The University of Newcastle is one of the most popular unis in the UK. Many numbers confirm this.
With over 36 thousand undergraduate and 43 thousand postgraduate applicants is the top choice for UK and international students.
But, what is the University of Newcastle Acceptance Rate? It’s important to calculate your chances since you are limited to applying only to 5 universities in the UK.
What is the University of Newcastle Undergraduate Acceptance Rate?
The acceptance rate refers to the percentage of applicants who are offered a place each year.
For Newcastle University, the acceptance rate in 2022 was 68.21% for undergraduate programmes.
This means of all students who applied (36136), around 68% received an offer. The acceptance rate varies between different subject areas, which we’ll explore shortly.
Compared to Russell Group universities like Oxford and Cambridge with acceptance rates under 20%, it’s easier to get into the University of Newcastle than some elite unis.
However, it is still competitive compared to some other reputable UK universities with acceptance rates above 80%.
Undergraduate Acceptance Rate from 2018 to 2022
Looking at the acceptance rates over the past 5 years (based on the official admission report) provides an insight into the competitiveness of gaining admission to Newcastle University.
In 2018, the undergraduate acceptance rate was 71.82%. This dipped slightly to 70.95% in 2019 before dropping to 69.51% in 2020.
However, this decrease is mostly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, the acceptance rate rose again to 71.60%, before falling in 2022 to 68.21%.
So there has been some fluctuation, but overall the trend has been a steady decline in Newcastle’s University acceptance rate.
This indicates gaining admission has become more difficult in recent years as the university has likely received more applicants.
However, with still over two-thirds of applicants receiving offers, Newcastle maintains a balanced approach.
Recommended for reading:
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- Oxford University Acceptance Rate
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- King’s College London Acceptance Rate
- Durham University Acceptance Rate
- Warwick University Acceptance Rate
- Leeds University Acceptance rate
- Bristol University acceptance rate
- University Of Sheffield Acceptance Rate
- University of York Acceptance rate
University of Newcastle acceptance rate by subjects
While the overall undergraduate acceptance rate in 2022 was 68.21%, there is variation between different programmes.
Here are some highlights of the most popular subjects and programmes:
- Medicine had the lowest acceptance rate at just 21.64%, making it highly competitive.
- Other programs with acceptance rates under 30% included Dentistry (13.09%) and Fine Art (17.31%), also indicating high selectivity.
- Subjects like Computer Science (70.88%), Biology (85.29%), Physics (85.98%), and Maths (87.44%) had acceptance rates in the 70-90% range.
- Humanities subjects tended to have higher acceptance rates of 80-90%, including Classics (90.38%), Linguistics (89.86%), and History (91.79%).
So while Newcastle has an overall moderately selective admission process, it depends on the individual course.
Highly oversubscribed subjects like Medicine have much lower offer rates.
Full list of programmes with undergraduate acceptance rates at Newcastle University:
