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Direct entry to second year Mathematics BSc (Hons) 2024 entry

Students with excellent Advanced Higher, A-Level or International Baccalaureate qualifications may apply to enter directly into the second year of the Mathematics BSc (Hons) degree. This means you will complete your degree in three years instead of four. Students who enter directly to second year will take modules required by the Mathematics BSc programme from second year on, bypassing first-year modules entirely.

Direct entry to second year is a popular choice among BSc students with a single Honours degree intention. Students with qualifications sufficient for direct entry to second year may either select "Point of Entry 2" on their application or apply for first-year entry and transfer to second year on arrival, in consultation with their Adviser of Studies.

Minimum offers are not made for second-year entry, but successful applicants can transfer to second-year on arrival, in consultation with their Adviser of Studies.

Students taking qualifications other than Advanced Highers, A-Levels or the International Baccalaureate should apply for first-year entry. Transferring to second year on arrival may be possible, in consultation with the student’s Adviser of Studies.

Students applying for second year entry who have already taken Highers will, if accepted, be given an unconditional offer for first-year entry along with a promise that if their Advanced Highers meet our advertised entry requirements, then they may automatically transfer to second year on arrival. 

Students entering directly into second year may apply to study abroad.

If you have a question about direct entry to second year, please contact the School of Mathematics and Statistics at maths-admissions@st-andrews.ac.uk.

UCAS code
G101
Start date
September 2024
End date
September 2027
Duration
Three years full time
School
School of Mathematics and Statistics

Entry requirements

The University offers different entry requirements, depending on your background. Find out more about Standard and Minimum entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.

For degrees combining more than one subject, the subject with the higher entry requirements determines the grades you need. You will also need to meet any further subject-specific entry requirements as outlined on their pages.

  • Advanced Highers:
    AA, including Mathematics.
    Highers:
    AAAAB

  • Standard entry grades:
    A*A*A, including A* in Mathematics and A in Further Mathematics.

  • Standard entry grades:
    39 (HL 6,6,6), including HL6 in Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches.

General entry requirements

All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.

  • SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:

    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Computing science
    • Geography
    • Lifeskills Mathematics (A grade)
    • Mathematics
    • Physics
    • Psychology.

  • GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:

    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Computing Science
    • Geography
    • Mathematics
    • Physics
    • Psychology.

Other qualifications

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes. Please see our entry requirements for more information.

More information on how to apply via other entry routes or accreditation of prior learning and experience can be found on the University’s entry requirements web page.

Do I need to have studied this subject before?

Yes, applicants are expected to have studied Mathematics at SQA Higher, GCE A-Level, or equivalent.  Typical successful applicants will have studied Mathematics at SQA Advanced Higher, Further Mathematics as GCE A-level, or equivalent.

International applicants

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability.

Careers

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.

What to do next

Online information events

Join us for one of our information events where you can find out about different levels of study and specific courses we run. There are also sessions available for parents and college counsellors.

Undergraduate visiting days

We encourage all students who are thinking of applying to the University to attend one of our online or in-person visiting days.

Contact us

Phone
+44 (0)1334 46 3744
Email
maths@st-andrews.ac.uk
Address
School of Mathematics and Statistics
Mathematical Institute
North Haugh
St Andrews
KY16 9SS

School of Mathematics and Statistics website