Social Work

Important additional notes

Our published entry requirements are a guide only and our decision will be based on your overall suitability for the course as well as whether you meet the minimum entry requirements.

Other equivalent qualifications may be accepted for entry to this course; please email [email protected] for further information. Applicants to undergraduate courses can also check our information about undergraduate entry qualifications.

You'll need a computer and reliable internet access to successfully engage with your course.

We don't accept AS level qualifications on their own for entry to our undergraduate degree courses. However for some degree courses a small number of tariff points from AS levels are accepted as long as they're combined with tariff points from A levels or other equivalent level 3 qualifications in other subjects.

Relevant vocational experience is an advantage.

If you don’t meet our advertised entry requirements you could consider an alternative course that will give you the Level 3 qualification needed to apply for this degree. Alternative courses are Working with Children, Families and Communities with Foundation Year (in Cambridge or Chelmsford) or Integrated Health and Social Care with Foundation Year (in Peterborough).

In your first year you'll make an application to apply for interview for BA (Hons) Social Work. If successful you'll be offered a place providing you complete Year 1 of Working with Children, Families and Communities or Integrated Health and Social Care, and meet the conditions of your offer

The Chelmsford and Cambridge Social Work interview will take place online through Microsoft Teams. As your interview is online, we highly recommend visiting us at an Open Day or Taster Day to get to know ARU.

Find out more about our interviews.

The interview will consist of a written task, group discussion and individual interview. We will be interested in exploring your knowledge, skills and values in relation to social work. Interview invitations will be sent by email enabling you to book onto an interview slot and access further interview information including the task. Please keep a close eye on all emails from ARU once you have submitted your UCAS application.

Below, you'll find some helpful information about preparing for your interview. Please take the time to read this; note that it applies to Social Work courses in Cambridge and Chelmsford only.

Prepare by researching the knowledge and an understanding of the role of a social worker. We recommend you look at websites such as Social Work England (SWE), British Association of Social Workers (BASW) and Point of entry to training | BASW.

When you graduate, you will be eligible to apply for registration with SWE. From early on in your degree course, as well as throughout your career, you’ll be working with people accessing services and will need to uphold SWE’s Professional Standards.

On the interview day, there’s no need to feel anxious – all of our interviewers are relaxed, friendly and are looking forward to seeing your potential.

Above all, you need to be certain that this is the profession you want to join. Consider visiting us at an Open Day, if you haven't already. Then commit yourself to learning as much as you can around knowledge, skills and values in relation to social work before your interview day.

As your course has placements in care homes and/or NHS environments to fulfil Professional Statutory Regulatory Body (PSRB) requirements, we continue to strongly recommend Covid and flu vaccination. This is to protect both yourself and the vulnerable people that you’ll come into contact with throughout your placements.

Please also be aware that if you were to catch either Covid or flu during your course, it may result in significant disruption to your studies. If you are unsure about vaccines, we suggest you seek evidenced-based information on vaccines from reputable sources.

You can find out more about the admissions process at ARU, including what happens after you apply and the different types of offer we may make.

We may automatically offer you a place at ARU if you meet any of these criteria:

• are a care leaver or care experienced
• have a declared disability
• are from certain postcodes
• provide unpaid care for another person
• are currently, or were, in receipt of free school meals during secondary education
• are a Service Child, where a parent or carer currently serves in the UK Armed Forces
• participated in an approved activity in preparation for entry to higher education
• attended a secondary school that had a Progress 8 score of average, below average or well below average

Find out more about contextual offers.