How to apply for undergraduate courses

You can apply online for all of our courses via the national admissions service, UCAS. You can choose to apply for up to five courses in total, including more than one course at the same institution.

When to apply

UK students: You should aim to apply via UCAS between 8 September 2020 and 15 January 2021 for admission in September 2021. If you have missed the 15 January deadline, there is still the opportunity to apply (via UCAS), and we are happy to consider late applications until 30 June 2021 (all applications received after 30 June are entered into Clearing). Please be aware that some of our courses may be full after the 15 January 2021 UCAS deadline, so we do recommend early applications where possible.

International students: You should aim to apply via UCAS between 8 September 2020 and 15 January 2021 for admission in September 2021, though applying before 15 January is encouraged in order to ensure you have time to prepare for studying in the UK. However, if you have missed the 15 January deadline, you are still welcome to apply (via UCAS), and we are happy to consider late applications until 30 June 2021 (all applications received after 30 June are entered into Clearing). Please be aware that some of our courses may be full after the 15 January 2021 UCAS deadline, so we do recommend early applications where possible.

UCAS code

Our UCAS code is R12. The University does not have a campus code.

UCAS costs

There is a small charge made by UCAS for applying to university. The application fee is £20 if you’re applying to just one course, or £26 for multiple courses and for late applications sent after 30 June.

Entry requirements

Please read our entry requirements page for more information on accepted qualifications.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language, you can find out more information on our English language requirements page.

The application process

Once UCAS receives your application, it sends it to our Admissions Office, who assess it and decide whether to offer you a place. The way we assess your application will differ from course to course, but we will use the information supplied in your application form including your personal statement, predicted and achieved grades and the reference supplied by your school or college.

We carefully consider every application so please don’t worry if you don’t hear back from us straight away. We aim to make a decision on all applications within four weeks, and you will be able to track the progress of your application on UCAS Track.

We will email you with the outcome of your application and confirm this with UCAS so that you can see the decision online using UCAS Track. If we offer you a place, we will explain any conditions attached to that offer (for example, the need to achieve certain grades in your examinations).

Interviews

For some courses, we invite prospective students for an interview before making an offer. These are:

Accounting and Business (assessment centre run in conjunction with PwC)
Art
Chemistry
Film, Theatre & Television
Food and Nutritional Sciences
Graphic Communication
Pharmacy
Primary Education
Psychology (MSci courses)
Meteorology and Climate (MMet course)

Visit Days

If you are offered a place to study at the University of Reading without an interview, we will invite you to attend a Visit Day in your department of choice. Visit Days take place between November and March and will usually include a tour of our campus and facilities, a visit to a hall of residence, and the chance to meet academic staff and current students.

Choosing offers

Once you have heard from all of the universities that you applied to, UCAS will ask you which offer you want to accept. Most people choose two: one as your ‘firm’ or first choice, the other as your ‘insurance’ or second choice. If you meet the conditions of your offer, you will automatically be accepted onto your firm choice course.

Confirmation of your place

Most offers are conditional on exam results. If you meet the conditions set out in our offer, your place is assured and you will see this on UCAS Track . If you do not meet the conditions set out in your offer, you may still be able to get on the course. We will let you know as soon as possible after we have received your results.

Gap year/deferred entry

We welcome deferred entry applications. You need to apply at the same time as if you were planning to go straight to university, but you should state in your UCAS application that you wish to be considered for deferred admission.

More information on the application process

How to apply for postgraduate courses

Postgraduate taught courses

The quickest and easiest way to apply for postgraduate study at the University of Reading is through our online application service. The online service allows you to complete your application form and attach electronic copies of your academic transcripts, certificates and other supporting information. It also provides a tool for sending an email request to your referees, enabling them to send your supporting references directly to us.

If you are unable to apply online you can request a paper application form by telephoning +44 (0) 118 378 5289 or writing to:

Admissions Office
University of Reading
Miller Building
Whiteknights
Reading, RG6 6AB
UK

PGCE and School Direct

Candidates for the PGCE and School Direct courses should submit an application via UCAS Teacher Training.

Postgraduate research

For more information on applying for postgraduate research opportunities, please visit our graduate school website.

Entry requirements

Please visit our postgraduate entry requirements page for information on academic qualifications and English language requirements.

When to apply

There is no specific deadline date for most courses and applications will be considered until the course is full. However, to allow time for us to process your application we recommend that you apply by the following dates for admission in September:

UK applicants by 1 August

International applicants by 1 June

Please note that our MSc Speech and Language Therapy course does have a specific deadline for applications – please see the course information page for details of the current dates.

Most of our taught courses start at the beginning of the autumn term (in September) but there are a number that also have a start at a different time of the year or have multiple starts throughout the year. Please see the individual subject pages for further details.

After you apply

As soon as you have submitted your completed application we will send you an email acknowledgement. We will also create an applicant account for you which will allow you to check on the progress of your application online and access other useful information about the University of Reading.

We aim to reach a decision on your application within four weeks. The length of time taken to reach a decision will vary as each application is considered on an individual basis according to your relevant strengths and merits. Once your application has been considered you will receive an email from the Admissions Office informing you of the decision. If your application has been successful, our email will explain the offer and any conditions attached to it and also give further details of the fees and other expenses associated with your course.

Our team of experienced admissions staff is here to help you throughout the application process. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you need any help with completing your application or have a question about the progress of your application. You can contact us at pgadmissions@reading.ac.uk.

More information on applying for taught courses

Admissions policies and procedures

Admissions at the University of Reading are guided by policies and procedures that are approved by the University Senate on the recommendation of our Board for Teaching and Learning.

To find out more, please visit our Admissions Policies and Procedures page.

International Foundation Programme (IFP)

If you are planning on coming to the UK to study, and you don't have British A level qualifications or the equivalent, the International Foundation Programme (IFP) offers you the opportunity to prepare for an undergraduate degree at a British university.

Candidates for the IFP can apply through our online application service. The online service allows you to complete your application form and attach electronic copies of your academic transcripts, English language Certificates and other supporting documents.