How to Apply to Chemistry at the University of Leeds: three-year BSc, four-year MChem, plus Medicinal Chemistry and Chemistry with Artificial Intelligence, accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry; entry for UK, international (including Chinese) and transfer applicants

Chemistry at the University of Leeds is taught in the School of Chemistry, part of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences. You apply through UCAS directly to a specific course. This guide follows the Leeds website for September 2027 entry and is for UK applicants, international applicants (including Chinese applicants) and students who want to join the second year. It does not use the UCAS website or application portals, so check UCAS before you submit.

1. Degrees and routes

The School of Chemistry's undergraduate page lists these chemistry degrees (this guide used the course pages that carry a UCAS code):

• Chemistry BSc: three years, UCAS F100; Chemistry MChem, BSc (integrated Masters): four years, F103. The website also lists MChem versions with a Year in Industry and with Study Abroad.
• Medicinal Chemistry BSc: three years, F150; a Medicinal Chemistry MChem and versions with a Year in Industry or Study Abroad also exist; their codes were not used here, so see the course pages.
• Chemistry with Artificial Intelligence BSc: three years, F109. The website says the course combines foundational chemistry with AI and machine learning, using flow chemistry platforms, liquid handling robotics and automated reactors, with a final-year AI-based individual research project. MChem, International and Industrial Experience versions are also listed; their pages were not used for this guide.
• Chemistry and Mathematics BSc / MChem (BSc code FG11) and Natural Sciences BSc / MNatSc (four years, code BCF0) are listed on the same School page; only their codes and typical offers from the related-courses list were used, so see the course pages.
• Chemistry with a Foundation Year: see the UK applicants section below.

The website also runs Chemical and Process Engineering and other engineering degrees; they are outside the scope of this guide, so see the course pages.

2. How admission works and what you study

• You apply directly to a specific course, each with its own UCAS code. The website says the Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry degrees share a common first year, so at the end of year 1 you can transfer to Medicinal Chemistry or choose variants with an industrial or international placement; the School page adds that you can switch between these courses until you start your second year.
• BSc to MChem: the BSc course page says that at the end of the second year you may be able to move to the four-year integrated Masters (MChem, BSc). The School's integrated Masters page says the MChem and BSc have the same entry requirements; most UK students take the MChem because it is the most direct way to meet the educational requirements for Chartered Chemist; and you have until the middle of the third year to decide not to do the fourth year and graduate with a BSc after three. The School usually recommends that international students first apply for the three-year BSc because switching course may have visa implications; from within the UK you can apply to extend your visa to an integrated Masters.
• Year 1: 120 credits a year. On the Chemistry BSc page the sample compulsory modules are Introduction to Modern Chemistry (20), Chemistry and Chemists for a Sustainable Future (20), Introduction to Practical Chemistry and Research Skills (40), Chemistry in Action: Atoms, Molecules, Matter (10), Fundamental Organic Chemistry for Biology and Synthesis (10) and Chemistry of the Material World (10). Students without a B or above in A-level Maths take Maths for Scientists (10 credits); others take a 10-credit Discovery module.
• Year 2 compulsory examples: Organic Chemistry: Structure, Reactions and the Science of Life (20), Molecules, Energy, Quanta and Change (20), Practical, Professional and Research Skills for Chemists (40), Chemistry of Materials (10), Organometallics: From Bonding to Catalysis (10), Molecular Signatures: Spectroscopy and Chromatography (10) and Specialisms in Chemical Science (10).
• BSc Year 3: the compulsory module is the BSc Research Project (40 credits; lab-based or non-lab-based/pedagogic). Options include Extended Topics in Inorganic and Materials Chemistry, in Organic, Bioorganic and Interdisciplinary Chemistry, and in Physical, Theoretical and Environmental Chemistry (30 credits each), and Chemistry in the Real World, Big Data, Big Science, Ethical Issues in Chemistry and Chemistry into Schools (10 credits each). In Chemistry into Schools you are placed in a local secondary school as a teaching assistant; the website says it gives the school placement hours needed to enrol on a PGCE or similar course straight after the degree.
• MChem: Year 3 has a compulsory Project and Research Skills module (40 credits); Year 4 has the Integrated Masters Project (60 credits) and Advanced Topics in Chemistry (60 credits). The website says the MChem project normally accounts for 50% of the final-year assessment, against 33% for the BSc research project.
• Assessment and laboratory time: formal end-of-semester examinations predominate and often make up 80% or more of the assessment of lecture-based modules; laboratory work takes about 1 to 1.5 days a week and accounts for about 20% of overall assessment in years 1 to 3.
• Placement and study abroad: BSc students can apply for a one-year work placement or a year studying abroad at a partner university, moving to the industrial or international variant and extending the degree by 12 months; the degree title then carries "industrial" or "international". The website says there are 100+ organisations to choose from, with past students at GlaxoSmithKline, Unilever and AkzoNobel, and paid summer internships are also available.
• Accreditation: the Chemistry BSc and Medicinal Chemistry BSc are accredited by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), giving access to qualified RSC membership and partially meeting the academic requirement for Chartered Chemist (CChem); the Chemistry MChem, BSc is accredited as fully meeting that requirement.
• Selection: the Faculty's admissions guidance says interviews are not part of the standard process but an applicant may in some cases be invited; also not standard, applicants may be asked to sit a Mathematics/Mechanics and/or Physics test. Performance in the test and/or interview is considered with the UCAS form; invited applicants who do not attend are not considered further.

