How to Apply for Economics at the University of Stirling: BSc Economics (L100) in the Business School, January or September 2027 Start, Highers AABB for Year 1 and Advanced Highers AAB for Year 2, for UK, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The University of Stirling is in Scotland, and its economics degrees are taught by the Stirling Business School. The website says teaching follows the CORE approach (Curriculum Open Access Resources in Economics), applying economic thinking to real business and policy challenges, and that the University is AACSB accredited. This guide follows the Stirling website for 2027 entry and covers UK applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Business, accounting and finance have their own degrees; they appear here only in the joint degrees.

1. Which economics degrees you can apply for

• BSc (Hons) Economics: UCAS code L100. The course page gives start dates of January 2027, September 2027 and January 2028; 48 months for Year 1 entry or 36 months for Year 2 entry; full time or part time; on campus.
• BA (Hons) Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE): UCAS code L0V0, starting September 2027; the fee data page gives the same international fee as Economics.
• Joint Honours: the Economics page lists subjects that can be combined with economics, with UCAS codes: Accountancy LN14, Business Studies LN11, Environmental Science FL91, Finance LN13, Marketing NL51, Mathematics GL11 and Politics LL12. Where the two subjects have different entry requirements you will usually be asked to meet the higher one.
• You apply to the subject directly: you apply to L100 (or the joint-degree code), not to an undecided intake. The course page says you can combine economics with one of eight other complementary subjects, though the list on the page shows the seven above.

2. Course content and structure

• Content: the website lists micro and macroeconomics, data analysis and statistics, economic policy, artificial intelligence in the labour market, how economics can address climate change, behavioural economics, global poverty and inequality, game theory, industrial organisation and causal inference; you finish with a dissertation, with opportunities for publication in the Stirling Student Economic Review.
• Assessment: the course page says there are typically no exams in semesters 1–4, with coursework instead (class tests, quizzes, group projects, presentations, short economist reports and digital artefacts); in semesters 5–8 you may have some exams alongside larger coursework.
• Teaching: each module has live sessions and a tutorial or seminar each week; every student has a mentor; the HeadStart programme develops public speaking and conflict management.
• Placements, time overseas and industry links: the page mentions placements, collaborative projects with business and internships, guest speakers from OFCOM, the Competition and Markets Authority and the World Bank, and exchange links with international universities. The number of places and whether they are paid are not given.
• Further study: the website says Stirling is part of the Scottish Graduate Programme in Economics and teaches its own MSc Behavioural Science.

3. Entry requirements and prerequisites (2027 entry)

• Year 1 entry (four-year Honours): Highers AABB; A-levels ABB; IB 28 points; BTEC Level 3 DDM. No essential subject is listed for Year 1.
• Year 2 entry (three-year Honours): Advanced Highers AAB; A-levels AAB; IB 32 points; essential: one of Economics, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, Psychology, Geography or History at Higher or A-level.
• Mathematics and economics subjects: no mathematics or economics requirement is listed for Year 1; whether a particular mathematics grade is needed is not given on the pages used for this guide, so ask Admissions.
• English: IELTS 6.0 with 5.5 in each skill or equivalent (see International applicants below).
• Admissions tests and interviews: the Economics course page mentions none.

UK applicants (Highers, Advanced Highers, A-levels, IB, BTEC)

• Scottish structure: Honours degrees at Stirling are four years from Year 1 entry. The course pages also list Year 2 entry (three-year Honours), which asks for higher results in Advanced Highers, A-levels or the IB (figures for each course are given above).
• Highers first: Stirling’s UK qualifications page says it generally makes offers on Highers, and only occasionally on Advanced Highers. Highers may be taken over two sittings, though repeated or upgraded exams may bring a higher grade request. Advanced Highers may be considered only if you cannot meet the requirements with Highers alone, and this is not guaranteed because preference goes to Highers; if considered, an Advanced Higher at grade C or above counts as a Higher at A, and a D counts as a Higher at B. Offers are made on grades, not UCAS tariff points.
• A-levels: offers are based on predicted grades and normally on three A-levels, although every application is considered individually. A pass in the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is taken into account for applicants who narrowly miss their conditions. BTEC Level 3 is typically DDM (check each course page), T-levels generally Merit, the Welsh Advanced Skills Baccalaureate counts as one A-level, and the Irish Leaving Certificate asks for up to five Higher Level subjects at H2 or H3 for most courses.
• How recent subjects must be: the course pages say essential subjects must have been taken within the last five years; recent work experience can be considered in place of a formal qualification.
• Applicants from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are in the RUK fee category. The course pages list £10,050 for 2027/28 (and say it may change with UK Government guidance). The Stirling Success Scholarship page says eligible students from these places receive a £5,000 package: £2,500 in cash in Year 1, a £500 sports centre and campus food credit, and a further £2,000 at the start of the Honours year (Year 4); a place in University-managed accommodation is guaranteed in first year if you apply by 31 August.
• Scottish applicants: the course pages list £1,820 for 2027/28, paid by the Scottish Government through SAAS (you apply each year).
• Contextual offers: widening access students may be eligible for an adjusted offer, and care-experienced applicants are guaranteed an offer if they meet the minimum entry requirements; eligibility is set out on the University’s widening participation pages.

