Chances of getting offers for English Literature without the A-Level?

I decided pretty recently I'm going to pursue what I actually want to do at university (English) and not what I've been encouraged to do (Biomedical Science / Diagnostic Radiography). I did not do English Literature or Language for A-Level (though I got a 9 and 8 in them respectively at GCSE) and I was wondering what my chances are at getting accepted!

My A-Levels
- Psychology (predicted A*)
- Geography (predicted A)
- Biology (predicted A)

Universities I'm applying to
- UEA (firm?)
- Sheffield (firm?)
- Sussex
- Nottingham Trent (insurance)
- Unsure

Of course, I'm limited in my uni choice as the more prestigious unis and Russel Groups require English Literature A-level. I'm banking on Psychology and Geography being essay-based subjects. My top choices would be Nottingham, Leeds and York. But oh well :tongue:

In my personal statement, I'm aiming to show mostly that I have read a broad range of literature (Sylvia Plath, Charlotte Bronte, George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Margaret Atwood - a few examples), as well as literature revolving around each of my subjects (The Selfish Gene for Biology, Freud's works for Psychology, Prisoners of Geography for Geography) and can analyse, critique and compare it, as well as briefly of NaNoWriMo, which I've participated in annually since 2018, how I'm self-publishing a novel, and experience gained from entering essay competitions.

I'd really appreciate any insight :smile:

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 1

McGinger

20

Have you actually looked at the entry requirements for these courses on each Uni website?
They will state clearly if Eng Lit is a required A level.

Original post by jessfjshsds

I decided pretty recently I'm going to pursue what I actually want to do at university (English) and not what I've been encouraged to do (Biomedical Science / Diagnostic Radiography). I did not do English Literature or Language for A-Level (though I got a 9 and 8 in them respectively at GCSE) and I was wondering what my chances are at getting accepted!
My A-Levels
- Psychology (predicted A*)
- Geography (predicted A)
- Biology (predicted A)
Universities I'm applying to
- UEA (firm?)
- Sheffield (firm?)
- Sussex
- Nottingham Trent (insurance)
- Unsure
Of course, I'm limited in my uni choice as the more prestigious unis and Russel Groups require English Literature A-level. I'm banking on Psychology and Geography being essay-based subjects. My top choices would be Nottingham, Leeds and York. But oh well :tongue:

In my personal statement, I'm aiming to show mostly that I have read a broad range of literature (Sylvia Plath, Charlotte Bronte, George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Margaret Atwood - a few examples), as well as literature revolving around each of my subjects (The Selfish Gene for Biology, Freud's works for Psychology, Prisoners of Geography for Geography) and can analyse, critique and compare it, as well as briefly of NaNoWriMo, which I've participated in annually since 2018, how I'm self-publishing a novel, and experience gained from entering essay competitions.
I'd really appreciate any insight :smile:

Hello @jessfjshsds

Our English Literature courses requirements are, GCSEs in English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade C or grade 4 and AAB including English Literature or one of the subjects listed below.

Contextual: BBB including English Literature or one of the subjects listed below:

English Language and Literature, English Language, History, Ancient History, History of Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Classical Civilisation, Classical Studies, Politics, Government and Politics, Sociology, Drama, Theatre Studies, Film Studies, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Media Studies, Psychology or Law.

See the course here

We do also offer a foundation course, see here. With offers ranging from CCC.

As you have not studied a related A level subject I would suggest contacting our admissions team either by email or phone.

[email protected]
[email protected]
01603591515 or live chat us here

I wish you the best of luck,
UEA REP Tiffany

Reply 3

jessfjshsds

OP

3

Original post by McGinger

Have you actually looked at the entry requirements for these courses on each Uni website?
They will state clearly if Eng Lit is a required A level.

Yeah, I mention in my post that I'm only applying to universities that don't require it :smile:

Original post by jessfjshsds

Yeah, I mention in my post that I'm only applying to universities that don't require it :smile:

Hi Jess

I know you are interested in courses that don't require an A-Level in English, but you might want to consider taking a year out to independently study the A-Level.

The A-Level is very different to English at GCSE so it would help you to make sure you definitely want to pursue English. It would also open your horizons to a wider range of universities. Your A-Level grades are brilliant: you could pursue English at any university of your choice if you had the A-Level.

