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Cymraeg (i ddechreuwyr) / Welsh (for beginners)

Course details
  • BA (Hons)
  • 4 Years
  • Full-time
  • 21/09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Main Site
Awarded by:
Bangor University (Prifysgol Bangor)

Course summary

J.R.R. Tolkien once asserted that Welsh “is of this soil, this island, the senior language of…Britain; and Welsh is beautiful”. As Wales develops into a dynamic bilingual country there has never been a more exciting time to study the most vibrant of the Celtic languages. Follow the story of Welsh from the medieval tales of the Mabinogion to the multifaceted Welsh-language culture of contemporary Wales. This four-year programme is designed for beginners and unconfident speakers. It includes an intensive language-focussed Foundation Year, followed by the comprehensive Welsh (second-language pathway) three-year BA degree scheme.

Along this path, Welsh-medium teaching increases gradually as your skills develop, and special modules are designed to facilitate 'crossing the bridge' from learner to enterprising speaker with a degree in Welsh .

Don't worry if you don't have A levels Welsh - we are always happy to consider other qualifications, and alternative experiences: Welsh is a subject for students of all backgrounds. And this four year course allows complete beginners to study with us, even if they have never spoken a word of Welsh.

Doing a degree in Welsh allows you to enjoy and appreciate one of Europe's richest literary cultures - the culture of Wales. You will be given every help to fully participate in the Welsh life of the university and the locality, and you will also learn about Welsh in wider international contexts. We ask questions such as how the fate of the language compares with languages such as Basque and Irish, or how Welsh writers and poets have responded to global themes such as slavery, the Holocaust and the ecological challenge of the modern world.

‘Placement Year’ and 'International Experience Year’ options are available for this course. You will have the opportunity to fully consider these options when you have started your course at Bangor and can make an application for a transfer onto such a pathway at the appropriate time. You can find more information about these options on our website and if you have any questions, please get in touch.

Modules

For details of the modular structure, please see the course description on Bangor University's website.

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:
Q565
Institution code:
B06
Campus name:
Main Site
Campus Code:
-

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Foundation

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - 96 - 120 points

A level

Including: Grade B in an Arts or Humanities subject (e.g. English, French, German, History, Geography, Religious Studies). A-level Welsh not required. General Studies and Key Skills not normally accepted.

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - MMM - DDM

We will also consider other BTEC qualifications in conjunction with other level 3 qualifications.

Access to HE Diploma

Access to HE Diploma in area of Arts or Humanities

Scottish Higher

Minimum of 5 Scottish Highers - some subject specific grades/Advanced Highers may be required.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

Including grade H5 in an Arts or Humanities subject.

Welsh Baccalaureate - Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (last awarded Summer 2024)

We will accept this qualification in conjunction with other level 3 qualifications.

Extended Project

Points can include a relevant Extended Project (EPQ) but must include a minimum 2 full A-levels, or equivalent. Please contact us for more information.

OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Diploma - MMM - DDM

T Level

T Level qualifications are accepted on a case-by -case basis.

We are happy to accept combinations of the qualifications listed above, as well as alternative Level 3 qualifications such as City & Guilds, Access and Cambridge Technical Diplomas. We also welcome applications from mature learners.

International Candidates: school leaving qualifications that are equivalent to A levels/Level 3 and/or college diplomas are accepted from countries worldwide (subject to minimum English Language requirements), details at: www.bangor.ac.uk/international/applying/entryrequirements

English language requirements

For the most up-to-date information on acceptable English Language proficiency qualifications, please visit our webpage below. https://www.bangor.ac.uk/international/future/englishlanguage

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.

Bangor University is committed to widening participation in Higher Education (HE) and accepts students from a broad range of backgrounds.

To support students into Higher Education, we use a number of indicators to identify students who may be at a disadvantage in their ability to access Higher Education, in order to provide additional support.
Our admissions process involves assessing the entire application to make an assessment based on your grades and individual circumstances.

Learn more on the Bangor University 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.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

30 Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)

85 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

LocationFeeYear
England£9535*Year 1
Northern Ireland£9535*Year 1
Scotland£9535*Year 1
Wales£9535*Year 1
Channel Islands£9535*Year 1
Republic of Ireland£9535*Year 1

* This is a provisional fee and subject to change.

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

On 4 December 2024 the Welsh Government confirmed that the tuition fee cap (the maximum tuition fee that regulated providers can charge to certain students on full-time undergraduate courses) will increase to £9,535 per year, subject to changes in the regulations by the Welsh Government.

Tuition fees and scholarship information for International applicants can be found here:

https://www.bangor.ac.uk/international/tuition

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