How to get into the University of Warwick

The University of Warwick is a relative newcomer to the family of British universities, many of which date back over five centuries, since it was established in 1965.

However, it has rocketed up the rankings over the last 50 years and is now 11th in the UK, 64th in the world and was the winner of the latest Sunday Times Teaching Quality Award and runner up in the University of the Year category in 2021. A modern public research university with a semi-urban 290 hectare campus ringed by woods – and blessed with ponds, geese and ducks – Warwick is actually on the outskirts of Coventry, the heart of the West Midlands, rather than in Warwick, whose imposing castle is known to tourists from all over the world.

A member of the prestigious Russell Group, the UK’s Ivy League equivalent, Warwick University comes third in the group for student satisfaction , and while many alumni mention the demanding workload and the need to concentrate on studying, it is virtually impossible to find any criticism of this outstanding British university.

At present,2024, Warwick has approximately 28,825 students, nine per cent of whom come from the EU. The admission rate is around 14 per cent, depending on the course, and you will need to get good grades in your secondary school exams to secure a place.

Step 1: Choose a course

This is the first and most important step when you are setting off on the journey to study in the UK. The University of Warwick currently offers 196 courses. One thing you might  need to decide is whether you will be interested in spending a term or a year abroad, since Warwick has partnerships with a number of international universities, including :

• Columbia University, New York
• McGill University, Montreal
• Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
• UC Berkeley
• Sciences Po, Paris
• Balsillie School of International Affairs ,Ontario
• Monash University, Melbourne

and offers double degrees, as well as single postgraduate degrees.

You may already know exactly what you wish to study – and if you want to talk through your options, then call or email us here at Elab and we will help you choose between courses – and simply want to decide on a university. 

Popular and highly-ranked courses at the University of Warwick

• Statistics ( and Operational Research)
• Mathematics
• English Language and Literature 
• Business and Management Studies (WBS – Warwick Business School) 

• Economics
• Philosophy 
• History 
• Modern Languages 
• Accounting and Finance (WBS Warwick Business School) 
• Performing Arts (Theatre Studies) 
• Sociology 
• Psychology 
• Law 
• Computer Science and Information Systems 
• Communication and Media Studies (Film and Television Studies) 
• Politics and International Studies 

It is clear that the high quality of the teaching ensures you will receive an excellent education at Warwick, whether you apply to the faculty of Arts, Science, Engineering and Medicine or Social Sciences – the three faculties, which oversee 32 departments.

Competition  to get a place is extremely high for mathematics, political science and international relations, as well as the decision sciences – economics, management, etc – which are all highly oversubscribed. You are very unlikely, therefore, to find University of Warwick offering any places in UCAS Clearing.

Step 2: Fill in a UCAS application online.

All British universities process applications through the centralised UCAS system and the deadline for submitting your forms is 15 January, so it is wise to start preparing the documentation, writing your Personal Statement, and organising your references well in advance. You will also need to apply for a student visa once you have received and accepted your offer of a place. While the visa process is not particularly long or complex, it does add another stage to your application.

The University of Warwick is an extremely popular university and approximately  85 percent of those who apply are rejected, so you must make sure that you maximise your chances of being offered a place by submitting an outstanding UCAS form.

The University of Warwick states that it is looking for two things: people with academic potential and a high level of motivation. 

The university will look at your predicted grades and academic references, as well as check that you have met its requirements, namely:

• proficiency in English. You must submit a language certificate which is no more than two years and one month old on the date you start your course. The grade you are asked for depends on the course, since language requirements are divided into three categories . For example, if you wish to study engineering or chemistry, you fall into Category A, and must have an overall IELTS score of 6, with no less than 5.5 in each section. If, however, you intend to study classics or media and creative industries, you must pass IELTS with a score of 6.5 and no less than 6 in each section. Finally, applicants to PPE or educational studies are required to pass IELTS with an overall score of 7, and no less than 6.5 in each section. Contact Elab if you want us to check the language requirements.
• In addition,the  University of Warwick wants to see that you have passed mathematics or a science at the equivalent of the UK GCSE level, with a grade of C or above. If you are not sure whether you have met these requirements in your home country, call Elab and we will check and advise you.

