At York we provide a great deal of small-group teaching to support the material learned in lectures. As well as examples classes, for the first-year core course you will have a weekly one-hour tutorial, usually with your 'supervisor', who is also your personal tutor. For the rest of the first two years, each module has a supporting 'seminar', a weekly meeting of about 16 students, led by a member of staff or PhD student. With one seminar per module, you'll typically have 3-4 timetabled seminars per week (alongside your 8-10 lectures) -- lots of support, in other words. In the third and fourth years, the lecture modules are mostly in much smaller groups, and each also has a weekly timetabled seminar or problems class.

For example, a typical week's timetable for a first year single-subject mathematics student (autumn term) might look as follows:

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
09.15				C Lecture	CA Lecture
10.15		C Lecture	Tutorial
11.15		IPS Lecture		CA Lecture	C Lecture
12.15	IPS Lecture			IPS Lecture
13.15		IPS Example class
14.15	IPS Seminar				C Example class
15.15					CA Example class
16.15		CA Lecture		IPS Lecture

(C = Calculus, CA = Core Algebra, IPS = Introduction to Probability & Statistics)

Well, maths students have about 10-16 hours timetabled per week, somewhere between humanities students and lab scientists. To keep on top of (and enjoy!) your course you need to work through your notes and attempt the problems sheets, requiring perhaps 15-20 hours per week of study. Of course not everyone consistently achieves this, but university maths is full of new concepts and requires more time spent assimilating these - more 'thinking time' - than school maths. It's a subject where not only talent but also energy and enthusiasm (which the staff will do their best to bring out in you!) are well-rewarded.

Three 10-week terms. Lecture courses are typically 2 or 3 lectures per week for 9 weeks, with a shorter teaching period in the summer term

Most of the total mark for each typical module will be by examination shortly after the module finishes. There may also be assessed coursework, usually in the form of weekly or fortnightly assignments.

About 220, of whom 140-150 will be on single-subject Mathematics programmes, the rest on combined programmes.

There is some transfer between courses, both to and from Mathematics (perhaps around 10% of students will make some change), but the number of Mathematics students who fail and/or drop out of the university is small - usually below 10 each year. York has one of the lowest drop-out rates in the country.

Usually about 40%. The university as a whole has about 60% women students.

Yes. As part of the single-subject degree course you can choose to take 'elective' modules: up to 20 credits in your second and later years can be freely chosen from across the university (subject to timetabling constraints and your background knowledge).

Transfer to or from combined courses is usually possible during the first term, subject where necessary to the agreement of the other department. Thereafter it can be harder, because you may have missed important material. However, we try to make it possible whenever we can. Between the BSc and MMath single-subject  Mathematics programmes, transfer from the MMath to the BSc is possible during the first two years, while for a transfer from the BSc to the MMath we usually look for a current average of 60% in your university exams. MMath students who, at the end of the second year, do not have a 60% average will usually be required to transfer to the BSc.

Yes. Not only can you sign up for the full 'Mathematics with a Year in Europe' degree course, but other students occasionally choose to spend a term or longer at a European university. York also has exchange schemes with the USA for students on the standard degree courses - there is one with the University of California, for example - though these are usually very popular and a place is not guaranteed. You apply for these exchanges when you are already at York.

Most of our offers are made without interview. However, we sometimes arrange to meet mature applicants (if they would like to discuss whether our courses would be suitable for them) and disabled applicants (if they wish to come and see the university and ask us questions about the facilities they would need). All students who are made an offer are invited to attend a Visit Day in the spring term, which includes the opportunity to have a one-to-one chat with a member of academic staff.

No. We do not (except in a few very unusual cases) require AEA or STEP, although we aim to reward good performance in these examinations by admitting such candidates who have otherwise narrowly missed their offer.

Everyone is invited to visit the university, with the chance to ask questions, have a tour of campus (including seeing a student room), and hear talks by staff and students. (There are also parallel sessions for accompanying parents or guardians.) Such planned visits take place on a number of Wednesday afternoons between January and March - you will receive details in your offer letter.

If you are at an earlier stage, and still considering whether to apply to York, you may like to come to one of the university's main Open Days. Exceptionally, if you are unable to attend any of these and would like to visit us, we can normally arrange for you to meet a member of the Maths Admissions team.

No, single-subject Mathematics A-level is the starting point for all of our courses. Neither do we favour those taking Further Maths when deciding whether to make an offer. However, we do think it is beneficial to have taken Further Maths, whether at AS- or A-level.  Even if your school or college does not offer Further Maths, it should be possible to take it through the Further Maths Network.