3. Typical offers (September 2027 entry)

• A-level: the Chemistry BSc, Chemistry MChem, Medicinal Chemistry BSc and Chemistry with AI BSc pages all say AAB including Chemistry. For science A-levels taken in England you must also pass the practical element. With an EPQ or International Project Qualification: grade A plus ABB at A-level including an A in Chemistry.
• GCSE: English Language 4 (C) or above and Mathematics 6 (B) or above, or equivalents; Level 2 Functional Skills English is accepted instead of GCSE English.
• IB: the Chemistry BSc and MChem pages ask for 6,6,5 at Higher Level including Chemistry (no total is given on the page).
• Other UK qualifications: BTEC D*DD with a significant number of chemical and scientific modules; Cambridge Pre-U D3 M1 M2 in three principal subjects including Chemistry; Irish Leaving Certificate (Higher) H2 H2 H2 H2 H3 H3 including Chemistry; Scottish applicants must present Chemistry at Advanced Higher, typically an A at Advanced Higher and AABBB at Higher; the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate can replace a third A-level at the same grade; Access to HE Diploma: 60 credits with 45 at Level 3, 30 at Distinction and the rest at Merit or above, with many chemistry and maths modules.
• T Levels: the Chemistry page says T Levels are not accepted for entry; you might be considered for a foundation year course.
• Access to Leeds (contextual admissions): typical A-level offer BBB including Chemistry plus a pass in the Access to Leeds scheme, for applicants who may be from low income households, first in their family to apply to higher education, or whose studies were disrupted.
• Mature applicants: applicants without the required A-levels or GCSE English and Maths can use the Alternative Entry Scheme, which may include tests in English and maths and an essay.

UK applicants

• How to apply: through UCAS. The course pages tell you to check the deadline on UCAS and say later applications may still be considered; availability in UCAS Extra is shown on UCAS. This guide does not use the UCAS website or portals; the application fee, personal statement and reference rules are not given on the pages used here, so check UCAS.
• Personal statement and references: the Faculty's guidance says that where applications show similar academic achievement and predicted grades, personal statements and references may be used to differentiate between applicants.
• Resits, deferrals, qualifications taken early: the guidance says Leeds will consider applicants who are retaking exams, will consider deferred entry (explain your reasons in your personal statement), and asks that the academic reference explain any GCSE or A-level taken early.
• Foundation year routes: the Chemistry course page says applicants without the formal qualifications for direct entry may progress through a Foundation Year, the first year of an extended degree: Studies in Science with Foundation Year BSc for students without science and mathematics qualifications and Interdisciplinary Science with Foundation Year BSc for applicants whose background is less represented at university; after the foundation year you progress to your chosen course. Entry requirements for those two courses were not used for this guide.
• Tuition: UK students pay £10,050 for 2027/28; the website says the government sets the fee cap, so later years will reflect changes, and from 2028/29 fees are likely to rise at least in line with inflation. The course pages give two bands, UK and international, with no split by England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland; see the website's fee status page for how status is decided.
• Additional costs: the School provides personal protective equipment and laboratory notebooks; recommended books may be bought; course software is provided by the University.