Step 3: Write a strong Personal Statement

The Personal Statement is a  major factor in your UCAS application and the University of Warwick attaches a great deal of importance to what you write when sifting through applications.

A good Personal Statement can make all the difference to being accepted or rejected. Here are a few pointers which emerge from University of Warwick’s Mission Statement:

• Your Personal Statement should be an academic one and discuss the subject you are applying to study.
• You must show your commitment to the course and demonstrate critical thinking, particularly when you are providing information about books and articles you have read around the subject.
• 70-80 per cent of the Personal Statement must be devoted to why you wish to be accepted on this course, while 20-30 per cent can describe your interests and experiences – AS LONG AS they are linked to the course in some way. Equally, your interests should contribute to your skills and demonstrate how you will use your strengths on the course. In addition, try and connect different areas of the course and show how they influence each other, since Warwick University prides itself on interdisciplinary teaching and learning.
• The Personal Statement must be grammatical, contain no spelling mistakes and show a grasp of essay structure and end with a conclusion. Make sure your sentences are clear and concise.
• Warwick is not interested in transferable skills such as teamwork, time management etc , so you should only mention them if they are closely related to the course. For example, if you are applying to study media, then communication skills are key, while this is not necessarily true of other subjects.
• At some point in the Personal Statement, explain your long-term goals and why the course is essential to achieve them.
• Avoid humour – you have no idea who will be reading your Personal Statement.

Step 4: accepting an offer and applying for a student visa

Once you have received and accepted a place at  Warwick University, through the UCAS website, you will receive a CAS (which confirms you have been given a place by Warwick ;you will need the CAS number  for immigration purposes) and you will then have to apply for a student visa. Use the following link to apply online.

The whole process takes approximately three weeks, and you must put in your visa application within six months of being sent your CAS.

Location

The University of Warwick is 20 minutes away from Birmingham International Airport, and an hour by train from London. You can easily get to Leamington,Warwick,Leicester and Stratford upon Avon .

Modern

Virgin Media described Warwick as “the most digitally savvy university in the UK”.

Art and Design

The Warwick Arts Centre attracts 300,000 visitors a year, and is the largest arts centre outside London,  offering musical performances, theatre, comedy and visual arts.

Business Centre

Warwick University has extremely close links with business and exploits the commercial value of its research. Warwick Business School, ranked 2nd in the UK,and 21st globally, is based in the Shard, in London.

Societies and Clubs

There are 260 societies and 67 sports clubs on campus.

Writers

Germaine Greer, the world-famous feminist writer, taught at Warwick .

Accommodation

First year students are guaranteed accommodation in one of the university’s 6,300 rooms if Warwick is their first choice in UCAS. Second year students usually move to nearby Leamington, Kenilworth or Coventry.

The University of Warwick focuses on academic achievements and potential, so this is where you must concentrate, to ensure that your secondary school results are brilliant. In addition, it is never too early to start thinking about writing your Personal Statement.

Go through the modules and the course outline, find topics and points you want to concentrate on, books you wish to discuss, controversies or trends which have caught your attention.

Write the first draft, revise it and write the next. Pass your Personal Statement on to an expert – an Elab consultant, for example – for their input and suggestions.

Then write it again. Remember, you are only given 4000 characters, including spaces, to make your mark and argue your case for a place on the course of your dreams. Finally, ensure that your spelling, grammar, structure and punctuation are perfect.

References matter. Choose your referee carefully, meet with them, share your plans, explain why you are applying for this course at the University of Warwick and give them an idea of what the course covers so that their reference addresses specific topics and avoids being generic and full of clichés.

Make sure you have a language proficiency certificate that is not over 18 months old or sit the test again, if necessary.