International applicants

• Qualifications: country-by-country requirements are on the University’s International entry requirements page, which also tells you to check the course page for specific grades and essential subjects. If your country or qualification is not listed, the page says to email international@stir.ac.uk.
• English: if English is not your first language you need proof. The course pages (the same for every degree in this guide) accept IELTS Academic or UKVI 6.0 with at least 5.5 in each skill; PTE Academic 60 overall with at least 59 in each skill; and TOEFL iBT 80 overall (reading 18, writing 17, listening 17, speaking 20) for tests taken before 21 January 2026, or 4 overall with no band below 4 for tests taken from 21 January 2026. The English language page lists further accepted tests (such as LanguageCert, Cambridge C1 Advanced, Trinity ISE and Oxford ELLT), normally taken within two years of the course start; check its table for the exact 6.0-equivalent scores. Nursing asks for more (see below).
• Exemptions: the English page says you need no proof if you are from, or have a UK-degree-equivalent qualification from the last five years in, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the UK or the USA, or if you are a national of Canada. Other qualifications (for example A-level or GCSE English, IB English at grade 4 or above, Scottish Higher English at grade C or above) can waive the test; see the undergraduate waiver page. That page does not list a Chinese qualification.
• Language and pathway courses: if you do not meet the academic or English requirements, the International Study Centre (INTO Stirling) runs pathway and English programmes; its iCAS programmes combine a pathway and the degree in one study plan with one visa.
• Fees: The fee data page lists the Economics BSc at £19,500 for international (including EU) students for 2026/27 and £20,000 for 2027/28 (full time, per year); Economics and Finance, Economics and Mathematics and Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) are also £20,000 for 2027/28. Extra or resit modules cost extra.
• Funds for the visa: the international funding page says that for a successful visa application you need funding covering the full cost of the first year of study, and the scholarship page says students who need a visa still pay the International Tuition Fee Deposit. The exact amounts are not given on the course pages; check the University’s visa page and the UKVI website.
• Scholarships: the course pages say eligible international students automatically receive a scholarship worth between £10,000 and £20,000 over the duration of the course. On the scholarship pages, the International Undergraduate Scholarship (open to all international students) takes £2,500 off the annual fee each year (£10,000 over four years), is assessed automatically with no separate application, and cannot be combined with other University scholarships (except the Sports Scholarship); separate undergraduate awards of £5,000 a year (£20,000 over four years) exist for students from places such as the USA, Canada and the UAE. The pages used for this guide list no undergraduate scholarship specific to China.

Applicants from China

• Direct entry to Year 1 on the China page: the 3-year Chinese Senior Secondary School Graduation Certificate with 70% overall; or the 2-year Huikao result with 75% overall (in provinces without Huikao, 75% overall from six modules); or the Gaokao with 420 of 750 in most of China, 370 of 660 in Shanghai or 504 of 900 in Hainan. A foundation qualification from a pathway provider or university is also considered for Year 1.
• Direct entry to Year 2 on the China page: the Gaokao with 495 of 750 (435 of 660 in Shanghai, 594 of 900 in Hainan), or a foundation qualification from a pathway provider or university. The page says Year 2 entry is not available on every course and tells you to contact the country representative; the “Advanced entry” section of each course page is what shows whether a given course accepts Year 2 entry (see each degree above; the Economics page words this inconsistently).
• Course grades and essential subjects: the China page reminds you to check the course page for specific grades and essential subjects. How Chinese high school subjects map to the course page’s mathematics or biology requirement, and whether the Gaokao thresholds apply in the same way to every course, is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask Admissions (international@stir.ac.uk).
• Documents: the China page gives no checklist of transcripts or verification agencies. The University’s “after you apply” page says that results not sent automatically through UCAS (for example non-UK qualifications) must be sent to Admissions directly, and that if they are not received by 31 August the University is under no obligation to accept you.
• Contacts: the China page lists the international recruitment team, two International Officers for China and a set of approved agents in China, and links a Chinese-language microsite (stirlinguni.cn); you can also email international@stir.ac.uk.
• Pathway: if you fall short of the academic or English requirements, INTO Stirling’s International Foundation (3–4 terms) is the pathway listed. The website says it prepares students for Year 2 of a Scottish degree, and its iCAS option combines the pathway and the degree in one study plan with one visa; for its own entry requirements and fees, check the INTO Stirling website.

