University College London has an acceptance rate of 23.6%. Being ranked at the #9 position as per QS World University Rankings 2026, UCL is highly selective. A total of 89,239 applications were received for undergraduate admissions at UCL for the 2025-26 academic year. Of those, 38,696 applicants were offered admission (an offer rate of 43.4%). The overall UCL acceptance rate is significantly lower, at about 23%, with 9,138 students enrolling from 89,239 total applications. This is lower than the offer rate due to students accepting multiple offers elsewhere.
Students applying for admission to University College London are assessed based on their individual academic merit (including meeting high specific grade requirements), the UCAS personal statement, references, and other supporting documents. As a member of the Russell Group and consistently ranked among the global top 10 universities, UCL currently houses 51,793 students from around the world. International students, hailing from over 150 countries, comprise 50% of the total student body, confirming its strong international character.
UCL's campus currently hosts a large Indian student community, including over 1,000 degree-seeking Indian students. UCL's undergraduate intake spans 11 faculties, with applications up ~3% from 2024/25, driven by international appeal and STEM booms. The university's 400+ programs, many top-10 QS-ranked by subject—fuel this surge, but places remain capped at 9,138. Application statistics for 2025-26 admissions are given below:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Applications | 89,239 |
| Total Offers | 38,696 |
| Total Places | 9,138 |
| Offer Rate (%) | 43 |
| Acceptance Rate (%) | 23.6 |
| Avg. Applications per Place | 9.76 |
Trends:
- Engineering and Life Sciences saw 10-13 applications/place, reflecting tech/health demand.
- Arts & Humanities averaged 7.0 applications/place.
- 61% female undergraduates (above UK average), 35% Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic among UK-domiciled.
Also Check: UK Universities with Highest Acceptance Rate
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UCL Acceptance Rate of Faculty of Arts and Humanities
The Faculty of Arts and Humanities at University College London (UCL) overall acceptance rate is 66%. This marks an increase from previous cycles, reflecting a balanced demand with an average of 7.0 applications per place. The faculty received a total of 9,000 applications, leading to 5,946 offers and 1,315 places.
| Program | Applications | Admission Offers | Acceptance Rate | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arts and Sciences BASc | 1,354 | 1,096 | 80.8% | 217 |
| School of European Languages, Culture, and Society (SELCS) | 1,243 | 993 | 79.8% | 290 |
| English | 783 | 429 | 54.8% | 110 |
| Euro. Social and Pol. Stds BA | 681 | 415 | 42.30% | 107 |
| Slade School of Fine Art | 1,294 | 163 | 12.6% | 77 |
| Greek & Latin | 285 | 250 | 87.7% | 60 |
| Hebrew & Jewish Studies | 44 | 34 | 77.3% | 4 |
| Philosophy | 934 | 662 | 70.9% | 133 |
| Information Studies | 287 | 265 | 92.33% | 26 |
| School of Slavonic and East European Studies (SSEES) | 2,097 | 1,639 | 78.15% | 291 |
| Total | 9,002 | 5,946 | 66.05% | 1,315 |
UCL saw a slight increase in applications this year, but offer rates generally improved, reflecting a move toward more holistic assessment.
- The easiest programs to enter are Information Studies (92% offer rate) and Greek & Latin (87.7%), the latter being a low-competition gem with just 4.8 applications per place.
- Conversely, the Slade School of Fine Art remains the most selective at a mere 12.6%.
- In terms of sheer volume, SSEES saw the most applications (2,097) with a 78.15% offer rate.