Alternatively, foundation year courses could be a great route for you. At the University of Nottingham, we require applicants to BA English to hold an A-Level in English. However, our Foundation Arts and Humanities course does not require any specific subjects and guarantees access to BA English upon successful completion.

Please note, our Foundation Year does require applicants to meet our Widening Participation criteria. However, there are other foundation years out there that are designed for students from all backgrounds.

Hope this helps.

Ella
Uni of Nottingham Official Rep

Original post by jessfjshsds

I decided pretty recently I'm going to pursue what I actually want to do at university (English) and not what I've been encouraged to do (Biomedical Science / Diagnostic Radiography). I did not do English Literature or Language for A-Level (though I got a 9 and 8 in them respectively at GCSE) and I was wondering what my chances are at getting accepted!
My A-Levels
- Psychology (predicted A*)
- Geography (predicted A)
- Biology (predicted A)
Universities I'm applying to
- UEA (firm?)
- Sheffield (firm?)
- Sussex
- Nottingham Trent (insurance)
- Unsure
Of course, I'm limited in my uni choice as the more prestigious unis and Russel Groups require English Literature A-level. I'm banking on Psychology and Geography being essay-based subjects. My top choices would be Nottingham, Leeds and York. But oh well :tongue:

In my personal statement, I'm aiming to show mostly that I have read a broad range of literature (Sylvia Plath, Charlotte Bronte, George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Margaret Atwood - a few examples), as well as literature revolving around each of my subjects (The Selfish Gene for Biology, Freud's works for Psychology, Prisoners of Geography for Geography) and can analyse, critique and compare it, as well as briefly of NaNoWriMo, which I've participated in annually since 2018, how I'm self-publishing a novel, and experience gained from entering essay competitions.
I'd really appreciate any insight :smile:

Hi there,

It’s fantastic that you’ve decided to pursue English—your passion and preparation shine through. While not having A-level English might seem like a hurdle, your strong essay-based subjects like Psychology and Geography, combined with your excellent GCSEs (9 and 8 in English), show you’re more than capable. Your reading list is diverse, and linking it to your other subjects adds a unique interdisciplinary edge. Plus, your NaNoWriMo experience and novel-writing show real initiative and creativity—both huge assets for English courses.

UEA is an excellent choice, with its global reputation for literature and creative writing. They’re known for fostering passion and creativity in their students, so your application will likely stand out there. Sheffield, Sussex, and Nottingham Trent are also strong options, and many universities are open to non-traditional A-level combinations if you show clear passion and skill, which you’ve done brilliantly.

Best of luck—your enthusiasm for English will definitely shine through!
Daniel
PhD Biology

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 6

jessfjshsds

OP

3

Original post by OffUniRepElla

Hi Jess
I know you are interested in courses that don't require an A-Level in English, but you might want to consider taking a year out to independently study the A-Level.
The A-Level is very different to English at GCSE so it would help you to make sure you definitely want to pursue English. It would also open your horizons to a wider range of universities. Your A-Level grades are brilliant: you could pursue English at any university of your choice if you had the A-Level.
Alternatively, foundation year courses could be a great route for you. At the University of Nottingham, we require applicants to BA English to hold an A-Level in English. However, our Foundation Arts and Humanities course does not require any specific subjects and guarantees access to BA English upon successful completion.
Please note, our Foundation Year does require applicants to meet our Widening Participation criteria. However, there are other foundation years out there that are designed for students from all backgrounds.
Hope this helps.
Ella
Uni of Nottingham Official Rep

Hi, I actually have decided that I'm going to do the A-level independently next year! 🙂

I would rather have a wider range of universities to apply to haha, and Nottingham would be my top choice if I had the A-level! And I agree, having spoken to my friends doing English Literature and looking at the specifications, it is vey different to GCSE, and I know I would feel more comfortable doing the degree knowing I have the same skills and experience from the A-Level as everybody else.

