A form comes home. Deadline: next week.

Your child says, "I'll just do what my friends are doing."

Feels like a formality, doesn't it? 

It isn't.

Look, nobody expects a 16-year-old to have this worked out. Most schools only run around 40 of those subjects anyway, so the real list is shorter than the full one.

So here's the whole thing laid out: every subject on offer, what to do when the school doesn't run the one that's wanted, and what universities actually expect, not what they'd prefer.

But first, the bit most parents get wrong…

How Many A Level Subjects Can a Student Take?

Most students in the UK take three A Levels. This is the standard universities expect, and it's manageable alongside everything else happening in Years 12 and 13.

Some students take 4, usually when aiming for highly competitive courses like Medicine or Oxbridge, or to keep extra options open. A 4th subject is a meaningfully heavier workload, so it's only worth adding if there's genuine confidence it can be handled well.

Two A Levels is less common, but can work when combined with a vocational qualification such as a BTEC. Some universities set a minimum of three A Levels for entry, so it's worth checking specific course requirements before settling on the number.

Quality matters more than quantity: 3 strong A Level grades will open more doors than four mediocre ones.

What Types of A Level Subjects Can Be Chosen?

A Level subjects fall into several broad categories:

• Sciences — Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and related subjects like Environmental Science or Psychology
• Mathematics — Maths and Further Maths
• Humanities — History, Geography, Religious Studies, Philosophy, Politics
• Languages — modern foreign languages and classical languages
• Creative & Performing Arts — Art and Design, Music, Drama and Theatre Studies, Film Studies
• Social Sciences — Sociology, Psychology, Economics, Law
• Vocational & Technical — Business, Computer Science, Design and Technology, Physical Education
• Other subjects — English Literature, English Language, Media Studies

Most universities prefer applicants who've studied a genuine mix of subject types, rather than three very similar subjects covering the same skill set.

Full List of A Level Subjects, by Category

Where a subject is only offered by one or two exam boards, that's noted alongside it. Availability at any individual school will always be narrower than this full national list.

Sciences

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Psychology
• Environmental Science (AQA)
• Geology (OCR)
• Marine Science (CIE)

Mathematics

• Mathematics
• Further Mathematics

Humanities

• History
• Geography
• Religious Studies
• Philosophy (AQA)
• Politics
• Classical Civilisation (OCR)
• Ancient History (OCR)
• Biblical Studies (CIE)

Modern Languages

• French, Spanish, German
• Italian (Edexcel)
• Chinese (Edexcel, CIE)
• Japanese, Arabic, Russian, Turkish, Persian, Gujarati (Edexcel)
• Polish, Bengali, Modern Hebrew, Panjabi (AQA)
• Portuguese, Urdu (Edexcel and CIE)
• Hindi, Tamil, Afrikaans (CIE)

Classical and Regional Languages

• Latin, Classical Greek (OCR)
• Welsh Language, Welsh Second Language (WJEC)
• Irish (CCEA)

English

• English Literature
• English Language
• English Language and Literature (AQA)

Creative and Performing Arts

• Art and Design
• Music
• Drama and Theatre Studies
• Dance (AQA)
• Film Studies (Eduqas, OCR)
• Music Technology (Edexcel, WJEC, Eduqas)
• Photography, Textile Design (AQA)

Social Sciences

• Sociology
• Economics
• Law
• Criminology (WJEC)

Business, Computing and Technology

• Business Studies
• Accounting (Edexcel, CIE)
• Computer Science
• Applied ICT (WJEC)
• Digital Media & Design (CIE)
• Design and Technology: Product Design (AQA, Edexcel)
• Food Science and Nutrition (WJEC, Eduqas)

Physical Education, Media and Other Subjects

• Physical Education
• Media Studies
• Moving Image Arts (CCEA)
• Hinduism, Islamic Studies (CIE)
• Thinking Skills (CIE)
• Critical Thinking (OCR)

What If the A Level Isn't Available at School?

Not every school or college offers every A Level. Smaller sixth forms might run 15–20 subjects, while larger colleges can offer 30 or more. If the subject genuinely needed isn't on offer, there are still real options.

• Studying at a nearby school or college

Some schools allow a student to take one subject at a neighbouring school, particularly for less common subjects like Further Maths or a specific language. This is worth raising directly with the head of sixth form.

• Online schools

Several online schools run live A Level lessons and, in some cases, also act as exam centres- removing the need to separately arrange a private candidate exam venue. This tends to work particularly well for subjects like Economics or Psychology that don't need specialist equipment.

