A lot of advice online still recommends a fixed list of A-level subjects that supposedly "keep university doors open." That list has a specific origin, and the organisation that created it stopped recommending it in 2019.
The Russell Group published a "facilitating subjects" list, commonly cited as maths, the three sciences, English literature, history, geography and languages, as subjects that kept the most degree options open. In May 2019, the Russell Group scrapped it. The organisation said the list had become misread as "the only subjects pupils should consider" for entry to a Russell Group university, which it said had never been the case, and that it risked disadvantaging students who didn't have access to good advice about it. In its place, the Russell Group launched Informed Choices, a site built around course-specific guidance rather than one blanket list.
This matters for any current sixth former: if a school, tutor or website is still presenting the same eight-subject list as live Russell Group guidance, that guidance is now over seven years out of date.
The current guidance is more useful precisely because it's less generic. Informed Choices is explicit that subject and grade requirements "will vary between universities," and directs students to check individual university and course pages rather than rely on a general subject list. Its one piece of broad advice is for students who genuinely don't yet know what they want to study: in that specific case, choosing A-levels that keep multiple degree routes open is sensible, not because those subjects are officially "facilitating," but because narrowing options too early is harder to reverse than keeping them open for another year.
Some courses do have firm, published subject requirements, and Medicine is the clearest case. Oxford's Medical Sciences Division requires Chemistry as compulsory, plus at least one of Biology, Physics, Mathematics or Further Mathematics, typically to A*AA with an A in both Chemistry and the second science or maths subject. That's not a general "facilitating subject" rule; it's a specific, published entry requirement for one course at one university, and requirements differ at other medical schools.
The same principle holds elsewhere. Mathematics is commonly required or strongly preferred for Economics and Engineering degrees, and most science degrees expect the relevant A-level science alongside a solid GCSE maths grade. The pattern worth taking from this isn't "these subjects open doors in general," it's that competitive, structured courses tend to have specific, checkable requirements, and the only reliable way to know them is to check the course, not a generic subject list.
Before finalising A-level choices, check the entry requirements for the actual courses and universities under consideration, since requirements can differ meaningfully between institutions offering what looks like the same degree title. If a firm course choice isn't there yet, favour a combination that keeps genuine breadth, for example pairing an essay-based subject with a numerate one, rather than assuming any particular subject is universally safer. And treat any list claiming to be current "Russell Group facilitating subjects" with caution, since the organisation itself moved away from that framing years ago.
Our A-Level tuition programme covers the subjects most often tied to specific course requirements, including A-Level Maths and A-Level Physics, and every student starts with a free assessment so support is built around the actual courses and universities a student is aiming for, not a generic subject list.
Is there still an official Russell Group list of "facilitating subjects"?
No. The Russell Group scrapped that list in May 2019 and replaced it with Informed Choices, a course-specific guidance tool. Any source still presenting the old eight-subject list as current Russell Group advice is out of date.
What A-levels do I need for Medicine?
Requirements are set by individual medical schools, not a general rule. Oxford's Medical Sciences Division, for example, requires Chemistry plus at least one of Biology, Physics, Mathematics or Further Mathematics, typically to A*AA. Other medical schools set their own requirements, so always check the specific university and course.
What should I choose if I don't know what I want to study yet?
Informed Choices' own advice for this situation is to favour a combination that keeps multiple degree routes open, for example pairing an essay-based subject with a numerate one, rather than assuming any particular subject is universally "safer."
Where should I check actual entry requirements instead of relying on a general subject list?
Directly on the university and course pages you're considering. Requirements can differ meaningfully between institutions offering what looks like the same degree title, and checking the source is the only reliable way to know them.
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Updated 17-September-2026