Thank you very much for your response! :biggrin:

(edited 1 month ago)

Reply 7

planethxn

Original post by jessfjshsds

I decided pretty recently I'm going to pursue what I actually want to do at university (English) and not what I've been encouraged to do (Biomedical Science / Diagnostic Radiography). I did not do English Literature or Language for A-Level (though I got a 9 and 8 in them respectively at GCSE) and I was wondering what my chances are at getting accepted!
My A-Levels
- Psychology (predicted A*)
- Geography (predicted A)
- Biology (predicted A)
Universities I'm applying to
- UEA (firm?)
- Sheffield (firm?)
- Sussex
- Nottingham Trent (insurance)
- Unsure
Of course, I'm limited in my uni choice as the more prestigious unis and Russel Groups require English Literature A-level. I'm banking on Psychology and Geography being essay-based subjects. My top choices would be Nottingham, Leeds and York. But oh well :tongue:

In my personal statement, I'm aiming to show mostly that I have read a broad range of literature (Sylvia Plath, Charlotte Bronte, George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Margaret Atwood - a few examples), as well as literature revolving around each of my subjects (The Selfish Gene for Biology, Freud's works for Psychology, Prisoners of Geography for Geography) and can analyse, critique and compare it, as well as briefly of NaNoWriMo, which I've participated in annually since 2018, how I'm self-publishing a novel, and experience gained from entering essay competitions.
I'd really appreciate any insight :smile:

As someone who didn't do A Levels, and lasted one year at college after leaving school then went straight into work, it's not the be all and end all.

I'm currently in my 1st year of undergrad, studying English Literature. It is something you can do, I'm unsure if your current qualifications will be enough to enrol on an English Lit course at uni, but if not you could do what I did.

I studied an access course in Humanities and Social Sciences that essentially helped me get the credits I needed to get into uni to study the course I'm doing. Its a 1 year fast track A level course and I'm so thankful that I found out about it because if I hadn't I'd still believe I couldn't go on to study my passion and get a job in it.

I hope this helps.

Original post by jessfjshsds

I decided pretty recently I'm going to pursue what I actually want to do at university (English) and not what I've been encouraged to do (Biomedical Science / Diagnostic Radiography). I did not do English Literature or Language for A-Level (though I got a 9 and 8 in them respectively at GCSE) and I was wondering what my chances are at getting accepted!
My A-Levels
- Psychology (predicted A*)
- Geography (predicted A)
- Biology (predicted A)
Universities I'm applying to
- UEA (firm?)
- Sheffield (firm?)
- Sussex
- Nottingham Trent (insurance)
- Unsure
Of course, I'm limited in my uni choice as the more prestigious unis and Russel Groups require English Literature A-level. I'm banking on Psychology and Geography being essay-based subjects. My top choices would be Nottingham, Leeds and York. But oh well :tongue:

In my personal statement, I'm aiming to show mostly that I have read a broad range of literature (Sylvia Plath, Charlotte Bronte, George Orwell, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Margaret Atwood - a few examples), as well as literature revolving around each of my subjects (The Selfish Gene for Biology, Freud's works for Psychology, Prisoners of Geography for Geography) and can analyse, critique and compare it, as well as briefly of NaNoWriMo, which I've participated in annually since 2018, how I'm self-publishing a novel, and experience gained from entering essay competitions.
I'd really appreciate any insight :smile:

Good evening @jessfjshsds,

It's great to hear you are considering studying English literature; this sounds like a great course choice.

The University of Reading looks at every application on individual merit, ensuring every student can receive an offer; this is the contextual offers scheme. However, this does not mean every student gets a university offer. However, it does mean your personal statement and grades will be looked at in detail, so they can decide if you are a good fit.

At the University of Reading, there is an ambassador scheme where you can speak to current students and ask them any questions about their course or life at university. The closest match for an ambassador to your desired course is the English literature ambassador. Emily is a second-year student who would be happy to answer any questions you may have about the English literature programme; you can speak to Emily here.

When I was applying to the university, I found it very helpful to attend an Open Day; however, for students who live far away or do not have access to an Open Day, there is a Virtual Tour which prospective students can look at from their homes. I highly recommend you have a look at the Virtual Tour, it provides an insight tot the campus.

I hope this information provides an insight into some of the degree options you may like at the University of Reading; if you have any questions, then please let us know, and we will be happy to help.

All the best,
Ella
BSc Ecology

Chances of getting offers for English Literature without the A-Level?

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