Universities That Accept 32 IB Points: UK Courses and Offers
By Michael Thompson · Education Specialist; 10 years teaching the IB at Bromsgrove School · Published 4 October 2026 · Updated 6 October 2026
2,350 undergraduate courses at 60 UK universities list 32 IB points as their standard offer, according to the UCAS entry requirements in our course directory, and a 32-point total meets the standard points offer for 63% of the 10,917 UK courses that publish one. The higher-level grades and subject requirements then decide the rest. Below, the courses are grouped by subject area and by university, with the Russell Group options at this level and what one or two points either way would change.
Key Takeaways
- 2,350 courses at 60 universities: list 32 IB points as their standard offer in our directory (2026 entry).
- 63% of all IB offers are at or below this level: so 32 points meets the published points total for most courses; the higher-level grades decide the rest.
- 833 Russell Group courses: at 16 universities ask for 32 points, led by University of Liverpool (269), University of Birmingham (179) and University of Exeter (100).
- Biggest subject areas: Languages & Linguistics (301), Business & Management (240) and Politics & International Relations (197).
- Most often paired with ABB at A-level: 44% of these courses list that A-level offer alongside 32 points.
- 1,232 courses list exactly 34 points: led by Languages & Linguistics, Business & Management and Engineering.
In This Article
- What 32 IB points gets you in the UK
- Courses asking for 32 points, by subject area
- Russell Group courses at 32 points
- Medicine, dentistry, law and veterinary science at 32 points
- What 34 points unlocks, and what 30 points still gets you
- How to use this list
- How this list was built
- What to do next
1. What 32 IB points gets you in the UK
In our directory, 2,350 undergraduate courses at 60 UK universities list 32 IB points as their standard offer. The question behind a search for universities that accept 32 IB points has a long answer, so this page sorts it by subject area and by university, and shows what one or two more points would add.
For context, 63% of the 10,917 courses with a published IB offer ask for 32 points or fewer. Universities that ask for 32 IB points most often ask A-level applicants for ABB (44% of these courses), which is the clearest guide to how selective this band is.
Two things a points total does not tell you. First, most offers also name grades in specific higher-level subjects; 27% of the courses at 32 points list required subjects in their UCAS entry, and the course page shows the full requirement. Second, the IB points a university asks for is a different thing from the UCAS Tariff points your diploma converts to; universities that make IB offers quote the diploma total, not the tariff.
2. Courses asking for 32 points, by subject area
| Subject area | Courses | Universities | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Languages & Linguistics | 301 | 21 | Modern Languages (University of Bristol); French Studies (University of Warwick); French (University of Birmingham) |
| Business & Management | 240 | 22 | Marketing (University of Birmingham); Professional Studies (University of Leeds); Music and Business Management (University of Southampton) |
| Politics & International Relations | 197 | 21 | Human, Social, and Political Sciences (University of Warwick); Politics (University of Birmingham); Politics (University of Southampton) |
| History & Archaeology | 176 | 20 | Classics (University of Bristol); History of Art (University of Warwick); History (University of Birmingham) |
| Geography & Environment | 128 | 21 | Earth Sciences (University of Edinburgh); Geology (University of Bristol); Geology (University of Birmingham) |
| Biological Sciences | 118 | 21 | Applied Anatomy (University of Bristol); Biochemistry (University of Birmingham); Biology (University of Southampton) |
| Sociology & Social Sciences | 112 | 19 | Childhood Studies (University of Bristol); Sociology (University of Warwick); Sociology (University of Birmingham) |
| Law | 111 | 21 | Sociology and Criminology (University of Warwick); Law (University of Birmingham); Criminology (University of Southampton) |
| Economics | 97 | 14 | Economics (University of Birmingham); Politics and Economics (University of Southampton); French and Economics (University of Liverpool) |
| Philosophy & Theology | 88 | 19 | Religion and Theology (University of Bristol); Philosophy (University of Birmingham); Philosophy (University of Southampton) |
| Physical Sciences | 85 | 18 | Physics (University of Birmingham); Materials Science and Engineering (Queen Mary University of London); Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry (Newcastle University) |
| English & Literature | 84 | 17 | Film and Literature (University of Warwick); English Literature (University of Birmingham); English (University of Southampton) |
| Psychology | 83 | 16 | Psychology in Education (University of Bristol); Psychology (University of Birmingham); Philosophy and Psychology (University of Nottingham) |
| Media & Communication | 82 | 22 | Film Studies (University of Warwick); Drama and Film (University of Birmingham); Film Studies (University of Southampton) |
| Nursing & Health | 78 | 33 | Children's Nursing (University of Manchester); Pharmacy (University of Birmingham); Pharmacology (University of Southampton) |
| Engineering | 62 | 20 | Engineering (University of Birmingham); Civil Engineering (University of Nottingham); Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Queen Mary University of London) |
The remaining 308 courses are spread across Computing, Mathematics, Performing Arts, Other, Creative Arts & Design, Medicine & Dentistry, Education, Architecture & Building, Agriculture, Sport Science and Veterinary.
Every course links to its page in the directory, which carries the full entry requirement, the A-level equivalent and the university's own course page.
