Politics and International Relations degrees with ABB entry requirements for 2027
Politics and International Relations degrees with ABB entry requirements for 2027
For a student holding an AAB firm offer in Politics or International Relations, the insurance usually sits at ABB. For a student predicted ABB, this is where most of a list of five will sit. There are nearly twice as many single honours courses at ABB as at AAB, so the choice at this level is wide.
We checked the 2027 entry requirements on each university's own pages in September 2026. Sixteen universities ask ABB, or publish a range that starts at ABB, for single honours Politics or International Relations: Cardiff, Essex, Exeter, Lancaster, Liverpool, Loughborough, Northeastern University London, Queen Mary, Queen's Belfast, Royal Holloway, SOAS, Southampton, Strathclyde, Surrey, Sussex and UEA. Across single and joint honours, 162 courses at 28 universities ask ABB for a degree that includes Politics or International Relations.
Single honours Politics and International Relations at ABB
The table lists each single honours course with its UCAS code and the typical offer, along with any contextual offer and any alternative offer that counts the Extended Project Qualification. Courses marked † in any table 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | International RelationsUCAS 310Q | 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 |
| Cardiff | PoliticsUCAS L210 | 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 |
| Cardiff | Politics and International RelationsUCAS L280 | 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 |
| Essex | Politics and International RelationsUCAS L222 | 128 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of the equivalent of 2 full A-levels | 32 points in the IB Diploma or 128 UCAS tariff points to include a minimum of 2 Higher Level subjects | ||
| Exeter | Global Politics (Cornwall)UCAS L254 | ABB | BBC | 32/655 | |
| Exeter | Politics and International Relations (Cornwall) | ABB | BBC | 32/655 | |
| Lancaster | PoliticsUCAS L200 | ABB † | 32 points overall with 16 points from the best 3 HL subjects | ||
| Liverpool | International RelationsUCAS L240 | ABB | BBB with A in the EPQ | 32 points overall with no score less than 4 | |
| Liverpool | PoliticsUCAS L210 | ABB | BBB with A in the EPQ | 32 points overall with no score less than 4 | |
| Loughborough | International RelationsUCAS L250 | ABB | BBC | 34 (6,5,5 HL) | |
| Loughborough | PoliticsUCAS L202 | ABB | BBC | 34 (6,5,5 HL) | |
| Loughborough | Politics and International RelationsUCAS 1L27 | ABB | BBC | 34 (6,5,5 HL) | |
| Northeastern University London | Politics and International RelationsUCAS P21R | 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 Mary | International RelationsUCAS L250 | ABB | BBC (standard contextual offer), BCC (enhanced contextual offer) | International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 32 points overall, including 6,5,5 from three Higher Level subjects. | |
| Queen Mary | PoliticsUCAS L202 | ABB | BBC (standard contextual offer), BCC (enhanced contextual offer) | International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 32 points overall, including 6,5,5 from three Higher Level subjects. | |
| Queen Mary | Politics and International RelationsUCAS L240 | ABB | BBC (standard contextual offer), BCC (enhanced contextual offer) | International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum of 32 points overall, including 6,5,5 from three Higher Level subjects. | |
| Queen's Belfast | International Relations and PoliticsUCAS L290 | ABB | |||
| Queen's Belfast | PoliticsUCAS L200 | ABB | |||
| Royal Holloway | International RelationsUCAS LF50 | ABB to BBB | HL 655 (without Diploma) or 32 overall (with Diploma) | ||
| Royal Holloway | PoliticsUCAS L200 | ABB to BBB | HL 655 (without Diploma) or 32 overall (with Diploma) | ||
| Royal Holloway | Politics and International RelationsUCAS L290 | ABB to BBB | HL 655 (without Diploma) or 32 overall (with Diploma) | ||
| SOAS | International RelationsUCAS L250 | ABB † | BBB | 32 points with minimum 16 points at Higher Level and no Higher Level score lower than 3 | |
| SOAS | PoliticsUCAS L202 | ABB † | BBB | 32 points with minimum 16 points at Higher Level and no Higher Level score lower than 3 | |
| SOAS | Politics and International RelationsUCAS L290 | ABB † | BBB | 32 points with minimum 16 points at Higher Level and no Higher Level score lower than 3 | |
| Southampton | International RelationsUCAS L250 | 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 | PoliticsUCAS L200 | 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 | Politics and International RelationsUCAS L260 | 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 | Politics & International RelationsUCAS L200 | ABB to BBB | 32-30 | ||
| Surrey | International RelationsUCAS L290 | ABB to BBB | |||
| Surrey | PoliticsUCAS L200 | ABB to BBB | |||
| Surrey | Politics and International RelationsUCAS L204 | ABB to BBB | |||
| Sussex | International RelationsUCAS L250 | ABB to BBB | 32 points overall from the full IB Diploma | ||
| Sussex | PoliticsUCAS L200 | ABB to BBB | 32 points overall from the full IB Diploma | ||
| Sussex | Politics and International RelationsUCAS L290 | ABB to BBB | BBC to BCC | 32 points overall from the full IB Diploma | |
| UEA | International Relations | ABB | BBC | 32 points overall. 3 subjects at H2, 3 subjects at H3 | |
| UEA | International Relations and Politics | ABB | BBC | 32 points overall. 3 subjects at H2, 3 subjects at H3 | |
| UEA | Politics | ABB | BBC | 32 points overall |
Nine of these universities offer Politics, International Relations and the two together at the same offer: Cardiff, Loughborough, Queen Mary, Royal Holloway, SOAS, Southampton, Surrey, Sussex and UEA. As such, the choice between them can rest on the content, and the compulsory first-year modules show where each course starts.
