Most students take three full time Advanced Level subjects. You will be asked to choose three main subjects at application. You can add a fourth subject, which you may take as part of your course. Whether you take 3 or 4 will depend on your results at GCSE. The subjects you choose can be made up purely of A Levels, BTECs or a combination of both.
You have a great choice of 40 Advanced Level subjects at Holy Cross, but it's important to choose the right ones. We want you to enjoy your time here, and to give you the best chances of getting onto your preferred university course or career. When choosing a subject, try asking yourself these three questions:
All our Level 3 qualifications are widely accepted by universities, but because there are some differences between our courses, there may be a small number of universities that will not accept specific qualifications for certain programmes. If you have a particular university or course in mind, we recommend you research the requirements in detail on that university website, to check your subject choices are appropriate.
The Government refers to some subjects as ‘facilitating’ subjects. They are: Maths, Further Maths, English Literature, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, History and Languages (Modern and Classical).
Russell Group universities, which are the most competitive, no longer use a list of ‘facilitating’ subjects in their subject recommendations, although it is sensible for students to look at https://www.informedchoices.ac.uk to help select the right subjects for them.
If you start at Holy Cross without a GCSE pass at grade 4 in Maths or English Language we will require you to re-sit the GCSE or take another appropriate qualification, as it will be important for you in later life and for university entries.
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| Taking 4 subjects |
| Holy Cross Entry Requirements Table 2023 |
| How to appy |