How to Apply to Economics at the University of Bath: Economics, Economics and Mathematics and Economics with Politics as Three-Year BSc Degrees With Optional Placement or Study Abroad, a Highly Selective Process With GCSEs Weighted at 50%, and Entry Requirements for Home, International (Including Chinese) and Year 2 Transfer Applicants

Economics at the University of Bath is taught by the Department of Economics on the Claverton Down campus. This guide sets out what you need to know for September 2027 entry, based on Bath’s official information, for UK applicants, international applicants (including students at high schools in China) and students who want to join Year 2. Management and computing courses are taught elsewhere and are not covered here.

1. The courses and how you are admitted

• Three BSc (Hons) degrees: Economics, UCAS code D100, three years, with a four-year version with professional placement or study abroad; Economics and Mathematics, D120, three years, with a four-year version; and Economics with Politics, D110, three years, with a four-year version. Bath’s related-course lists also show Politics with Economics and International Development with Economics, which are offered by other departments and are not covered here.
• Course content: Economics Year 1 focuses on microeconomic and macroeconomic theory while building mathematics, statistics, data analysis and coding skills; compulsory units include Macroeconomics 1, Mathematics for economists, Microeconomics 1, Probability and statistics, and Programming and computational methods for economists. Year 2 adds Econometrics, Macroeconomics 2 and Microeconomics 2 with 30 credits of options; the final year has 60 credits of options. Economics and Mathematics adds a stronger mathematics, statistics (algebra, analysis, probability and statistics) and programming base to the economic theory. Economics with Politics Year 1 includes Politics: key concepts and analysis, Essential study skills in politics, Macroeconomics 1, Microeconomics 1, Mathematics for economics and Statistics for economics. Bath says credits are ECTS and you take 120 credits (60 ECTS) a year.
• Teaching and assessment: typically 12 to 15 timetabled hours a week in the first year; on Economics about 50 to 75% is assessed by examination and 25 to 50% by essays, reports and presentations.
• You apply directly to a course through UCAS. Bath’s selection page says Economics and Economics with Politics (including the placement or study abroad versions) are considered equally using the same factors, you can switch between them at any stage of the application process, and there is no benefit to using more than one UCAS choice; Economics and Mathematics is not listed in its “applicable courses”. Whether you can change course after enrolling, and the grades needed, are not on the course pages (not published; ask the department).
• Placement and study abroad: every economics course can be taken with a professional placement or study abroad in Year 3 (four years). Bath says a placement can earn a salary and study abroad means studying a complementary course at a partner institution. The pages do not say whether places are guaranteed; check the website.
• Accreditation: the economics course pages do not mention professional accreditation; not published.

2. Selection and entry requirements

• Highly selective: Bath says its Economics courses are extremely popular, places are limited, and an offer is not guaranteed even if you meet or exceed the typical requirements. It looks at your whole application: GCSE profile about 50% (your best eight grades including Mathematics and at least one English Language or Literature subject; in previous years the strongest applicants had mostly 9 or A*); predicted or achieved grades about 20% (Mathematics is particularly important); subjects studied about 20% (A-level Mathematics is required; you do not need Economics or Politics; the strongest applications study Mathematics and two preferred subjects from a list that includes Biology, Chemistry, Classical Civilisation, Computer Science, Economics, English Language/Literature, a foreign language, Further Mathematics, Geography, History/Ancient History/History of Art, Law, Philosophy, Politics, Physics, Psychology, Religious Studies, Sociology, Statistics and Welsh); and personal statement about 10%. Bath says these are typical factors and weightings and it reserves the right to consider others.
• Qualifications other than A-levels: the same factors apply but are tailored to the qualification; for example previous achievements such as GCSEs may be less relevant for a broad baccalaureate-style qualification such as the IB Diploma or the French Baccalaureate.
• Personal statement: only the UCAS personal statement is read, and alternative or supplementary statements are not usually considered; if you apply to several subject areas it must be relevant to Economics. Bath says a strong statement shows enthusiasm for economics, fluent writing and logical, analytical thinking, and reflects on experiences or research beyond the curriculum, for example reflection on debates in the discipline, relevant work experience (not required), summer schools or preparatory courses, and a project qualification such as the EPQ or Welsh Baccalaureate.

