What A levels do you need for a Business and Management degree?

Usually any strong set of subjects - this is one of the most open degrees you can apply for. For 2027 entry, Bristol asks for AAA or A*AB with no subject requirements at all, and Manchester asks for AAA with a list of preferred but not compulsory subjects. The exception to know about is quantitative programmes like LSE's BSc Management, which asks for AAA including an A in Maths. A level Business Studies is accepted everywhere here but required nowhere.

By Amr Elbusaily, who runs Tansiky UK.

Requirements below were checked against official 2027 university pages on 24 September 2026.

2027 Business and Management offers compared

Contextual offers: AAB including an A in Maths at LSE, and ABB at both Manchester and Bristol. Manchester's UK refugee and care-experienced offer drops to BBB.

Manchester publishes a preferred-subject list for its management courses: Accounting, Business Studies, Economics, English, Geography, Government and Politics, Law, Maths and Further Maths, Politics, Psychology, Sociology and Statistics. It says it may prioritise applicants by how many preferred subjects they study - so "not required" does not mean "irrelevant" when a course is oversubscribed.

Do you need A level Business Studies?

No. None of these three requires it, and universities teach management, marketing and finance from scratch. One finding surprises applicants: LSE states it prefers traditional academic subjects - natural sciences, English, Economics, the humanities - over Business Studies or Accounting, because it wants evidence of analytical and writing ability. Business Studies is still accepted, but if you are choosing between it and a strong academic subject you can grade highly in, the academic subject is often the safer play.

When Maths is required

The rule of thumb: the more quantitative the course, the more likely Maths appears in the offer.

• LSE requires an A in A level Maths and explains that the programme's analytical nature demands it; Further Maths is helpful but not essential.
• Manchester and Bristol set no Maths requirement for these courses, though both teach statistics and data analysis inside the degree.

If you enjoy maths, courses with names like Management, Management with specialisms, or International Management can still differ hugely in quantitative content, so read module lists. If you dropped Maths after GCSE, target courses like Bristol's and check each page's wording for "Mathematics required".

What GCSEs do you need?

Floors vary. LSE expects several GCSEs at grade A or A* (7 to 9) with at least B/6 in English Language and Maths. Manchester asks for a broad general education including English Language and Maths at grade 4/C or above. Even where a course does not require A level Maths, a solid GCSE Maths grade matters once the statistics modules start.

What will you study?

First-year cores at these universities cover:

• management practice and organisational behaviour
• marketing
• accounting and finance fundamentals
• business statistics and data analysis
• economics and the global business environment

Later years add strategy, human resource management and a dissertation or final project, with wide optional lists. Bristol moves teaching to its Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus from the third year, and Manchester offers industrial/professional experience year variants. Placement years are worth real attention in this subject: a year inside a company often matters more to employers than the difference between two course titles.

Business and Management vs related degrees

Titles overlap. Before applying, separate:

• Business and Management / Management - broad, people-and-organisations focus
• International Management - adds global strategy and often language or abroad options
• Management with a specialism (Marketing, Accounting and Finance) - Manchester runs named variants with their own UCAS codes
• Business Analytics or quantitative programmes - expect Maths requirements closer to economics degrees

Check each variant's entry requirements separately; they do not always match.

Build a balanced shortlist

For every course, record:

• the standard and contextual offer
• whether Maths is required, preferred or absent
• any preferred-subject list and how it is used
• GCSE floors
• placement years, campuses and optional modules

The Tansiky free matcher preview checks your subjects and predicted grades against reviewed requirements; the £9.99 full report unlocks your source-linked matches and a recommended five-choice UCAS list. It cannot guarantee an offer.

If you are also considering finance routes, see A levels for Accounting and Finance.

Frequently asked questions

What A levels do I need for Business and Management?

Usually any strong subjects: AAA at LSE and Manchester, AAA or A*AB at Bristol. LSE additionally requires an A in Maths.

Do I need A level Business Studies?

No. It is accepted but not required, and LSE prefers traditional academic subjects over it.

Do I need Maths?

Only at some courses. LSE requires it; Bristol and Manchester do not for these 2027 courses. Check each page.

What grades do I need?

AAA at LSE and Manchester, AAA or A*AB at Bristol. Contextual offers run from AAB at LSE to ABB at Manchester and Bristol.

Do course titles matter?

Less than content. Compare how quantitative each course is, its modules and placement options rather than the name.

Official sources checked 24 September 2026: LSE BSc Management, Manchester BSc Management (2027 entry), Bristol BSc Business and Management (2027 entry).