Nottingham Trent University Admissions Statistics

If you’re thinking about applying there, understanding Nottingham Trent University admissions statistics can help you judge how competitive your chosen course might be.

Nottingham Trent University (NTU) is one of the UK’s largest modern universities, known for strong student satisfaction, industry links, and career-focused degrees. But how selective is NTU overall, and does competition vary by subject?

This guide breaks down the latest Nottingham Trent University admissions statistics, including overall offer rates, course demand, and what these numbers mean for you as an applicant.

All figures are based on UCAS (opens in a new tab) and officially released admissions data (opens in a new tab).

Top 3 Nottingham Trent University Admissions Statistics

• In the 2023/24 admissions cycle, 54,992 students applied to Nottingham Trent University for undergraduate study.

• 43,227 offers were made, giving an overall offer rate of around 79%, meaning roughly 4 out of 5 applicants received an offer.

• The most applied-for course was Law (LLB), which received over 2,100 applications.

Nottingham Trent University Acceptance Rate Overview

Nottingham Trent University receives a very high number of undergraduate applications each year, reflecting its strong reputation for teaching quality, employability and industry-focused degrees.

In the 2023/24 admissions cycle, there were:

• 54,992 undergraduate applications

• 43,227 offers made

This means the overall offer rate was around 79%, with roughly 4 out of 5 applicants receiving an offer.

It’s important to understand what this figure means. An offer rate is not the same as the number of students who ultimately enrol. Many applicants apply to multiple universities and choose between several offers before confirming their final place.

Overall, Nottingham Trent is considered moderately selective within the UK university sector. While entry is more accessible than at highly selective universities such as Oxford or Imperial, competition still varies significantly depending on the subject you choose.

Courses linked to professional careers, creative industries and business disciplines often attract particularly large applicant numbers, making them more competitive than the university’s overall offer rate might suggest.

Acceptance rates, therefore, vary widely by course, as shown in the subject-level data below.

Nottingham Trent University Admissions Statistics by Course

Below is a breakdown of how competitive some of Nottingham Trent University’s most popular undergraduate courses were, based on the most recent detailed admissions data available (2023/24 cycle).

Courses are ranked by number of applications, helping you quickly see where applicant demand is highest. Different study durations (for example, placement year and sandwich variants) have been combined, so each degree appears only once.

Lower acceptance rates generally indicate stronger competition.

Source: Nottingham Trent University undergraduate admissions data released via Freedom of Information request (2023/24 admissions cycle). 

Key Trends from 2023/24 Admissions Data

1. Law is Nottingham Trent’s most competitive course

Law (LLB) attracted over 2,100 applications, making it the most in-demand undergraduate course at Nottingham Trent University.

High application numbers mean competition is strongest here. Even at universities with good overall offer rates, popular professional subjects like Law attract large pools of strong applicants.

Your grades matter, but admissions tutors are also looking for applicants who genuinely understand what studying Law involves.

If you’re interested in applying for Law at NTU, consider how you might demonstrate:

• clear interest in legal issues

• evidence of reading or research beyond school

• good analytical and written communication skills

• commitment shown through super-curricular activities

2. Psychology remains one of the UK’s most oversubscribed degrees

Psychology at NTU received more than 1,700 applications, continuing a national trend where Psychology is among the most popular university subjects.

As with Law, because so many applicants meet the academic entry requirements, you’ll find competition for places even where offer rates remain relatively healthy.

To strengthen a Psychology application, you could:

• show awareness of psychological research or experiments

• link work experience or volunteering to human behaviour or wellbeing

• demonstrate curiosity about scientific thinking and data analysis

3. Business and Marketing courses attract extremely high demand

Several of NTU’s most applied-for courses sit within its Business School, including:

• Business Management & Marketing

• Business

• Accounting & Finance

• Marketing

• Business Management & Entrepreneurship

Together, these courses receive thousands of applications each year.

This does not necessarily mean very low offer rates, but it does mean you will compete against many similarly qualified students.

Successful applicants typically show:

• commercial awareness

• teamwork or leadership experience

• part-time work or enterprise activity

• clear motivation for studying business

4. Creative and design subjects remain highly popular

Courses such as Fashion Design and Graphic Design continue to attract strong interest at NTU, reflecting the university’s national reputation for creative and industry-focused degrees.

For creative subjects, admissions decisions often depend on more than grades alone. Portfolio quality can play a decisive role.

Applicants should prioritise:

• developing a strong portfolio

• demonstrating creative experimentation

• showing awareness of industry trends

• explaining their creative process clearly

5. Health, Sport and applied science courses offer strong opportunities

Courses such as:

• Nursing

• Sport & Exercise Science

• Biomedical Science

• Health & Social Care

receive substantial numbers of applications but often offer clearer progression routes into specific careers.

These degrees typically value:

• relevant work experience or volunteering

• evidence of commitment to the profession

• communication and interpersonal skills

For many applicants, these subjects provide an excellent balance between employability and accessibility.