Six universities publish a range rather than a single offer. Cardiff runs from ABB to BBC, and Northeastern University London, Royal Holloway, Strathclyde, Surrey and Sussex run from ABB to BBB, which gives a student who drops a grade some room. Exeter's courses at this level are taught at its Cornwall campus in Penryn, where Global Politics and Politics and International Relations both ask ABB.
Joint honours with Politics or International Relations at ABB
SOAS has the longest list, with 30 joint degrees, all on 2026 figures. Many of them pair Politics or International Relations with a language or with the study of a region of Africa or Asia. Royal Holloway follows with 12, Queen's Belfast and Strathclyde with 11 each, and Sussex with ten.
| University | Courses | Typical offer |
|---|---|---|
| Aberystwyth | Law and International Relations | ABB to BCC |
| Cardiff | Journalism, Politics and International Relations · Modern History, Politics and International Relations · Philosophy, Politics and International Relations · Politics, International Relations and Sociology · Politics, International Relations and a Modern Language | ABB to BBC |
| Edinburgh | Arabic and Politics · Italian and Politics · Russian Studies and Politics · Scandinavian Studies and Politics | ABB |
| Essex | Economics and Politics · Philosophy, Politics and Economics | 128 UCAS tariff points from a... |
| Exeter | Arabic and Politics · Politics and Business (Cornwall) | ABB |
| Keele | Law with Politics | ABB |
| Leeds | Modern Languages and International Relations · Modern Languages and Politics | ABB |
| Leicester | History and Politics | ABB to BBB |
| Liverpool | Communication, Media and Politics · Philosophy and Politics | ABB |
| Loughborough | History and International Relations · History and Politics | ABB |
| Manchester | Philosophy and Politics · Politics and Criminology · Politics and Data Analytics · Politics and Modern Languages · Politics and Social Anthropology · Politics and Sociology | ABB |
| Newcastle | Politics and Sociology | ABB |
| Queen Mary | International Relations with Business Management · Politics and Sociology · Politics with Business Management | ABB |
| Queen's Belfast | Anthropology and Politics · English and Politics · French and Politics · History and International Relations · History and Politics · International Relations and Conflict Studies · International Relations and Irish · International Relations and Spanish · Irish and Politics · Philosophy and Politics · Politics and Spanish | ABB |
| Reading | Philosophy, Politics and Economics | ABB |
| Royal Holloway | History, Politics and International Relations · Modern Languages with International Relations · Music with Political Studies · Philosophy with International Relations · Philosophy with Politics · Politics and International Relations and Philosophy · Politics with Philosophy · Politics, International Relations and Modern Languages (French) · Politics, International Relations and Modern Languages (German) · Politics, International Relations and Modern Languages (Italian) · Politics, International Relations and Modern Languages (Spanish) · Politics, Philosophy and Economics | ABB to BBB |
| SOAS | Economics and International Relations · History and International Relations · History and Politics · International Relations and Africa and Black Diaspora · International Relations and Arabic · International Relations and Chinese · International Relations and East Asian Studies · International Relations and Global Development · International Relations and History of Art · International Relations and Japanese · International Relations and Korean · International Relations and Languages and Cultures (Middle East, Africa, South and Southeast Asia) · International Relations and Music · International Relations and Social Anthropology · International Relations and World Philosophies · Politics and Africa and Black Diaspora · Politics and Arabic · Politics and Chinese · Politics and East Asian Studies · Politics and Economics · Politics and Global Development · Politics and History of Art · Politics and Japanese · Politics and Korean · Politics and Languages and Cultures (Middle East, Africa, South and Southeast Asia) · Politics and Linguistics · Politics and Music · Politics and Social Anthropology · Politics and World Philosophies · Politics, Philosophy and Economics | ABB † |
| Sheffield | Politics and Modern Languages & Cultures · Politics and Sociology | ABB |
| Southampton | Modern History and Politics · Philosophy and Politics · Politics and Economics | ABB |
| Stirling | Economics and Politics | ABB |
| Strathclyde | Education & Politics and International Relations · English & Politics and International Relations · English and Creative Writing & Politics and International Relations · French & Politics and International Relations · History & Politics and International Relations · Journalism, Media and Communication & Politics and International Relations · Law & Politics and International Relations · Politics and International Relations & Economics · Politics and International Relations & Psychology · Politics and International Relations & Social Policy · Politics and International Relations & Spanish | ABB to BBB |
| Surrey | Law (Philosophy, Politics and Law Pathway) · Law with International Relations · Politics and Economics · Politics and Sociology | ABB · ABB to BBB |
| Sussex | American Studies and Politics · Geography and International Relations · History and International Relations · History and Politics · International Relations and Anthropology · International Relations and Development · International Relations and Sociology · International Relations with a Language · Politics and Philosophy · Politics and Sociology | ABB to BBB |
| Swansea | American Studies and Politics · History and Politics | ABB to BBC |
| UEA | History and Politics · International Relations and Modern History · Philosophy and Politics · Philosophy, Politics and Economics · Politics, Economics and Global Development | ABB |
| Warwick | Human, Social and Political Sciences | ABB |
Several universities ask ABB for a joint degree while asking more for single honours. Manchester asks AAA for Politics and International Relations but ABB for six joint degrees, including Politics and Sociology and Politics and Data Analytics. Warwick asks ABB for Human, Social and Political Sciences, against AAA for Politics. Moreover, Newcastle's Politics and Sociology and Sheffield's Politics and Sociology both ask ABB, a grade below single honours at each.
