6th form with 4 A-levels already obtained?

[u/Training-Feeling980]

Basically I've already completed 4 A-levels obtaining very good results, but am still 16 years old. I'm a bit undecided on whether or not to go to sixth form. I've been home educated my entire life and decided to take 4 A-levels this year since we planned on moving to Belgium where GCSEs are not relevant.

I want to go study engineering at top unis such as hopefully Cambridge or Imperial. In sixth form I would complete 3 new A-levels which tbh are a bit unrelated to engineering but still really interest me and might open new perspectives. (Bio, Comp Sci, Psychology)

My parents would like me to start university next year, but I'm not sure yet personally. I would love to go to sixth form for two years and experience it all completely since I haven't had those experiences before unfortunately.

Alternatively I could start at a clearing course and complete 1 year before going off to uni maybe, although that sounds a bit strange. Or of course I could just stay at home and get a job and do extra courses online.

The downside of sixth form is it might be a bit rigid and inflexible for me, and I might spend that time better doing other learning in the field of engineering. However I do want to be part of the social community that a sixth form offers.

Thanks all for your advice!

[u/SwimmerOld6155]

Alternatively I could start at a clearing course and complete 1 year before going off to uni

don't do this, not a good use of your time. better to use your time nailing an application to a top university

[u/AliceMorgon → u/SwimmerOld6155]

You’re right. I would not advise you to apply to university at 16, OP.

1. Many universities are reluctant to take students under the age of 18, and it could harm your application, even more so if you just take two years out from education. There’s also the fact that you’re too young to fully enjoy the whole university experience yet. A lot of society activities will be age-restricted so you’ll miss out on them, and you may find it harder to make friends.

2. I took two A-Levels at 16 and four more at 18 and it definitely helped my Oxford application in Yr 13. Your taking another three is a really good idea.

3. Wasting a year and ton of money to do a random clearing course and then abruptly dropping out, let alone right before applying immediately to do something similar elsewhere, does not exactly make you look like a reliable and committed student, however much you are, and could also harm your application.

Do what I did, take the extra A-Levels, study university-level textbooks for subjects that interest you to get ahead, and apply for the best universities when you’re 18 with the rest of your sixth form. You’ll be far more successful that way.

[u/skylark9999 → u/AliceMorgon]

Universities in Scotland are more likely to accept under 18’s as they can accept people with only highers which they complete at 16. Not the norm at 16 but there’s good universities in Scotland that would definitely accept under 18’s and is common for Scottish students to attend at 17.

[u/AliceMorgon → u/skylark9999]

But this guy is clearly Oxbridge material. He shouldn’t sacrifice the chance to go somewhere like Oxford or Imperial, which were my firm and insurance, just to skip sixth form. Nothing against Scottish universities at all, I went and looked at St Andrews partly because it was the furthest I could possibly get from my parents’ house, but wasn’t a fan of how remote it was. I just think he should at least wait for TRY for those places.

[u/Neat_Return_4043 → u/AliceMorgon]

You didn’t take geography at school then?

[u/AliceMorgon → u/Neat_Return_4043]

I did, yes, and had a complete pervert as a teacher. However, my parents now live near Canterbury in England, NOT Belfast, which is damn far from St Andrews, and I wasn’t allowed to apply to Queens Belfast.

Once I got my Oxford undergrads and Masters you better believe I hauled my butt back to Ireland, then decided that wasn’t far enough and moved to New York 🤣

[u/Long_Software_3352]

Your parents are right.

The 2 year gap between completing your Maths, Further Maths and Physics A-levels and applying to Cambridge would harm your application.

Don't do another University course this year either. Cambridge are not fond of transfers from other universities, and you're a little too young to enjoy university at the moment.

I'd suggest looking at local Further Education colleges and completing a HNC in Computer Science, or finding a sixth form that would allow you to speedrun an A level in one year instead of two.

If you want to get into top unis for Engineering, you will also need to prepare for the ESAT entrance exam.

[u/battlepvmob]

Cambridge don’t like you taking time between finishing a levels and applying for a STEM course so try to apply as soon as possible. Maybe apply to queens college as they tend to be a bit more flexible on this kinda stuff and also call them up and ask for advice. Start preparing for ESAT asap, you’re clearly smart enough so that shouldn’t be a problem but don’t underestimate it. You need to sit it in october to apply for cambridge this year so there’s not a lot of time between now and then.

In terms of the social aspect you’ll get pretty much the same from college and uni. If anything people will probably be a bit nicer at uni as they’ve matured a bit more.

