Maria Atamanova
Performance marketing for AI-era growth – backed by models, not gut feeling.
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The Long Bet · Dataset · Sep 2026

A-level requirements by STEM programme

What 31 STEM degrees ask for at A-level: Mathematics required by 30 of them, 9 of the 31 checked against live university pages, as CSV.

TL;DR
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alevel_requirements_by_programme.csv – 31 rows, UTF-8, columns programme, cluster, required, n_required, recommended, typical_offer, source_status, source_university, notes.

alevel_subject_frequency.csv – 10 rows, columns subject, required_by, recommended_by, total_mentions, role.

ALevel_Prerequisites.xlsx – the same sheets as one workbook.

Requirements by programme

One row per canonical programme. “Required” is what the entry requirements state as compulsory; “recommended” is what they name as useful or preferred without demanding it. Where a requirement is written as a choice – Physics or Computing – both subjects are listed.

ProgrammeClusterRequired A-levelsRecommendedTypical offerSourceChecked against
Artificial IntelligenceCS & AIMathematicsFurther Mathematics, Physics, ComputingA*AAverifiedEdinburgh
CS & AICS & AIMathematicsFurther Mathematics, Computing, PhysicsA*AAestimatednot checked
Computational ScienceCS & AIMathematics · Physics or ComputingFurther Mathematics, Computing, PhysicsA*AAestimatednot checked
Computer ScienceCS & AIMathematicsFurther Mathematics, Physics, ComputingA*A*AverifiedCambridge + UCL + Oxford
Data ScienceCS & AIMathematicsFurther Mathematics, Chemistry, Economics, Physics, StatisticsA*AAverifiedUCL
BiochemistryChemistryBiology · ChemistryMathematics, Physics, Further MathematicsA*AAverifiedEdinburgh + UCL + Oxford + Cambridge
ChemistryChemistryChemistry · MathematicsPhysics, Biology, Further MathematicsA*AAestimatednot checked
BioinformaticsComputational Biology & BioinformaticsMathematics · BiologyChemistry, Computing, Further MathematicsA*A*Aestimatednot checked
Computational BiologyComputational Biology & BioinformaticsMathematics · BiologyChemistry, Computing, Further MathematicsA*A*Aestimatednot checked
NeuroscienceComputational Biology & BioinformaticsChemistry · Biology or Mathematics or PhysicsMathematics, Biology, PsychologyA*AAverifiedOxford + UCL
Earth SciencesEarth & Environmental SciencesMathematicsChemistry, Physics, Geography, BiologyAAAestimatednot checked
Biomedical EngineeringEngineering – BiomedicalMathematics · PhysicsBiology, Chemistry, Further MathematicsA*A*AverifiedCambridge + Oxford
Chemical EngineeringEngineering – Chemical & MaterialsMathematics · ChemistryPhysics, Further MathematicsA*AAestimatednot checked
Materials ScienceEngineering – Chemical & MaterialsMathematicsPhysics, Chemistry, Further MathematicsA*AAestimatednot checked
Civil EngineeringEngineering – Civil & EnvironmentalMathematics · PhysicsFurther Mathematics, Geography, ChemistryAAAestimatednot checked
Environmental EngineeringEngineering – Civil & EnvironmentalMathematicsChemistry, Biology, Physics, GeographyAAAestimatednot checked
Electrical EngineeringEngineering – Electrical & ComputerMathematics · PhysicsFurther Mathematics, ComputingA*A*AverifiedCambridge + Oxford
Aerospace EngineeringEngineering – Mechanical & AerospaceMathematics · PhysicsFurther Mathematics, ChemistryA*A*AverifiedCambridge + Oxford
Mechanical EngineeringEngineering – Mechanical & AerospaceMathematics · PhysicsFurther Mathematics, ChemistryA*AAestimatednot checked
Engineering (General)Engineering – OtherMathematics · PhysicsFurther Mathematics, ChemistryA*A*AverifiedCambridge + Oxford
Industrial EngineeringEngineering – OtherMathematicsPhysics, Further Mathematics, EconomicsAAAestimatednot checked
Nuclear EngineeringEngineering – OtherMathematics · PhysicsChemistry, Further MathematicsA*AAestimatednot checked
Systems EngineeringEngineering – OtherMathematics · PhysicsFurther Mathematics, ComputingAAAestimatednot checked
Interdisciplinary SciencesInterdisciplinaryMathematicsPhysics, Chemistry, Biology, ComputingA*AAestimatednot checked
Actuarial ScienceMathematicsMathematicsFurther Mathematics, Economics, StatisticsA*AAestimatednot checked
Applied MathematicsMathematicsMathematics · Further MathematicsPhysics, ComputingA*AAestimatednot checked
MathematicsMathematicsMathematics · Further MathematicsPhysics, Computing, StatisticsA*A*Aestimatednot checked
Operations ResearchMathematicsMathematicsFurther Mathematics, Economics, ComputingAAAestimatednot checked
StatisticsMathematicsMathematicsFurther Mathematics, Computing, EconomicsA*AAestimatednot checked
AstrophysicsPhysics & AstronomyMathematics · PhysicsFurther Mathematics, ChemistryA*AAestimatednot checked
PhysicsPhysics & AstronomyMathematics · PhysicsFurther Mathematics, ChemistryA*A*Aestimatednot checked