Edinburgh deserves a separate mention, since it asks ABB for Politics paired with Arabic, Italian, Russian Studies or Scandinavian Studies, against a range of A*A*A* to AAA for Politics on its own. Of course, these degrees give the language as much time as the Politics, so they suit a student who wants both in equal measure.
Courses where ABB sits within the published range
Glasgow publishes a range of AAB to BBB for single honours Politics and International Relations and for 34 joint degrees, so ABB sits in the middle of it. Exeter's History and Politics, Politics and Sociology and five other joint degrees run from AAB to ABB, as do the Law degrees with Politics or International Relations at Royal Holloway and Sussex.
| University | Courses | Published range |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | Law with Politics and International Relations | AAA to ABB |
| Edinburgh | German and Politics | AAA to ABB |
| Exeter | History and International Relations · History and Politics · International Relations and Modern Languages · Law with Politics (Cornwall) · Politics and Law (Cornwall) · Politics and Modern Languages · Politics and Sociology | AAB to ABB |
| Glasgow | Ancient History/Politics · Business Economics/Politics · Economic & Social History/International Relations · Economic & Social History/Politics · Economics/Politics · History/Politics · International Relations · International Relations with Quantitative Methods · International Relations/Central & East European Studies · International Relations/Social & Public Policy · International Relations/Sociology · Philosophy/Politics · Politics · Politics with Quantitative Methods · Politics/Archaeology · Politics/Business & Management · Politics/Central & East European Studies · Politics/Classics · Politics/Digital Media & Information Studies · Politics/English Language & Linguistics · Politics/English Literature · Politics/Film & Television Studies · Politics/French · Politics/Geography · Politics/German · Politics/Greek · Politics/History of Art · Politics/Music · Politics/Portuguese · Politics/Scottish Literature · Politics/Social & Public Policy · Politics/Sociology · Politics/Spanish · Politics/Theatre Studies · Scottish History/Politics · Theology & Religious Studies/Politics | AAB to BBB |
| Royal Holloway | Economics with Political Studies · Economics, Politics and International Relations · Law with International Relations · Law with Politics | AAB to BBB · AAB to ABB |
| Sussex | Law with International Relations · Law with Politics · Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) | AAB to ABB |
| Swansea | Law in Practice with International Relations · Law in Practice with Politics · Law with International Relations · Law with Politics | AAB to CCC |
Reading the offers
Contextual offers at ABB are usually BBC, as at Exeter, Loughborough, Queen Mary, Southampton and UEA, and Queen Mary publishes an enhanced contextual offer of BCC as well. SOAS publishes BBB, and Cardiff says its contextual offers sit towards the middle or lower end of its range.
The EPQ brings the offer down at several of these universities. Liverpool and Southampton accept BBB with an A in the EPQ, and Cardiff typically lowers its offer by one grade for an A. That being said, Northeastern University London makes an alternative offer to students taking the EPQ without publishing the grade, so it is worth asking the admissions team directly.
Choosing an ABB course
We would treat an ABB insurance choice as seriously as the firm choice, because it is the course the student will begin if one grade slips. As such, the module catalogue and the structure of the first year deserve a careful read, and 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 at BBB. Subsequently, once offers arrive, an ABB firm pairs best with an insurance that asks a grade less, so that a single dropped grade still leaves a place.
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. SOAS and Lancaster had not published 2027 figures for some of these courses when we checked, so those rows show the 2026 offers, marked †. Glasgow sets joint-degree offers by a published rule rather than a page per course, and for those we applied the rule it 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: Politics and International Relations degrees with AAB entry requirements, and PPE degrees and alternatives from AAA to ABB, for 2027.
