year BA Hons

A Level

Some of our progression courses require you to have certain qualifications as well as the foundation qualification:

• BA French Studies - Required subjects: Grade C in French at A Level
• BA Modern Languages - Required subjects: Grade C in at least one of French, German, Russian or Spanish at A level
• BA Modern Language Studies - Required subjects: Grades C and C in at least two of French, German, Russian or Spanish at A level
• BA Modern Languages with Translation - Required subjects: Grade C in one of French, German, Russian or Spanish at A Level
• BA Music - Required subjects: Grade C in A Level Music. Grade 5 Theory ABRSM, LCM, Trinity or Rockschool may be accepted in place of A level Music.

GCSE

English grade 4 (C)

Progression to certain UG degree programmes within the Faculty of Arts is dependent on student holding additional specific qualifications:

• BA French Studies - Required subjects Higher Level 4 in French.
• BA Modern Languages - Required subjects Higher Level 4 in one of French, German, Russian or Spanish.
• BA Modern Language Studies - Required subjects Higher Level 4 in two of French, German, Russian or Spanish.
• BA Modern Languages with Translation - Required subjets Higher Level 4 in one of French, German, Russian or Spanish.
• BA Music - Required subjects Higher Level 4 in Music.

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements apply to 2025 entry.

Please note: Applicants whose backgrounds or personal circumstances have impacted their academic performance may receive a reduced offer. Please see our contextual admissions policy for more information.

Personal circumstances

As well as having the required grades, your current or most recent school cannot be an independent school, and you must meet at least one of the following personal background criteria:

1. You live in an area where people are less likely to go to university – check your postcode
   
2. You were in receipt of free school meals (FSM) on any census day in the six years before the census day of your final KS4 year (that is, the year you were aged 15-16 years old)
3. You are the first generation in your family to enter higher education
4. You will be over 21 years old when you begin your course
5. You have spent more than three months in local authority care (for this criterion you do not need to have attended a state school)
6. You have refugee status from the Home Office
7. You need to study in the East Midlands (for example for family, cultural or financial reasons)
8. You provide long term care of a sick or disabled family member
   
   

Where relevant you should include reference to 6, 7 and 8 in your personal statement, or provide this information via artssupport@nottingham.ac.uk when you submit your UCAS application.

Alternative qualifications

We recognise that applicants have a wealth of different experiences and follow a variety of pathways into higher education.

Consequently we treat all applicants with alternative qualifications (besides A levels and the International Baccalaureate) on an individual basis, and we gladly accept students with a whole range of less conventional qualifications including:

• Access to HE Diploma
• Advanced Diploma
• BTEC HND/HNC
• BTEC Extended Diploma
  
  

This list is not exhaustive. The entry requirements for alternative qualifications can be quite specific; for example you may need to take certain modules and achieve a specified grade in those modules. Please contact us to discuss the transferability of your qualification. Please see the alternative qualifications page for more information.

RQF BTEC Nationals

• RQF Level 3 BTEC National Extended Diploma grades DMM
• RQF Level 3 BTEC National Diploma grades DM + C
• RQF Level 3 BTEC National Extended Certificate M + BC

Access to HE Diploma

• Access to HE Diploma 15 Level 3 credits at Distinction, 18 Level 3 credits at Merit and 12 Level 3 credits at Pass
  

Contextual offers

We make contextual offers to students who may have experienced barriers that have restricted progress at school or college. Our standard contextual offer is usually one grade lower than the advertised entry requirements, and our enhanced contextual offer is usually two grades lower than the advertised entry requirements. To qualify for a contextual offer, you must have Home/UK fee status and meet specific criteria – check if you’re eligible.

Mature students

At the University of Nottingham, we have a valuable community of mature students and we appreciate their contribution to the wider student population. You can find lots of useful information on the mature students webpage.

Progression to direct entry degree

On successful completion of the course, you will progress directly to your undergraduate course, chosen from the full range provided entirely within the Faculty of Arts; this excludes a small number of joint honours courses where the academic partner is in another faculty. Factors to consider:

• Additional entry requirements: some degrees, notably those provided by the Department of Music, and post-A level pathway Modern Languages, have additional entry requirements.
• Year abroad: most of our Modern Languages courses, and our American and Canadian Studies (study abroad) course involve a year abroad in your third year.
• Placement year: if you choose (and successfully complete) this option, you will have ‘with placement year’ added to your degree title.

You do not have to decide your progression course yet; your Foundation Year tutors will guide you through your choices at the appropriate time.