🥇 What Grades Actually Got Students Into University in 2025

[wiwikau-staff]

What Grades Actually Got Students Into University in 2025​

“We asked WIWIKAU parents what actually happened on results day… and the answers might surprise you.”

• Students got into top universities with lower grades than their offer
• Some dropped 1–2 grades and were still accepted
• Clearing wasn’t a backup, it was a success route for many
• Others exceeded offers by a long way

2025 Entry Grades: Grouped by University & Subject​

Bath​

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Aerospace Engineering	A*A*A	A*A*A	Accepted
Economics	A*A*A	A*A*A	Accepted
French & German	AAB	A*AAA	Accepted
Maths & Economics	A*AB	A*A*A	Accepted
Robotics Engineering	A*AA / A*AB + AS FM	A*AA + AS FM	Accepted

Birmingham

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Geography	ABB	BBC	Accepted
History	ABB	BBC	Accepted
Liberal Arts	AAB	ABC	Accepted
Medicine	A*AA	A*A*A	Accepted
Psychology	AAB / ABB + EPQ	A*AC / ABC	Accepted

Bristol

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
English	ABB (contextual)	AAB	Accepted
Geography	AAB	BBB + EPQ	Accepted
MBiochem	AAA	A*A*A*	Accepted
Neuroscience	AAA	A*AA	Accepted
Veterinary Nursing	DDM	D*D*D*	Accepted

Cambridge

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
History	A*AA	A*A*A	Accepted
Linguistics	A*AA	A*A*A	Accepted
Maths	A*A*A + STEP	A*A*A* + STEP	Accepted
Modern & Medieval Languages	A*AA	AAA	Accepted
Music	A*AAA	A*A*AA	Accepted
Natural Sciences	A*A*AA	A*A*A*A*	Accepted

Cardiff

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Dentistry	AAA	AAB	Accepted
Law	AAB	ABBB	Accepted
Psychology	A*AA	A*AA	Accepted

Durham

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Biochemistry	AAA	AAB	Accepted
Economics	A*AA	A*A*B	Rejected
English	A*AA	A*AA	Accepted
Liberal Arts	AAA / A*AA	AAA / A*AA	Accepted
Physics	A*AA / A*A*A	AAA / A*A*A*	Mixed (accepted & rejected cases)

Edinburgh

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Film Production	ABB + portfolio	A*AAB	Accepted
Japanese & Linguistics	AAB	A*AAA	Accepted
Spanish & Politics	AAB	A*AA	Accepted

Exeter

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Biology	AAB	ABB	Accepted
Business Management	AAB (→ BBB if firmed)	BBB / AAA	Accepted
Computer Science	AAB	ABB	Accepted
Economics	A*AA	A*A*A	Accepted
History	AAB	ACD	Accepted
History & Ancient History	AAB	AAA	Accepted
Law	ABB / AAB	AAB / AAA	Accepted
Politics & IR	AAA	A*A*A*	Accepted
Sport Science	ABB (→ BBB)	ACC	Rejected

KCL (King’s College London)

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Business Management	A*A*A	A*A*A*	Accepted
Digital Culture & Comms	ABB	ABB	Accepted
Medicine	A*AA	A*AA	Accepted

Leeds

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Business Management	AAA	ABB	Accepted
Civil Engineering	AAA	A*AC	Accepted
Computer Science	AAA	AAB	Accepted
Finance & Accounting	AAA	AAA	Accepted
Law	AAB	ABB	Accepted
Politics	ABB	BBC	Accepted
Psychology	AAA	A*A*A*	Accepted

Liverpool

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Biochemistry	BBB	ABC	Clearing
Law	AAA	AAB	Accepted
Mechanical Engineering	AAB	BBB	Accepted
Pharmacology	AAB	AAB	Accepted
PPE	AAB	CCC	Clearing

Loughborough

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Economics & Finance	AAA	BBB	Clearing
English Literature	AAA	ABB	Accepted
Psychology	AAB	AAB	Accepted

Manchester

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Biochemistry	AAA	A*AA	Accepted
Computer Science	A*A*A	A*A*A*	Accepted
Maths	A*AA	A*ABC	Accepted

Nottingham

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Economics	A*AA	A*AA / A*A*A	Accepted
Neuroscience	AAB	AAB	Accepted
Politics & IR	AAB	AAA	Accepted

Oxford

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Ancient History	AAA	A*A*A	Accepted
Law	AAA	A*A*B	Accepted
Medicine	A*AA	A*A*A*	Accepted

Sheffield

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Economics	AAB	AAB	Accepted
History & Politics	AAB	BBB	Accepted
Law	AAB	AAB	Clearing
Psychology	AAB	ABB	Accepted