Routes, deadlines and documents (2027 entry)

• September entry is through UCAS: the website says full-time undergraduate September entry goes through UCAS, for all students wherever they are based. Stirling’s UCAS name is STIRL and its institution code is S75; course codes are on each course page (above). You can apply for up to five courses, including several at the same university, and universities do not see your other choices.
• A second statement: the “after you apply” page also says that international students who applied directly or through the Common Application receive decisions by email and in My Portal, and reply to offers there. Taken together, the two pages do not make clear whether international applicants can bypass UCAS for September entry; confirm with international@stir.ac.uk.
• January entry: some courses start in January for students from England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and abroad, and these applications go directly to the University, not through UCAS. The 2027 and 2028 January list includes Economics, Biology and Animal Biology; Mathematics and Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence are not on it.
• Deadlines: the application and “after you apply” pages do not give a UCAS deadline date; they say only that applications received after the relevant deadlines may not be considered. Check the UCAS website for the 2027 deadline.
• Personal statement and references: the personal statement should explain why you chose the course and why Stirling should offer you a place; the nursing pages ask for an academic reference (an employer’s reference if that is not possible; friends are not accepted). The course pages read have no separate supplementary essay.
• Interviews and tests: some courses have a second-stage process such as an interview or an extra piece of written work, set out on the course page. The Mathematics, Economics and Biology course pages read for this guide mention no admissions test or interview. Nursing applicants face a Disclosure Scotland check and an occupational health check.
• Deferred entry: the website says it will consider deferred entry, applied for through UCAS.
• Sending results: results from Highers, Advanced Highers, A-levels (at a UK school or college), the IB and BTEC normally reach Stirling automatically through UCAS; if you studied outside the UK, send official results to Admissions through My Portal or by email.
• Decision dates: no date for decisions is given beyond “as quickly as possible” through UCAS Hub; check the website.

Transfer and direct entry to second year

• Year 2 entry: The Economics page says students with A-levels or Advanced Highers can enter Year 2 directly and finish in three years (Advanced Highers AAB, A-levels AAB, IB 32), with one of Economics, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, Psychology, Geography or History at Higher or A-level essential. However, the “Advanced entry” box on the same page says “Advanced entry is not available for this course”. The website contradicts itself, so both statements are given here; confirm with Admissions.
• HNC/HND: the UK qualifications page says that on some related courses an HNC can lead to Year 2 and an HND to Year 3; HNDs from England, Wales and Northern Ireland need Merits and at least two Distinctions in all units, and Year 3 entry needs 50% Merits/Distinctions in second-year subjects, case by case.
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): the University’s RPL policy lets you ask for credit when you apply, either for entry to a later year or for module exemptions. RPL is considered only at the point of application, needs a separate RPL form and evidence, and the University does not normally charge a fee for considering it. At least one-third of the credits for a Stirling award must be earned at (or validated by) Stirling, and a module exemption does not reduce the tuition fee. You submit an RPL application together with the standard course application.
• Three Advanced Highers: the UK qualifications page says students with three Advanced Highers may be offered Year 2 entry; contact Admissions.
• Moving from another university: the pages read for this guide have no dedicated undergraduate transfer page, so a GPA threshold, number of transferable credits and a transfer deadline are not given; contact admissions@stir.ac.uk and read the “Advanced entry” section of the course page.

Fees and scholarships at a glance

• International: Economics BSc is £20,000 a year for 2027/28 (£19,500 for 2026/27).
• RUK: £10,050 for 2027/28 (£9,790 for 2026/27); eligible RUK students receive the Stirling Success Scholarship.
• Scotland: £1,820, paid by the Scottish Government through SAAS.

Checklist

UK applicants:

• Choose L100 or a joint degree and copy the UCAS code correctly; Year 1 is Highers AABB, A-levels ABB or IB 28, and Year 2 asks for Advanced Highers AAB or equivalent
• For January entry apply directly to the University, not through UCAS; check the UCAS website for the September deadline

International applicants (including China):

• Check your qualification on the International entry requirements page; a Gaokao score of 420/750 (most provinces) is listed for Year 1, but ask Admissions how it relates to the course page grades
• English: IELTS 6.0 (5.5 in each skill) or equivalent; check the waiver page
• Economics can start in January or September; the two pages describe UCAS and direct/Common App routes differently, so confirm with international@stir.ac.uk

Transfer students:

• The website contradicts itself on Year 2 entry, so contact admissions@stir.ac.uk first; submit an RPL application together with the admissions application

Sources: University of Stirling: Economics subject page; BSc (Hons) Economics; How to apply; After you apply; January entry; Entry requirements; UK and Republic of Ireland qualifications; Recognition of prior learning; International entry requirements; International students - China; English language requirements; English language waiver (undergraduate); Pathway programmes; International funding; Undergraduate tuition fees; Course fee data; International Undergraduate Scholarship; Stirling Success Scholarship. Information is for 2027 entry; where a page prints no year, check that the date applies to 2027 entry. Check the University for the latest details.