Best A-Level Subject Combinations for Top University Courses (2025 Guide)
🎯 Why Your A-Level Choices Matter
Choosing the right A-Level subjects is one of the most important academic decisions you'll make. It can directly impact your university options, career pathways, and future success. While it's tempting to choose subjects you enjoy, it’s essential to consider:
University entry requirements
Your long-term career goals
Keeping your options open with facilitating subjects
In this guide, we break down the best A-Level subject combinations by career field — from Medicine and Engineering to Law, Business, and beyond.
🔬 Medicine & Dentistry
✅ Recommended A-Level Subjects:
Biology (essential)
Chemistry (essential)
Maths or Physics
💡 Why These Subjects Matter:
Chemistry is required by almost every UK medical and dental school for its focus on drug interactions and metabolic processes.
Biology covers human anatomy, disease, genetics, and cell biology — all core areas of medical study.
Maths or Physics enhances logical reasoning and data analysis, essential in diagnostics and medical statistics.
⚠️ Not having Chemistry may disqualify you from many top universities like Oxford, UCL, and King’s.
🧪 Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, etc.)
✅ Recommended A-Level Subjects:
Maths (essential)
Physics (essential)
Further Maths or Chemistry
💡 Why These Subjects Matter:
Maths is foundational in all engineering disciplines, covering calculus, mechanics, and modelling.
Physics supports your understanding of forces, motion, energy systems, and electronics.
Further Maths is highly valued by top-tier universities and gives you a competitive edge.
Chemistry is important for chemical and materials engineering fields.
🏆 Universities like Cambridge and Imperial expect or prefer Further Maths.
💼 Business, Economics & Management
✅ Recommended A-Level Subjects:
Maths (strongly recommended)
Economics or Business Studies
Further Maths, Accounting, or Geography
💡 Why These Subjects Matter:
Maths is crucial for degrees in economics, finance, and quantitative business studies.
Economics provides a theoretical base for understanding market systems and policies.
Business Studies offers practical insights but is sometimes viewed as less academic than Economics by elite universities.
Geography/Accounting support wider economic and trade awareness.
📌 LSE and UCL typically favour Economics over Business Studies.
⚖️ Law
✅ Recommended A-Level Subjects:
English Literature (strongly recommended)
History or Politics
Philosophy, Sociology, or RS
💡 Why These Subjects Matter:
English Literature improves analysis, argument construction, and essay writing.
History and Politics develop critical thinking and understanding of legal systems.
Essay-based subjects prepare you for the structure and rigour of legal study.
📚 A-Level Law is not required by most universities — academic essay skills matter more.
🧠 Psychology & Social Sciences
✅ Recommended A-Level Subjects:
Psychology (helpful but not essential)
Biology or Maths
Sociology, English Lit, or Philosophy
💡 Why These Subjects Matter:
Psychology gives early exposure to theories, research methods, and case studies.
Biology supports topics like brain science, hormones, and behaviour.
Maths is often required for statistics and data analysis in psychology research.
Sociology or Philosophy help build social understanding and critical reasoning.
🔍 Many universities require at least one science A-Level for Psychology — check course specifics.
💻 Computer Science & IT
✅ Recommended A-Level Subjects:
Maths (essential)
Computer Science
Further Maths or Physics
💡 Why These Subjects Matter:
Maths underpins logic, programming, data science, and algorithms.
Computer Science teaches coding, systems design, and computational thinking.
Further Maths adds logic, discrete maths, and algorithm design — essential for competitive applicants.
Physics supports problem-solving and system modelling.
⚠️ Avoid choosing ICT instead of Computer Science — universities treat them very differently.
🎨 Art, Design & Creative Fields
✅ Recommended A-Level Subjects:
Art & Design, Photography, or Textiles
Media Studies, Drama, or English Lit
Any creative or essay-based subject
💡 Why These Subjects Matter:
Art & Design or a similar practical subject is essential for creative portfolios.
Media Studies or Drama support careers in film, journalism, and digital design.
English Literature helps with storytelling, content creation, and analysis.
🎒 In creative fields, your portfolio often matters more than grades. Start early!
🌍 Geography & Environmental Sciences
✅ Recommended A-Level Subjects:
Geography (essential)
Biology or Chemistry
Maths, Environmental Science, or Economics
💡 Why These Subjects Matter:
Geography introduces climate science, population trends, and sustainability.
Biology/Chemistry are crucial for understanding ecosystems and environmental monitoring.
Maths supports statistical analysis and field research.
Environmental Science offers direct relevance for eco-focused careers.
🧭 Final Advice on Choosing A-Level Subjects
Choosing A-Levels wisely can keep multiple paths open and avoid disappointment during university applications. Here’s what you should remember:
✅ Pick at least two facilitating subjects (Maths, English Lit, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, History, Geography, Languages)
✅ Research the entry requirements of your preferred universities via UCAS
⚠️ Avoid too many overlapping or “soft” subjects unless applying to a creative field
🙋♀️ FAQs: A-Level Choices & University Requirements
Q: What are the best A-Levels for medicine in the UK?
A: Biology and Chemistry are essential. Maths or Physics are highly recommended.
Q: Do I need Further Maths for engineering or computer science?
A: It’s not required everywhere, but strongly recommended for top universities like Imperial or Cambridge.
Q: Can I study law without A-Level Law?
A: Yes — and in fact, many top universities prefer strong essay-based subjects like English Lit or History.
Q: Are Business Studies and Economics viewed equally?
A: No. Economics is more academically rigorous and preferred by selective universities.
🚀 Need Help Choosing? Let’s Chat
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