Each course has its own entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements exist as a guide to the level of education required to study on each course. The universities or colleges you apply to will decide if your qualifications meet these requirements when they consider your application. It is important to realise that a university's or college's decision is likely to be based on your overall suitability for the course and not only on whether you meet the minimum entry requirements. You can find out which entry requirements apply to the course that you are considering by checking the university or college website, asking the university or college for a prospectus or by using Course Search and looking in the Entry Profiles section.

One of the first steps that you should take is to check that the qualifications you hold are recognised in the UK and that they would be considered by higher education institutions as being suitable for entry into UK higher education.

UK NARIC is the UK's national agency responsible for providing this information to individuals from outside of the UK who wish to come to the UK to work, study or train. They will be able to provide you with a statement about the comparative level of your qualification to the UK's qualification frameworks. This statement is recognised by universities, colleges and employers throughout the UK.

UCAS also provides a Qualifications Hotline tel: +44 (0)871 468 0472 or email: qualsenquiries@ucas.ac.uk.

If you are in the process of gaining qualifications and the experience that you need for your chosen course, universities and colleges may give you a 'conditional offer'. If this type of offer is made, it will clearly tell you on Track which conditions you must meet and by when.

Find out more about decisions made by universities and colleges.