Radiotherapy and Oncology (BSc)
- Subject area: Radiotherapy
- UCAS code: B824
- Next intake: September 2025
- Duration: 3 years
- Mode: Full time
Why study this course
Ranked 1st in the UK
By The Complete University Guide 2021 (*as an institution offering radiotherapy and oncology under the category of Medical Technology).
Early clinical exposure
You'll spend valuable time on placement, learning and working with real patients alongside supportive and knowledgeable staff.
Modern, specialist equipment
You will develop skills in outlining and planning radiotherapy treatment using the Oncentra Masterplan and ProSoma planning systems.
Funding available
NHS bursary funding is available for UK students, including support with both tuition fees and living costs (conditions apply).
State of the art facilities
Including a specially designed mould room and our Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy (VERT) suite, which offers 3-D anatomy learning.
Do you have a passion for science, technology and the human body? Then why not join a programme that is ranked 1st in the UK under Medical Technology by the Complete University Guide 2021 and is accredited by the Society and College of Radiographers.
This full time, three-year BSc (Hons) Radiotherapy & Oncology programme will help you to develop the skills necessary to become a qualified therapeutic radiographer who is proactive and responsive to the rapidly changing landscape of clinical radiotherapy.
Therapeutic radiographers play a key role in the treatment and care of people with cancer. This challenging and rewarding profession uses high energy ionising radiations in the treatment of malignant and non-malignant disease. You will be introduced to behavioural, imaging and radiation sciences and be supported to develop a firm understanding of human anatomy, physiology and cancer as a disease process.
As a therapeutic radiographer you will work closely with doctors, medical physicists and other members of the healthcare team, to provide personal and supportive care to people of all ages, who often have a life-threatening disease. You will work closely at all stages of a person’s treatment including, pre-treatment support, planning the radiotherapy, treatment delivery and evaluation, and management of side effects and post treatment support.
People are at the heart of our practice and the development of skills to aid your care of individuals is a central focus of the programme. The School provides an interdisciplinary environment, with opportunities for shared learning and inter-professional education. Therefore, opportunities to learn with and from other healthcare students, especially in respect of person-centred care will be part of the programme.
We offer an integrated mixture of university-based study and practice placements in the clinical setting. We work collaboratively with NHS organisations across Wales so that you are competitive in the employment market upon qualification.
You will have the opportunity to delve into an original research project representing the culmination of your three years of study. The research study aims to equip you with the necessary skills for ongoing professional development and evidence-based practice.
The programme aims to produce therapeutic radiographers who:
- are responsible, adaptable, courageous and resilient with a focus on evidence-informed practice;
- recognise the importance of knowledge, understanding and question their current and future professional practice;
- are able to transfer knowledge and skills across different learning environments with people at the heart of their practice.
Accreditations

Subject area: Radiotherapy
Entry requirements
We accept a combination of A-levels and other qualifications, as well as equivalent international qualifications subject to entry requirements. Typical offers are as follows:
A level
BBB-BBC. Must include grade B in one science subject from Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Maths, PE, Physics, or Psychology.
Extended/International Project Qualification: Applicants with grade A in the EPQ/IPQ will typically receive an offer one grade lower than the standard offer. Please note that any subject specific requirements must still be met.
- Our grade range covers our standard offer and contextual offer. We carefully consider the circumstances in which you've been studying (your contextual data) upon application. Eligible students will be given an offer that is lower than the standard offer (usually the middle or lower end of the advertised grade range).
- Where there is no grade range advertised and/or where there are selection processes in place (like an interview) you may receive additional consideration in the selection process.
Learn about eligible courses and how contextual data is applied.
International Baccalaureate
31-30 overall or 665-655 in 3 HL subjects. Must include grade 6 in HL Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Maths, PE, Physics, or Psychology.
Baccalaureate Wales
From September 2023, there will be a new qualification called the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales (level 3). This qualification will replace the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate (Welsh Baccalaureate). The qualification will continue to be accepted in lieu of one A-Level (at the grades listed above), excluding any specified subjects.
Other essential requirements
You must have or be working towards:
- English language or Welsh language at GCSE grade B/6 or an equivalent (such as A-levels). English Language GCSE C/4 will be accepted where you are taking qualifications at a higher level which are taught through the medium of English such as A-levels.
- four GCSEs at grade C/4. Must include Maths, and two sciences (from Biology, Chemistry, and Physics), or equivalent qualifications (subject and grade).
You must also supply a personal statement that is relevant to the profession. If you are applying to more than one professional programme, you should email a bespoke personal statement for each programme to admissions@cardiff.ac.uk at the same time as submitting your application via UCAS. In your personal statement, you should demonstrate that you understand the profession, have an insight into the course itself, and describe any relevant work experience. Only one personal statement may be submitted for each programme.
We do not accept Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies, or other similar equivalent subjects.
We will accept a combination of BTEC subjects, A-levels, and other qualifications, subject to the course specific grade and subject requirements.
ENROLMENT CONDITIONS
Before starting your course, you will also need to complete an occupational health questionnaire, attend any subsequent appointments and receive all of the necessary vaccinations to undertake clinical placements safely.