| Programme | Applications | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|
| MEDICINE | 2,920 | 21.64% |
| BIOMEDICAL | 2,096 | 82.16% |
| BUSINESS MANAGEMENT | 1,984 | 64.06% |
| PSYCHOLOGY | 1,773 | 61.93% |
| LAW | 1,733 | 62.32% |
| COMPUTER SCI | 1,710 | 70.88% |
| ECONOMICS | 1,527 | 67.06% |
| ACCOUNTING & FINANCE | 1,290 | 65.35% |
| MARKETING | 943 | 70.10% |
| MECHANICAL ENG | 830 | 83.49% |
| DENTISTRY | 802 | 13.09% |
| PHARMACY | 786 | 70.36% |
| COMBINED HONS | 772 | 86.92% |
| FINE ART | 728 | 17.31% |
| GEOGRAPHY | 713 | 90.60% |
| BIOLOGY | 680 | 85.29% |
| ARCHITECTURE | 642 | 71.50% |
| SPORT | 641 | 61.93% |
| MATHS AND STATS | 629 | 87.44% |
| HISTORY | 560 | 91.79% |
| SOCIOLOGY | 553 | 84.45% |
| POLITICS & IR | 550 | 78.36% |
| CHEMISTRY | 487 | 87.89% |
| MEDIA, COMMS & CULTURAL STUDIES | 468 | 77.14% |
| MODERN LANGS | 461 | 90.89% |
| CIVIL ENG | 405 | 77.78% |
| ELECTRICAL ENG | 387 | 73.64% |
| CHEMICAL ENG | 386 | 84.72% |
| EXCHANGE | 379 | 95.78% |
| LIT | 371 | 94.88% |
| FOUNDATION ENG | 356 | 66.29% |
| DENTAL HEALTH | 351 | 9.69% |
| JOINT PSYCHOLOGY | 335 | 61.49% |
| PHYSICS | 328 | 85.98% |
| JOURNALISM, MEDIA & CULTURE | 327 | 77.37% |
| MARINE SCIENCE | 327 | 81.04% |
| EDUCATION | 320 | 80.94% |
| LANG/LING | 296 | 89.86% |
| MUSIC | 268 | 78.36% |
| FOOD | 264 | 85.61% |
| CLASSICS | 260 | 90.38% |
| FILM & MEDIA | 242 | 69.42% |
| AGRI-/FOOD BUS. MANAGEMENT & MARKETING | 241 | 87.14% |
| ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES | 239 | 85.77% |
| ARCHITECTURE & URBAN PLANNING | 224 | 73.21% |
| ARCHAEOLOGY | 224 | 83.93% |
| AGRICULTURE & APPLIED PLANT SCIENCE | 222 | 81.98% |
| SPEECH | 217 | 46.08% |
| PLANNING | 212 | 82.55% |
| PHILOSOPHY | 209 | 89.95% |
| MODERN LANGUAGES & BUSINESS | 209 | 77.99% |
| POLITICS & ECONOMICS | 190 | 79.47% |
| LIT/CW | 187 | 85.03% |
| POLITICS | 186 | 89.78% |
| POLITICS & HISTORY | 183 | 90.71% |
| FILM PRACTICE | 154 | 80.52% |
| JOINT MATHS | 153 | 86.93% |
| CHINESE-JAPANESE STUDIES | 138 | 68.84% |
| GEOG AND PLAN | 135 | 88.15% |
| DIGITAL CULTURES | 110 | 78.18% |
| MARINE ENG | 108 | 84.26% |
| DIETETICS | 105 | 40.00% |
| ANIMAL SCIENCE | 89 | 68.54% |
| EARTH SCIENCES | 76 | 88.16% |
| ENGINEERING | 73 | 91.78% |
| LIT/LANG | 71 | 77.46% |
| GEOMATICS | 70 | 87.14% |
| LIT/HIS | 69 | 82.61% |
| STUDY ABROAD | 54 | 100.00% |
| COUNTRYSIDE MANAGEMENT / RURAL STUDIES | 54 | 87.04% |
| PHYSICAL GEOG | 49 | 81.63% |
| OCCASIONAL | 5 | 100.00% |
Newcastle University Acceptance Rate For Postgraduate
Beyond undergraduate degrees, Newcastle also has a thriving postgraduate community.
In 2022, the overall postgraduate acceptance rate was 67.11%.
Newcastle is very popular among postgraduate and master’s students. While still a moderately competitive admission process, this is lower than the undergraduate rate.
Some of the most competitive postgraduate courses include:
- MBA programs, with acceptance rates ranging from just 12-45% depending on the specific MBA.
- Medicine and dentistry-related degrees also remained highly selective, with acceptance rates as low as 3-6% for some courses.
- Subjects like Data Science (28%), Cyber Security (28%), and Computer Science (44-84% depending on program) were moderately competitive.
So postgraduate applicants also face a selective admission process, especially for fields like business, medicine, and technology.
But humanities and social science degrees tended to have higher acceptance rates.