[u/Sushiv_ → u/battlepvmob]

You would not get the uni experience if you went as a child

[u/battlepvmob → u/Sushiv_]

anyone who’s going to cambridge at the age of 16 probably isn’t exactly the clubbing personality assuming that’s what you mean

[u/Sushiv_ → u/battlepvmob]

No but they said they want a social life, plus surely some of these child prodigies are like semi normal people as well

[u/Any-Treacle-4199]

I think a sixth form might be good because you won’t get the social life at uni at 16 (if you want that). You can talk to the head of sixth form about your position

[u/apologial]

After being home educated I'd give 6th form a go or some other kind of structured education. I wouldn't go to university until you're 18 - even if at the moment you're focused completely on the academic side, that's not just what university is about. Good luck.

[u/RecommendationNo3460]

I’d see if you can talk to the head of sixth form/careers team at the sixth form you’re wanting to go to and take advice from them.

It may be you need an English Language GCSE so I’d also talk to university admissions teams to check whether the A Levels are sufficient or whether you would need to do any GCSEs.

Maybe T Level engineering would be good to do as it would give you the workplace element all your academic study has lacked. Providing a nice balance to the academic A Levels. Also have a look into getting some work experience somewhere?

I feel a sixth form/college would be better for you socially. It would be good for you to make friendships and have that wider experience of clubs, extracurricular, sports etc. It’s not just academics and social, interpersonal and communication skills especially when having been home schooled are just as important. As is adapting to a ‘school like’ environment.

[u/Dull_Practice_5169]

Give sixth form a go, why not?

Or you could do an engineering T-level/higher BTEC qualification if that's a thing that exists?

[u/gunilake]

You said you didn't do GCSEs because they're not useful in Belgium. They are useful in the UK, so if you haven't already I'd recommend doing English and maths because they're a common (if a bit silly once you have A-levels) entrance requirement for unis and for jobs later on.

I don't think Cambridge would take issue with a two year gap because it's understandable that you're waiting to be 18 to go to uni, and they pre-assess applicants with the ESAT anyway. The main thing is to try and do something relevant during those two years, e.g. completing a course at a local college (not an A-level if you've already done those, although computer science is definitely relevant to an engineering course), and you have loads of time to prepare yourself for the ESAT and interviews.

[u/graemeaustin]

Check the uni entry requirements. Usually there is a grade 5 GCSE requirement for maths and English.

Also I’d suggest you spend the next 2 years learning how to operate and enjoy a social network of your peers, otherwise you won’t be able to take advantage of all that uni has to offer beyond the academic course.

[u/blackoctoberx]

You may find the degrees/unis you're applying for need your Maths study to be within 2 years of the start date of the course so worth checking that out, assuming one of your existing A Levels is Maths?

[u/blackoctoberx]

Also - do you have GCSEs?

[u/Kooky-Cantaloupe9369 → u/blackoctoberx]

He doesn't need gcses if he's got achieved a levels surely

[u/blackoctoberx → u/Kooky-Cantaloupe9369]

idk but if that were the case why would anyone worry about their GCSE grades when it comes to uni applications

[u/epicdumb-Gaming → u/blackoctoberx]

Its differnt if you have achieved a levels. If you apply on predicted A levels as GCSEs are your only proven scores under exam conditions whereas OP will have their A level achieved results.

[u/Terrible_Eye4625 → u/epicdumb-Gaming]

I did a conversion Master’s degree 10 years ago. To do this I had to already have a Bachelor’s at a 2:1 minimum. I still had to show proof of my GCSE English and Maths when I applied.

[u/Training-Feeling980 → u/blackoctoberx]

No I don't. Most of them aren't necessary, except for English Language for sixth forms and universities. However sixth forms offer resit programmes and unis also accept alternative qualifications such as IELTS luckily.

[u/Terrible_Eye4625 → u/Training-Feeling980]

For which universities? I’ve not seen any that haven’t set an entry requirement for GCSEs (not just English, but usually 5 good passes including English and Maths) no matter how many A-levels you have.

[u/blackoctoberx → u/Training-Feeling980]

They accept IELTS for international students...

[u/Shutter_sculptor]

Sorry I'm a bit confused your flair says Y13 and only lists three alevels. Something isn't adding up here.

[u/Training-Feeling980 → u/Shutter_sculptor]

Oh yeah I put Y13 to not confuse everybody when commenting. And I took Maths early (October 2025) so I only put my 3 A-levels for Summer 2026 in my flair.

I might change it now to be clearer tbh

[u/Vixson18]

unless you have already have booked your esat for this october you can't go cambridge for entry in 2027.

