What offer will I get?

Your offer

The University of Reading makes a range of offers to best fit the different circumstances and experiences of our applicants.

We take a tailored approach to assessing each application to make the most appropriate offer, taking account of:

whether you’ve already completed your A levels (or equivalent) or are still studying
the course you’ve applied for
the grades you achieved at GCSE level
your personal statement
whether the course you’re applying for requires you to attend an interview.

We also recognise that predicted grades aren’t always an accurate reflection of potential, so we often consider giving aspirational offers to applicants who are predicted a couple of grades below our entry requirements. If you are in this position and interested in studying at the University of Reading, we would encourage you to apply.

This page is designed to give you information about the different types of offer that you might receive, depending on the eligibility criteria you meet. Don’t worry too much about trying to remember all this information though – if you receive an offer from us, we'll make it clear what the offer conditions are and what steps you need to take next.

Find out more

Please get in touch with us if you have any questions.

Typical offers

When you look at our courses in our prospectus or online course listings, you will see the typical offer displayed (for example, ABB or IB 32 points).

The typical offer is what you will receive, unless you have an additional EPQ qualification or qualify for a contextualised offer. The programme you are interested in might also have subject-specific or other requirements, which are also displayed alongside the typical offer grades.

Make Reading your firm choice

Applying for university can be stressful, especially when you are also studying for exams.

Select Reading as your firm choice on UCAS and we will guarantee you a place even if you achieve one grade lower than the published offer*.

*Exceptions may apply; please check your course on our website.

Extended Project Qualifications (EPQ)

Undertaking an EPQ is valuable preparation for university study and a number of our subject areas now include achievement in the EPQ as part of a formal offer. Our online course listings will indicate if your chosen programme is participating in this scheme.

If you are taking an EPQ and applying for a participating subject area, you will receive two offers: our standard offer and an alternative offer of one grade lower in your A-Level subjects on the condition that you achieve a B in your EPQ.

For example, if the standard offer is AAB, your alternative offer would be ABB + B in EPQ.

If you make Reading your firm choice, you would still receive the additional grade reduction so your alternative offer would be BBB + B in EPQ.

Read more

Contextualised offers

We recognise that some students are more likely than their peers to face barriers to fulfilling their academic potential at school, through no fault of their own. The University of Reading is committed to ensuring that none of our applicants are disadvantaged in accessing our degree programmes because of their background.

That is why we make contextual offers to applicants who meet at least one of the following criteria:

Live in an area with low participation in higher education (defined as POLAR quintiles 1 and 2)
Live in an area with high levels of deprivation (defined as IMD quintiles 1 and 2)
Have declared a disability on their UCAS form
Have participated in our Reading Scholars programme
Are cared experienced
Are refugees or asylum seekers
Are estranged from their families
Young carers
Children of military families (service children)

You can use the POLAR and (Index of Multiple Deprivation) IMD postcode lookup tools to see if your postcode makes you eligible.

What is the contextual offer?

Depending on your predicted grades and if you meet the eligibility criteria, you will receive a contextual offer that is typically two grades lower than the top end of the published grade range for the programme you are applying for.

For example, if the typical offer is ABB, you will receive a contextual offer of BBC.

That offer applies whether you choose the University of Reading as your firm or insurance choice. Please note that we do not make contextualised offers for entry to programmes with a Foundation Year.

What do I need to do?

Make sure the relevant information on your UCAS form is correct, following these instructions:

