University of Warwick labelled ‘hardest’ to get into in the West Midlands

New research carried out by Oxford Home Schooling suggests that the University of Warwick is the “hardest university” to get into in the West Midlands.

The study looked at which UK universities set the highest entry requirements, and which are most likely to accept students achieving lower grades. According to the research, the University of Warwick requires 160 UCAS points, a minimum of two A* grades and one A grade at A level, for 44.3% of its degree courses.

Oxford University is considered the hardest university in the country to get into

In addition to having the highest entry requirements, the University of Warwick ranks first amongst West Midlands universities in the Complete University Guide.

The University of Birmingham has similarly high entry requirements, requiring 160 UCAS points for 39.31% of its courses. Oxford University is considered the hardest university in the country to get into, with 99.13% of its courses requiring 160 UCAS points. This is followed by the University of St Andrews with 91.29%. Exeter College was found to be the most accessible higher education institution nationally, since 21.62% of its courses are available to students with only 20 UCAS points. 

These statistics accompany an assessment of UK higher education institutions using UCAS tariff points, in order to identify the universities and subjects with the most competitive entry requirements.

The current university admission system is thought to exclude students who […] do not meet the grade thresholds at universities like Warwick

Greg Smith, from Oxford Home Schooling, said: “The latest grade statistics suggest that as few as 9.3% of A level students achieved an A* in 2024, and a further 18.5% achieved an A grade. This means that for institutions that set the majority of their courses at 160 points, roughly 3/4 of students will be unable to take advantage of the high level of education these institutions are known for.”

He added: “While the tariff system is a useful way for students and parents to understand the level of qualification and understanding needed to cover a particular subject, its qualification based nature does mean that it’s less flexible than alternative approaches, such as a portfolio of work.”

The current university admission system is thought to exclude students who could otherwise benefit from higher education but do not meet the grade thresholds at universities like Warwick.