Table 1. 31 programmes, grouped by cluster. Source column: verified means the row was read off a live university admissions page, estimated means it was not.

How often each subject is asked for

The same 31 rows counted by subject. A subject named as one of several alternatives counts as a mention for each of them – that is how the totals below are built, and it is why the columns do not add up to 31 if you count programmes instead of mentions.

A-level subjectRequired byRecommended byTotal mentionsRole
Mathematics30232Core requirement
Further Mathematics22527Widely recommended
Physics121527Often required
Chemistry41519Widely recommended
Computing11314Sector-specific
Biology4610Sector-specific
Economics055Sector-specific
Geography033Sector-specific
Statistics033Sector-specific
Psychology011Sector-specific

Table 2. Ten subjects, most mentioned first.

How it was collected

The programme list is the same 31 canonical names as the programme coverage dataset. For each, entry requirements were taken from a UK university that teaches it – the one named in the last column – because A-levels are a UK qualification and UK pages state required subjects explicitly, which most other systems do not. Nine programmes were read off the live admissions page; the remaining 22 were filled from prior knowledge of the same requirements and are marked estimated.

Limitations

Three, and they matter in this order. 22 of 31 rows are unverified: they are consistent with how these degrees admit students, but no page was opened for them. The sample is UK-only and single-university per programme: a different university would give a different typical offer, and often a different recommended list. The typical offer moves – it is a snapshot of 2025 admissions, not a rule. What the table is good for is the shape of the answer, which subject is load-bearing and which is optional; what it is not good for is planning an application to a named university.

Where these numbers are used
The Unfashionable Four (Article 4) Reads this table: which four A-levels carry almost every STEM degree.
STEM programme coverage – dataset The same 31 programmes, and which of the top 100 universities teach them.
The Problem Statement (Article 1) Why four A-levels chosen at 17 decide which degrees stay reachable.

Cite this
Atamanova, M. (2026). A-level requirements by STEM programme [Data set]. mariascales.com. https://mariascales.com/research/long-bet/data/a-levels/

About the author

Maria Atamanova – Senior Growth & Performance Marketing Manager and applied mathematician; twelve years growing businesses – apps, e-commerce, EdTech, AI data platforms – on numbers, not gut feeling.

The method here – define the criteria, build the dataset, test every obvious answer – is the same one I use for growth teams; see the case studies.

Hiring a senior growth or performance lead? See the case studies · hello@mariascales.com · LinkedIn