• Evening classes

Many further education colleges run A Level evening classes, allowing a fourth subject to be studied alongside the main three taken at school.

• Private tutoring

For a subject worth pursuing independently, a structured tutor and self-study combination is a genuine option, alongside registering as a private candidate for the exam itself. MentorMatch provides curriculum-trained 1:1 tutoring across A Level subjects, with teaching that starts at the student's true level rather than assuming a standard starting point.

• Distance learning

Distance learning providers send course materials and assign a tutor for support, typically over 18 months to 2 years. It requires real self-discipline, since there's no fixed weekly class structure to keep pace.

Is independent study actually easier? Not particularly. A typical A Level needs roughly 300–500 hours of study, and without a teacher checking in regularly, strong time management becomes essential. Sciences are harder to self-study specifically, since practical coursework needs equipment, space, and someone qualified to mark it.

On the other hand, independent study does show a university that a student can work without close supervision- a genuine point in its favour on a personal statement.

Can You Apply to Universities Without the Required A Level Subject?

Many university courses don't actually require the matching A Level subject. 

A Level Economics isn't required to study Economics at university. Neither is A Level Psychology required for Psychology, nor A Level Law for Law.

Universities generally care more about whether a student has the underlying skills to succeed- critical thinking, essay writing, independent study, and subject-specific knowledge only where it genuinely matters.

Some subjects do have clear, fixed requirements:

• Medicine usually needs Chemistry and Biology;
• Engineering often needs Maths and Physics;
• Modern Languages degrees usually need the matching A Level language.

Outside of these clearer cases, many humanities, social science, and even some science degrees are genuinely flexible about the exact subject combination, provided the grades and the underlying skills are there.

The Russell Group's Informed Choices resource is a useful starting point for checking which subjects are most valued for specific degree courses, though individual university course pages remain the definitive source, since requirements vary between institutions.

A Level Subject Choices: Getting Them Right at 16

Here's the reassuring bit- almost nobody gets this exactly right at 16.

Most 16-year-olds don't have the next decade mapped out, and the ones who insist they do usually change their minds by Christmas. 😅

"Right" doesn't mean perfect. 

It means subjects picked for genuine interest, genuine strength, and half an eye on what they open up later. That beats a combination chosen to look impressive on a personal statement every time.

And once they're picked, the choosing is done.

What's left is 2 years, 3 subjects, and a step up in difficulty that catches most students off guard in the first term. That's where the result actually gets made.

This is where MentorMatch makes things easier. A baseline assessment finds exactly where your child is standing as the course starts- not roughly, exactly. Then a learning roadmap built around that specific gap, not a generic Year 12 scheme of work. Sessions under real exam conditions, so the grade at the end reflects readiness, not a scramble in Year 13.

And you watch it move. Every session, measured. No guesswork. No assumptions.

Book a free session, we'll show you exactly where your child is starting from.

Key Takeaways

• More than 85 A Level subjects exist across UK exam boards, though no single school offers them all
• Most students take three A Levels; some take four for highly competitive courses, but quality of grades matters more than quantity of subjects
• If a school doesn't offer a wanted subject, there are several real alternatives — including online schools, evening classes, and private tutoring
• Universities generally care more about relevant skills and strong grades than about having studied every subject they list as preferred
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Frequently Asked Questions

Which A Level subjects keep the most career options open?

Facilitating subjects — Maths, English Literature, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, History, and Modern Languages — are valued by the most competitive universities and keep the widest range of degree courses open. Taking at least two is a reasonable strategy when the future path isn't decided yet, but strong grades in subjects a student actually enjoys matter more than the facilitating label alone.

Can A Level subjects be changed after the course starts?

Most schools allow changes in the first two to four weeks of Year 12. After that, missed lessons and coursework make a switch harder, though it's still worth raising with the head of sixth form as early as possible if the fit genuinely isn't right.

Do universities prefer certain A Level subjects?

For specific degrees — Medicine, Engineering, Law, Modern Languages — yes, and course pages usually state exact requirements. For broader degrees, universities generally weigh grades and a genuine interest in the subject more heavily than the specific combination chosen.

How is a tutor different from just following a revision timetable?

A timetable tells a student when to study. MentorMatch starts with a baseline assessment to find exactly where marks are being lost in a subject, then builds a personalised learning roadmap around that specific gap.