History degrees with ABB entry requirements for 2027
History degrees with ABB entry requirements for 2027
For a student holding an AAA or AAB firm offer in History, the natural insurance choice usually sits at ABB, and for a student predicted ABB it is the realistic centre of a list of five. As such, the useful question in both cases is which good courses sit at that level, and History has more of them than its reputation as a competitive subject suggests.
We checked the 2027 entry requirements on each university's own pages in September 2026. Twelve universities ask ABB, or publish a range that starts at ABB, for single honours History: Cardiff, Glasgow, Leicester, Liverpool, Loughborough, Northeastern University London, Queen's Belfast, Royal Holloway, Southampton, Strathclyde, Sussex and Swansea. Across single and joint honours, 168 courses at 25 universities ask ABB for a degree that includes History.
Ancient History often sits a grade below History at the same university, which is worth knowing for a student drawn to the classical world. Bristol, Exeter, Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle all ask ABB for Ancient History while asking AAB or AAA for History itself, and Birmingham asks ABB for Ancient and Medieval History against AAB for History.
Single honours History at ABB
The table lists each single honours course with its UCAS code and the offer the university describes as typical, along with any contextual offer and any alternative offer that counts the Extended Project Qualification. Several universities publish a range rather than a single offer, and courses marked † show 2026 entry figures because the 2027 page had not been published when we checked.
Swipe the tables sideways to see every column.
| University | Course | Typical offer | Contextual offer | EPQ or other alternative | IB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | Ancient and Medieval HistoryUCAS V116 | ABB | BBB | BBB plus a grade B in the EPQ | 6,5,5 at Higher Level, 32 points overall |
| Bristol | Ancient HistoryUCAS V110 | ABB | BBC | 32 points overall with 16 at Higher Level | |
| Cardiff | HistoryUCAS V100 | ABB to BBC | Middle to lower end of the range | Grade A in the EPQ/IPQ: offer typically one grade lower than the standard offer | 32-30 overall or 665-655 in 3 HL subjects |
| Exeter | Ancient HistoryUCAS V110 | ABB | BBC | 32/655 | |
| Glasgow | Ancient HistoryUCAS V160 | ABB to BBB | 34 (6,5,5), English HL6 or Humanities HL6 with English SL6 | ||
| Glasgow | HistoryUCAS V100 | ABB to BBB | 34 (6,5,5), English HL6 or Humanities HL6 with English SL6 | ||
| Leeds | Ancient HistoryUCAS V111 | ABB | BBC and pass Access to Leeds | BBB plus A in a relevant EPQ | 34 points overall with 16 at Higher Level |
| Leicester | Ancient HistoryUCAS V112 | ABB † | Usually one or two grades lower | BBB at A-level plus EPQ at grade B | Pass Diploma with 30 points |
| Leicester | Ancient History and HistoryUCAS V110 | ABB | Usually one or two grades lower | BBB at A-level plus EPQ at grade B | Pass Diploma with 30 points |
| Leicester | HistoryUCAS V100 | ABB to BBB † | Usually one or two grades lower | BBB to BBC at A-level plus EPQ at grade B | Pass Diploma with 30 points including 6 in one Higher Level subject |
| Leicester | Modern and Contemporary HistoryUCAS V140 | ABB to BBB | Usually one or two grades lower | BBB to BBC at A-level plus EPQ at grade B | Pass Diploma with 30 points including 6 in one Higher Level subject |
| Liverpool | HistoryUCAS V100 | ABB | BBB with A in the EPQ | ||
| Loughborough | HistoryUCAS V100 | ABB | BBC | 34 (6,5,5 HL) | |
| Manchester | Ancient HistoryUCAS V110 | ABB including one essay based subject | BBC including one essay based subject | 34 points overall. 6,5,5 in Higher Level subjects | |
| Newcastle | Ancient HistoryUCAS V110 | ABB | 32 points | ||
| Northeastern University London | HistoryUCAS H1ST | ABB to BBB | Alternative offer available for applicants taking the EPQ alongside three A levels (grade not published) | 32-34 points including TOK and the Extended Essay, or 6, 6, 5 in Higher Level subjects | |
| Queen's Belfast | HistoryUCAS V140 | ABB | |||
| Royal Holloway | Ancient and Medieval HistoryUCAS VV19 | ABB to BBB | |||
| Royal Holloway | HistoryUCAS V100 | ABB to BBB | HL 655 (without Diploma) or 32 overall (with Diploma) | ||
| Southampton | Ancient HistoryUCAS V102 | ABB | BBC from 3 A levels | BBB and grade A in the EPQ | Pass, with 32 points overall with 16 points at Higher Level |
| Southampton | HistoryUCAS V100 | ABB | BBC from 3 A levels | BBB and grade A in the EPQ | Pass, with 32 points overall with 16 points at Higher Level |
| Strathclyde | HistoryUCAS V100 | ABB to BBB | 32-30 | ||
| Sussex | HistoryUCAS V100 | ABB to BBB | 32 points overall from the full IB Diploma | ||
| Swansea | Ancient HistoryUCAS V112 | ABB to BBC | |||
| Swansea | Ancient and Medieval HistoryUCAS V116 | ABB to BBC | |||
| Swansea | HistoryUCAS V100 | ABB to BBC | |||
| York | Historical ArchaeologyUCAS V401 | ABB | BBB | One A level grade below the typical offer with grade C or higher in the EPQ | 34 points |
The ranges matter here more than at AAB. Cardiff and Swansea both run from ABB to BBC, and Glasgow, Strathclyde, Sussex, Royal Holloway and Northeastern University London all run from ABB to BBB. As such, a student who expects ABB but fears dropping a grade has more room at these universities than at those with a single fixed offer.