Course	Typical A-level offer	Contextual offer (UK fee status only)
Economics, Economics with Politics	A*AA including Mathematics	AAB including A in Mathematics
Economics and Mathematics	A*AA including A*A in Mathematics and Further Mathematics	A*A in Mathematics and Further Mathematics plus B in a third A-level

• GCSE English: Economics and Economics with Politics ask for English Language or Literature at 4/C (or a Category B English test); Economics and Mathematics asks for 4/C (or a Category C test).
• Alternative offers (more than three A-levels, not eligible for a contextual offer): Economics and Economics with Politics, AAA or A*AB including A in Mathematics, plus an A in an EPQ/IEPQ, an A in AS Further Mathematics (if not taking the A-level), a B in a fourth A-level (where the four include Further Mathematics) or another recognised project qualification; Economics and Mathematics, A*A in Mathematics and Further Mathematics plus B in a third A-level, plus an A in an EPQ/IEPQ, a B in the Welsh Baccalaureate Challenge Certificate or another recognised project qualification. You receive each offer you qualify for and need to meet only one.
• Further Mathematics: Economics and Mathematics requires it, with a strong preference for the full A-level; in exceptional cases AS Further Mathematics may be considered with A*AA including A* in Mathematics plus A in AS Further Mathematics plus grade 2 in any STEP paper or Merit in the GCE AEA in Mathematics. If you have not studied it, Bath suggests Mathematics, Statistics and Data Science or other economics degrees that do not require it. For applicants with A-level Mathematics and Further Mathematics, Bath does not consider STEP, MAT or TMUA. The Economics and Economics with Politics pages do not list a separate maths test.
• Contextual offers: Bath’s contextual admissions page says that for most courses the contextual offer is two grades lower than the typical offer, and one grade lower for Economics and Mathematics (joint degree) for 2026 and 2027 entry.
• IB Diploma: Economics and Economics with Politics: 36 points with 7, 6, 6 at Higher Level including either HL Mathematics; contextual 36 points with HL 6, 6, 5 including 6 in either HL Mathematics. With SL Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches Bath may consider you: typical 36 points with HL 6, 6, 6 or 7, 6, 5 plus 6 in SL Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches (contextual 6, 5, 5 plus 6); SL Mathematics: Applications & Interpretations is not accepted. Economics and Mathematics: 36 points with HL 7, 6, 6 including 6 in Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches, or 7, 6, 5 including 7 in it; contextual 36 points with HL 6, 6, 6 or 7, 6, 5 including 6. IB Career-related Programme applicants are considered case by case; for economics you will usually need either HL Mathematics course, and vocational study in Business is preferred.
• Scottish qualifications: AA in two Advanced Highers including Mathematics; you would typically have completed five Highers, with AAAAA preferred.
• Other UK qualifications: Economics: BTEC National Extended Diploma at D*DD plus A in A-level Mathematics studied alongside (Business BTECs preferred; Engineering or Science BTECs can be considered with evidence of strong essay-based skills such as strong GCSE English and humanities results); T Levels are not accepted; the Access to HE Diploma needs at least 39 credits at Distinction including 12 in Mathematics, and suitable applicants are interviewed. Economics and Mathematics: the BTEC Extended Diploma and the Access to HE Diploma are not suitable, and T Levels are not accepted. Bath does not differentiate A-level requirements between England, Wales and Northern Ireland; rules for the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales differ by offer (see the course page).
• US AP: Economics and Economics with Politics: 5, 5, 5 in three AP tests including Calculus AB or BC (at most one Calculus AP counts; AP Seminar and AP Research do not), assessed individually. The Economics and Mathematics page says the requirement is under review.
• Interviews: the Economics page says applicants with qualifications such as the Access to HE Diploma are invited to interview, and others only very exceptionally.

