Application worksheet

Wildlife Conservation Trail

Your step-by-step route to a place on Wildlife Conservation Biology BSc (Hons) at the University of Gloucestershire — and a look at where it can take you afterwards.

UCAS C181 Francis Close Hall, Cheltenham 3 yrs full time (4 yrs w/ placement) 104–120 UCAS points No exams — coursework & fieldwork
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01

Course snapshot

The facts as they stand on the university's own course page — worth re-checking on the site nearer the time, as fees and dates for later years are marked TBC.

Study option
3 yrs full time4 yrs with placement year, or part time
Start dates
Sept 2026 / 2027 / 2028
UK tuition fee
£9,790per year, Sept 2026 entry — later years TBC
Graduate outcome
94%in work or further study within 6 months
What makes this course distinctive It looks at conservation through wildlife disease, animal behaviour, wildlife crime and human–wildlife conflict, not just habitat management. There's a genuine overseas field-research track — UK training progressing to game reserves in the African savannah, Costa Rican rainforest, or the rewilding landscapes of the Alps — and the course is assessed entirely through coursework and fieldwork, with no written exams.
02

Entry requirements

UoG accepts any combination of Level 3 qualifications that adds up to 104–120 UCAS tariff points. These are examples of how that lands for common qualification types — mixing qualifications is fine.

A-level
BCC
BTEC
DMM
T-level
Pass
Don't meet it exactly? UoG explicitly says grades are "just one part of your story" and looks at qualifications case by case. If you're short, or your qualifications aren't on the standard list, contact admissions before ruling the course out — and Clearing (below) is often more flexible again.
03

Application steps

UoG's own 5-step process, turned into an order you can tick through. Full-time degrees go through UCAS, not directly to the university.

Your timeline: Sept 2027 entry Too close to the wire for September 2026 — the plan is to apply properly for September 2027 entry. Expect the main UCAS deadline to fall in mid-January 2027 (the 2026-entry deadline was 14 Jan 2026, 6pm — 2027's will be announced by UCAS in the same pattern). That gives roughly a school year to work through this worksheet properly rather than rushing it.
1

Find your course

Done — Wildlife Conservation Biology BSc (Hons), UCAS code C181.
2

Check entry requirements

Covered in section 02 above.
3

Prepare your personal statement

For 2026 applicants, UCAS uses 3 guided questions instead of one free-form essay. 4,000 characters total across all three. See section 04 for a working space.
4

Apply

Through UCAS: personal details, up to 5 course choices, education & employment history, personal statement, and a reference. £28.95 fee payable to UCAS.
5

Wait to hear back

UCAS forwards the application; UoG's admissions team assesses qualifications and personal statement, and may offer a place directly or invite an interview/portfolio discussion.
04

Personal statement — working space

The 2026 UCAS format asks three specific questions. Jot down real examples here first — tidy sentences can come later. You may use tools like ChatGPT to help generate ideas, but the words submitted must be your own.

Question 1

Why do you want to study this course or subject?

Question 2

How have your qualifications and studies helped you prepare for this course or subject?

Question 3

What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?

Note Answers here save to this page itself and are visible to anyone with the link, so Andrea can see how far you've got. They are not submitted anywhere — copy the finished version into the real UCAS form when ready.
05

What you'll actually study

Modules for the 3-year full-time route, current for 2026/27. Worth reading through to check the course matches what you expect it to be.

Compulsory
Diversity and Evolution Fundamentals of Ecology Animal Physiology Methods in Biology Managing Valued Environments Ethics in Biosciences Field Research Training
Compulsory
Research Skills & Proposal: Wildlife Conservation Biology Conservation in Captivity Wildlife Crime Monitoring & Management of Habitats & Species
Optional
Internship Biogeography Animal Behaviour Marine Ecology Field Research Geographic Information Systems
Compulsory
Wildlife Conservation Biology Dissertation Reintroduction & Rewilding Wildlife Disease Human–Wildlife Conflict
Optional
Professional Experience Field Placement Population and Community Ecology Evolution and Behaviour Climate Change Advanced Geographic Information Systems
06

Where it leads

Real UK job titles this degree opens doors to, and who tends to hire for them. Entry-level conservation salaries generally sit in the mid-£20,000s — most people build up through volunteering and fieldwork before their first paid role.

Graduate Ecologist

Ecological surveys, habitat assessment, Biodiversity Net Gain condition assessment for development and land-use projects.

Employers: ecological consultancies, local authorities
~£24k–£26k start

Conservation / Reserves Officer

Managing nature reserves and protected sites — habitat work, species monitoring, volunteer coordination.

Employers: Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, National Trust, Natural England

Wildlife Biologist / Researcher

Field research and data analysis on animal populations and ecosystems, feeding into conservation and wildlife management strategy.

Employers: universities, research bodies, NGOs

Conservation-in-Captivity Roles

Species conservation, breeding programmes, and public engagement — a direct line from the course's captivity module.

Employers: zoos, wildlife parks, sanctuaries

Biodiversity Data / GIS Officer

Mapping and analysing species and habitat data to support conservation planning and reporting.

Employers: Wildlife Trusts, Environment Agency, consultancies

Wildlife Crime / Compliance roles

Investigating offences against protected species and habitats — a direct match for the course's dedicated Wildlife Crime module.

Employers: National Wildlife Crime Unit, police rural crime teams, NGOs (RSPB Investigations)

Policy & Campaigns Officer

Turning conservation evidence into policy positions, consultation responses, and public campaigns.

Employers: Wildlife and Countryside Link, NGOs, government bodies

Environmental Educator

Leading school visits, guided walks, and public engagement — turns fieldwork knowledge into other people's "first spark".

Employers: Wildlife Trusts, National Trust, zoos, field study centres
Typical career ladder
Volunteer / placement→ Graduate / Junior Ecologist→ Ecologist→ Senior Ecologist→ Principal / Consultant

Many roles list "relevant field research or volunteer experience" rather than a specific degree class — around 70% of graduate employers overall don't require a specific subject, but conservation specifically rewards hands-on fieldwork hours over almost anything else on a CV.

07

Skills & experience to build alongside the degree

The course teaches the science. These are the extras that turn a graduate into a hireable one — tick off what you already have, and treat the rest as a to-do list for your three years.

Fieldwork & hands-on experience
Technical & data skills
Professional recognition
Placements & work experience
Communication
08

Extra support available

Worth knowing about before you apply, not just after — the course's coursework-and-fieldwork format (no written exams) and small class sizes are already a good starting point.