Our Courses

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Something for everyone

Shrewsbury College offers a wide range of subjects and has a qualification or course for you, whatever your situation. We offer academic excellence at our Welsh and English Bridge campuses and vocational excellence at our London Road Campus.

No matter what level you are at, we will have something appropriate for you, whether that be A Levels, T Levels, vocational diplomas, higher education, apprenticeships, GCSEs in Maths and English, or our Preparation Route programmes. We also offer a broad range of part-time courses for those wishing to develop a skill or hobby. The jargon can be confusing, so below we have aimed to explain what the various qualifications are. Please contact us or attend our next Advice Event if we can help clarify this further.

Choices vary with different levels but you can choose to study:

• A Levels
• Vocational subjects (sometimes combined with A Levels)
• T Levels
• Subjects on a full-time or part-time basis
• Apprenticeships
• Higher university / degree-level courses

A Levels

A Levels will suit you if you perform well in exams, if you want to study a range of subjects, or if you have a particular career in mind which requires specific A Level qualifications. A Levels are two-year courses with assessment through exams at the end of that period. Although mostly exam-based, some subjects, such as the arts, include ongoing projects and coursework.

We offer the widest choice of A Levels in the region; you can choose from 38 A Levels, including 4 A Level equivalent courses. An academic study programme will typically consist of three courses. If you have mainly Grade 7 or above at GCSE, you may want to consider studying four A Levels to stretch yourself or to improve your chances of a place at a competitive university or on a competitive course. One of the advantages of our A Level programme is that as one of the largest colleges in the country, you will be able to study almost any combination of three subjects - you won’t find that your choices are restricted because of timetable clashes. There are however three subject combinations that are not allowed by exam boards:

• A Level Combined English with either A Level English Literature or A Level English Language
• A Level Business with CTECH Extended Certificate Business
• A Level Modern History and A Level Medieval History.

You can study both English Literature and English Language, but this would only be advisable if you intended to study English at university. If you want to study A Level Further Maths you must also study A Level Maths and will typically need to study four A Levels.

• A Level entry requirements

  To study A Levels, you need a minimum of five GCSEs at Grade 4† or above, including English Language. If you do not gain a Grade 4 or higher in GCSE Maths, you will have to study GCSE Maths alongside your A Levels. There are additional entry requirements for some subjects which are set out on the right. If these prevent you from studying a subject that is central to your progression plans after A Level, we will help you explore alternative routes. Each subject page also states the specific entry requirements.

  You will need five GCSEs at Grade 4† or above, including Maths, to study these subjects:

  • Applied Science CTECH
  • Business A Level and CTECH
  • Geography
  • Geology
  • Physical Education
  • Product Design
  • Psychology

  † For those applying from Welsh schools, this is Grade C. If you have overseas qualifications then please check with our Admissions team, who will do a comparison with UKNARIC to check if your qualifications are GCSE equivalent.

  You will need five GCSEs at Grades 4 or above and specific entry requirements to study these subjects:

  • Fine Art, Graphic Communication, Photography, and Textiles: 4 or above in an art and design subject. If you have not studied a GCSE art and design subject you will be considered on an individual basis. You will need to demonstrate your interest in the subject through a visual portfolio.
  • Applied Science: 4 or above in any two sciences or 4:4 in Combined Science.
  • Biology: 5 or above in two sciences including Biology or 5:5 or above in Combined Science, 5 or above in Maths.
  • Business: 4 or above in Business (if taken at GCSE).
  • Chemistry: 5 or above in two sciences including Chemistry or 5:5 or above in Combined Science, 5 or above in Maths.
  • Computer Science: 5 or above in Maths, 4 or above in Computer Science (if taken at GCSE).
  • Economics: 5 or above in Maths.
  • Electronics: 5 or above in Physics or 5:5 or above in Combined Science, 5 or above in Maths.
  • English Language, English Literature, English Language & Literature: 4 or above in English Literature.
  • French, German and Spanish: 5 or above in the language to be studied or proven linguistic ability.
  • Geography: 4 or above in Geography (if taken at GCSE.)
  • Geology: 4 or above in Chemistry or Physics or 4:4 or above in Combined Science.
  • History: 4 or above in History (if taken at GCSE).
  • Maths: 7 or above in Maths.
  • Further Maths: 7 or above in Maths.
  • Music: At the start of the course you must be able to play an instrument or sing to Grade 4 standard or higher. (If no graded exam results are available, you will be required to audition.)
  • Physical Education: 5 or above in Biology or 5:5 or above in Combined Science.
  • Physics: 5 or above in two sciences including Physics OR 5:5 or above in Combined Science, 5 or above in Maths.
  • Psychology: 4 or above in any science or 4:4 or above in Combined Science.
  • Statistics: 5 or above in Maths.

