Entry Requirements

Academic Requirements

• We accept students from a wide range of national and international educational systems, such as A-levels, the International Baccalaureate (IB), the European Baccalaureate, Advanced Placements (APs), and some outside of the EU. Find out if your grades meet our academic requirements here.

Eligibility

• Applicants must have either completed their high school education or be in their final year of high school at the time of application. For final-year high school students, their courses must be completed before September for their applications to be considered.
• Applicants must be at least 17 years old by November of the year of entry.
  
• You will need to provide transcripts from your previous two years of high school. If you are applying during your final year, please include transcripts for the last two years as well as any term(s) completed so far in your current year. If your high school provides predicted grades (such as IB or A-Levels), please also submit a document with your predicted grades, if available. If you have already completed high school and attended university, please submit transcripts for both your high school and university studies.

All Forward programmes are taught in English. You must have a very good overall level in English before you apply.

If you have lived in a country where English is the main spoken language and/or if you have completed your high school education in English, we will consider your application without a formal English test. We reserve the right to ask for a test in case of doubt. 

If you have not studied or only partially studied in English and do not have a valid English language qualification, we will ask you to provide an English language certificate as part of your application. *

We accept the following English language qualifications:

• IELTS (Academic, General, or IELTS Indicator Online Test): A minimum overall score of 6.5, with at least 6.0 in each sub-test (Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking).
• TOEFL iBT (including Special Home Edition): A minimum overall score of 95, with at least 21 in Reading and Writing and at least 20 in Speaking and Listening.
• Pearson Test of English, Academic (PTE Academic): A minimum overall score of 67, with at least 54 in both Reading and Writing.
• Duolingo English Test: A minimum overall score of 110, with no less than 105 in each section (Literacy, Conversation, Comprehension, and Production). 
• Cambridge Advanced Certificate (CAE): A minimum overall score of 180, with at least 170 in each component (Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking).

The qualifications must have been taken no more than two years before your application.

* Students enrolled in the BFI (Baccalauréat Français International) programme may be exempt from submitting an additional English proficiency test if they achieve a minimum grade of 15/20 in their English subject during their final year of study. This exemption is only applicable to students who are enrolled in the English-speaking BFI sections (British, American, or Australian).

If you have completed a different qualification, or if you have any questions, please contact our Admissions team at [email protected].

Applicants to the following degrees will be expected to have the following qualification or equivalent in Maths:

• Data Science & Economics: A at A-level or equivalent
• Economics & Politics, Business & Management, and Economics & Management: B at A-level or equivalent.

If you have not studied Mathematics or obtained the qualifications mentioned above, you may take the LSE Maths Essentials test, offered by the University of London, as an alternative for these degrees.

More information can be found here: University of London LSE Maths Essentials Test.

Applicants for Psychology

For applications to Psychology, the following subjects at high school or university level are recommended: Biology*, Mathematics*, Chemistry, Physics, and Psychology.

*Biology and Mathematics are preferred. 

If you have not studied or qualified in the above subjects, you may take the Mathematics Aptitude Test, offered by the University of London, as an alternative for the Psychology degree.

More information can be found here: University of London Mathematics Aptitude Test.

If you are unsure of the equivalent qualifications for your system, please contact the Admissions team for guidance at [email protected]

Extracurricular Involvement and Achievements

As well as your academic transcripts and English language level, we will consider your engagement in past or present extracurricular activities (sports, civic engagement, arts and cultural interests, community service, entrepreneurship, etc).

We will assess this at 2 stages of your application:

• Firstly, you will have to present a selection of documents of your choice (worded documents, pictures, short video or audio files) which illustrate one or more personal accomplishments that you wish to share with us and that you consider will support your application. On the Application Form, you will be asked to upload up to 2 documents relating to this accomplishment and you will have to add a short description explaining what you have decided to include and why (min. 1000 words).
• Secondly, If you are selected for an interview, you will be invited to talk about the documents you shared. The Admissions officer will challenge you to self-reflect further upon your achievement(s), your journey, and the learnings you have gained through these experiences.