3. International applicants

• How to apply: all undergraduate applications go through UCAS with institution code B16; the process is the same for international students. For the UCAS application fee and the exact reference and personal statement formats, check the UCAS website. Bath’s page says you need the course’s UCAS code and the institution code, and that the academic reference should come from your most recent place of education; the personal statement is submitted through UCAS.
• After you apply: you receive an Application Tracker account to follow your application and upload documents Bath asks for; Bath asks you to check it regularly because missing documents slow down processing.
• Interviews: Bath says it usually assesses the UCAS application and only invites applicants with qualifications that are harder to assess on paper (such as Access to HE diplomas) or less typical educational histories; see the note under each course’s entry requirements.
• English preparation: if you need to improve your English, a pre-sessional English course runs in the summer before the first semester (Academic Skills Centre); Bath’s representatives in your country can help with applications.
• Student visa and proof of funds: Bath’s application page says you need proof of English to meet Home Office standards for a Student visa and links to the UK government’s Student visa page. The amount of funds to show and credential evaluation are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the UK government Student visa pages and Bath’s international student pages.
• English (Category B, higher than Category C): IELTS 7.0 with at least 6.5 in every component; TOEFL iBT taken after 21 January 2026: 5 overall and at least 4.5 in each component (earlier tests: 100 overall and 24 in each); PTE Academic 69 with no element below 62 (PTE Academic Online is not accepted); Duolingo taken after 1 July 2024: 130 overall with Speaking 120, Writing 130, Reading 120 and Listening 115; LanguageCert Academic 75 with at least 70 in each component. See Bath’s Category B page for the full list.
• Economics and Mathematics uses Category C English: IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.0 in every component; TOEFL iBT taken after 21 January 2026: 4.5 overall and at least 4.0 in each component; PTE Academic 62 with no element below 59; see Bath’s Category C page for the full list.
• Grades and credentials: course pages have a selector for the country or region of your qualification; students taking A-levels or the IB Diploma, in the UK or abroad, follow the requirements above.
• International Foundation Year: the course pages point to the International Foundation Year at Bath’s International Study Centre on campus, with guaranteed progression to your chosen degree if you reach the required grades. Which foundation pathway leads to economics and the grades needed are not on the course pages; check the International Study Centre pages.
• Contextual offers: Bath says these are only for students eligible for UK fees who meet one of its socio-economic criteria (such as a free-school-meals record, a high-disadvantage postcode with state-school study, care experience or refugee status), and only for A-level or IB Diploma applicants; they are automatic and replace the typical and alternative offers. International applicants with Overseas fee status (including applicants from China) therefore look at the typical and alternative offers. Bath adds that for most courses the contextual offer is two grades lower than the typical offer, and one grade lower for a few joint courses.

4. Applicants from China

• Economics and Economics with Politics: the Chinese qualifications section lists the Gaokao at 80% overall including 80% in Mathematics for Science, and the AST at 230, 210, 210 in three subjects including 210 in Mathematics. Bath lists the Gaokao and AST separately and does not say whether both are needed, so ask admissions@bath.ac.uk before applying.
• Economics and Mathematics: for both the Gaokao and the AST the page says Bath is unable to accept students on the basis of this qualification alone; you need some recognised additional study in Mathematics, and the page suggests the data science course or other economics degrees. What counts as additional study is not specified.
• Students taking A-levels or the IB in China: apply with the requirements in section 2, noting the Category B English requirement.
• Huikao transcripts, graduation certificates and credential agencies: the course pages only list Gaokao and AST scores; how the Huikao or graduation certificate is used and whether a credential evaluation is needed is not given on the pages used for this guide; check the website or contact admissions. Bath’s GCSE weighting is described for A-level applicants; how the GCSE part is judged for Gaokao applicants is not published, so ask the admissions team.
• Interviews: no China-specific interview arrangement is described on the course pages.