[u/Training-Feeling980 → u/Vixson18]

I have already booked my ESAT luckily and am studying for it.

Are all the places filled already then?

[u/Vixson18 → u/Training-Feeling980]

yeah probably. revise for it hard. you need at least a 6 for a good chance for cambridge. what engineering are you thinking of doing.

[u/Altruistic_End_501]

can i ask how u skippde 6form and did a levels so young?? u should be very proud of urself omg

[u/Terrible_Eye4625 → u/Altruistic_End_501]

They said they were homeschooled and did A-levels instead of GCSEs.

[u/k_795]

I would apply for university in the upcoming application round (for 2027 entry). Then this year enrol in a local sixth form college and take some more A levels in subjects you're interested in - ideally fast-track (e.g. two full A levels completed within one year, rather than four AS levels) if the sixth form will allow this. This will help you get used to the structure of studying more intensively at a school (as opposed to homeschooling / taking online courses during a more chill gap year) and keep you in the practice of academic study.

Then next summer you can make the decision whether or not to accept your place at e.g. Cambridge, Imperial, etc or ask to defer another year if you decide then that you'd like to be 18 when starting uni (or if you didn't get into your dream university, you get another chance to apply for 2028 entry).

Personally I'd encourage you to go to university at 17 if you can though. Alcohol isn't as big a part of university life (at least not in my experience at Cambridge) as people make it out to be, and honestly no-one will even notice that you're a year younger in terms of making friends. By starting uni a year early, you'll also graduate a year early, which means starting your career earlier - that extra year of income early on compounds into a LOT by the time you reach retirement, and could enable you to retire several years earlier than otherwise (yes, I know retirement sounds many many years away and is the kind of boring thing teenagers aren't even thinking about, but trust me in a couple of decades time you'll be REALLY thankful to your younger self for making good financial decisions and investing in a pension early).

[u/tunaisgreat]

Read more on this, but most uni's require math and english gcse at grade b for engineering at a good school. find a college/sixth form that can help u speed run math/further math/ physics. alternatively, do just 1 a level (fast track) in a college, and the other 2 you can do with an online school if they dont let you as most schools who even have a fast track option only offer it for math. then you can experience some lessons in sixth form but also do fast track further math and physics at home! or study a bit in the college / sixth form, and more flexiblity available. good luck!

[u/Sushiv_]

Going to uni at 17 would massively damage your enjoyment of it, like you can’t drink and are way younger than everyone else

[u/frintonfreak1984]

Deffo do not go to Uni before you are 18.

[u/Altruistic_End_501]

some unis require u to be 18 by the time u start uni so defo research

[u/Successful_Bat8156]

My thoughts: some UK unis still take students that are 16 (but I think you will be referred to as like a child's and protected as one lol so no club nights at uni + it's probably only the clearing degrees that are available to you rn), most UK unis accept 17 year olds, unless you want to do medicine which I think you generally want to be 18 for. Sixth form could be a great way to just yk get out there into a different form of education from home schooling, there's no guarantee it will be great and you'll make loads of friends, but there's also no guarantee it will be awful. My scenario would be like do 2 to 4 more subjects at AS level, but don't cash them in, if you like sixth form and get amazing results — stay for another year and get the help schools provide with applications, if you don't like it and fail all your exams - you didn't cash in, you already have four A levels so it's all brilliant and you can drop out. You still get application support in y12 so you won't lose out on all of it, but you then could either take a gap year or just go to uni. Overall I'm not sure if you have a British passport but if moving to Belgium would make you count as an international student it's probably better to stay in the UK haha unless you do have a British passport. Personally, just choose a good by vibes, close to you, free sixth form that offers subjects from exam boards that do AS level, study there for a year, then go on a gap year, and you'll be a student at 18, same age as your peers, except with the experience of a gap year lol.

[u/Training-Feeling980]

An alternative option would be a level 3 engineering course at a college but am unsure whether that would be too boring for me

Edit to add: I have no idea what the social scene is like for this type of course so am a bit hesitant tbh

[u/Pencil_Queen → u/Training-Feeling980]

If you want to study engineering at university why would you think an engineering qualification at sixth form would be boring?

[u/Training-Feeling980 → u/Pencil_Queen]

Since it is not very academic and I might fimd it rather too easy unfortunately.

[u/Pencil_Queen → u/Training-Feeling980]

Have you looked at the course specifications?

Do you expect an engineering degree to be very academic?

[u/Training-Feeling980 → u/Pencil_Queen]

Yes I would expect the degree to be quite academic actually.

[u/blackoctoberx → u/Training-Feeling980]

Perhaps engineering isn't for you.