Joint honours with History at ABB
Glasgow again supplies the longest run of joint degrees, with 45 History, Ancient History and Scottish History pairings at ABB to BBB. SOAS follows with 12 pairings, most of them with a language or a region of Africa or Asia, and Strathclyde, Queen's Belfast, Southampton and Royal Holloway each offer between seven and ten. Moreover, at Glasgow, Strathclyde, Queen's Belfast, Southampton and Royal Holloway the pairings carry the same offer as single honours History, so choosing a joint degree costs nothing in grades.
| University | Courses | Typical offer |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | Ancient History and Archaeology · Classics and Ancient History | ABB |
| Cardiff | Archaeology and History · History and a Modern Language · Modern History, Politics and International Relations · Welsh and History | ABB to BBC |
| Edinburgh | Arabic and History · Archaeology and Ancient History · Celtic and Scottish History · Chinese and History · Italian and History · Russian Studies and History · Scandinavian Studies and History · Scottish Ethnology and Scottish History · Scottish Literature and History · Scottish Literature and Scottish History | ABB |
| Exeter | Ancient History and Archaeology · Art History & Visual Culture and History · History and Archaeology · History and Modern Languages | ABB |
| Glasgow | Ancient History/Celtic Civilisation · Ancient History/Celtic Studies · Ancient History/English Literature · Ancient History/French · Ancient History/Italian · History/Ancient History · History/Celtic Civilisation · History/Celtic Studies · History/Classics · History/Comparative Literature · History/English Language & Linguistics · History/English Literature · History/Film & Television Studies · History/French · History/Gaelic · History/Geography · History/Greek · History/History of Art · History/Italian · History/Latin · History/Music · History/Philosophy · History/Portuguese · History/Russian · History/Scottish Literature · History/Spanish · History/Theatre Studies · History/Theology & Religious Studies · Philosophy/Ancient History · Scottish History/Celtic Civilisation · Scottish History/Celtic Studies · Scottish History/Classics · Scottish History/English Language & Linguistics · Scottish History/English Literature · Scottish History/Film & Television Studies · Scottish History/Gaelic · Scottish History/Geography · Scottish History/History of Art · Scottish History/Music · Scottish History/Philosophy · Scottish History/Portuguese · Scottish History/Scottish Literature · Scottish History/Spanish · Scottish History/Theatre Studies · Scottish History/Theology & Religious Studies | ABB to BBB |
| Leeds | Ancient History and Philosophy · Biology and History and Philosophy of Science | ABB |
| Leicester | Ancient History and Archaeology · English and History · History and American Studies · History and Archaeology · History and Politics | ABB † · ABB to BBB · ABB |
| Loughborough | History and International Relations · History and Politics | ABB |
| Manchester | Ancient History and Archaeology · History and Sociology | ABB |
| Newcastle | Ancient History and Archaeology · History and Archaeology | ABB |
| Nottingham | Ancient History and History · Archaeology and History | ABB |
| Queen's Belfast | Anthropology and History · English and History · French and History · History and International Relations · History and Philosophy · History and Politics · History and Spanish · Irish and History | ABB |
| Royal Holloway | Ancient History with Philosophy · Classical Archaeology and Ancient History · English and History · History and Music · History and Philosophy · History, Politics and International Relations · Modern Languages and History | ABB to BBB |
| SOAS | History and Africa and Black Diaspora · History and Arabic · History and Chinese · History and East Asian Studies · History and Economics · History and Global Development · History and International Relations · History and Japanese · History and Korean · History and Politics · History and Social Anthropology · History and World Philosophies | ABB † |
| Sheffield | History and Modern Languages & Cultures | ABB |
| Southampton | Ancient History and History · Archaeology and Ancient History · English and History · Film and History · History and Modern Languages · Modern History and Politics · Philosophy and History | ABB |
| Strathclyde | Education & History · English & History · English and Creative Writing & History · French & History · History & Journalism, Media and Communication · History & Law · History & Politics and International Relations · History & Psychology · History & Social Policy · History & Spanish | ABB to BBB |
| Sussex | American Studies and History · History and Anthropology · History and International Relations · History and Philosophy · History and Politics · History and Sociology | ABB to BBB |
| Swansea | American Studies and History · Ancient History and History · Egyptology and Ancient History · English Literature and History · History and Politics · Modern Languages and History | ABB to BBC · ABB to BBC † |
| UCL | History (Central and East European) and Jewish Studies · Russian and History | ABB |
| UEA | History and Politics · International Relations and Modern History | ABB |
Edinburgh deserves a separate mention. It publishes ABB for History paired with Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Russian Studies or Scandinavian Studies, and for several Scottish History combinations, against a range of A*A*A to AAB for History on its own. Of course, a joint degree with a language is a real commitment to that language, so it only makes sense for a student who wants one.
