Entrance Examinations & Merit Awards 2024 Entry

Entrance Examinations & Merit Awards; student in library

Applicants for our Entrance Exams sit two exam papers which last an hour and a half each. Depending on the marks you achieve in both papers, you could receive up to £1,000 a year and an Unconditional offer. There are 3 levels of award:

University Scholarship – £1,000 per year

We have 50 university Scholarships to award to the candidates scoring the highest aggregate marks of both examination papers. Successful candidates receive £1,000 for each year of their course. University Scholarship holders also receive an unconditional offer.

Merit Award – £1,000 in the first year

We offer up to 100 Merit Awards each year to those achieving the next highest aggregate marks of both examination papers. Merit Award holders receive £1,000 during the first year of their course. University Merit Award holders also receive an unconditional offer.

Unconditional Offers

Strong performance in the Entrance Examinations can result in the University confirming your place without further conditions, resulting in an unconditional UCAS offer. Candidates who do not receive a Scholarship or Merit Award may be given an unconditional offer on the basis of their strong performance in the Entrance Examinations.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the Entrance Exams?

Entrance Exams are optional exams for students applying for an undergraduate degree scheme at Aberystwyth.
All exams must be completed on your school or college's computer or laptop with internet connection, web browser and Microsoft Word. If you have special circumstances that prevents you from doing so, please note this on your application form. All candidates for the Mathematics exam will be asked to answer on paper.
Exams are held at your school/college on the 9th of February 2024. You must ensure you obtain the permission of your Exams Officer before submitting your application.
You will sit TWO exams from the choice of subjects we offer (the choice of exam papers must be approved by the Department you have applied to study at).
Each exam lasts for an hour and a half and both exams need to be taken on the same day.
The exams are set and marked by our academic departments so they don’t follow any particular syllabus but they should be a similar standard to A-level exams. We do not offer marking schemes or feedback for exam papers.

2. What are the benefits of sitting the exams?

Successful candidates will receive one of 3 levels of award:

University Scholarship – £1,000 a year plus an unconditional offer
We have 50 University Scholarships to award to the candidates scoring the highest aggregate marks of both examination papers. Successful candidates receive £1,000 for each year of their course.
Merit Award – £1,000 in the first year plus an unconditional offer
We offer up to 100 Merit Awards each year to students who do well in the Entrance Examinations but narrowly miss out on attaining a Scholarship. Merit Award holders receive £1,000 during the first year of their course.
Unconditional Offer
Strong performance in the Entrance Examinations can result in the University confirming your place without further conditions, resulting in an unconditional UCAS offer. Candidates who do not receive a Scholarship or Merit Award may be given an unconditional offer on the basis of their strong performance in the exams.

*Please note that the Unconditional Offer is for the course(s) you have already applied for. You will not be able to adjust your course following the results of the Entrance Exams.

2. A guaranteed University place can take the pressure off other exam results.

3. Being awarded a Scholarship is a great addition to your CV.

3. Which exam papers should I choose?

Please ensure you choose subjects which are relevant for the degree scheme you wish to pursue. If you don’t sit exams in appropriate subjects, this may affect your eligibility for an award.

It's a good idea to look at some of the past papers to get a feel for the type and level of questions likely to be asked, but please note that the format of exam papers may change from year to year.

4. How do I apply?

Exams will be held at Schools/Colleges on the 9th of February 2024. Our Online Application Form will open in Autumn 2023.

You MUST obtain your Exams Officer's permission before submitting your application form to ensure they are able to make the necessary arrangements. We will need their name and email address as part of the application process in order to obtain confirmation and to send exam instructions in due course.

Applications outside of the UK will be considered on an individual basis. If international applicants do not attend an eligible school (eg an International School), there may be an option of sitting the exams at a British Council Office. Any such arrangements would be at the expense of the applicant, who would need to make all necessary arrangements directly with the British Council in advance of submitting their application form.

Further information for International Applicants will be available here soon.

5. How will the online exams work?

Guidance for Applicants will be available here soon

Please also familiarise yourself with the Policy on Good and Unfair Academic Practice for the Entrance Exams.

6. What if I have special exam requirements?

Please consult with your Exams Officer regarding any arrangements you have in place for normal school/college exams.

Eligible candidates may be entitled to 25% extra time, and arrangements as per normal school examinations, please see our Policy on making reasonable adjustments for applicants sitting the Entrance Examinations.

7. What can I take into the exams?

Candidates are not permitted to take mobile phones, smart watches or any similar digital devices into the Entrance Exams. Unless specified otherwise below, no texts, dictionaries, atlases or other documents or equipment may be used:

Accounting & Finance- non-programmable calculators may be used.
Art Portfolio – candidates must arrange to submit their portfolio by the date of the written exams.
Business and Management – non-programmable calculators may be used.
Chemistry – a periodic table is provided and a calculator may be used.
Economics – non-programmable calculators may be used.
Mathematics - candidates are permitted to use calculators (provided they are silent, self-powered, without communication facilities, and incapable of holding text or other material that could be used to gain an unfair advantage), candidates should provide their own calculators. Candidates may take into the examination any 'Information Booklets' approved by their examining board for use in examinations (Statistical Tables will be provided for the Further Maths paper).
Physics – all relevant information will be contained within the paper, but candidates may take into the examination room any ‘Information Booklets’ permitted by their Examining Boards for use in those examinations if they wish. Candidates are permitted to use calculators (provided they are silent, self-powered, without communication facilities, and incapable of holding text or other material that could be used to gain an unfair advantage).
Photograhy Portfolio – candidates must arrange to submit their portfolio by the date of the written exams.

9. Information for Schools and Colleges

All our Entrance Exams are now held online. We are currently updating our Guidance for Schools and Colleges document and it will be available to download here soon.

Applicants will need access to the following:

A computer or laptop
Microsoft Word
A web browser (eg Chrome, Firefox, Edge)
The closing date for the 2024 exams will be confirmed in Autumn 2023 and after that date Aberystwyth University accounts will be created for applicants and details emailed to them. This will enable them to login to the exam site in advance, to familiarize themselves with the system.

Candidates are required to sit both papers in the same day. Schools may determine start times to suit their own timetables. The exams last for one and a half hours each.

There is no charge associated with sitting the Entrance Exams, but the University is unable to contribute to any invigilation or room booking costs which may be incurred.

10. Results and Payment

All results will be sent to applicants via email within 4-6 weeks of the exams taking place.

If successful, you will receive payments in two equal instalments (December and March) directly into your bank account once you register as a student with us. Please ensure that you have entered your bank details onto your student portal (under 'Personal Information') in order for us to be able to make the payments.

Please note there is no financial award with the Unconditional Offer.

11. Benefactors

The provision of our Entrance Scholarships has been made possible by generous donations from a number of benefactors over the years.

Some awards have restrictions placed on who can receive them, but it is not necessary to apply for a specific Scholarship – if your exam results are sufficiently high we will award a suitable Scholarship to you.

However, you should let us know if you are the son of a Nonconformist Minister and therefore eligible for consideration for the David Morgan Thomas of Caterham Memorial Scholarship.

We have published a list of our Benefactors and the terms and conditions associated with individual awards online.

12. Terms and Conditions

Apply now to sit the Entrance Exams