Vocational courses

Our vocational courses give you the knowledge, skills, work experience and qualifications to progress to higher education, an apprenticeship, or into full-time employment. They also provide employability skills that will give you a head start in your chosen career. Our vocational courses are almost all taught at our London Road Campus, except vocational arts courses, which are taught at the English Bridge Campus. Depending on your GCSE achievement and equivalent qualifications, you will start your course at Levels 1, 2 or 3, though in some trades, everyone starts at Level 1 or 2 regardless of their qualifications, as you need to build up your industry-specific skills before progressing to an advanced level.

Extended Diplomas are two-year courses that allow you to progress to higher education or employment. They are worth three A Levels and are highly valued by both universities and employers. It may be possible, in some cases, to study an A Level alongside an Extended Diploma. You will need to have achieved the entry requirements for the course, typically four GCSEs at Grades 9 to 4, though individual subjects have different specific requirements.

Vocational courses in Hair, Beauty, Construction Trades, Fabrication & Welding, Engineering, Motor Vehicle, and Hospitality & Catering require specific manual skills and you will start studying at either Level 1 or Level 2 regardless of your grades at GCSE.

• Vocational entry requirements

  Our vocational courses have different entry requirements. As many of the courses help to develop skills for a trade, there are differing levels of academic qualifications or experience required and these requirements are entirely dependent on the course itself. However, with a number of courses, there is no minimum number of GCSE grades required. Please refer to the individual course page for further details.

  Level 3

  This could be either T Levels, Extended Diploma, Diploma or Subsidiary. Normally taken over two years and suitable if you have gained four or more GCSEs at Grade 4 or above or have passed a Level 2 qualification with an overall Merit or Distinction, with either Maths or English at Grade 4 or above. Higher entry requirements are needed for some subject areas. However, a Level 3 course can be one year if it is as a progression from Level 2 in trade and skill areas.

  Level 2

  A one-year course, suitable if you have achieved some GCSEs at Grades 3-1 or have passed a Level 1 qualification. For some subjects, this is the first Level based on skills development (see specific course pages for details.) You can then progress to Level 3 courses or an apprenticeship.

  Level 1

  A one-year course in vocational skills subject areas. It is often the starting point, regardless of previous academic qualifications and experience, and helps you to develop trade skills. You can work at your own pace and develop Level 2 skills within that first year. Progression to Level 2 as a second year is required for employment or can be studied as an apprenticeship.

T Levels

T Levels or Technical Levels are ground-breaking new qualifications equivalent to 3 A Levels. T Levels offer students a mixture of classroom learning and on-the-job experience during an industry placement of at least 315 hours (approximately 45 days).

T Levels have been developed in collaboration with employers and businesses so that the content meets the needs of the industry and prepares students for work, training, or further study. They are ideal if you have completed your GCSEs and want to continue your studies, but also want to get into a skilled job. T Levels are also great if you prefer a practical approach to your studies. They enable you to gain knowledge and build experience at the same time, ideal if you are focused on a particular career or work skills and want to progress to university, further training, an apprenticeship, or employment.

Entry / Level 1

Equivalent to BTEC Introductory Diploma and NVQ Level 1
These courses are normally for one year and are suitable if you do not have the entry requirements for Level 2 qualifications or if you wish to do a technical qualification you have no previous experience in.

Level 2

Equivalent to 4 or 5 GCSEs, NVQ Level 2 or BTEC First Diploma
Usually, one year and is suitable if you have achieved some GCSEs at grades D-G or have passed a Level 1 qualification. Entry criteria grade 3.

