Home Admissions and Entry Requirements

The University of Bolton accepts applications from students from all backgrounds. We assess every applicant on their own merit following the Student Admissions Policy and the criteria outlined for each specific course.

For most undergraduate courses, we accept UCAS points from subjects such as General Studies and Critical Thinking at A2-level/AS level. We also accept up to 16 points from Key Skills at levels 3 and 4, the Free-Standing Mathematics qualifications or Higher Sports Leaders Awards. You can also combine points from different qualifications if they’re not in the same subject.

For many courses, you’ll also need to have five GCSEs at grade 4 or above, or equivalent. These may include specific subjects such as English and Maths.

For some courses, you’ll need to attend an interview, audition or other assessments. We may ask you to provide samples of your work. Before enrolling on a professional course, you may also need to meet some non-academic entry requirements, such as occupational health assessments.

Full details of our admissions policy may be found here.

You can find full details of all the entry requirements and how to apply on the specific course page by searching the Course Finder.

References and Statements

Alongside meeting all the entry requirements for a course, you must also have academic references and a personal statement.

References are a critical part of the application process and need to include the following information:

  • Attendance and punctuality
  • Academic performance
  • Time management skills
  • Information about any extra-curricular activities

Meanwhile, your personal statement is your chance to explain why you’d be a great student and a good match for the course you’ve chosen. We assess your statement alongside your academic achievements to help us decide whether to accept you onto the course. Your personal statement should outline:

  • Why you want to do the course
  • Where you think the course will take you
  • Information about any paid or unpaid work experience
  • Your interests and hobbies
Full-time Undergraduate Exceptions to Direct Application
For the following professional courses, you must apply via UCAS for September start:

If you wish to apply to start one of these courses in January, you may either apply through UCAS or apply directly (if you do not have a UCAS application).

Pre-degree, Part-time, Postgraduate taught and professional development programmes
All non-UCAS applications must be submitted directly through the University of Bolton website using our online application form.

To submit an application, find the course you’re looking for using the course finder, then select the ‘Apply Now’ button and follow the instructions.

Postgraduate research
If you’re looking to undertake a Postgraduate research degree at the University of Bolton, we encourage you to contact the relevant Research Coordinator for your area of academic interest.

For further information, please visit our dedicated Research and Graduate web pages.