International applicants

• How to apply: the website says international students apply through UCAS in the same way as UK students, and recommends applying as early as possible so there is time to arrange a visa.
• English language: the course page asks for IELTS Academic (or IELTS for UKVI Academic) 6.0 overall with no component below 5.5, taken at a test centre, no more than two years old at the start of the course, and achieved in a single test (or a single test plus a One Skill Retake). The international entry requirements page lists other accepted undergraduate tests: TOEFL iBT (tests before 21 January 2026: 80 overall with at least 18 in reading, 17 in listening, 20 in speaking and 19 in writing; from 21 January 2026: 4 overall and at least 4 in each component), PTE Academic 60 (59 in each component; PTE Academic Online is not accepted), LanguageCert Academic 65 (60 in each component, taken at a test centre), Oxford ELLT Global 6 (5 in each component), Oxford Test of English Advanced 126 (111 in each component), Cambridge English 169 (162 in each component), Trinity ISE II 90 overall (80 in each skill) and Study Group AES 60% (50% in each component). GCSE English Language at C/4 also counts. Applicants below the requirement may take the undergraduate pre-sessional English course.
• Qualifications: the course page says Leeds accepts a range of international equivalent qualifications; use the admissions qualifications page (by country) or contact the admissions team.
• International foundation routes: the international foundation routes page says applicants who do not meet the academic requirements can use the University of Leeds International Foundation Year (after which you progress to one of more than 150 undergraduate degrees, taught by Leeds academics throughout), the Study Group Leeds International Study Centre International Foundation Year or International Year One (the latter allows entry to year two of some degrees), or the NCUK International Foundation Year and International Year One. Which of these lead to Chemistry is not given on the pages used for this guide; check with the provider.
• Fees and visas: the course pages give international tuition of £33,700 a year for 2027/28 for Chemistry, unchanged for the whole degree; a study abroad or work placement year is charged at a reduced fee (see the website fees page). Proof of funds and visa details are not given on the pages used here; see the visas and immigration page on the website.

Applicants from China

• Gaokao and Chinese high school results: the Chemistry course page only says Leeds accepts a range of international equivalent qualifications. It does not say how gaokao scores or Chinese high school results are used and gives no gaokao cut-off; this is not given on the pages used for this guide. Leeds has a country-by-country admissions qualifications page (only the first page of the country list was used here, not the China entry); check it for the Chinese requirements, or write to chmadmis@leeds.ac.uk.
• Leeds International Foundation Year: the International Foundation Year entry requirements page asks Chinese students for an overall average of 80% (grade B) in Senior High School year 3 with at least 80% in relevant subject areas; the same scores are accepted from year 2. English for the Science and Engineering routes is IELTS 5.5 overall with 5.5 in each component (TOEFL iBT 72 for tests before 21 January 2026, and a 4 overall and 4 in each component scale for later tests). The page describes the general requirement for bachelor degrees with an integrated International Foundation Year and does not say whether Chemistry has a matching foundation-year version; ask the International Foundation Year admissions team (IFYAdmissions@leeds.ac.uk).
• Other foundation routes: the Study Group Leeds International Study Centre and NCUK also offer international foundation years and international year one programmes; see the section above.
• Chinese applicants taking A-levels or the IB apply directly against the A-level or IB requirement for the course.
• Interviews and accreditation bodies: nothing specific to Chinese applicants is given.