5. Joining Year 2 (direct entry)

• The course pages do not describe a route into Year 2; not published. Contact admissions@bath.ac.uk if you already have university study. Bath’s application page says applicants who already hold a degree-level qualification may apply, but this can affect funding and, for international students, visas.

6. Fees and scholarships

• 2027/28 fees: Home £10,050, subject to parliamentary approval. Overseas: BSc Economics and BSc Economics and Mathematics are in Band 2 (Economics and related and School of Management courses) at £29,500. The fee page lists “BSc Economics and Politics” in Band 2 while the course page is titled “Economics with Politics”; confirm with admissions that they are the same course. Bath advises budgeting for increases of up to 8% each year. The course pages say fee information is not yet available; the figures here come from Bath’s 2027 fee page.
• Placement or study abroad year: Home fee to be confirmed by the UK government; for Overseas students the Band 2 placement-year fee for “Economics courses” is £8,195.
• UK students may be able to take a tuition fee loan (course pages); details of UK bursaries and scholarships are on Bath’s undergraduate funding page and amounts were not read for this guide.
• Bath International Excellence Scholarship: up to 300 awards for September 2027 entry, £8,000 a year for up to three years (£24,000), as a tuition discount. You must be a new first-year applicant assessed as an Overseas fee payer and hold an offer for any undergraduate degree starting in September 2027; if you win, you must make Bath your firm choice in UCAS. You apply through the form in the Application Tracker after receiving an offer (Bath says applications open in late 2026); Round 1 closes on 14 February 2027 and Round 2 on 31 March 2027. Applications are not first come, first served and are considered once only; there are three questions of up to 1,000 characters each. No discount applies in a placement or study abroad year, and the scholarship stops if you become eligible for Home fees. Bath also says international students may find funding from external organisations that support students from specific countries (see its international funding page).
• Extra costs: at least £100 for photocopying, printing and binding, plus textbooks; during a placement you cover your own travel, accommodation and living costs.

7. UCAS application and timeline

• Institution code B16; course codes are in section 1.
• Deadline: the course pages for Economics, Economics and Mathematics and Economics with Politics give 13 January 2027 as both the Home and Overseas application deadline. Bath’s application page warns that after the deadline it cannot guarantee places; check the UCAS website for UCAS’s own dates.
• When you hear: the Economics page says Bath aims to decide as soon as possible but many decisions wait until after the January UCAS equal consideration deadline; a small number of offers are made between October and January and most in February and March.
• Personal statement: see section 2; the Economics with Politics page adds that it can include relevant reading, political or debating societies, topics from your current studies, other activities, work experience or activism for a political party or NGO.

Checklist

UK applicants:

• Economics / Economics with Politics: A*AA including Mathematics; Economics and Mathematics: A*AA including A*A in Mathematics and Further Mathematics; check whether you qualify for an automatic contextual offer
• GCSE English at 4/C, and your best eight GCSEs ready (about half the weighting)
• Submit to UCAS by 13 January 2027, institution code B16; one UCAS choice covers both Economics and Economics with Politics

International applicants (including China):

• International school students: A-levels or the IB (36 points, HL Mathematics); Gaokao students: 80% (80% in Mathematics for Science), and confirm how the AST is used; the Gaokao alone is not accepted for Economics and Mathematics
• IELTS 7.0 (6.5 in each component), or GCSE English at 4/C; Economics and Mathematics lists IELTS 6.5 (6.0 in each component)
• Apply for the Bath International Excellence Scholarship after receiving an offer (14 February or 31 March 2027)

Students who want to join Year 2:

• No route is published; contact admissions before applying

Sources: University of Bath, Economics courses; Economics BSc; Economics and Mathematics BSc; Economics with Politics BSc; Admissions for A level students for Economics; 2027 undergraduate tuition fees; International Excellence Scholarship; Applying for an undergraduate course; Contextual admissions; UCAS 2027 entry dates and deadlines. Information is for September 2027 entry. Check Bath and UCAS for the latest details, and each course page for its own requirements.