UCL Acceptance Rate of Faculty of Brain Sciences
The Faculty of Brain Sciences at UCL has an acceptance rate of 37.71%. The faculty processed 3,025 applications, issuing 1,141 offers and 285 students accepted places. Check out the course-wise admission report of the Faculty of Brain Sciences in UCL:
| Program | Applications | Admission Offers | Acceptance Rate | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ear Institute | 101 | 59 | 58.41% | 20 |
| Linguistics | 322 | 249 | 77.32% | 45 |
| Psychology | 1,918 | 436 | 22.73% | 139 |
| Psychology & Lang. Sciences BSc | 284 | 211 | 74.29% | 56 |
| Neurology | 400 | 186 | 46.5% | 25 |
| Total | 3,025 | 1,141 | 37.71% | 285 |
UCL Acceptance Rate of Faculty of the Built Environment
University College London has a selective acceptance rate of 32.27% in the Faculty of the Built Environment. The acceptance rate of various subjects in this faculty of University College London is as follows:
| Program | Applications | Admission Offers | Acceptance Rate | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | 3,233 | 539 | 16.67% | 256 |
| Planning | 624 | 336 | 53.84% | 79 |
| Environment, Energy and Resources | 376 | 304 | 80.85% | 50 |
| Sustainable Construction | 445 | 330 | 74.15% | 70 |
| Total | 4,678 | 1,509 | 32.27% | 455 |
UCL Acceptance Rate of Faculty of Engineering Sciences
The faculty of Engineering Sciences in University College London has an overall acceptance rate of 28.29%. The course-specific acceptance rates in this faculty are tabulated below:
| Program | Applications | Admission Offers | Acceptance Rate | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemical Engineering | 723 | 526 | 72.75% | 93 |
| Chemical Engineering | 1,856 | 612 | 32.97% | 160 |
| Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering | 923 | 585 | 63.38% | 100 |
| Computer Science | 4,006 | 805 | 20.09% | 228 |
| Electronic & Electrical Engineering | 2,200 | 454 | 20.63% | 139 |
| Integrated Foundation Years | 1,710 | 79 | 4.61% | 52 |
| UCL School of Management – International Management | 2,772 | 318 | 11.47% | 80 |
| UCL School of Management – Information Management for Business | 1,093 | 396 | 36.23% | 115 |
| UCL School of Management – Management Science | 807 | 341 | 42.25% | 90 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 4,457 | 943 | 21.15% | 235 |
| Medical Physics – Biomedical Engineering | 1,235 | 616 | 49.87% | 133 |
| Medical Physics – Medical Physics | 204 | 186 | 91.17% | 30 |
| Security and Crime Science | 333 | 238 | 71.47% | 75 |
| Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy | 258 | 198 | 76.74% | 25 |
| Total | 22,576 | 6,388 | 28.29% | 1,555 |
UCL Acceptance Rate of Institute of Education
The UCL Institute of Education has an overall acceptance rate of 69%. Education, Society and Culture program in this faculty has the highest acceptance rate of 88%. Following are the acceptance rates of various programs in UCL’s Institute of Education:
| Program | Applications | Admission Offers | Acceptance Rate | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culture Communication & Media | 1,460 | 613 | 42% | 160 |
| Youth, Society and Sustainable Futures | 264 | 215 | 81.43% | 40 |
| Education, Society and Culture | 675 | 594 | 88% | 135 |
| Early Childhood Education | 387 | 278 | 72% | 60 |
| Psychology with Education | 699 | 536 | 76.68% | 90 |
| Social Research Institute | 1,344 | 1,076 | 80% | 176 |
| Total | 4,829 | 3,312 | 68.58% | 661 |
UCL Acceptance Rate of Faculty of Life Sciences
UCL Faculty of Life Sciences comprises 7 key divisions, with 4 subjects ranked among the top 10 in the world according to QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025. The faculty has an overall acceptance rate of 41.21%. The course-wise acceptance rates of UCL Faculty of Life Sciences are as follows:
| Program | Applications | Admission Offers | Acceptance Rate | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry and Biotechnology | 1,027 | 541 | 52.67% | 130 |
| Biological Sciences | 1,305 | 630 | 48.27% | 131 |
| Biomedical Sciences | 1,647 | 726 | 44.08% | 160 |
| Human Sciences | 251 | 206 | 82% | 50 |
| Neuroscience | 713 | 351 | 49.22% | 99 |
