Can I apply for uni in more than 1 subject area?

[Karolina.jj]

If I don't know where I want to study and what exactly yet, can I apply for for example Chemistry/Biology and Economics at the same time? And also for the UK when you apply through UCAS you can only write 1 personal statement, so what if you want to apply to more than just chemistry, can you write 2 personal statements? Or do you have to keep, let's say economics, in the UK and the other 2 subjects in different countries? 

[beth-]

No, you can only apply for one subject (unless, say, you're applying to one university for Philosophy and to another for Philosophy and Literature - or if the "subjects" are related in some way). This is because you'll be writing one personal statement, and admission tutors want to see a genuine interest for the subject in the personal statement - something which can only be achieved by focusing on one subject area. University in the UK is different than college in the US.

In the latter, you study a wide range of subjects, maybe a Calculus course, a Literature course, a Biology one, a Creative Writing course, and then you settle down for a major after some time. 

In the US, you apply to the university, not for the course itself. 

This isn't the case in the UK. You apply for the course, as in, you apply for Economics, you don't apply for Oxford in that essence that the course is the most important part of it all which is why colleges in the US often ask you the question how you may benefit their college, while British ones want a genuine interest in the course. 

That's why, in the US, they want you to be good all over, while in the UK, they leave you more room for specialization, so say that you suck at math - you don't have to take Math A-level, you can focus on history and the social science ones and go for law later on. 

 

So, to answer your question briefly, no, you cannot apply for two subjects. 

That's not how British universities work.

 

Edit: Considering your subjects, you can't apply for Economics at university level with Economics SL and Math Studies, unless you wish to study at East London uni. No university will accept you, you need Higher Level Math for that, or at least a 7 in Standard Level, studies won't cut it. 

Furthermore, Economics is highly mathematical, and if you suck at math (like I do), you're not going to enjoy a) studying or b) working with something economics related. Furthermore, Economics SL would've only given you a very basic understanding about how Economics works as it doesn't go as deep as HL and considering your current subjects, you ought to do something science related, like medicine, or pure bio/chem, or even biochemistry. 

Studying Economics makes no sense.

Edited October 7, 2015 by beth-

[Karolina.jj]

No, you can only apply for one subject (unless, say, you're applying to one university for Philosophy and to another for Philosophy and Literature - or if the "subjects" are related in some way). This is because you'll be writing one personal statement, and admission tutors want to see a genuine interest for the subject in the personal statement - something which can only be achieved by focusing on one subject area. University in the UK is different than college in the US.

In the latter, you study a wide range of subjects, maybe a Calculus course, a Literature course, a Biology one, a Creative Writing course, and then you settle down for a major after some time.

In the US, you apply to the university, not for the course itself.

This isn't the case in the UK. You apply for the course, as in, you apply for Economics, you don't apply for Oxford in that essence that the course is the most important part of it all which is why colleges in the US often ask you the question how you may benefit their college, while British ones want a genuine interest in the course.

That's why, in the US, they want you to be good all over, while in the UK, they leave you more room for specialization, so say that you suck at math - you don't have to take Math A-level, you can focus on history and the social science ones and go for law later on.

So, to answer your question briefly, no, you cannot apply for two subjects.

That's not how British universities work.

Edit: Considering your subjects, you can't apply for Economics at university level with Economics SL and Math Studies, unless you wish to study at East London uni. No university will accept you, you need Higher Level Math for that, or at least a 7 in Standard Level, studies won't cut it.

Furthermore, Economics is highly mathematical, and if you suck at math (like I do), you're not going to enjoy a) studying or b) working with something economics related. Furthermore, Economics SL would've only given you a very basic understanding about how Economics works as it doesn't go as deep as HL and considering your current subjects, you ought to do something science related, like medicine, or pure bio/chem, or even biochemistry.

Studying Economics makes no sense.

Thank you it helps a lot. But does every other country work the way UK does? for example Denmark, Belgium or Netherlands?

And thank you for advise, I wasn't planning to study economics anyway, it was an example showing the contrast between experimental sciences and other subject areas.

Thank you so much! One question though, just because I may be applying to the UK, does that mean I cannot apply to a university in any other country at the same time?

[King112]

I dont think so. I know people applying to the US and the UK. I think if you choose Early Decision (or Early Action i dont remember) it is binding so if you get into that college, you go to that college. Therefore, I don't think there is a problem with applying to two countries.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

King112

[beth-]

Thank you so much! One question though, just because I may be applying to the UK, does that mean I cannot apply to a university in any other country at the same time? 

 

You can apply to two countries at once.

[Gaby]

You can apply to as many countries as you please, they won't even know about each other, there is no central system of communication between universities. 

 

Also, I don't exactly agree with what beth- said about studying such subject combinations being impossible. Although traditional universities won't offer them (however, Oxford and its famous PPE course, which is Politics, Philosophy and Economics does exist), some of the newer institutions may offer more unusual subject combinations. 

 

Here are 3 examples of fairly unusual subject combinations I found at top universities: 

Engineering and Business Studies at Warwick 

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/h1n1/ 

Chemistry with Management at UCL 

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate/degrees/chemistry-management-studies-msci/

German and Management at KCL 

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/index/name/german-and-management-with-a-year-abroad/alpha/MNO/header_search/

 

Newer institutions will have even more combinations. So, I recommend checking it out, looking on UCAS what you might possibly combine together. Writing a Personal Statement will be more challenging, but with the right amount of effort, I think everything is possible.  

[beth-]

You can apply to as many countries as you please, they won't even know about each other, there is no central system of communication between universities. 

 

Also, I don't exactly agree with what beth- said about studying such subject combinations being impossible. Although traditional universities won't offer them (however, Oxford and its famous PPE course, which is Politics, Philosophy and Economics does exist), some of the newer institutions may offer more unusual subject combinations. 

 

Here are 3 examples of fairly unusual subject combinations I found at top universities: 

Engineering and Business Studies at Warwick 

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/h1n1/ 

Chemistry with Management at UCL 

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate/degrees/chemistry-management-studies-msci/

German and Management at KCL 

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/index/name/german-and-management-with-a-year-abroad/alpha/MNO/header_search/

 

Newer institutions will have even more combinations. So, I recommend checking it out, looking on UCAS what you might possibly combine together. Writing a Personal Statement will be more challenging, but with the right amount of effort, I think everything is possible.

She was asking if you could apply to Economics and Chemistry/Biology and write two personal statements, which you can't, even though, of course, you could do a joint degree, like this (Biology and Economics) http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/courses/route/USHFBIOJECN/year/2014-5. 

Besides, it will make writing the personal statement terribly difficult to write, and some universities may reject you based on that.