Our offers for combined courses do not specifically mention Further Maths. Our offers for single-subject degrees are typically one grade lower if Further Maths A-level is included, or with an 'a' grade in an additional Further Maths AS-level. Thus, for example, an applicant taking (say) Maths, Physics, Economics and Further Maths A-levels could fulfil their offer with A in Maths and then either AA in Physics and Economics (and any grade in FM) or A in Physics or Economics, B in Further Maths, and any grade in the remaining subject. An applicant taking Maths, French and Geography A-level and Further Maths AS could qualify with A in Maths and then either AA in French and Geography or AB in these two A-levels with an additional 'a' grade in Further Maths AS. Thus you can't disadvantage yourself, or find yourself facing a higher hurdle, if you have a go at some Further Maths in addition to your main three A-levels.

Generally not. We are looking for achievement in three subjects at full A level. However, we may be prepared to make such an offer in exceptional cases or to candidates in difficult circumstances, and we would normally hope to admit candidates with good extra AS grades who narrowly miss their offer when results appear in August.

If in August it turns out that you miss your offer by just one A-level grade (in a subject other than Maths) then you may still get your place, especially if you have good grades in mathematics exams beyond single A-level (such as Further Maths, AEA or STEP). However, this cannot be guaranteed. If you drop to a grade B in Maths then there would have to be exceptional circumstances for you to be admitted.

It occasionally happens that someone applies for a combined (joint) course, but only one of the two departments concerned is willing to make an offer. The department which was happy with your application may nevertheless offer you a place on their single-subject programme.

We welcome applications from suitably qualified 'mature' applicants (those aged 21 or over). Mathematics is not an easy subject to take up later in life, but it can be a rewarding one. However, if you want to read mathematics at York, then you will need to have studied mathematics at A-level or equivalent standard in the fairly recent past, because the first year courses all start from the presumption that you have this knowledge. This does not mean that we will necessarily insist on any particular formal qualifications as long as we are convinced that you are in a position to benefit from the course here.

We welcome students who wish to take a year out between school and university. We find that the extra maturity gained is beneficial and it usually does not take long to brush up on your mathematics. When you apply through UCAS you should indicate that you want to defer your entry for a year. Then, if you make the grades we ask for, we will hold a place open for you for a year. Note that you cannot normally apply to defer for more than one year.

Around 10% of our undergraduates are from other countries - that is, about 20 students per year, and 60 in total.  We also have larger numbers of international postgraduate students, and York has a thriving International Students Association

If overseas applicants have not had all their school teaching in English we usually ask them to obtain a grade of 6.5 in IELTS with no less than 6.0 in each unit (or a TOEFL equivalent), and make this requirement part of any conditional offer.

Yes - but the Mathematics components of your course must include the A-level Mathematics core syllabus.

Yes. We are happy to make conditional offers that require specific grades in AP subjects. We usually ask applicants to get a grade of 5 in an AP Calculus exam, and grades of 5 and 4 in each of two other AP subjects.

Yes. We'll consider, in principle, any type of qualifications. The main point is that they must include material equivalent to the Maths A-level core (and with a top grade), as mentioned above, together with evidence of excellent school-leaving achievement across a wider range of subjects.

If you have completed the first year of a comparable degree at another university, we would normally consider a request to transfer into the second year of our course if your examination results are good. (We do not allow transfers into higher years.) Your formal application must be made through UCAS. If you have extenuating personal circumstances (which can be confirmed by an academic referee from your current university), and if there are pressing reasons why you need to be in York (such as a close relative living locally for whom you have to care), then we will always be prepared to consider you.

A new fees regime will apply from 2012. You should see the university's main pages for up-to-date details.

Yes, as well as the university-wide bursaries there are £2000 p.a. bursaries specifically for Maths students: details here.

Yes, the mathematics department offers a scholarship consisting of a £1000 reduction in fees (£500 for most combined programmes) to all overseas entrants with AAA in A-levels used for admissions purposes (or equivalent uniform top grades in other qualifications at the same level).  The university also has scholarships for overseas students, which can be held in addition to the mathematics scholarship. (Overseas candidates are sent information about these and invited to apply for one after they have received an offer of a place.) Our Admissions and Schools Liaison Office will be able to give you detailed advice about tuition fees and the International Office will help you with advice about scholarships and living in York.

We want to be sure that you will feel comfortable living and studying in Europe. To help you prepare for your year abroad, classes in the relevant language will be provided during your first two years in York.

The linguistics side of this degree is concerned with how language works and does not aim to teach you a specific language.

No.

Yes. Many of the staff in the department are mathematical physicists specializing in Quantum Information, Quantum Field Theory or Quantum Gravity. Our 4-year MMath course contains various options and final-year projects in these areas and would prepare you very well for future research in theoretical physics.

Yes. If you definitely want to work in banking or quantitative finance you may find that our combined Economics and Mathematics or Mathematics and Finance programmes will suit you better, but the single-subject Maths degree contains various modules in mathematical finance. If you're thinking of a career as an actuary or accountant, or in finance or banking, but want to keep your options open, a Maths degree is ideal. See our Career Prospects page for more information.

Yes. York has a highly successful and supportive programme of student volunteering in schools (YSIS) which includes the 'Fast Forward' programme, a scheme providing supported placements tailored to the needs of future Maths teachers.