University of Bath
A compact hilltop campus where most students take a placement year, with top UK results in sport and engineering.
- Students
- 21,452
- 16,401 undergraduates
- International
- 26%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 17.7:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- £26,150
- From · 2027-28
- Founded
- 1966
About Bath
The University of Bath received its royal charter in 1966 as Bath University of Technology, tracing its roots to a Bristol trade school founded in 1856, and moved to a purpose-built campus on Claverton Down above the city of Bath. The campus is compact enough to walk across in about fifteen minutes, and in 2025/26 it had 21,452 students, 16,401 of them undergraduates, with 26% from outside the UK.
Teaching is organised into the Faculty of Engineering and Design, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Science and the School of Management. Bath is best known for applied, career-focused degrees: 62% of 2024/25 undergraduate graduates took a placement year or study abroad option, and the university is consistently in the UK top ten in national league tables, ranking 8th in both The Times and the Guardian guides for 2027.
Bath is also one of Britain's leading sports universities: its Sports Training Village hosts around 250 international-level athletes and national squads. It suits students who want a high-achieving, campus-based university with strong graduate prospects and a close community, rather than a big-city experience.
Generatim discite cultus
“Learn the culture proper to each after its kind” — university motto
Why students choose Bath
Bath is 8th in the UK in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027 and the Guardian University Guide 2027, and 125th in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2027.
62% of 2024/25 undergraduate graduates took a placement year or study abroad option.
87% of full-time UK-based graduates were in high-skilled employment 15 months after graduating, against a UUK average of 71%.
The Sports Training Village hosts around 250 international-level athletes and more than 20 regional or national squads.
Admissions
2027 entry (September 2027)
Selectivity
Bath does not publish an overall offer rate. It describes courses such as Economics as extremely popular and highly selective, and says an offer cannot be guaranteed even if you meet or exceed the typical entry requirements.
Typical entry requirements
| A-levels | Course-specific for 2027 entry: A*AA (Psychology), A*AA including Mathematics (Economics), A*A*A including A in Mathematics (Computer Science), A*A*A including A* in Mathematics and A in Physics (Mechanical Engineering MEng); alternative offers (e.g. AAA or A*AB plus an EPQ or AS Further Maths for Economics) and automatic contextual offers (e.g. AAB including A in Mathematics for Economics) |
|---|---|
| IB Diploma | 36 points with 7,6,6 at HL (Psychology; Economics with HL Maths); 36 points with 7,7,6 at HL (Computer Science with 6 in HL Maths; Mechanical Engineering with 7 in HL Maths and 6 in Physics); contextual offers from 6,6,5 at HL |
| English language | IELTS 7 · TOEFL iBT 100 Depends on course category. Category B (e.g. Economics): IELTS 7.0 with no less than 6.5 in each component, or TOEFL iBT 100 with at least 24 in each section (tests up to 21 January 2026; 5 overall and 4.5 per section on the new scale). Engineering and Computer Science: IELTS 6.5 with no less than 6.0 in each component. Psychology: IELTS 7.0 with 6.5 in each component. |
Deadlines
- UCAS equal consideration deadline Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
All Bath undergraduate courses. Many decisions are held until all applications received by this date have been assessed.
- UCAS final deadline before Clearing Non-binding In ~9 months30 June 2027, 18:00 UK time
Applications after this go into Clearing; popular courses may be full well before then.
UCAS deadlines for 2027 entry are confirmed on ucas.com. Bath has no courses with a 15 October deadline among those reviewed. First-years must apply for accommodation by 1 July to be guaranteed a room.
How to apply
Apply through UCAS with a personal statement, predicted grades and a reference. For competitive courses such as Economics, Bath looks at your best eight GCSE grades (including Maths and English) alongside A-level subjects and predictions, and many decisions wait until all applications received by the January equal consideration deadline have been assessed. Contextual offers are made automatically to eligible applicants.
What admissions looks for
- Predicted grades at or above the typical offer, with required subjects such as Mathematics at the right grade.
- For Economics, your wider GCSE profile: Bath considers your best eight GCSE grades, and strong applicants have mostly 9 or A* grades.
- Evidence of study beyond three A-levels (for example AS Further Mathematics or an EPQ), recognised through alternative offers.
- A personal statement focused on the subject you are applying for; for Economics it must be relevant to Economics even if you apply to other subjects elsewhere.
Tips for applying to Bath
- 1 Check whether you qualify for Bath's automatic contextual offers: for Economics it drops from A*AA to AAB.
- 2 If you are taking an EPQ or AS Further Mathematics, look at the alternative offers, which can lower the A-level grades required.
- 3 Apply before the January deadline and expect to wait: many decisions for competitive courses are made only after that date.
- 4 Choose the placement or study abroad version of your course if you want work experience; most Bath graduates take that route.
- 5 Apply for accommodation by 1 July to be guaranteed a room in your first year.
