University of Bristol Admissions Statistics

In 2025, the University of Bristol rose up by a remarkable 23 places in the Times Higher Education reputation rankings (opens in a new tab). This has made what was already a renowned university even more popular.

Knowing how Bristol compares to its Russell Group counterparts, especially using statistics, can help you to make informed decisions in your university applications.

Use our latest admissions statistics to see if the University of Bristol is right for you and, if so, how to make your application stand out.

Top 5 University of Bristol Admissions Statistics

• Between 2019-20 and 2024-25, Bristol’s acceptance rate decreased by over 3%

• Business & Management courses at Bristol were the most competitive in 2025, with an acceptance rate of just 8.9%

• Bristol’s overall acceptance rate stands at around 66.84%

• Bristol has a higher acceptance rate for Law than Birmingham and Sheffield, but a lower acceptance rate overall

• Bristol has a 3.4% dropout rate

University of Bristol Acceptance Rate Overview

Bristol’s overall acceptance rate is approximately 66.84%. This means that, on average, around two thirds of all applicants received an offer from the University of Bristol.

University of Bristol Admissions Statistics by Course

The table below features Bristol’s undergraduate main scheme application and acceptance data from 2025 (opens in a new tab):

Key Trends from 2025

Bristol’s most popular subject groups also tend to be the most competitive, and therefore usually require top A Level grades.

Achieving above the minimum grade requirements can strengthen your application. For instance, if you want to study a subject that has a minimum entry requirement of AAA at A Level, achieving at least one A* in a relevant subject can help you stand out to admissions officers.

The table below lists some of Bristol’s most popular and competitive courses from 2025, minimum entry requirements for A Level, and some of the A Level subjects admissions officers prefer or require you to have studied.

For more detailed information on the entry requirements and how to apply, visit Bristol’s official web page (opens in a new tab) for each course.

It’s also worth noting that students eligible for contextual admissions (opens in a new tab) may be accepted onto these courses with lower grades, such as ABB instead of AAA.

How the University of Bristol Makes Admissions Decisions

If you’re looking to study undergraduate courses at Bristol (opens in a new tab), you’ll need to apply via UCAS (opens in a new tab). Below are the main steps in the process:

Academic Requirements

• Minimum grades, e.g. at least Grade 4 in GCSE English Language or AAA at A Level

• Specific A Level subjects, e.g. Accounting and Finance requires A Level Maths

Personal Statement

• A written description of information about yourself, your extracurricular skills and achievements, and why you want to study your chosen course

• Bristol’s advice on UCAS application dos and don’ts (opens in a new tab) emphasises that your personal statement should only include relevant information – exactly the same as our advice!

Additional Requirements

• Alongside your UCAS form, some courses also require candidates to complete admissions tests or attend interviews

• Below are two examples of courses with these additional requirements:
  

  • Law

    • The Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT) (opens in a new tab) helps you to understand if law is the right career path for you, and it helps Bristol to check that applicants will be suitable for the course

  • Medicine

    • Applicants have a formal, 30-minute Zoom interview (opens in a new tab) consisting of six stations, each assessed by three assessors

Overall, Bristol is committed to attracting students from all backgrounds, believing that a student community that reflects society will benefit everyone.

You can find more information on Bristol’s approach to contextual admissions (opens in a new tab) here.

How Competitive Is the University of Bristol Compared to Similar Universities?

The table below compares Bristol’s acceptance rates (both for a highly competitive subject, Law, and overall) to two universities ranked similarly to Bristol in the University League Tables 2026 (opens in a new tab).

Note that while Bristol’s 2025 acceptance rate for Law was higher than Birmingham’s and Sheffield’s, its overall acceptance rate is lower. This shows how big a role your chosen course plays in how competitive a university is.

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of University of Bristol applications get accepted?

While the acceptance rate for individual courses varies, approximately 66.84% of all University of Bristol applications get accepted.

Which course at the University of Bristol is the hardest to get into?

Business & Management courses had the lowest acceptance rate in 2025 at 8.9%. This was followed closely by subjects allied to Medicine (opens in a new tab) and Medicine & Dentistry, which had acceptance rates of 9.1% and 9.6% respectively.

Note that each individual student has different strengths – some might be great at admissions tests, and others might do particularly well in interviews – so what might be a hard course for one student to get into might not be as difficult for another.

What percentage of University of Bristol students drop out?

Bristol has a 3.4% dropout rate (opens in a new tab). It stands with The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 19th place out of the 24 Russell Group universities (where 1st place has the highest dropout rate and 24th place has the lowest). 

Bristol’s dropout rate is considerably better than the average UK university dropout rate of 6.3% (opens in a new tab).

Final Thoughts

The University of Bristol’s recent climb in reputation rankings is very much deserved. Praised for its research-rich curriculum and excellent teaching standards (opens in a new tab), it is an ideal choice for academic students with a real love for their subject. In fact, my close friend studied Law at Bristol, and still has a real passion for the subject to this day.

Increase your chances of a successful application using our statistics, knowledge of additional entry requirements like admissions tests and interviews, and like-for-like comparisons with other Russell Group universities.

Good luck with your university application!

References

• Russell Group (opens in a new tab)

• Save My Exams: University of Bristol acceptance rate for undergraduate admissions, 2024/2025

• The Tab: Bristol University surges up 23 places in the global reputation rankings (opens in a new tab)

• The Tab: The Russell Group unis with the worst dropout rates in 2025, revealed (opens in a new tab)

• UCAS: Medicine and Allied Subjects (opens in a new tab)

• UCAS Undergraduate end of cycle data resources 2025 (opens in a new tab)

• University of Birmingham Acceptance Rate (opens in a new tab)

• University of Bristol (opens in a new tab)

• University League Tables 2026 (opens in a new tab)

• University of Sheffield Acceptance Rate (opens in a new tab)

• Whatuni: Universities With Highest and Lowest Dropout Rates (opens in a new tab)