Courses where ABB sits within the published range
Some courses publish a range that reaches down to ABB from a higher starting point. Exeter's History and Politics, History and International Relations, History and Business, and History at its Cornwall campus all run from AAB to ABB. Despite starting a grade higher, these give a student expecting ABB a genuine chance, provided the rest of the application is strong. Manchester's History and Modern Languages asks AAB with French or Spanish but ABB with German or Russian, and Edinburgh's ancient history degrees run from AAA to ABB.
| University | Courses | Published range |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | English Literature and History | AAB to BBB |
| Edinburgh | Ancient History · Ancient and Medieval History · Classical Archaeology and Ancient History · French and History · German and History | AAA to ABB |
| Exeter | History (Cornwall) · History and Business · History and International Relations · History and Politics | AAB to ABB |
| Glasgow | Ancient History/Archaeology · Ancient History/Politics · Chinese/Economic & Social History · Economic & Social History · Economic & Social History with Quantitative Methods · Economic & Social History/Celtic Studies · Economic & Social History/Central & East European Studies · Economic & Social History/Economics · Economic & Social History/English Literature · Economic & Social History/French · Economic & Social History/Geography · Economic & Social History/German · Economic & Social History/International Relations · Economic & Social History/Music · Economic & Social History/Philosophy · Economic & Social History/Politics · Economic & Social History/Portuguese · Economic & Social History/Psychology · Economic & Social History/Sociology · History/Archaeology · History/Business & Management · History/Central & East European Studies · History/Economic & Social History · History/Economics · History/Mathematics · History/Politics · History/Psychology · History/Sociology · Scottish History/Archaeology · Scottish History/Central & East European Studies · Scottish History/Economic & Social History · Scottish History/Mathematics · Scottish History/Politics · Scottish History/Psychology · Scottish History/Sociology | AAB to BBB · AAA to ABB |
| Manchester | History and Modern Languages | AAB to ABB |
| Southampton | Archaeology and History | AAB to ABB |
Reading the offers
Contextual offers at this level are usually one grade lower again. Southampton, Loughborough, Bristol and Exeter publish BBC, Leeds asks BBC with a pass in its Access to Leeds scheme, and Leicester says its contextual offers are typically one or two grades below the standard offer. Of course, each university sets its own eligibility criteria, so they are worth checking before the list is settled.
The Extended Project Qualification earns a lower offer at several universities. Southampton and Liverpool accept BBB with an A in the EPQ, Leeds accepts BBB with an A in a relevant EPQ for Ancient History, and Birmingham and Leicester accept BBB with a B. Moreover, Cardiff typically lowers its offer by one grade for an A in the EPQ, which is generous given that its range already reaches BBC.
Choosing an ABB course
An insurance offer only matters if the firm offer is missed, so the insurance course has to be one the student would be content to begin in September. We would choose it on the content first, reading the module catalogue and the first-year structure, and on the grades second. Our guide to reading the syllabus before you apply sets out what to look for.
For a student predicted ABB, we would normally put two or three of the five choices at ABB, with one at AAB as an ambition and one where the offer runs below ABB. That being said, the right balance depends on how secure the predicted grades are, which is a conversation worth having with the school before the list goes in.
How we checked
We read the 2027 entry requirements on each university's own course pages in September 2026, and the single honours table links to the page we used for each course. Glasgow and SOAS set joint-degree offers by a published rule rather than a page per course, and in those cases we applied the rule the university states. Requirements can change during the cycle, so the course page should be the final word before you apply.
If you would like a second view on a list of five, we can go through it with you. The initial consultation lasts 30 minutes, costs nothing, and carries no obligation.
Also in this series: History degrees with AAB entry requirements for 2027.
