Can you get into University with a BTEC?

You've got questions about applying for uni, we've got the answers. Step inside...

Announcements Posted on
Please change your TSR password 23-05-2013
Enter our travel-writing competition for the chance to win a Nikon 1 J3 camera 20-05-2013
IMPORTANT: You must wait until midnight (morning exams)/4.30AM (afternoon exams) to discuss Edexcel exams and until 1pm/6pm the following day for STEP and IB exams. Please read before posting, including for rules for practical and oral exams. 28-04-2013
Sign in to Reply
  1. onlyoneknows's Avatar
    • New Member
    • Location: Waaales
    • Posts: 15
    Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    I was looking at homelearningcollege.com and was wondering if a BTEC Advanced Certificate could get me into a Uni after I complete it?
  2. DestinedToFail's Avatar
    • Full Member
    • Location: South East
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    Yes, I believe that is the one that is meant to be comparable to 3.5 A levels. Although some universities don't seem to like them that much.
  3. Khodu's Avatar
    • Vengeful, Imperial Overlord of The Student Room
    • Location: London
    • Posts: 4,767
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    You can... But it is kinda frowned upon as someone already said... But if you wanna study, many unis have courses which allow you.
  4. onlyoneknows's Avatar
    • New Member
    • Location: Waaales
    • Posts: 15
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    Does anyone know why it's frowned upon? That's a bit weird, a qualification is a qualification.
  5. saqib786's Avatar
    • Full Member
    • Location: Huddersfield
    • Posts: 79
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    yep, you can, as long as you achieve pass/merit/distinction, my friends wanting to do accountancy and finance with his business BTEC diploma.
  6. Checkmate121's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Posts: 852
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    yes but trust me...a-levels are much better
  7. Unrepentant's Avatar
    • Exalted Member
    • Location: UK.
    • Posts: 250
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    You can get to Uni with BTECs. A fair number of my friends have applied to Uni and they're doing BTECs. I remember when I was choosing between A-Levels and BTECs and was told that BTECS were more practical and more specialised in a certain area, whereas A-Levels were more academic and gave you more career choices.

    That aside, if the BTEC is relevant to the course required then I'm pretty sure they'd have you. One of my best friends is doing a BTEC in Music Tech and has applied to Uni's to do courses related to this.

    If you look at the entry requirements or even contact the Uni''s then I'm sure they will answer any questions you have.
  8. monkeyhead's Avatar
    • Benevolent Member
    • Location: Cardiff
    • Posts: 612
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    It all depends what you did your btec in! They're generally frowned upon as people dont really understand that there are slight variations of the qualification and different levels!

    If your btecs relevant then you shouldnt have a problem.
  9. Kate24-7's Avatar
    • Full Member
    • Location: West Midlands
    • Posts: 140
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    I do a BTEC National Certificate in Business (Finance) I applied to UCAS to do Accounting & Finance and have received 5 offers. I emailed Birmingham uni before I applied to ask if they would accept a BTEC, as my head of sixth form had warned me that it might limit my options, and they assured me that they would and they now have! They did specify that I was to get DD though.
  10. Daina's Avatar
    • Exalted Member
    • Location: UK
    • Posts: 390
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    I'm doing a BTEC in IT and Business, and before applying to Uni for American Studies, I emailed each course office and they all said that I wouldn't have problems applying. I've already got 2 offers too, so I wouldn't say it counts against you so long as you do well.
  11. stephyrose23's Avatar
    • Benevolent Member
    • Location: Hertfordshire
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    It all depends on the University.
    Which I believe is totally snobbery.

    Atm, I am taking a BTEC National Dip in Performing Arts - specifically Acting.

    Before that I completed my first year of A levels and got an A in Drama.

    It's not that I don't have a capability of doing A levels - I just didn't want to.
    And I have learnt more in two years in college than I did taking Drama for 5 years at secondary school.

    Not to toot my own horn, but I was the best in my class at A level, but the universities with the best Drama depts. don't accept BTEC National diplomas (Warwick, Glasgow, Royal Holloway).

    But I guess it's their loss, not mine.
  12. CAAAT's Avatar
    • Junior Member
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    (Original post by stephyrose23)
    It all depends on the University.
    Which I believe is totally snobbery.

    Atm, I am taking a BTEC National Dip in Performing Arts - specifically Acting.

    Before that I completed my first year of A levels and got an A in Drama.

    It's not that I don't have a capability of doing A levels - I just didn't want to.
    And I have learnt more in two years in college than I did taking Drama for 5 years at secondary school.

    Not to toot my own horn, but I was the best in my class at A level, but the universities with the best Drama depts. don't accept BTEC National diplomas (Warwick, Glasgow, Royal Holloway).

