What A-levels do you need to study Computer Science?
Why Maths matters far more than Computer Science A-level for a CompSci degree.
Required subjects
- Mathematics — essential at essentially all competitive Computer Science courses.
Recommended & helpful
- Further Mathematics — required-if-available at Cambridge and recommended by other top courses.
- A science (often Physics) or Computer Science is useful but rarely required.
Typical grades
A*AA to A*A*A at the top (Cambridge A*A*A).
Admissions test
Some courses use a maths-based admissions test (e.g. Oxford's MAT); many require none.
The thing students get wrong: Maths is the real requirement — far more than A-level Computer Science, which most courses don't require. If you're aiming high, Further Maths matters more than Computing.
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
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