Level 3

Equivalent to A Level, BTEC National Diploma or NVQ Level 3
Normally taken over two years and are suitable if you have gained four or more GCSEs at grade C or above or have passed a Level 2 qualification with overall merit or distinction. Entry criteria grades 4.

Level 4 / Level 5

Equivalent to HNC, HND, Foundation degree
This is a higher level qualification and during year 2 of a Level 3 course, you may work towards units of a Level 4 qualification with the option of continuing with this the following year. Many students do progress from a Level 3 course to a HE course.

NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications)

Based on an area of work and the skills needed to do a specific job within that area. They are available at Levels 1-5 and assess the competency and knowledge required to do a particular job. NVQs can be studied full-time in subjects such as Hairdressing and Catering, where the College can provide a realistic working environment. NVQs are also available through work-based learning, where students split their time between college and work, perhaps on an Apprenticeship programme.

Professional Industry-recognised qualifications

A range of well-respected and widely recognised qualifications are offered in professions such as Accountancy, Administration, Beauty Therapy, Catering, Childcare, Construction, Hairdressing and Teaching. These courses are often available from Level 2 to Level 6 and include AAT (Association of Accounting Technicians), and CACHE (The Council for Awards in Children's Care and Education).

Apprenticeships

These work-based learning courses give you the opportunity to earn money with an employer whilst attending college. View the occupational areas we offer apprenticeships in.

Preparation Routes

There is a range of Pre-entry programmes for young people who need more time to explore their options and develop Maths/English and communication skills. These routes prepare you for both full-time studies, employment and Apprenticeships. The core subject is employability skills and based on individual circumstances and interests can include time in a variety of vocational subjects working to awards where appropriate.

MORE DETAILS ON PREPARATION ROUTES HERE

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Check the status of an existing application

Apply for a full-time course

You can apply online for a full-time course from October 2025. To guarantee your choice of A Level courses, we recommend you apply by February half-term, but later applications will be accepted depending on course availability.

1. Attend an event or make a visit

We highly recommend you get an early experience of college life by coming to a physical or virtual open evening, roadshow, or tour to meet teachers and see our facilities. You can view all of our events here.

2. Apply for a course

You apply via the course pages on our website, and you can contact the Admissions Team for help if needed. Please apply using a personal email address rather than a school email address, as we will continue to contact you after you have left school. We accept applications throughout the year for technical and vocational courses, subject to the availability of places. For A Levels, we ask that you apply by February half-term as demand is high on certain courses. Although applications after this date will be processed, some A Level courses might be full. If you want to join college in September on a course starting that same year, please ring the Admissions Team before applying.

Please note: You can apply to both an academic and a vocational programme. If you want to find out about both and keep your options open, we will invite you to interview and to Welcome Days for both applications to help you make your choice by the time of enrolment. Please check your emails regularly as we will send you information about your application. You will be informed when your interview will take place by email within two weeks of us receiving your application.

3. Attend the interview

All applicants will be invited for an interview, where you will discuss your plans and goals, and we can provide guidance on the best course(s) to study. At the interview, you will find out more about the college and discuss your reasons for your course choice with a teacher. These sessions start in December and continue until August.

• You can ask for someone to support you at the interview if necessary
• Your parents/guardians can attend the sessions to find out more about the college, but they won’t be invited to join you in the individual discussion, as we want to get to know you!
• The tutor will inform you of their decision, and you will be given a paper copy of your conditional place. You will then receive an email confirming your offer of a place that you will need to accept/decline
• You will be required to accept the offer of a place within two weeks of your interview.

We do not give priority to applications from pupils enrolled at particular schools.

A Level interviews

Interviews for A Levels happen throughout the year at the English Bridge Campus. We will look at the predicted grade information from your school or achieved grades and offer you a place on the course or refer you for further information and guidance. Please make sure you have read the qualifications section to find out more about the range of qualifications available and check the entry requirements for each subject you are considering studying.

Vocational interviews

You will be invited to an interview session at the London Road Campus (or English Bridge Campus for art, fashion and photography courses). You will get a better idea of what the college is about and have a chance to discuss your goals with your teacher.