Top 20 Postgraduate Programmes at Newcastle University
Acceptance rates for the most popular postgraduate programmes at the University of Newcastle are below.
| Postgraduate Programme | Applications | Acceptance rate |
|---|---|---|
| MSc Intern’l Business Management (FT) | 2745 | 68.00% |
| MSc Accounting Finance & Strategic Inves | 1917 | 75.00% |
| MSc International Marketing (FT) | 1832 | 69.00% |
| MA Applied Linguistics & TESOL (FT) | 1711 | 74.00% |
| MA Media & Public Relations (FT) | 1504 | 87.00% |
| MSc Banking & Finance (FT) | 1121 | 76.00% |
| MSc Finance (FT) | 1115 | 80.00% |
| MSc Computer Science (FT) | 1103 | 84.00% |
| MSc Global Human Resource Management | 1087 | 77.00% |
| MA CCC and Media Studies (FT) | 972 | 69.00% |
| MA Education: Int. Perspectives | 845 | 79.00% |
| MSc Mechanical Engineering | 836 | 84.00% |
| MSc Advanced Computer Science (FT) | 794 | 61.00% |
| MA Transla & Interp (FT) | 741 | 20.00% |
| MSc Data Science | 702 | 28.00% |
| MSc Ops, Log and Supply Chain Mgmt (FT) | 644 | 65.00% |
| MSc International Economics & Finance FT | 635 | 74.00% |
| MA Landscape Architecture Studies (FT) | 632 | 62.00% |
| MBA (FT) | 623 | 12.00% |
| MSc Automation & Control (FT) | 572 | 89.00% |
| MA Media & Journalism (FT) | 553 | 86.00% |
| MA Int Devt & Educ (FT) | 532 | 59.00% |
Comparison Acceptance rates: Newcastle University vs Russell Group Universities
To put Newcastle’s 68.21% undergraduate acceptance rate into perspective, here’s how it compares to some Russell Group if you consider applying to up to 5 universities in the UK.
- Oxford had an acceptance rate of just 13.73% in 2022, highlighting its extremely competitive admission standards.
- Cambridge was similarly selective with an acceptance rate of 15.7% last year.
- The University of Edinburgh accepted around 47% of applicants, making it moderately competitive.
- King’s College London had an acceptance rate of 16.9%, also a very selective admission process.
So while Newcastle has a lower acceptance rate than some universities (Durham’s rate is 74%), it is less selective than leading Russell Group institutions like Oxbridge.
Its moderately competitive admission process balances academic excellence with accessibility.
Why Is the Acceptance Rate Important for Newcastle University?
The acceptance rate indicates the competitiveness of admissions at Newcastle University.
Some of the key reasons why it is an important consideration:
- It sets expectations of your chances if you apply. Knowing the acceptance rates for your desired course can determine if it’s a realistic option.
- A lower rate signals the university is highly selective and values attracting top students. This is reflected in its reputation for quality.
- It indicates the supply/demand balance. A low rate suggests high demand from applicants relative to the number of places available.
- Trends in acceptance rates demonstrate if Newcastle is becoming more or less competitive for admission.
While not the only criteria for judging a university, the acceptance rate is certainly an insightful measure for applicants to consider and can help when choosing a university.
Final Thoughts
Newcastle University boasts a rich history and has established itself as one of the UK’s leading universities.
For students hoping to study there, its acceptance rates provide a helpful indication of competitiveness across undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.
While some subjects like Medicine are highly selective, Newcastle aims to maintain a balanced admissions process. This results in an undergraduate acceptance rate of around 68.21% and a postgraduate rate of 67.11%.
By comparing acceptance rates across universities and degree programmes, students can gauge their chances and make informed choices.
There is no doubt Newcastle remains a popular destination for students from within the UK and overseas.
FAQ
Newcastle University is consistently ranked among the top 15 universities in the UK. In the 2024 Complete University Guide, it’s ranked 30 overall in the UK.
Getting into Newcastle is moderately competitive compared to leading Russell Group universities. Its 68% undergraduate acceptance rate means it is selective but aims to maintain a balanced admissions process.
Medicine is the most competitive course with an acceptance rate of around 21.64%.
Yes, Newcastle University is one of the largest universities in the UK with around 7000 undergraduate students enrolled per year. It has a main city centre campus along with a medical school and several other facilities.
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