Southampton

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Economics	AAB	ABBC	Accepted
Geography	ABB	BBB	Accepted
Physiotherapy	AAB	AAA	Accepted
Politics & IR	AAB	ABB	Accepted

UCL

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Economics	A*AA	A*A*A	Accepted
Natural Sciences	A*AA	A*A*A*A*	Accepted
Philosophy	AAA	A*A*A	Accepted

Warwick

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Art History	ABB	A*A*A	Deferred
Maths	A*A*A	A*A*A*	Accepted
Maths & Physics	A*AA	A*AB	Accepted
PPE	A*AA	AAB / AAC	Mixed (accepted & rejected)

York

Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Biomedical Sciences	AAB	A*AA	Accepted
Economics & Finance	AAB	AAB	Accepted
History	AAA	AAB	Accepted
MChem	AAA	A*A*A	Accepted
Psychology	AAA	A*A*A	Accepted

Students Who Got In With LOWER Grades Than Their Offer​

Here are real examples shared by parents:

Uni	Course	Offer	Achieved	Outcome
Exeter	Biology	AAB	ABB	Accepted
Manchester	Maths	A*AA	A*ABC	Accepted
Reading	Meteorology	AAB	BBB (+ EPQ)	Accepted
Warwick	PPE	A*AA	AAB	Accepted
Birmingham	History	ABB	BBC	Accepted
Sheffield	History & Politics	AAB	BBB	Accepted
Southampton	Economics	AAB	ABBC	Accepted
Leeds	Politics	ABB	BBC	Accepted
York	History	AAA	AAB	Accepted
Leeds	Business Management	AAA	ABB	Accepted
Leeds	Computer Science	AAA	AAB	Accepted
Swansea	Mechanical Engineering	CCC	CDD	Accepted
Portsmouth	Earth Science	CCC	CDD	Accepted (unconditional on results day)
Newcastle	Modern Languages	ABB / BBB	CCC (+ A* EPQ)	Accepted
Birmingham	Liberal Arts	AAB	ABC	Accepted
Southampton	Geography	ABB	BBB	Accepted
Loughborough	English Literature	AAA	ABB	Accepted
Lancaster	Accounting & Finance	ABB	BBD	Accepted
Leeds Beckett	Civil Engineering	BBB	DDD	Accepted
Reading	Law	BBC	CDD	Accepted
Bristol	Geography	AAB	BBB (+ EPQ)	Accepted
UEA	Computer Science	AAB	BBC	Accepted
Liverpool	Mechanical Engineering	AAB	BBB	Accepted

​

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Clearing Success Stories (Where It Still Worked Out)​

These are real outcomes where students didn’t follow the “expected” route:

Uni	Course	Achieved	Outcome
Nottingham	History & Politics	BCC	Offered via Clearing
Sheffield	Law	AAB (+ EPQ)	Got place via Clearing
Liverpool	PPE → CMP	CCC	Offered alternative course via Clearing
Liverpool	Electrical Engineering	ABDD	Got in via Clearing
York	Accounting & Finance	BBD	Clearing place
Nottingham	Veterinary Medicine	BBB	Rejected initially → Clearing success
Loughborough	Economics & Finance	BBB	Clearing (places went quickly)
Liverpool	Biochemistry	ABC	Rejected → accepted via early Clearing
York	Engineering	ABC	Clearing → even offered MEng
Coventry	Motorsport Engineering	Merit (BTEC)	Applied through Clearing

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What This Actually Means​

There isn’t one single path into university.
Some students:

• met their offer exactly
• exceeded it
• missed by a grade (or more) and still got in
• used Clearing and ended up somewhere that really suited them

This does not mean it’s guaranteed if grades are missed.
But it does show that results day is often more flexible than many parents expect.

Key Takeaways From 2025 Entry​

• Missing your offer by one grade is fairly common
• Missing by two grades does happen
• EPQs and key subjects can make a difference
• Clearing can completely change the outcome
• “Missed offer” does not always mean “missed place”

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Help Other Parents​

This thread has been incredibly helpful for building a real picture of what happened in 2025.
If your young person started university in 2025, you can add your experience in the comments to keep building a clearer picture

Real examples help other families far more than guesswork.

A quick note​

These examples are based on real experiences shared by WIWIKAU parents from the 2025 entry cycle.
Every application is different, and outcomes can vary depending on the course, university, demand, and individual circumstances.
Some students are accepted below their offer, but many are not.
This is here to give a clearer picture of what can happen, not what will happen
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the community, it’s that there is no single “normal” path into university

Helpful next steps​

If you’re navigating this stage, these might help:

• Student Finance Guide
• University packing list
• Find your university parent group