Medicine and healthcare · Biological and life sciences
Dietetics
BSc approved by the Health and Care Professions Council
Overview
Dietetics trains you to use nutrition as part of medical treatment, for example in hospitals, community clinics and public health. You study biochemistry, physiology and how illness changes nutritional needs, then complete clinical placements. A general nutrition degree is not automatically the same as an HCPC-approved dietetics degree. Students who enjoy it like applying science to food and can explain complicated advice without blaming the person in front of them.
You want to register as a dietitian.
Nutrition, food science and fitness qualifications do not automatically confer dietitian registration.
People who like biochemistry and practical conversations about food.
What you will study
Universities do not teach the same modules. The lists below are a general shape, not a syllabus.
Year 1
- Biochemistry
- Physiology
- Food and nutrition
Later years
- Clinical dietetics
- Placements
- Public health
Skills
Useful before you start
- Chemistry or biology
- Clear explanation
- Non-judgemental communication
Developed during the degree
- Nutrition assessment
- Care planning
- Biochemistry applied to patients
Teaching and assessment
Teaching often includes Lectures, Food practicals, Clinical placements.
Assessment often includes Exams, Case studies, Placement assessments.
Typical weekly commitment
Estimate. Placement blocks are fuller than lecture weeks.
Entry requirements
Indicative patterns from published UK admissions information. Not an offer. Actual requirements vary by course, university and year. Pearson Edexcel International A Level and Cambridge International A Level are not treated as the same qualification as GCE A level.
Indicative requirements by qualification
The A-level band is the catalogue reference. IB and American lines come from the named university guides under the table. They are not a conversion every university uses, and they are not an offer.
| Qualification | Indicative requirements |
|---|---|
| A Levels | BBB–ABB. Chemistry or biology is commonly required. Some courses ask for both. Check. |
| IB Diploma | UCL publishes 34 points for ABB. The other end of this band is not in that table. A required A-level subject must be Higher Level in UCL's rule. Each Higher Level subject in that table is at least 5. UCL equates A* to 7, A to 6 and B to 5. This is one university's table. |
| American curriculum | That Manchester guide gives AP 5, 4, 4 for ABB. The other end of this band is not in the guide. Bristol publishes a GPA of 3.2, or 3.4 for competitive courses, and does not use one AP pattern for every degree. |
- University College London: Undergraduate entry requirements. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Manchester, School of Social Sciences: Americas country guide. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Manchester, Civil Engineering: USA country entry requirements. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
- University of Bristol: USA international qualifications. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Not a universal rule.
A-level subjects
Chemistry or biology is commonly required. Some courses ask for both. Check.
Often recommended: Chemistry, Biology.
Useful preparation: Mathematics.
GCSE and IGCSE
Many healthcare courses expect English language and mathematics, and often sciences, at GCSE or IGCSE. Grade thresholds differ. No single grade is stored as a national rule. International GCSEs are not automatically treated as GCSEs by every university.
Indicative only.
Other ways in
- A postgraduate diploma or master's can be a route after a relevant science degree.
Admissions tests and extra requirements
No admissions test is stored as usual for this course. A university can still set one for a particular year.
Course costs
For many standard full-time courses in England, the home-fee maximum in 2026 to 2027 is Up to £9,790. This is the maximum standard full-time fee published for approved English providers with a TEF award and an access and participation plan. It is not the fee a named university charges, and it does not decide whether you pay home or international fees.
Clinical, laboratory and studio courses are not given a different home-fee figure here, because the regulated maximum is not the same thing as an international or clinical fee.
International tuition is set by each university and is not stored here. Clinical courses are often much higher than classroom-based courses. A school in Qatar does not decide home-fee status.
Source: Changes to tuition fees: 2026 to 2027 academic year. Retrieved 2026-10-14. Living costs, field trips and professional fees are not included.
Where you could study
UK degrees in this subject are numerous. This page does not list every university, because a list without a checked entry requirement would look more certain than it is.
No individual UK course page is stored yet for this subject. Use the university site.
No overseas course has been checked for this subject yet.
Where could this degree take you?
Dietitian
Direct qualifying route
Registration depends on an approved dietetics qualification, not a general nutrition title.
Explore your pathway
A course sits between school subjects and a career. It does not guarantee either admission or a job.