Cardiff University - open day event
26 Jun 2026, 08:00
Cardiff
You are viewing our beta course page.
Optometry
- MOptom
- 4 Years
- Full-time
- 28/09/2026
- Undergraduate
- Main Site - Cardiff
- Awarded by:
- Cardiff University (Prifysgol Caerdydd)
Course summary
Our innovative, clinically focussed programme will provide you with scientific and clinical knowledge to register as an optometrist and deliver high quality patient-centred eye healthcare.
We combine progressive healthcare education, high quality patient care, internationally recognised research, and exceptional clinical and teaching facilities to inspire you to become a GOC registered optometrist.
Today’s optometrists are autonomous clinicians who play a direct role in improving patients’ eyesight and eye health. Optometrists practise in diverse healthcare settings including community, hospital and domiciliary environments. They work with their patients to assess, diagnose and manage problems with their eyes and visual system. Optometrists may prescribe optical appliances such as spectacles and contact lenses, or provide preventative, rehabilitative and other eye care advice to help manage eye health problems.
Eye healthcare is a rapidly evolving field, and registered optometrists can choose to train further in an expanding range of clinical sub-specialities, including with therapeutic drugs. An increasing number of today’s optometrists prescribe medicines for eye problems independently of a doctor, and play a vital role in eye healthcare teams.
Our programme will allow you to gain the knowledge and skills to register as an optometrist with the General Optical Council. You will have opportunities to attend our in-house University specialist eye clinics led by our highly qualified multi-disciplinary eyecare team. Later, during your programme, you will take on more responsibility for patient care and hone your clinical skills whilst working both during your Clinical Learning in Practice (CLiP) placement organised by the College of Optometrists. You will learn to manage confidently and autonomously a wide range of optical and eye health problems at qualification.
Embedded in our programme are opportunities to achieve selected higher qualifications from the College of Optometrists, preparing you for expanding roles in the optometric profession. You will establish a solid foundation for further specialist postgraduate clinical career pathways, and you will be well prepared to address lifelong learning, leadership and professional development challenges, enabling you to thrive in modern UK optometric practice.
Distinctive features:
-
Ranked No 1: We are ranked 1st for Optometry in the Complete University Guide 2022.
-
£22 million self-contained optometry facility with on-site specialist ophthalmic teaching clinics: Equipped with advanced diagnostic technology, our School is unique in delivering innovative NHS specialist ophthalmology services as well as optometric community clinics, allowing early clinical exposure from Year 1.
-
College of Optometrists (COptom) accredited higher qualifications: Our programme offers a range of COptom professional certificates to allow an enhanced scope of clinical practice on registration, and to accelerate your progress if you choose to undertake further advanced postgraduate clinical training.
-
Accredited by the General Optical Council (GOC): This course is an integrated Masters programme, taught by internationally renowned researchers and clinicians, and meets the high quality standards in education set out by the GOC. On completion of the MOptom, you will have undertaken at least 48 weeks of learning in clinical environments, and you will be eligible to register and practise independently as an optometrist in the UK.
Professional bodies
Professionally accredited courses provide industry-wide recognition of the quality of your qualification.
- General Optical Council
How to apply
Apply by
14 January
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- B512
- Institution code:
- C15
- Campus name:
- Main Site - Cardiff
- Campus Code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 1
International applicants
Further information for International applicants can be found at http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/international
Entry requirements
Qualification requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - AAA - ABB
Must include two subjects from Biology, Chemistry, Maths, and Physics.
If you are undertaking resits, you may be made an offer at the higher end of the grade range given.
Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - Not accepted
Access to HE Diploma - Not accepted
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 36 - 32 points
36-32 overall including 6 in one HL subject or 666-665 in 3 HL subjects. Must include two HL subjects from Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics.
If you are undertaking resits, you may be made an offer at the higher end of the grade range given."
WJEC Level 3 Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales
The Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales will be accepted in lieu of one A level at the A level grades specified, excluding any subject specific requirements.
Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)
The Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate will be accepted in lieu of one A Level at the A Level grades specified, excluding any subject specific requirements.
Extended Project - A
For applicants taking the EPQ qualification, an A in the EPQ can be recognised to lower the entry requirements by a single grade. For example an AAB offer would be “AAB from 3 A levels or ABB from 3 A levels and a grade A in the EPQ”. Please note that any subject specific requirements must be met.
GCSE/National 4/National 5
You must have or be working towards:
- English language at GCSE grade B/6 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). If you require a Student visa, you must ensure your language qualification complies with UKVI requirements.
- GCSE Maths grade C/4 or equivalent qualification (subject and grade). If you are taking A-level Maths (or equivalent), GCSE Maths is not required. Core Maths may also be accepted in place of GCSE Maths.
T Level - Not accepted
We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects.
We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.
Additional entry requirements
- Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)
- Interview
- If we can’t make a decision based on the information you provided in your application, we may contact you for clarification or ask you to attend an interview.
English language requirements
All applicants are expected to have demonstrable English language skills. Most courses ask for GCSE English grade C/4 or equivalent, but some courses ask for GCSE English grade B/6 or equivalent.
To find out more, please go to: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/international/english-language-requirements/undergraduate
Contextual admissions
Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.
At Cardiff we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, as part of this our contextual admissions policy aims to widen participation and improve access to Higher Education (HE).
For more information on Cardiff University contextual admissions, including how applications are scored and how we use that score, please see our website.
Historical entry grades data BETA
This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.
- Data from:
- This course
- Date range:
- 2022-2024
Grades held by accepted students
- A*A*A
- Highest grades
- BBB
- Lowest grades
Offer rate for UK school & college leavers
Students aged 17/18 who applied to this course were offered a place.
How do you compare?
See how students with your grades have been accepted onto this course in the past.
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)
Go onto work and study
The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Location | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| England | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9790 | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9790 | Year 1 |
| EU | £30700 | Year 1 |
| International | £30700 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.
Additional fee information
Students from the UK and Islands:
Fees stated are for the 2026/27 academic year. The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.
Fees for entry in subsequent years are subject to increase and will be confirmed by the end of October in the year preceding your start date of your programme, or as soon as possible thereafter.
Tuition fees cover all reasonable costs required for you to complete to the degree programme stated. Please note that you may choose to participate in study trips, associated placements or purchase equipment while studying on your degree programme which will be at your own cost. Tuition fees do not include living costs such as accommodation, subsistence or travel.
Students from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland:
If you are an EU/EEA/Swiss national, unless you qualify for UK fee status, tuition fees for 2026/27 will be in line with the fees charged for international students. You can check whether you are eligible for UK (Home) fee status on the UKCISA website: https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student-advice/fees/full-list-of-categories-for-he-in-wales/
Students from the rest of the world (international):
Fees stated are for 2026/27 entry and are fixed for the duration of the programme, excluding Medicine and Dentistry programmes. Please note that during the pre-clinical element of Medicine and Dentistry programmes the fee rate will be fixed, after which the clinical fee rate will be charged. Further details are available on the university website at: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/international/funding-and-fees
Fees for entry in subsequent years are subject to increase and will be confirmed by the end of October in the year preceding your start date of your programme, or as soon as possible thereafter.
Tuition fees cover all reasonable costs required for you to complete the degree programme stated. Please note that you may choose to participate in study trips, associated placements or purchase equipment while studying on your degree programme which will be at your own cost. Tuition fees do not include living costs such as accommodation, subsistence or travel.
Sponsorship information
Cardiff University has many scholarships on offer to our prospective students. Please see our website at http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/funding/scholarships for further information.
Cardiff University
PO Box 921
Cardiff
CF10 3XQ
Visit our website Visit our course page
Course contact details
Admissions Team
Email:admissions@cardiff.ac.uk
Phone:029 2087 9999
Like this page