UCAS V350, three years
UCL describes a three-year BA that grounds students in Art History and lets them specialise from the Middle Ages to the present day.
Undergraduate · UCL History of Art
UCL History of Art: no prior art history needed, an essay-based subject preferred
UCL's History of Art BA asks for AAB at A level or 36 IB points, prefers an essay-based subject and says no prior study of art history is required. The department says the course, founded in 1965, offers a thorough grounding in the discipline and the chance to specialise.
Official information · last verified for 2027 entry
What UCL asks for in History of Art
Taken from UCL's History of Art BA course page and read on 1 November 2026. For a normal 2028-entry application, made in 2027, every requirement below is last verified for the previous cycle and may change; UCL's 2028-entry requirements and dates are awaiting publication.
AAB with the stated subject conditions
The A-level requirement is AAB; an essay-based subject is preferred.
IB 36
17 points in three higher level subjects with no higher level score below 5, and a higher level in an essay-based subject preferred.
No prior art history needed
UCL says no prior study of art history is required; an essay-based subject is preferred.
Specialisation across periods and places
UCL says students can specialise in one of many areas, from the Middle Ages to the present day and across the globe.
Official sources
Read on 1 November 2026 on UCL's History of Art BA course page, which describes 2027 entry. UCL's department pages, the fees pages, the contextual-offer details and the 2028-entry values were not read, and the page lists no admissions test or interview so none is stated and are not stated.
The course
A grounding in the discipline and a chosen specialism
UCL says the History of Art BA, founded in 1965, provides a thorough grounding in the discipline of Art History and the opportunity to specialise in one of many areas, from the Middle Ages to the present day and across the globe. The page says applicants are welcomed who are intellectually curious, critically engaged and keen to explore the history of art in its cultural, social and material contexts. This guide did not read module lists.
Is it the right degree?
Beside Architecture and the Materials and Technology route
UCL's History of Art department runs a separate degree that adds a focus on materials and technology.
Choose History of Art if
your interest is images, objects and their cultural meaning.
Look at History of Art, Materials and Technology if
you want art as physical objects. Avandy's guide to that degree covers it.
Look at UCL Architecture if
your interest is buildings and design. Avandy's UCL Architecture guide covers it.
Entry rules
AAB, or 36 IB points, with an essay-based subject preferred
A-level applicants need AAB; an essay-based subject is preferred, and at least two A-levels from UCL's list of preferred subjects. IB applicants need 36 points: 17 points in three higher level subjects with no higher level score below 5, and a higher level in an essay-based subject preferred. UCL's page lists no admissions test or interview. This page states no scores.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not UCL's.
Do you enjoy writing essays about images and objects?
UCL prefers an essay-based subject.
Which periods or places interest you?
UCL says the course allows specialisation.
Are your grades near AAB or 36 points?
Those are the stated 2027 standards.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Applying for 2028 entry means applying in 2027, under rules UCL has not yet published for that cycle. Each item below carries one of two labels. Last verified for 2027 entry means UCL published it for the previous cycle and it may change. Awaiting publication for 2028 entry means UCL has not yet published it.
Grades, the subject requirements and the preferred-subject guidance: last verified for 2027 entry
These are the best guide to what to prepare. UCL has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
The UCAS deadline and the 2028-entry requirements: awaiting publication for 2028 entry
Check UCL's course page for the 2028-entry values when they appear.
What to do now
Confirm the required subjects, read the course structure and plan your preparation around it.
Support
Independent support with course choice and preparation
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with University College London or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here means course-fit advice, subject mentoring and ethical preparation; Avandy gives no scores or probabilities and does not write applications. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
What does UCL History of Art BA require?
AAB at A level, with an essay-based subject is preferred, in UCL's wording for 2027 entry.
What is the IB requirement?
36 IB points: 17 points in three higher level subjects with no higher level score below 5, and a higher level in an essay-based subject preferred.
Do I need to have studied art history?
UCL says no prior study of art history is required.
Which A levels are preferred?
UCL says an essay-based subject is preferred.
Does Avandy state offer scores?
No. This page records UCL's wording for 2027 entry and states no scores or probabilities.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are UCL's wording for the 2027 application cycle. Check the course page again when UCL publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about UCL History of Art
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their interest in visual culture, whether they have written essays on images and objects and how they weigh art history against architecture, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.