BSc Economics

[YourLilacTurtle]

My daughter has 95 percent in Economics, 87 percent in Maths and 91 Percent in English, 92% in Chemistry and 83 Percent in Physics in class 12th which is equivalent to A Level in UK. She is a british citizen but wrote her exam in Indian Education system CBSE. What is her chances of getting admission in UK universities?

Those are excellent results, well done to your DD. I think she will get some excellent offers for Economics courses though it's common for even the best applicants to not get offers from everywhere if they are targeting Cambridge, LSE etc. But you only need one offer you are happy with and her chances of that are excellent. Consider also the maths content, Cambridge and LSE will both have majority with Maths and Further Maths. Some of the top universities for economics now use a maths admissions test. There are lots of different courses including joint ones.

A quick search on google tells me that there are no set numeric equivalents, but that universities take the overall average grade, and use that to create an equivalent, and will then look at specific subjects to see where they sit (so v. high economics hopefully a big positive).

CBSE is not liked by many UK unis. Especially the top unis

Just looked at Oxford University and they would consider those qualifications for a course listed as A star AA which would mean she would be considered for both Economics and Management and PPE. It's worth going through admissions page of anywhere she is interested in. And checking out tests required.

https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/admissions-requirements/international-qualifications

When universities require a certain grade in a subject for economics it's always Maths.

CBSE isn't liked by Oxbridge

Your daughter will need to take the TMUA if she is to apply for top UK BSc Economics courses and this, rather than her school leaving exams, will be the most important factor in whether or not she receives an offer.

I think the answer to your question is more nuanced, OP. British citizenship is not directly relevant, though that together with your DD’s long term residency and the reason for her education abroad may figure into her fees status. (If your family has been settled in India for some time, she will be an Overseas student.)

Economics is one of the most competitive degree programmes in the UK. Your DD’s marks are excellent, but it can be very difficult for even top Home students ( predicted three or four A stars at A level) to get a place on a top programme. I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think these programmes relax their standards much for Overseas students.

@Ceramiq is correct that Cambridge, Oxford and possibly others will require the TMUA. It will be very important, provided the basic requirement of adequate CBSE marks has been met.

Neither Cambridge nor Oxford reject CBSE qualifications, but they both have very high bars. Cambridge Economics requires Further Maths of A level students and says that CBSE Maths does not suffice. The website suggests taking the American AP exam: a grade of 5 on the Calculus BC exam ( the top grade on harder one) suffices. Oxford may want a 95 in CBSE Maths for Economics but DD can research this.

The other top programmes AFAIK include LSE, Imperial, Warwick and UCL. It is worth researching their requirements. Economics is so competitive that I wouldn’t make more than one aspirational or ‘stretch’ application.

This leaves loads of universities with less glamorous but excellent Economics programmes where DD could be a very good fit. There are so many that it is worth considering variables like where she would prefer to live, whether or not she wants a campus university, etc before trying to compile a list of four (or five) choices.

As a former admissions tutor I would advise DD, like everyone, to make one of her choices very safe indeed, yet someplace she would be happy enough to go. This would become her Insurance choice. As her results are known, I mean this in the sense of a safe back up choice. All Economics applicants need one, unless they prefer either to take a gap year or to risk clearing.

I hope this makes sense. Best wishes to DD.

Thank you everyone for your messages.