What A-levels Do You Need for Physiotherapy?

To study physiotherapy, you usually need three A-levels including biology, human biology or, at some universities, PE, normally at grade B or above. The 2027 entry offers we checked run from ABB to AAB, or 128 UCAS points where a university sets its offer in points. A second science helps but isn't always required.

That's good news if you're choosing A-levels now. You don't need a narrow set of three sciences. One strong science, two other solid subjects and a real interest in how the body moves will put you in a good place. The details change from one university to the next, so this guide shows five real course pages side by side.

Which A-levels do you need to be a physiotherapist?

The one subject almost every physiotherapy degree asks for is a biological science. Biology and human biology are accepted everywhere we looked. After that, universities split into two groups:

• Biology or PE: Hull, Nottingham and UWE Bristol accept either biology (including human biology) or PE as the named subject.
• A wider science list: Huddersfield accepts biology, human biology, chemistry, physics or PE. King's College London asks for two subjects from a list that includes psychology, sociology and maths as well as the sciences.

Your other A-levels are more open. Hull's own guide to physiotherapy A-levels recommends a second science or related subject, and gives chemistry, physics, psychology, PE and maths as examples. That's advice, not one of Hull's entry conditions, but it shows what admissions tutors like to see.

A few subjects are ruled out. Hull and Huddersfield both exclude General Studies, and Huddersfield also excludes the EPQ from its offer. Nottingham excludes citizenship studies, critical thinking, general studies and global perspectives.

What do universities actually ask for?

Here are the A-level offers from five university course pages, checked on 24 September 2026. Four show 2027 entry. Hull's guide page doesn't state an entry year, so treat its figures as a guide and check the live course page before you apply.

Two patterns stand out. First, a grade B in your science is the common minimum. Second, the more selective courses put the bar at AAB, while others sit at ABB or a points offer.

Does PE count as a science for physiotherapy?

It depends on the university, and this is where students most often get caught out. Among the five courses we checked:

• Hull lists Physical Education (PE) as one of the three subjects that meet its grade B requirement.
• Nottingham says your A-levels "must include biology or physical education", with a minimum grade B.
• UWE Bristol asks for grade B in biology, human biology or PE.
• Huddersfield lists PE among its relevant science subjects.
• King's College London includes Physical Education in its list of subjects, but names biology as its preferred subject.

So PE worked at all five of these. That doesn't mean it works everywhere. Some physiotherapy courses name biology alone, so if PE is your only science, check every course on your shortlist before you apply. If you're still choosing A-levels, taking biology keeps the most doors open.

What grades and UCAS points do those offers mean?

Some universities give an offer in grades, some in UCAS points, and a few show both. Here's how the two grade offers from the table convert to Tariff points.

King's College London and Nottingham ask for AAB:

Huddersfield asks for ABB, and shows this as 128 UCAS Tariff points on its course page:

Hull and UWE Bristol state their offers as 128 points. At UWE Bristol, 120 of those points must come from A-levels, and you still need grade B in biology, human biology or PE. Hull says its 128 points must come from three A-levels, including at least 40 UCAS points (grade B) in biology, human biology or PE.

A points offer gives you some flexibility on the other two subjects, but the named science grade is still a firm condition. You can check your own predicted grades against these offers with the UCAS points calculator. For a wider view of offers across physiotherapy courses, see our page on UCAS points for physiotherapy, and for how physiotherapy compares with other degrees, read how many UCAS points you need.

Do you need a science practical endorsement?

Often, yes. Several physiotherapy courses make a pass in the science practical endorsement part of the offer:

• King's College London says you must pass the practical endorsement in all science subjects if you are taking linear A-levels in England.
• Huddersfield says the endorsement for practical work is essential and a requirement for entry.
• Nottingham asks for a pass in science practical tests, where these are assessed separately.

Treat the practicals as part of your offer. They're usually straightforward if you keep up with the required experiments during Year 12 and Year 13.

Can you study physiotherapy without A-levels?

Yes. All five universities also accept the Access to HE Diploma, a route into university for people without A-levels. The catch is that each university asks for specific Distinction credits, often in biology, so the units you pick matter as much as your overall grade.

Before you enrol on an Access course, compare its unit list with the rules above. Our guide to the Access to HE Diploma explained covers how the course works, and you can turn a grade profile into points with the Access to HE UCAS points calculator.

Hull also accepts a BTEC at Distinction, Distinction, Merit, and says it considers other qualifications that don't match its combinations exactly. If you're taking a BTEC, check each university's subject rules, because some ask for particular science or sport units.

What else do physiotherapy courses check?

Grades get you through the first filter. Every course we checked has extra steps before you can start:

• Interview. King's College London says no offers are made without an interview, generally held between January and April. Nottingham says an interview is mandatory. Huddersfield's offers are subject to an interview and satisfactory references, and UWE Bristol invites shortlisted applicants to an interview on the KIRA Talent platform.
• DBS check. King's, Nottingham, Huddersfield and UWE Bristol all require a Disclosure and Barring Service check. UWE Bristol and Huddersfield specify an enhanced DBS.
• Health screening. King's needs Occupational Health Clearance for enrolment, Nottingham requires health screening by Occupational Health, Huddersfield asks for occupational health clearance, and UWE Bristol asks for a health check.
• Age. UWE Bristol says applicants must turn 18 before the start of placement, because of early clinical contact.

Huddersfield also points out that meeting the minimum entry requirements doesn't guarantee an interview or an offer. Showing that you understand what physiotherapists do, through volunteering, shadowing or sports coaching, makes a real difference. Hull's guide lists those same kinds of experience as ways to show commitment.

Will your degree let you register as a physiotherapist?

Physiotherapy degrees are linked to registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Here's what the universities we checked say about their courses:

• UWE Bristol says its course is approved by the HCPC, which means you will be eligible to apply for registration as a physiotherapist when you graduate, a prerequisite for practice.
• Hull says its degree is approved by the HCPC and that when you graduate you'll be able to register with the HCPC.
• Huddersfield says its course is regulated by the HCPC and accredited by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

When you compare courses, look for similar wording on each course page. It's a quick way to check a degree leads to the job you want.

What should you do next?

If you're picking A-levels, biology plus one other science or related subject is the choice that keeps the most physiotherapy courses open. If you already take PE instead of biology, you still have good options, but check each course's subject list first.

Next, make a shortlist of four or five courses, write down each one's offer and named subject, and compare them with your predicted grades. If you're a little short, look at courses that set their offer in points, and read what you can study with your UCAS points for other realistic matches, such as sports science.

Check your predicted grades against physiotherapy offers