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Undergraduate university degree course in social work

Gain the knowledge, skills and practical experience to qualify and register as a social worker in England.

Social work undergraduate courses in England give you the knowledge, skills, and practical experience needed to support and protect vulnerable people in society.  

If you want to become a qualified, registered social worker through full-time or part-time undergraduate study, your course must lead to either a Social Work England approved:  

  • Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in social work 
  • Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in social work 

Use the University and Colleges Advice Service UCAS search tool to find undergraduate social work courses.

Entry requirements

Universities are independent bodies and set their own entry requirements. For example, a certain number of A level grades at a particular level. 

You can find details of these requirements on the individual university website or through the UCAS application service. 

You can also calculate your UCAS tariff points on the UCAS website to see how many UCAS points your qualifications are worth. 

Funding

As a full or part-time social work undergraduate student, you may be eligible for repayable loans through a combination of tuition and maintenance loans. These are managed by the Student Loans Company. 

Course tuition fees may vary depending on which university you choose. 

Student finance for undergraduates has information on the sources of financial support available. The level of support will depend on your personal circumstances and caps are set by the government. 

Check how student financial support might impact any benefits you currently receive, including childcare allowances and Universal Credit. 

Additional funding for social work undergraduate students 

Student finance for undergraduates guidance gives parents, disabled students, and those with low incomes extra financial funding advice and options. 

If you are: 

  • an undergraduate social work student, you may be eligible for extra funding through the Social Work Bursary to help you with living costs from your second year of study 
  • doing a combined nursing and social work undergraduate course, you may be eligible for the NHS Learning Support Fund (you will not be eligible for NHS Learning Support Fund, if you receive the Social Work Bursary).

University websites have information on scholarships providing financial support to undergraduate students. The Scholarship Hub has information on financial support from charities, foundations and trusts. 

UCAS also has guidance and information for international students who want to study in the United Kingdom.

Application and selection process

If you apply for an undergraduate degree course you will complete an online application through the University and Colleges Advice Service (UCAS). You will need to provide your education and employment history, a personal statement and reference. There are several deadlines in this process you will need to meet.  

If you only apply to one university, you can apply directly rather than through UCAS.  

You will need to apply direct to the university if you want to study part-time. Universities may have different deadlines if you want to apply for part-time study. 

For more information on the application and selection process, check the relevant university websites or UCAS for advice on applying for undergraduate degree courses.  

Course length and content

Full-time courses usually last three years with part-time courses varying in length, depending on the university you choose.  

Social Work England’s education and training standards ensure that social work courses in England enable you to develop your skills and knowledge across all areas of social work. This means that you can work towards meeting the professional standards.  

Undergraduate social work degree courses usually include a range of modules focussing on legislation, ethics, theory, and working with adults, children and families.  

You will gain the required experience in at least two practice settings during your training. This provides contrasting experiences and will give you a diverse set of skills and insights into the complexities of various situations. For example, working in child protection and then with vulnerable adults.  

Each university course content varies. Consider this carefully before applying. Information on course content can be found on UCAS or on university provider websites. 

After you qualify

As a newly qualified social worker with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in social work, you:  

ASYE helps you develop your skills in a supported environment. It's open to all newly qualified social workers employed in the public, private and voluntary sectors. 

Social Work England requires you (as a qualified social worker) to demonstrate your continuing profession development (CPD) each year as a requirement of registration.  

Continue to develop your skills and knowledge in child and family social work with development programmes funded by the Department for Education. 

Next page: Postgraduate university qualification course in social work

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