| Pharmacology | 588 | 202 | 34.35% | 50 |
| School of Pharmacy | 2,223 | 540 | 24.29% | 200 |
| Total | 7,754 | 3,196 | 41.21% | 820 |
UCL Acceptance Rate of Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
UCL Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Science has an overall acceptance rate of 47.62%. The faculty has the highest number of student acceptances in Mathematics program. The course-wise acceptance rates are as follows:
| Program | Applications | Admission Offers | Acceptance Rate | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | 1,921 | 1,254 | 65.27% | 200 |
| Earth Sciences | 969 | 656 | 67.70% | 95 |
| Mathematics | 3,894 | 2,098 | 53.87% | 270 |
| Natural Sciences BSc/MSci | 1,002 | 733 | 73.15% | 130 |
| Physics & Astronomy | 2,250 | 1,144 | 50.84% | 226 |
| Risk & Disaster Reduction | 261 | 223 | 85.44% | 74 |
| Science & Technology Studies | 447 | 392 | 87.69% | 89 |
| Statistical Science | 4,683 | 847 | 18.10% | 165 |
| Total | 15,427 | 7,347 | 47.62% | 1,397 |
The acceptance rate of the other faculties in University College London are as follows:
| Faculty | Applications | Admission Offers | Acceptance Rate | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty of Laws | 4,552 | 637 | 14% | 200 |
| Faculty of Medical Sciences | 4,036 | 2,117 | 52.45% | 624 |
| Faculty of Population Health Sciences | 1,692 | 1,293 | 76.41% | 277 |
| Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences | 11,668 | 5,810 | 49.80% | 1,549 |
While the overall acceptance rate of University College London is moderate, getting entry into a few of the courses can be a tough nut to crack. In view of this, students must ensure that they adequately meet the course requirements and also make their application stand out.
FAQs
Ques. Is getting into UCL difficult?
Ans. Getting into UCL is very difficult for Indian students, requiring an exceptionally high academic profile. UCL requirements for international students include:
| Criteria | Required Standard |
| High School Qualification | CBSE/CISCE Class XII (Indian School Certificate) or International Baccalaureate (IB) |
| Academic Score | Minimum 90% - 95% overall in Class XII, depending on the course. Highly competitive courses often require 95% or higher in relevant subjects. |
| English Proficiency | IELTS Academic: 6.5 - 7.5 overall (with no component lower than 6.0 - 6.5). Exemption may apply if 70% or higher was achieved in English in Class XII. |
| Admissions Test | Required for competitive courses (e.g., LNAT for Law, UCAT for Medicine). |
Ques. What is the acceptance rate of University College London?
Ans. University College London has an acceptance rate of 24.88%, as per the latest report from UCL. The university has the highest acceptance rate of 39.68% in Arts and Humanities department. The Faculty of the Built Environment in UCL has the lowest acceptance rate of only 15.58%.
Ques. What GPA do you need to get into UCL?
Ans. For admission to the postgraduate programs in University College London, international students require at least 50-60% score in bachelor’s degree. For undergraduate admission, students require a 90% score in 1 subject and 85% score in 4 subjects.
Ques. Why is UCL hard to get into?
Ans. University College London is one of the top 10 universities in the world. The university has several courses ranked among the top 10 in the world according to QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025. Besides, UCL offers 400+ undergraduate programs and 142 graduate research programs, offering a plethora of choice to students. All these factors result in the submission of a huge number of applications (around 90,000 each year) for admission to UCL, which is far more than the seat availability. This makes UCL a highly competitive university.
Ques. Can I get accepted by UCL without IELTS?
Ans. As an international student, you must have satisfactory IELTS score as a proof of English proficiency, according to your level of study. The university expects a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each section. Alternatively, you can submit equivalent test score of exams like TOEFL iBT, PTE and others.













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