If you are selected after you have completed your Application Form, you will be invited for an interview with one of our Admissions officers. We will expect you to have had your Student Conversation before the interview.

Interviews last approximately 30 minutes and are conducted online via Google Meets and in English.

The aim is to get to know you better, hear about your academic and non-academic interests, your personal journey, the successes and/or challenges you have experienced, and your future plans. The interview is also an opportunity for us to assess whether you have a good understanding of what Forward College stands for, including our pedagogy and aims.

You will have the opportunity to elaborate on the documents you submitted with your Application Form and ask any questions you may have.

If you have any special needs or require adjustments for the interview (for instance, you do not have a laptop or appropriate space or connection), please let us know so we can make reasonable adjustments or reschedule.

We will inform you of our final decision within two weeks. 

Contact the Admissions team for any questions by filling out the form below.

Thinking of Transferring to Forward in Year 2? 

Forward College welcomes Advanced Entry applications from students wishing to transfer into year 2 of their studies.  

Eligibility is assessed on:

• Assessment of an applicant’s high school transcripts  
• Assessment of an applicant’s completed university modules 
• Compatibility of the modules/grades of previous study against the chosen course and its modules.
• The applicant’s performance across the application stages.

The procedure for Advanced Entry differs depending on which programme applicants wish to attend: Forward College accredited programmes or University of London (UOL) accredited programmes.

Please note: 

• Transfers into year 3 are not possible for any programme.
• Transfers into the BSc Psychology programme are not permitted under University of London regulations. 

   Applicants for Forward College Bachelor’s – Open Bachelor’s, PPE and PPLE. All applicants need to submit an application via the Forward College website.
  The Forward College application process is free of charge. 

  To apply for Advanced Entry, applicants need to select the response ‘yes and applying for Year 2 entry’ to the question ‘Are you studying at University’, in the application form. 
  Applicants should submit a full application including their high school transcripts and the transcripts from their completed university modules for the admission team to assess their eligibility.
  Further information may be requested (course syllabus, e.g. course structure, modules studied, reference etc.) for our Academic Fellows to assess their eligibility.
  Eligible applicants will then be interviewed as part of the admissions process.If the application is successful, the applicant will receive an offer for Year 2 entry.Applicants for University of London (London School of Economics/King’s College London academic directions) accredited degrees at Forward College. There are several stages required for applicants who want to join the second year of a University of London degree at Forward College.

  Stage 1 – Application to Forward College.
  All applicants need to submit an application via the Forward College website for Year 1 entry.
  The Forward College application process is free of charge.
  To apply for Advanced Entry, applicants need to select the response ‘yes and applying for Year 2 entry’ to the question ‘Are you studying at University’, in the application form. Applicants should submit a full application including their high school transcripts and the transcripts from their completed university modules for the admission team to assess their eligibility.Further information may be requested (course syllabus, e.g. course structure, modules studied, reference etc.) for our Academic Fellows to assess their eligibility.
  Eligible applicants will then be interviewed as part of the admissions process.

  If the application is successful, the applicant will receive an offer for Year 1 entry.

  Stage 2 –  Year 2 advanced entry approval with University of London
  Following the Offer given by Forward College for Year 1 entry,  applicants will need to request a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or credit transfer directly with the University of London for entry into Year 2.

  This application is made directly with the University of London.

  Please find information regarding this process below:

  University of London – Recognition of Prior Learning (https://www.london.ac.uk/sites/default/files/general-regulations-2025-26.pdf) University of London General Regulations 2025–26 (see Section 3)

  More information here: https://www.london.ac.uk/study/how-apply/recognition-prior-learning

  Applicants will need to create an account on the University of London website and then select ‘Make an enquiry’ and log an ‘Applications/Admissions Enquiry’.  

  Applicants will need to provide the requested information, give context and attach their offer letter from Forward College.

  Please note:

  This process is entirely managed by the University of London, not Forward College.
  Any questions regarding credit transfer at this stage should be addressed directly to the University of London admissions team.
  The University of London charges a fee to assess RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning). The exact amount will depend on your specific situation.