    But I guess it's their loss, not mine.

    I did the same thing as you!! did AS levels and really disliked the drama and theatre studies in 6th form ( also since there was only one lesson a week on a wednesday and it took an hour on bus to get to the school that did it! and the lessons were like 3/4 hours each time in a small room and then an hour journey home.... uurch!

    BTEC national diploma in performing arts was sooo much better and like you said, prepares you much better than GCSE or A level drama!

    Im wanting to go to drama schools though and they ask for pretty low grades since its purely vocational.

    depends what you wanna do i guess!!
  13. stephyrose23's Avatar
    • Benevolent Member
    • Location: Hertfordshire
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    (Original post by CAAAT)
    I did the same thing as you!! did AS levels and really disliked the drama and theatre studies in 6th form ( also since there was only one lesson a week on a wednesday and it took an hour on bus to get to the school that did it! and the lessons were like 3/4 hours each time in a small room and then an hour journey home.... uurch!

    BTEC national diploma in performing arts was sooo much better and like you said, prepares you much better than GCSE or A level drama!

    Im wanting to go to drama schools though and they ask for pretty low grades since its purely vocational.

    depends what you wanna do i guess!!
    Wow! That's soo weird!

    Yeah I would love to go to Drama school too, and I've already had one audition and I didn't get a call back, and it actually ripped me in two.

    I'm not sure I could put myself through that again. Not even the best of the best get in - its the best of the best of the best! Haha!

    It's also weird 'cause Drama schools couldn't be any more different to Universities - they are 100% vocational. Yet the training you recieve there is second to none, better than any Uni could offer you. And Universities snub vocational training.

    What someone said furthur up is true - a qualification is a qualification. And I've worked just as hard as any A level student to gain my good grades.
  14. CAAAT's Avatar
    • Junior Member
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    yeah same i find that really annoying! i worked damn hard in my BTEC performing arts and hate it when people snub it because 1. its BTEC and two its Performing arts!
    its alot of hard work and you have to be extremely talented!
    I went to Uni septeber 2008 and disliked my course... now im applying again this year and really hoping to get into drama school!

    yeah rejections can make you feel crap but tbh i just think... alsong as you prepared well, just think of it as a stepping stone, if you want to do something like drama school you need to be prepared for alot of rejections yeah. Im not exactly the most confident girl in the world, but thats something im really trying to prepare myself for!
    Ive got an audition in two weeks AAAHHH!!

    anywhooz yerr, back tot he main topic... if you want to study something more academic its probably better if you have a levels but that doesnt mean having BTEC makes it impossible.

    and quoting above 'a qualification is a qualification'!
  15. proper jimbo's Avatar
    • Full Member
    • Posts: 126
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    if u have enough ucas points the course requires then u should be fine, my mate is doing the same course as me, btec national diploma in public services, he applied to do business management and have got 4 offers from uni so far.
  16. jodElite's Avatar
    • Respected Member
    • Location: London
    • Posts: 239
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    You can definitely get into university with a BTEC. Some uni's don't accept them though, most do. Although for what I am taking I think a BTEC was a lot better experience than doing A-Levels, and has actually given me an advantage, so as long as it's related you'll be fine.
  17. Floria's Avatar
    • Exalted Member
    • Location: Oxford /Basingstoke
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    I did a Nat Dip in Games Development and got into Unis for Games Design/Development last year and Into Computer Science and Multimedia Computing this year.
  18. Diomedes's Avatar
    • Adored and Respected Member
    • Location: .
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    Unless you're applying to Oxbridge or UoL, they're not frowned upon as long as they're relevant to the course you wish to study at university.
  19. Darkened_Sol's Avatar
    • New Member
    • Location: United kingdom
    • Posts: 2
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    So a National Diploma in Networking (Level 3) and a university course in the field of Electrical/Electronic Engineering wouldn't go well?

    I have additional qualifications;
    A Level Pure Core Mathematics
    AS Level Chemistry
    AS Level Physics
  20. roubiliac's Avatar
    • Banned
    • Warning points: 1000
    Re: Can you get into University with a BTEC?
    My brother got into Durham with BTEC and is awaiting his final results now, hoping for a first.
Sign in to Reply
Share this discussion:  
Article updates
Moderators

We have a brilliant team of more than 60 volunteers looking after discussions on The Student Room, helping to make it a fun, safe and useful place to hang out.

Reputation gems:
The Reputation gems seen here indicate how well reputed the user is, red gem indicate negative reputation and green indicates a good rep.
Post rating score:
These scores show if a post has been positively or negatively rated by our members.