Transfer and entry to the second year

• Advanced entry to the second year: the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences guidance says Leeds will consider applications for second-year entry, made through UCAS by the application deadline. You must meet the first-year entry requirements for the course (see Course Search), have met the learning outcomes of year 1 of the relevant programme, and have achieved a minimum 60% average in the first year. Places are limited and the decision also weighs academic performance, personal statement and references; entry to Level 3 is not generally permitted.
• Internal transfer: current Leeds students must email the relevant admissions team (contact details on the course page) with their current programme, grades, other qualifications, reasons for transfer and interest in the subject, and a transfer is subject to places being available; applicants may be interviewed, and may have to complete their current year to a specified level. Successful applicants receive an offer setting out any conditions. Current Leeds students who do not contact their School before the deadline are not guaranteed consideration.
• Credit transfer from other universities is not described on the pages used here; write to chmadmis@leeds.ac.uk.

Fees and scholarships

• Tuition: UK students £10,050 and international students £33,700 a year for 2027/28 (Chemistry course pages); the international fee stays the same for the whole degree.
• UK students: the scholarships list shows the Leeds Bursary for UK students (the amount varies with household income and course; marked open) and a 10% alumni tuition discount for former Leeds students (UK and international). The undergraduate funding page also covers government student loans and hardship funding.
• International students: the international scholarships page says more than £20 million in scholarships is available, while the international students page says more than £14 million for students starting in 2026; the figures differ, so check the scholarships search page. Which undergraduate scholarships apply to international Chemistry students, and their amounts and conditions, are not given on the pages used here; use the website's scholarships search (filter by undergraduate, international and chemistry).

Timeline (September 2027 entry)

• The Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences guidance (which covers the School of Chemistry) says applications should arrive at UCAS by 18:00 UK time on 13 January 2027, the "equal consideration" deadline; applications received by then are considered equally. The website also says that for applications made by the January deadline UCAS asks universities to decide by mid-May at the latest.
• Applicants who receive an offer are invited to an offer holder event.
• A separate deadline for international applicants is not given on the pages used here; the website recommends applying early to leave time for a visa.

Application checklist

UK applicants:

• A-level AAB including Chemistry (pass the practical element in England), GCSE Maths 6 and English 4; or IB 6,6,5 at HL including Chemistry
• Apply through UCAS by 18:00 on 13 January 2027; choose the exact degree and UCAS code

International applicants:

• IELTS 6.0 (5.5 in each component) or equivalent; A-level or IB results as above
• Apply early to leave time for a visa; the School usually advises international students to apply for the three-year BSc first

Applicants from China:

• How gaokao and Chinese high school results are used is not given on the pages used here; check the China entry on the admissions qualifications page or write to the admissions team
• International Foundation Year: 80% average in senior high school year 3 with 80% in relevant subjects, and IELTS 5.5

Transfer applicants:

• Second-year entry: a first-year average of at least 60%, limited places, apply through UCAS by the deadline

Not given on the pages used here, or to check

• How gaokao and Chinese high school results are used; the application fee; a separate deadline for international applicants
• Which scholarships apply to international Chemistry students; whether a Chemistry version of the International Foundation Year exists
• Credit transfer from other universities; UCAS codes of the placement and study-abroad variants
• How fee status is decided; visa and proof-of-funds requirements

Sources: University of Leeds, School of Chemistry undergraduate; Integrated Masters; Chemistry BSc; Chemistry MChem, BSc; Medicinal Chemistry BSc; Chemistry with Artificial Intelligence BSc; Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences admissions guidance; International entry and English language requirements; International foundation routes; International Foundation Year entry requirements; International scholarships and funding; International students; Undergraduate funding overview; Scholarships search; Admissions qualifications (by country). Courses, offers and fees follow the course pages marked 2027 entry (2027/28); check the University of Leeds website and UCAS for the latest details.