Costs & financial aid
2027-28 · figures in GBP
The Bath Bursary supports UK students with household income of £30,000 or below: £2,750 in year 1 (£1,000 cash, £1,000 campus credit and £750 off university accommodation) and £2,000 in later years. Students in university accommodation with household income between £30,000.01 and £62,377 can get an Accommodation Bursary of £1,300 (income up to £42,875) or £620 (above that). These are the terms for 2026 entrants. Alumni donations have supported over 2,500 scholarship and bursary recipients.
- £2,750 (£1,000 cash, £1,000 campus credit, £750 accommodation reduction)
- Bath Bursary, year 1 (2026 entrants, household income £30,000 or below)
- £1,300 off first-year accommodation for household income £30,000.01 to £42,875; £620 for £42,875.01 to £62,377
- Accommodation Bursary (2026 entrants housed by the university)
Academics
Mechanical Engineering (MEng)
A*A*A with A* in Maths; ranked 3rd in the UK for Mechanical Engineering in the Guardian University Guide 2027.
Sports Science
Ranked 2nd in the UK by The Times and 3rd by the Guardian, backed by the Sports Training Village.
Economics (BSc)
A*AA including Maths, highly selective, with placement and study abroad variants; overseas fee £29,500.
Computer Science (BSc)
A*A*A including A in Maths; Bath is ranked 1st for Artificial Intelligence in the Daily Mail University Guide 2026.
Psychology (BSc)
A*AA; ranked 1st in the UK for Psychology in the Daily Mail University Guide 2026.
Aerospace Engineering
Ranked 1st in the UK for aeronautical and aerospace engineering in the Daily Mail University Guide 2026.
Research
- 92% of research was rated world-leading or internationally excellent in REF 2021, and the current research portfolio is worth £207 million from around 160 funders.
- IAAPS research with Ford cut engine fuel consumption by 13%, equivalent to taking 109,000 cars off the road.
- Bath research into making the energy grid more efficient has saved customers £116 million.
- 57 start-ups and spinouts launched by Bath staff and students have generated £37 million in business income and 525 jobs.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Engineering and Design
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Science
- School of Management
87% of full-time UK-based first-degree graduates were in high-skilled employment 15 months after graduating (HESA Graduate Outcomes 2023/24), versus a UUK average of 71%. Bath is joint 5th for career prospects in the Guardian University Guide 2027 and among the top 10 universities targeted by top graduate employers (High Fliers, 2024-25).
Student life
Bath is a campus university: teaching buildings, halls, the library (open 24 hours a day) and sports facilities sit together on Claverton Down, with the Parade as the central walkway and a lake at its heart. Sport is a big part of life, with the Sports Training Village and its Olympic legacy swimming pool used by students and elite athletes alike. The university has invested more than £450 million in the campus over the last decade, including The Edge arts building and a new School of Management building. Bath ranks first in the UK for graduate happiness in the Guardian University Guide 2027.
- Sports Training Village with an Olympic legacy swimming pool, home to around 250 international athletes.
- The library is open 24 hours a day, every day.
- The Edge, a £10.9 million arts building, hosts performances and exhibitions.
- Bath was named the 2nd safest university town or city in England and Wales in 2025 (Complete University Guide).
Housing. First-year undergraduates who are eligible for university accommodation and apply by the 1 July deadline are guaranteed a room.
Location
The campus sits on Claverton Down, about 1.5 miles from the centre of Bath, a small historic city in south-west England. The university also has The Virgil Building in the city centre, with a student learning zone and support services. Bath was ranked the 2nd safest university town or city in England and Wales in 2025 by the Complete University Guide.
Nearest airport: Bristol Airport (BRS)
Notable alumni
- JK Justin KingFormer CEO of Sainsbury's
- TH Tan Hooi LingCo-founder and former COO of Grab
- AM Anne McClainNASA astronaut
- HD Hassan DiabFormer Prime Minister of Lebanon
- YJ Yang JiechiFormer Foreign Minister of China
- TD Tom DeanOlympic swimming champion (2020 and 2024 Games)
- HS Heather StanningOlympic rowing gold medallist
- SB Steve BorthwickFormer Bath and England rugby union player
Frequently asked questions
What A-levels do you need for Bath?
Typical 2027 offers are high: A*AA for Psychology and for Economics (with Maths), and A*A*A for Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering. Contextual offers are lower, for example AAB for Economics.
Is it hard to get into Bath for Economics?
Yes. Bath says its Economics courses are extremely popular and highly selective, and meeting the typical A*AA offer does not guarantee a place; it also looks closely at your best eight GCSEs.
How much are Bath's international fees?
For students starting in 2027, overseas fees are £26,150 (humanities and social sciences), £29,500 (Economics and Management) or £32,950 (science, engineering and psychology) a year, rising by up to 8% annually.
Does Bath offer placement years?
Yes. Most courses have a placement or study abroad version, and 62% of 2024/25 undergraduate graduates took one of these options.
Does Bath guarantee first-year accommodation?
Yes, first-year undergraduates who are eligible and apply by the 1 July deadline are guaranteed university accommodation.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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