3. Russell Group courses at 32 points
833 of the courses at 32 points are at Russell Group universities: King's College London, University of Edinburgh, University of Manchester, University of Bristol, University of Warwick, University of Birmingham, University of Leeds, University of Southampton, University of Sheffield, University of Nottingham, Queen Mary University of London, Newcastle University, University of Liverpool, University of Exeter, Cardiff University and Queen's University Belfast. The table shows up to 25 of them, at most three per university, ordered by the university's position in the directory's ranking; each university's directory page lists the rest.
| University | Course | A-level offer listed |
|---|---|---|
| King's College London | Dental Therapy and Hygiene | BBB |
| University of Edinburgh | Earth Sciences | ABB - BBB |
| University of Edinburgh | Earth Sciences and Physical Geography | ABB - BBB |
| University of Manchester | Children's Nursing | BBB |
| University of Bristol | Geology | ABB - BBC |
| University of Bristol | Classics | ABB - BBC |
| University of Bristol | History of Art | ABB - BBC |
| University of Warwick | Education | ABB |
| University of Warwick | Sociology | ABB |
| University of Warwick | Film Studies | ABB |
| University of Birmingham | Law | AAA |
| University of Birmingham | Music | AAB |
| University of Birmingham | French | ABB |
| University of Leeds | Professional Studies | BBB |
| University of Southampton | Music | ABB - BBB |
| University of Southampton | Biology | ABB |
| University of Southampton | English | ABB |
| University of Sheffield | Orthoptics | BBB |
| University of Sheffield | Nursing (Adult) | BBB |
| University of Nottingham | Biology | AAB |
| University of Nottingham | English | AAB |
| University of Nottingham | History | AAB |
| Queen Mary University of London | Film | ABB |
| Queen Mary University of London | Biology | ABB |
| Queen Mary University of London | Zoology | ABB |
The other 808 Russell Group courses at this level are on each university's directory page.
For the full picture across all 24 universities, including the lowest and highest IB offers each one makes, see Russell Group IB requirements by university.
4. Medicine, dentistry, law and veterinary science at 32 points
Medicine and dentistry: 2 courses at 32 points, including Medicine (University of Birmingham).
Law: 66 degrees with "law" in the title at 32 points, including Law (University of Birmingham), Law and French (University of Liverpool), French and Law (University of Strathclyde) and Law (Swansea University).
Veterinary science: 1 course at 32 points: Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (University of Nottingham).
These subjects usually add admissions tests, interviews and specific higher-level sciences on top of the points total, so the points figure is a floor rather than the whole requirement.
5. What 34 points unlocks, and what 30 points still gets you
Two more points, at 34 points, would add 1,232 courses at 41 universities, led by Languages & Linguistics (258), Business & Management (95) and Engineering (94).
Two points lower, at 30 points, 1,167 courses at 49 universities list that as their standard offer, so a result slightly below target still leaves a wide choice.
Because an offer is a minimum, the courses at every lower band are open to you as well: 63% of all courses with an IB offer ask for 32 points or fewer.
6. How to use this list
- Read the whole offer, not the total. Open the course page and check the higher-level grades and required subjects before you shortlist; a 36-point course that wants 6 in HL Mathematics is a different proposition from one that does not.
- Build a spread. Five UCAS choices work best as a mix of courses at your predicted total, a couple above it and at least one comfortably below.
- Check contextual offers. Many universities make lower offers to eligible applicants, typically one to three points below the standard figure.
- Studying outside the UK? IB students applying to UK universities covers predicted grades, how offers are expressed and what universities ask for on top of the points total.
- Convert carefully. If a university quotes UCAS Tariff points instead of an IB total, use the UCAS Tariff calculator rather than a rule of thumb.
7. How this list was built
Entry requirements come from the UCAS course listings for 2026 entry held in the MyRevisionAgent course directory (snapshot June 2026): 10,917 undergraduate degree courses at 119 UK universities that list an IB points offer. Delivery variants of the same course (placement year, year abroad) are counted once, and foundation-year routes are left out because their offers are for a preparatory year rather than the degree. The figure shown is the IB points total each university lists as its standard offer; where a listing gives a range, such as a contextual offer alongside the standard one, the higher figure is used, because it is the one that meets the offer in every case. Most also require specific grades at higher level, which the course page shows. Offers change between cycles and contextual offers can be lower, so confirm the current requirement with the university before you apply.
8. What to do next
Shortlist five to eight courses from the tables above, open each course page and note the higher-level requirements beside the points total. Then check your predicted grades against them: if you are one or two points short on a course you want, look at its contextual offer and at the 30-point list; if you are ahead, use the 34-point list to see what else is open to you.
FAQ
Is 32 IB points a good score for UK universities?
It meets the standard points offer for 63% of the 10,917 UK courses in our directory that publish an IB requirement, and 2,350 courses list exactly 32 points as their offer, most often alongside an A-level offer of ABB.
What is 32 IB points in A-levels?
Universities that ask for 32 IB points most often ask A-level applicants for ABB (44% of courses at this level), though the pairing varies by course. That is a university's judgement of equivalence; the UCAS Tariff conversion is a separate calculation, explained in our IB to UCAS points guide.
Can I get into medicine with 32 IB points?
2 medicine or dentistry courses in our directory list 32 points as the standard offer, including Medicine at University of Birmingham; all also require an admissions test, specific higher-level sciences and an interview.
Which Russell Group universities accept 32 IB points?
16 Russell Group universities list at least one course at 32 points in our directory: King's College London, University of Edinburgh, University of Manchester, University of Bristol, University of Warwick, University of Birmingham, University of Leeds, University of Southampton, University of Sheffield, University of Nottingham, Queen Mary University of London, Newcastle University, University of Liverpool, University of Exeter, Cardiff University and Queen's University Belfast.
Do Oxford and Cambridge accept 32 IB points?
The lowest IB offer in our directory at Oxford is 38 points, so 32 points is below Oxford's published offers. Cambridge is not in these tables because its UCAS listings in our directory carry no current IB figure; its typical IB offer is 40-42 points with 776 at higher level, so check the course page.
References
- Calculate your UCAS Tariff points - UCAS - https://www.ucas.com/applying/before-you-apply/what-and-where-to-study/entry-requirements/calculate-your-ucas-tariff-points