4. Save the dates for our applicant activity programme

We will keep in touch by email and text message, and you will be invited to attend a Welcome Day in June/July, where you will meet other students and find out more about your programme. You will need to have applied and been offered a place by May. Please apply in good time to secure your place on this da,y as it’s an important part of the application process. Between application and enrolment, you will receive newsletters with information about how we can support you at college and great news stories about what our current students have been up to.

Welcome Day

All students who have been offered a conditional place are expected to attend this very important event. You will sample the course you have applied for, meet tutors and fellow students and have a tour of the campus. You will receive further details regarding this event by email. This is a timetabled day for applicants to experience the subject fully.

Parent Pre-enrolment

This is an opportunity for parents/carers to find out more about the college, the academic and pastoral support and communication with parents. This event usually takes place in June, and parents will be sent an email invitation to book a place.

We will contact you regularly throughout the year about your Pre-Enrolment and Enrolment dates, so please ensure you correctly enter your email address and telephone number on your application - and notify us of any changes. The only information that is posted is the information about your enrolment. We will also be sending you emails regarding student finance, travel application forms and any other information you will require with regard to your transition to college.

5. Enrol!

In July, we will write to you to confirm arrangements for enrolling in August/September. When you come to your Enrolment appointment, we will take some extra information from you and record your GCSE grades, as well as give you your student ID card and tell you all you need to know about starting in September.

Part-time Courses

Some of our courses have entry requirements, and you may need to have an informal chat with the tutor to check if it is appropriate for you. This will be clear in the course factsheets.

Most of our part-time courses do not have any specific entry requirements, and in these instances, you can enrol either in person or by phone between 8.30am-4.30pm, Monday to Friday. You can also enrol and chat with staff at our advice/enrolment events, which happen throughout the year or use our Live Chat.

You will be required to pay your course fees at the time of enrolment, so please ensure that you bring an appropriate payment method with you (as well as appropriate evidence if you are eligible to have any fees waived).

Apprenticeships

If you are interested in an apprenticeship, you are required to have an employer within the relevant occupation. It may be that you are currently working in the area you wish to take an apprenticeship in. You can also apply for existing apprenticeship vacancies through the college.

More information on the application process is available here. 

University Level Courses

Full-time Higher Education courses

To apply for any full-time higher education course at Shrewsbury College, you will need to complete the online UCAS application form. Once you have a list of your course choices, go to www.ucas.com and click on the ‘Apply’ part of the site. You can then click ‘Register/Log in’ to begin the registration process.

If you are an existing Shrewsbury College student, you should apply for your place at the beginning of year 2 of your Level 3 course. Your tutor will take you through the registration process, as there is a special code needed.

Completing the application form:

• You should complete each section of the form, and when finished, click 'pay and send'. At this point, you will be asked to input your credit or debit card details - it costs £28.95 to apply for up to five choices.
• The personal statement is the most important part of the form and is used by HE Tutors to decide on the suitability of applicants for their course.

The UCAS application system for university-level courses opens on 1 September and ends on 14 January each year. You can apply after this deadline, but your application will be classed as late. You should aim to apply as early as possible after 1 September, as the most popular courses fill up quickly.

If you need help in completing your application form, you can contact Paul Kelly or Jodi White, the college's Careers & Progression Advisors, by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phoning 01743 653661/653669.

You may wish to access the National Careers Service for more in-depth support. If you are currently a Shrewsbury College student, you may book an appointment to speak to Paul or Ann by dropping in at The Agency or via your Student Support Tutor or Progression Specialist.

Part-time Higher Education courses

Applications for part-time HE courses do not go through UCAS. You can apply online via the course details page for your chosen course. Once the college receives your application, you will be invited to the college for an interview.

For further help on part-time HE courses, please call 01743 653333.

Certificates for courses with qualifications

Certificates are posted to the address we have on record for you, and we recommend you update us with any changes to your address before you finish your course. Apart from GCSEs, GCEs and A Levels, awarding bodies process certificates at different times, so we don’t have specific dates for the posting of certificates. If you haven’t heard anything by the end of August, please contact the college.

Please note: Once you have received your certificate, please check the details and contact us immediately if you see a mistake – there is a short period of time when errors can be amended free of charge.