France (before 2021)
Undergraduate entry requirements for students from France with qualifications awarded before 2021.
Qualifications awarded from 2021
This guidance is for applicants who achieved their qualification before the 2021 reforms. If you received your award from 2021 onwards, please check the information for the reformed qualifications.
To apply for a place at Edinburgh, you’ll need qualifications, a personal statement and a reference. You will also need to provide evidence of your English language skills through qualifications.
The qualifications and grades you need vary by degree and may include admissions tests, portfolios, interviews or evidence of relevant work experience. We call these our entry requirements.
Qualifications we accept
From France we accept:
- The Baccalauréat Général
- Option Internationale du Baccalauréat (OIB)
What grades you need
When you view a programme on our degree finder, you will see entry requirements for UK qualifications called A Levels, GCSEs and other qualifications you may require for entry.
Minimum requirements
The table below shows you what the equivalent qualification would be for your country, based on the minimum A Level offer. You must achieve these grades, or higher, to be entered into our selection process.
For some degrees, demand for places is much higher than places available, so applicants who meet the minimum requirements are not guaranteed an offer. Most offers will be made to students who achieve grades above the minimum entry requirement.
| A Level minimum requirement | Equivalent qualification |
|---|---|
| AAA | Award of French Baccalaureate / OIB with overall average score of 16 and 14 in three subjects. |
| AAB | Award of French Baccalaureate / OIB with overall average score of 15 and 14 in three subjects. |
| ABB | Award of French Baccalaureate / OIB with overall average score of 14 and 14 in three subjects. |
| BBB | Award of French Baccalaureate / OIB with overall average score of 13.5 and 14 in three subjects. |
Required subjects
For some degrees, you may also see a list of ‘required subjects’. Where this is the case, your qualifications must:
- include the specific subject/s listed for your degree, and
- meet, or exceed, the grades specified
| A Level subject requirement | Equivalent qualification |
|---|---|
| Subject at A* | Subject at 17. |
| Subject at A | Subject at 16. |
| Subject at B | Subject at 14. |
GCSE requirements
Our A Level required subjects also list also list UK GCSE qualifications. GCSEs are a UK qualification typically taken two years before A Levels.
For applicants from France, we accept the French Baccalaureate / Option International Baccalaureate as the equivalent qualification for both A Level and GCSE, however we ask for a lower grade to meet the GCSE requirement.
| GCSE subject requirement | Equivalent qualification |
|---|---|
| Subject at A / 7 | Subject at 14. |
| Subject at B / 6 | Subject at 13. |
| Subject at C / 4 | Subject at 12. |
These GCSE equivalencies are for our academic entry requirements only. For English language all applicants are required to demonstrate proficiency by holding one of the qualifications accepted by the University.
To see if your qualification can also be used as proof of English language competency, please check the information on our English language entry requirements page.
Additional requirements
For some degrees you may also be asked to attend an interview, sit an admissions test, submit a portfolio of your past work or provide evidence of relevant work experience.
Search for your degree’s A Level entry requirements
In the undergraduate degree finder, you can view your degree’s minimum A Level entry requirements, as well as English language requirements.
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine applicants
Applications will be considered if grades better than 14 are achieved in the majority of subjects. Sciences and Maths should be 16 or better. English, Chemistry plus two from Biology, Mathematics or Physics and another language must be offered.
Examination results must be obtained at the first sitting.
Admissions information – Medicine
You are also required to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) in the summer before you submit your UCAS application. Details of the test and how your result is used in the selection process are available on the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine website.
All applicants are also required to demonstrate proficiency in English language by holding one of the qualifications accepted by the University.
Applications will be considered if you have passed or are predicted to pass the French Baccalaureate / OIB with grades of 16 or better out of 20 in Chemistry and Biology. All remaining subjects, to include Maths or Physics, should be gained at 14 or better. Applicants whose qualifications were assessed before 2021 must have studied the S (Scientific) series.
If Physics has not been studied as part of the above qualifications, candidates must also provide evidence of a qualification at a minimum SQA Standard Grade 2 or GCSE Grade B or equivalent in this subject.
Qualifications must be gained in one sitting and at the first attempt.
Work experience with animals is a key part of the entry requirements for Veterinary Medicine. You will be required to submit a Work Experience Summary form prior to 22nd October to support your UCAS application.
Admissions information - Veterinary Medicine
All applicants are also required to demonstrate proficiency in English language by holding one of the qualifications accepted by the University.
What to include in your application
You must submit a fully completed UCAS application that includes:
- a personal statement
- a reference
- full details of all achieved qualifications, as well as any you are taking this year
Predicted grades
We need to see predicted grades for all qualifications you have not yet completed. This includes each subject you are taking in your final qualifications, so that we can ensure you meet all entry requirements.
Without predicted grades we cannot assess your application fully, and it is very unlikely to be considered in the selection process.
Although predicted grades should be added by your referee in the appropriate section of the UCAS application form, it is your responsibility to check that this has been done.
Contact us
If you have further questions about EU entry requirements or undergraduate applications, please use our undergraduate enquiry form.