Eligibility criteria	Requirements
POLAR quintiles 1 and 2	Make sure your Postal/Home address postcode is correct on your UCAS application form.
IMD quintiles 1 and 2	Make sure your Postal/Home address postcode is correct on your UCAS application form.
Disability	Select the most appropriate option from the disability category list on your UCAS application form.
Reading Scholars participant	Contact outreach@reading.ac.uk for details
Care experienced	Select this category on your UCAS application form. If you enrol as a student here and wish to access funding to support your studies you will need to meet the following criteria: you have spent time in local authority care you are registered on a full-time undergraduate course you are classed as a 'home' student you are under 25 years of age at the start of your course Further information is available on the support available for care experienced applicants and students.
Refugees and asylum	Select this category on your UCAS application form. If you enrol as a student here and wish to access funding to support your studies you will need to meet one of the following criteria: you have been granted a form of leave (leave to remain, limited leave to remain, discretionary leave to remain, humanitarian protection) as the result of an asylum application, or human rights application. Or you are an asylum seeker. Or you have settled in the UK through the ARAP or ACRS schemes for Afghan refugees. Or you have entered the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme or the Ukraine Sponsorship (Homes for Ukraine) scheme. Further information is available on the support available for refugee and asylum seeker applicants and students.
Estranged applicants	Select this category on your UCAS application form. If you enrol as a student here and wish to access funding to support your studies you will need to meet one of the following criteria: you have not communicated with either of your biological or adoptive parents for 12 months before your course begins and the situation is irreconcilable. Or you have been financially independent for three or more years through employment or benefits (consecutively or non-consecutively) before your course begins. Further information is available on the support available for estranged applicants and students.
Young carers	Select this category on your UCAS application form if you are responsible for providing unpaid care to a family member, partner or friend who could not cope without your support. Caring responsibilities can be due to long-term illness or disability, or short-term, for instance after an accident. To receive a contextual offer based on this criteria, you must be 25 years of age or under.
Children of military families (service children)	Select this category on your UCAS application form if you have a parent or guardian currently serving in the UK Regular Armed Forces or as a reservist (full or part time), or has done so at any point during the first 25 years of your life. To receive a contextual offer based on this criteria, you must be 25 years of age or under.

When will I receive my contextual offer?

We review all applications upon receipt, for eligibility to receive a contextual offer. If you are eligible, the offer we issue will be your contextual offer.

What about any subject specific or GCSE conditions?

Even if you receive a contextual offer you will still need to meet any subject-specific and GCSE requirements for the programme you are applying for.

For example, let’s say your chosen course has a typical offer of AAB, with a requirement of an A in a specific subject. Your contextual offer would then be ABC, with an A in the specific subject.

Our course listings will tell you whether the programme you are applying for has any subject-specific or GCSE requirements.

What about the EPQ?

If you are eligible for a contextual offer and are taking an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), your contextual offer will be lowered by one additional grade.

For example, if your contextual offer is BBB, this will be lowered to BBC if you are taking an EPQ.

I’m taking a BTEC National Extended Diploma – what offer will I get?

Due to the grading system of the BTEC National Extended Diploma, dropping one BTEC grade equates to dropping two A level grades.

For example, if the typical BTEC offer is DDD, you will receive a contextual offer of DDM.

If the typical BTEC offer is DDM, you will receive a contextual offer of DMM.

Read more

Different types and combinations of offers

Find out what each of the different offers look like and how they can be combined.

This example is of a programme with a typical offer of ABB, and no subject-specific requirements.

Type of offer	Offer combinations	Offer details
Standard	Standard	ABB
	Standard, firm choice	BBB
	Standard + EPQ	BBB
	Standard + EPQ, firm choice	BBC
Contextual	Contextual offer	BBC
Contextual	Contextual offer + EPQ	BCC

Read more

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CHOOSE A SUBJECT

What offer will I get?
Applicant information

Find out more

Typical offers

Make Reading your firm choice

Extended Project Qualifications (EPQ)

Contextualised offers

What is the contextual offer?

What do I need to do?

When will I receive my contextual offer?

What about any subject specific or GCSE conditions?

What about the EPQ?

I’m taking a BTEC National Extended Diploma – what offer will I get?

Different types and combinations of offers

Subjects A-B

Subjects C-E

Subjects F-G

Subjects H-M

Subjects N-T

Subjects A-C

Subjects D-G

Subjects H-P

Subjects A-B

Subjects C-E

Subjects F-G

Subjects H-M

Subjects N-T

Subjects U-Z

Subjects A-C

Subjects D-G

Subjects H-P

Subjects Q-Z