What A-levels do you need to study Architecture?
A route where your portfolio often matters more than a fixed subject list.
Required subjects
No specific A-levels are required for most Architecture courses. What matters is strong grades in academic subjects and, where it applies, the admissions test below.
Recommended & helpful
- Many courses specify no required subjects; a mix of a science/Maths and an essay or creative subject is common.
- Art or Design & Technology helps build the portfolio many schools of architecture ask for.
- Some universities do require Maths and/or a science — this varies significantly, so check each course.
Typical grades
Commonly AAB–AAA in relevant subjects; some providers work on UCAS points.
Admissions test
No national test; a design/drawing portfolio is frequently required at interview instead.
The thing students get wrong: Requirements vary more than for most routes — some architecture courses want Maths/a science, others none. The portfolio is often the deciding factor, so build creative work alongside whatever subjects you choose.
Explore these subjects
The specification, assessment structure and real grade boundaries for the subjects that matter for this route:
Always check the specific course.Entry requirements and required admissions tests vary by university and change every admissions cycle. Use these pages to narrow your choices, then confirm on each university's own course page and the Russell Group — Informed Choices.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
More: how to choose your A-levels · hardest A-levels by the grade data