What are 'facilitating subjects'?

It's an outdated term. The Russell Group retired the 'facilitating subjects' list in 2019 because it was being misread as a required set. Its 'Informed Choices' guidance replaced it — the advice now is to keep options open with academic subjects and always check the specific requirements for the degrees you're considering.

How many A-levels should I take?

Three is standard and enough for almost every university course. A fourth (or Further Maths alongside Maths) can help for very competitive courses, but strong grades in three well-chosen subjects beat spreading yourself thin across four.

Which A-levels keep the most options open?

Academic subjects that recur in degree requirements — Maths, the sciences, English, History, Geography and languages — keep the most doors open. But 'keeping options open' matters most if you're undecided; if you know your target degree, pick for its requirements.

How to choose your A-levels

Q: Do universities count General Studies or Critical Thinking?

Often not. Many universities won't count General Studies, Critical Thinking or Citizenship Studies as one of the three A-levels your offer is based on — take them as an extra, not a core subject.

The right A-levels are the ones you'll do well in that also meet the requirements of the degrees you're considering. Here's what universities actually ask for in 2026 — with the common myths corrected and every claim sourced.

Start with where you might want to go

If you know your target degree, pick for its requirements — some routes are gated by specific subjects. If you're undecided, choose academic subjects that keep the most doors open. These pages give the sourced requirements per route:

The "facilitating subjects" myth

"Facilitating subjects" is out of date. The Russell Group retired that list in 2019 because students were treating it as a required set. Its current Informed Choicesguidance says to keep options open with academic subjects and, above all, to check the specific requirements for the degrees you're interested in.

In practice, subjects that recur in degree requirements — Maths, the sciences, English, History, Geography and languages — keep the most options open. But that only matters if you're undecided; if you know your degree, its requirements win.

Subjects to take as an extra, not a core

Many universities won't count General Studies, Critical Thinking or Citizenship Studiesas one of the three A-levels your offer is based on. They're fine as a fourth subject, but don't rely on them as a core choice.

How hard is each subject, really?

Ignore made-up "hardest A-level" rankings. We built a data-backed view from the 2025 grade outcomes — and the honest takeaway is that a subject's A*/A rate tells you who takesit, not how hard the content is. Pick subjects you'll be motivated to work at.

Then check the detail

Once you have a shortlist, look at how each subject is actually assessed and how its grades work: specification & assessment pages, real grade boundaries, and how grades convert to UCAS points. Choosing GCSEs first? Choosing your GCSE options.

Always check the specific course.Entry requirements vary by university and change each year. Use these pages to narrow down, then confirm on each university's course page and via UCAS and the Russell Group's Informed Choices.