6. NTU is competitive, but accessibility varies by subject

One of the most important insights from the data is that Nottingham Trent is not uniformly competitive. Your chances of receiving an offer depend heavily on the course you choose.

When building your UCAS choices, it is sensible to:

• include one ambitious course

• include realistic match options

• avoid selecting five courses with identical competitiveness levels

For further support with your decision-making and UCAS application, consult the University Advice section of our Learning Hub.

How Nottingham Trent University Makes Admissions Decisions

Nottingham Trent University considers a combination of academic achievement, potential, and personal suitability when assessing undergraduate applications.

Academic Requirements

NTU makes offers based primarily on predicted or achieved qualifications such as:

• A Levels

• BTEC qualifications

• IB Diploma

• Access to HE diplomas or equivalent international qualifications

Each course sets its own entry requirements. Competitive subjects such as Law, Psychology or Business may expect applicants to achieve grades at or above the published minimum.

Personal Statements

Your personal statement helps admissions tutors understand:

• why you want to study the subject

• the skills you have developed

• evidence of interest beyond the classroom

• your future goals or motivations

For popular courses, the personal statement often helps distinguish between applicants with similar academic profiles.

You may find our guide on how to write a personal statement helpful.

Contextual Admissions

Nottingham Trent University uses contextual admissions to support fair access to higher education.

This means NTU may consider the context of your educational background when reviewing your application, including factors such as:

• school or college performance data

• socio-economic indicators

• participation in widening access programmes

Eligible applicants may receive adjusted offers or additional consideration during admissions decisions.

Interviews, Tests, Portfolios

Most undergraduate courses at NTU do not require interviews.

However, some subjects may include additional assessment stages:

• Creative courses such as Fashion or Graphic Design may require a portfolio submission.

• Professional courses like Nursing or Education may involve interviews or suitability assessments.

Always check the specific course page before applying.

Other Non-Academic Factors

NTU may also consider your academic references, subject combination, and evidence of relevant extracurricular activity.

How Competitive Is Nottingham Trent University Compared to Similar Universities?

Nottingham Trent University is widely recognised as a large, career-focused UK university with strong links to industry. It ranks first in the UK for employability in the 2025 Uni Compare rankings (opens in a new tab).

Ranked 25th in the UK in The Guardian University Guide 2026 (opens in a new tab), NTU attracts a high volume of applications each year, particularly for professional and creative subjects.

Compared with highly selective universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial or the LSE, Nottingham Trent is generally less academically restrictive overall. However, this does not mean admission is easy.

Instead, competitiveness varies significantly by subject:

• Popular courses such as Law, Psychology, Business and Fashion attract very high applicant numbers.

• Creative and portfolio-based courses may be selective because of additional assessment stages.

• Many applied or vocational subjects maintain strong offer rates while still expecting solid academic preparation.

When compared with universities of similar profile, such as Oxford Brookes, Northumbria, Sheffield Hallam or Manchester Metropolitan, NTU sits comfortably within the same competitive range.

Remember, your competitiveness depends far more on the course you choose than the university name alone. Choosing a course that matches your strengths, interests and predicted grades is often more important than focusing only on league table position.

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of Nottingham Trent University applicants get accepted?

Nottingham Trent University made offers to around 79% of applicants in the 2023/24 admissions cycle.

However, offer rates vary significantly by course. Popular subjects such as Law, Psychology and Business are more competitive, while many other courses make offers to a larger proportion of applicants who meet the entry requirements.

Which course at Nottingham Trent University is the hardest to get into?

Courses with the highest application numbers tend to be the most competitive. Recent admissions data shows strong demand for subjects such as Law, Psychology, Business and Fashion-related degrees, where large applicant pools increase competition for places.

What percentage of Nottingham Trent University students drop out?

According to The Guardian University Guide (opens in a new tab) 2025, around 90–92% of Nottingham Trent students continue into their second year, meaning the non-continuation (dropout) rate is roughly 8–10%. This places NTU broadly in line with other large UK universities.

Final Thoughts

Nottingham Trent University receives a high volume of applications each year, but competitiveness varies significantly by course. Popular subjects such as Law, Psychology, Business and creative degrees receive strong demand. This means applicants need solid grades alongside clear subject motivation.

If Nottingham Trent University is one of your top choices, focused revision and strong predicted grades will put you in the best position to succeed. Save My Exams provides teacher and examiner-written A Level revision resources designed to help you prepare for your exams with confidence and secure the grades you need for your chosen university course.

References:

• Nottingham Trent University | UCAS (opens in a new tab)

• Undergraduate Admissions Data - a Freedom of Information request to Nottingham Trent University - WhatDoTheyKnow (opens in a new tab)

• Our achievements and awards | Nottingham Trent University (opens in a new tab)

• The Guardian University Guide 2026 – the rankings (opens in a new tab)