Applying as a Home Educated Student

Yes, we accept iGCSE/International GCSE qualifications as equivalent to GCSE.

The University of Exeter has no minimum required number of GCSEs.  All applicants are required to have English Language GCSE or equivalent, and some of our programmes also require  additional GCSE subjects (e.g. Mathematics or Science).  These requirements are listed on our undergraduate course webpages.

The number of GCSEs an applicant has studied does not currently form part of our decision making process. There is no advantage or disadvantage to holding a higher or lower number of other GCSEs or equivalents. 

There are no restrictions or timeline expectations for GCSE qualifications, nor any minimum or maximum requirements for how many may be achieved within a set timeframe.

No. The University of Exeter has no requirements around sitting an A Level, International A Level, or equivalent qualification, in single sittings. Our only requirement is that verified results are provided by the given year’s results deadline before the start of the academic year in which the candidate would commence study with us.

Generally, we do suggest that applicants have undertaken some recognised accepted course of study within the three years prior to the start of a programme. This may be an Access Course, Open University units or some form of workplace Continuing Professional Development (CPD). The Admissions Team can advise on this. Admissions will seek advice from the relevant Admissions Tutor in borderline and complex cases. 

No. The University of Exeter accepts re-sits and re-applications from our candidates, and prior attainment is neither an advantage or disadvantage in our consideration of their applications. Where a candidate is resitting a qualification, we would consider applications and make offers based on the achievement/prediction of the highest grade only.

Candidates should use their UCAS profiles to nominate which qualifications they are currently undertaking, and this should include any re-sits. Candidates may have to submit re-sit grades by specific deadlines during the Confirmation and Clearing period, and where a candidate is holding a conditional offer the results of re-sits must be provided to the University of Exeter before an offer can be converted.

The University of Exeter supports the practical science element and will expect applicants to take this element where possible. However, where this has not been possible due to an applicant’s circumstances, the University does consider applicants who do not have the practical science element as long as the applicant has a good overall grade and strong science subject profile.

We can accept applications from students with American style AP qualifications for our undergraduate courses, though we ask that applicants who have studied these programmes contact our Admissions office so that we can confirm that their qualifications meet equivalent requisite levels of GCSE and Level 3 subject requirements for their subject of interest.

Please see our supplementary guidance on Equivalencies in American Style Qualifications for UK Home Educated Students.

Predicted grades entered on the UCAS form will be used in the same way as for all other applicants.  

We recognise that it may not be possible to provide predicted grades (due to educational circumstance, or qualification type), and in this case, applicants taking a qualification for the first time will be considered based on the assumption that they are on course to achieve grades in line with our advertised requirements.

Where predictions are not available for those applicants who are re-taking part or all of a qualification, we will normally base our assessment on the assumption that they are likely to achieve one grade higher than their original result.

The University of Exeter issues contextual offers – i.e. offers lower than the ‘standard’ offer, which are also outlined on our course webpages – based on applicants meeting one or more of a specified list of criteria. These criteria are listed on our contextual offers webpage.

Home education is not one of these criteria - however you may still be eligible if you meet another criteria. We encourage applicants to look at our webpage, and use our contextual offer checker tool to check their eligibility.

Applicants whose personal circumstances – such as studying with an unmet or unrecognised disability or learning need, bereavement in close family, major illness, or other major personal disruption – have had an impact on their studies and grade outcomes can inform us of this via our extenuating circumstances form. Guidance on completing the form is available on the webpage.

Completing the form, and having your extenuating circumstances recognised, will not necessarily result in a reduced offer. However, an applicant who has made us aware of extenuating circumstances will receive bespoke additional consideration regarding their offer, and their results. This might result in them receiving an offer where they do not formally meet grade requirements, or offer-holders being accepted for a place if they narrowly miss the exact terms of their offer.

Each application, and applicant, is considered on an individual basis, and there is no guarantee of additional consideration or leniency.

No. The University of Exeter does not place preference or priority on applicants from any educational background. Offer-making to all our applicants is based on their achieved and/or predicted grades.