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History

The history department studies the economies, societies, beliefs and cultures that shaped the world over time. Evaluating sources, evidence-based analysis and building written arguments are at the center of the program.

Law and social sciences

Example courses

Societies and economies in world historyThe making of EuropeHistory and politics of the modern Middle EastTheory and practice of oral historyEvidence and method

What do graduates do?

  • Archivist
  • Museum and gallery curator
  • Cultural heritage manager
  • Academic and researcher
  • Teacher
  • Journalist
  • Policy specialist
  • Archaeologist
IN HIGH SCHOOL

Which subjects matter?

The University of Oxford asks for AAA at A-level for the history bachelor's and sets no compulsory subject. However, it strongly recommends taking history at A-level or IB Higher Level.

Example: University College London, first-year courses

  1. Writing History
  2. Making History
  3. Approaching History

Length by country

United Kingdom
UCL History BA takes 3 years.
USA
A bachelor's degree is usually completed in 4 years of full-time study.
Netherlands
A bachelor's at a research university (WO) takes 3 years, 180 ECTS. At a university of applied sciences (HBO) it takes 4 years, 240 ECTS.
Germany
At a university, a bachelor's degree takes 3 years, 180 ECTS. At a Fachhochschule it usually takes 3 or 3.5 years, 180 or 210 ECTS.

Exams required for this field

College assessment United Kingdom

For a Cambridge History application there is a college assessment; no pre-registration is needed. There is no exam on the UCL History BA page.

SCHOOL EXAMPLES

Examples of schools where you can study this subject

17 schools in 8 countries. Programmes were checked on the schools’ own websites. These are only examples; every country has many more options. We choose the schools that fit your budget, documents and goals together.

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United Kingdom

Cardiff UniversityHistory (BA) · Cardiff
King's College LondonHistory · London
University of BirminghamAncient and Medieval History · Birmingham
University of EdinburghClassics MA (Hons) · Edinburgh
University of GlasgowAncient History · Glasgow
University of GlasgowClassics · Glasgow
University of ManchesterAncient History BA · Manchester
University of SheffieldHistory · Sheffield

Canada

McGill UniversityClassics · Montreal
McGill UniversityHistory · Montreal
Toronto Metropolitan UniversityHistory · Toronto
University of Toronto ScarboroughClassical Studies · Toronto
University of Toronto ScarboroughHistory · Toronto

USA

Boston UniversityHistory · Boston
Penn State UniversityHistory

Ireland

University College DublinHistory · Dublin

Netherlands

University of GroningenHistory · Groningen

Switzerland

Franklin University SwitzerlandHistory · Lugano

Italy

Sapienza University of RomeClassics · Rome

Australia

University of SydneyHistory · Sydney
BY COUNTRY

What to know, country by country

For each country where you can study this subject: an example tuition fee and the next step in the timeline. You can find the details in our country guides.

United Kingdom7 schoolsCountry guide
Bachelor's, international student, fields other than medicine and dentistry£27,650 to £34,670per year · 2027/28The University of Sheffield
  • 26 October to 21 December 2026

    Booking period for the January 2027 session of the ESAT, TMUA and TARA exams (for universities other than Oxford and Cambridge).

Canada3 schoolsCountry guide
Bachelor's, Arts, first year, full course loadC$51.530,40per year · 2026/27University of British Columbia (Vancouver)
  • 7 November 2026

    Recommended application date for the University of Toronto first review rounds (OUAC 105)

USA2 schoolsCountry guide
Bachelor's tuition$66.720per year · 2026/27Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  • 7 November 2026

    SAT exam (next date 5 December 2026). Whether a school asks for a test varies by school

Ireland1 schoolCountry guide
Bachelor's, Business, Economic and Social Studies (BESS)€23.250per year · 2027/28Trinity College Dublin
  • October to November 2026

    For Trinity, ask study@tcd.ie whether your high school is on the direct entry list.

Netherlands1 schoolCountry guide
Bachelor's, Faculty of Economics and Business (non-EU institutional fee)€15.730per year · 2027/28University of Amsterdam
  • 1 December 2026

    Early round deadline for University Colleges (AUC, LUC, UCU)

Switzerland1 schoolCountry guide
Bachelor's, foreign student tuition (tripled since autumn 2025)CHF 2,190per semester · 2026/27 (in effect since autumn 2025)ETH Zürich
  • November to December 2026

    Prepare for a language certificate. At ETH the main language of the bachelor's is German, and a German certificate may be asked

Italy1 schoolCountry guide
Laurea (bachelor's), standard plan of 46 to 74 ECTS, highest amount by income€3.943,04per year · 2026/27Politecnico di Milano
  • October 2026 to March 2027

    Prepare a B2 English or Italian language certificate

Australia1 schoolCountry guide
Bachelor's, Business field (guide fee, 48 credits a year)A$59.100per year · 2027The University of Sydney
  • November 2026

    Clarifying the diploma route. The Turkish high school diploma is not on the Melbourne and Sydney lists. Looking at foundation, IB, or a US diploma with SAT/ACT

YOUR OWN LIST

Let’s build your school list for History together

  • We choose schools from 26 countries that fit your grades, budget and documents.
  • We gather every school’s application timeline, required documents and exam scores in one list.
  • We put tuition fees and living costs side by side.
  • We prepare your application file and personal statement together.
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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Does Oxford ask for an exam or an assignment when you apply for history?

For 2027 entry, Oxford does not ask for a written exam in history. Instead it asks for an essay on a history topic, written at school, of up to 2,000 words; the deadline is 10 November 2026. Applicants who pass the first screening are invited to at least one online interview in December.

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Can you study history in English in the Netherlands?

It depends on the university. In the University of Groningen's history bachelor's, all courses of the international program are in English and the program takes 3 years (180 EC). The history bachelor's at Leiden University is in Dutch.

Netherlands page Ask your question on WhatsApp
LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Other fields of study in this category

ElsewhereCampus ElsewhereNext
LawPsychologyInternational RelationsPoliticsSociologyCommunication and Media StudiesPhilosophyEducationLinguistics and Modern Languages

Last checked: October 2026.

Is History right for you?

Let's talk about interests, strong subjects and target countries, and narrow down the subject and school options together.

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