Wales’ most competitive degree courses revealed
AS THE deadline for applying to university next September looms, we can reveal the hardest degree courses in Wales to get a place on.
Applications data from Wales’ universities show the courses that have the most applicants per place and some of the grades needed.
The September 2020 entry deadline for all UCAS undergraduate courses, except those with a October 15 deadline, is 6pm on January 15.
The hardest degree course to get into in Wales, in terms of competition per place, is the BA (Hons) Acting at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in Cardiff.
There were 1,000 applications for just 22 places on the course last year – 45 people for every place, with people applying from all over the world.
Graduates of the course include Gavin & Stacey star Rob Brydon, Aneurin Barnard, Dougray Scott,
Eve Myles and Rakie Ayola.
Cardiff University’s midwifery degree is the next toughest, with 20 applications for each place, followed by dentistry with 12 applications per place.
Bangor University’s diagnostic radiography degree course has 10 applications per place.
While candidates need top A-level grades for these courses, the RWCMD said candidates for its even more competitive BA (Hons) Acting degree are expected to have studied at A-level, but admission is primarily based on how they perform at audition.
A spokeswoman said: “Entry to the programme is primarily by audition, and we welcome applications from anyone who is passionate about becoming an actor. We are looking for a diverse, motivated, talented cohort.
“Talent and potential may not always be reflected in formal qualifications and consequently a range of experiences, skills and competences will be taken into account.”
The three most popular degree programmes at Aberystwyth University are law, psychology and history.
Cardiff Metropolitan University said its most competitive undergraduate course last year was speech and language therapy, with four applications per place.
In 2019 there were 160 applications for 40 places on that course.
The next hardest were social work, with 115 applications for 25 places, and human nutrition and dietetics, with 105 applications for 25 places.
Cardiff University’s midwifery course is one of the hardest degrees to get a place on in Wales, with 20 applications for every place.
Cardiff’s dentistry degree has 12 applications per place and medicine 10 applications per place.
While the University of South Wales does not report the numbers of students on individual courses, undergraduate degrees with the most applications are midwifery and child nursing.
For courses starting in September 2020, there were roughly 15 applications for every place on the midwifery course, and eight applications for every place on child nursing.
Those applying for a place would normally need to achieve BBB grades in their A-levels or equivalents to be accepted on to the courses, a spokesman said.