English language requirements
GCSE
Grade B or grade 6 in GCSE English Language.
IELTS (academic)
At least 7.0 overall with a minimum of 6.5 in all subskills.
TOEFL iBT
At least 100 overall with a minimum of 22 in all subskills.
PTE Academic
At least 76 overall with a minimum of 69 in all communicative skills.
Trinity ISE II/III
II: Not accepted.
III: at least a Merit in all components.
Other accepted qualifications
Please visit our English Language requirements page for more information on our other accepted language qualifications.
Criminal convictions
You will be required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check if your application is successful. If you are applying from certain countries overseas, a Certificate of Good Conduct may be required.
If you have a relevant criminal conviction, this will be stated in the check and may affect your ability to enrol on the course. Applicants who are on the barred list should be aware that applying to this course is likely to be considered a criminal offence.
Other qualifications from inside the UK
Qualifications from outside the UK
International equivalencies are not accepted for this course. Please contact the International Office for information about entry requirements from your country.
Please view your country page for information on our entry requirements, funding opportunities and who our local advisors are.
Please see our admissions policies for more information about the application process.
Interview or selection process
We won’t make an offer without first interviewing an applicant.
Offer release may be subject to all interviews for the programme having taken place.
To be eligible for consideration for interview all applicants must meet the minimum requirements at Level 2 (typically GCSE) and Level 3 (typically A-level). If you meet the minimum entry requirements your application will be given a numerical score based on your personal statement. Eligible applicants will be ranked according to this score and the top-ranking applicants will be invited to interview.
Welsh domiciled students studying/having successfully completed certain Access to Higher Education Diploma related to Healthcare may be eligible for a guaranteed interview on application. Please contact the admissions team for specific details: HCAREadmissions@cardiff.ac.uk
Our interview process
Interviews help us to determine if you:
- can think on your feet
- have thought about some of the issues that are important to the profession
- can critically appraise information
- can communicate ideas effectively.
They also focus on exploring the personal qualities and attributes that are important to your future career development.
These interviews allow us to assess information that isn’t always readily forthcoming in the application process—they aren’t intended to test the amount of prior knowledge you have about the subject or the profession.
Please note that interviews may occur in an online environment. Online interviews will continue to assess applicants on the skills and attributes outlined above.
Tuition fees for 2025 entry
Your tuition fees and how you pay them will depend on your fee status. Your fee status could be home, island or overseas.
Learn how we decide your fee status
Fees for home status
A full NHS bursary, including tuition fees and a non-repayable bursary for living costs, is available to applicants from the UK. Full details, including information for applicants from the EU, are available on our NHS funding pages.
The University reserves the right to increase tuition fees in the second and subsequent years of a course as permitted by law or Welsh Government policy. Where applicable we will notify you of any change in tuition fee by the end of June in the academic year before the one in which the fee will increase.
Students from the EU, EEA and Switzerland
If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss national, your tuition fees for 2025/26 be in line with the overseas fees for international students, unless you qualify for home fee status. UKCISA have provided information about Brexit and tuition fees.
Fees for island status
Learn more about the undergraduate fees for students from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
Fees for overseas status
An NHS placement is a required part of this course. The NHS only makes placements available to students who are eligible to pay UK fees. Therefore, this course is not available for international students.
Additional costs
Course specific equipment
A small pocket notebook is advised for practice placement so that you can make notes during the day which will aid with reflection later.
Accommodation
We have a range of residences to suit your needs and budget. Find out more on our accommodation pages.
Living costs
We're based in one of the UK's most affordable cities. Find out more about living costs in Cardiff.
Careers and placements
Career prospects
Our courses offer a considerable amount of time on practical learning opportunities which help to develop confidence, clinical skills and employability as healthcare professionals.
That's why in 2019 100% of our students graduating from the BSc in Radiotherapy and Oncology went on to work and/or study six months after graduating* (*UNISTATS 2019).
Employers can include various Health Boards and NHS Trusts, international health services and higher education institutions.
Graduate careers
- Radiographer
Placements
Students will undertake practice-based learning in all three years of the programme and will be required to fulfil this in radiotherapy departments across Wales. This means that in any given year you will be expected to undertake practice-based learning at two or more centres with departments currently located in Cardiff, North Wales and Swansea. The number of practice-based learning weeks varies throughout the programme and you will be expected to attend for 35 hours per week allocated. This timing allows students sufficient opportunity to develop the required skills with some flexibility should they need to pay back hours.
In years 2 and 3 of the programme, students will have the opportunity, should they wish, to undertake elective placements abroad, to develop their knowledge and understanding of radiotherapy practice internationally. These placements are negotiated and arranged by the individual student with help and advice provided by relevant university staff. All placements will be subject to the University’s Placement Risk Assessment processes.
Next steps
Open Day visits
Sign up to receive our latest news.
International
Learn more about our truly global university.
Get in touch
Contact us for help with any questions you have
How to apply
Find out how to apply for this course
Discover more
HESA Data: Copyright Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited 2021. The Higher Education Statistics Agency Limited cannot accept responsibility for any inferences or conclusions derived by third parties from its data. Data is from the latest Graduate Outcomes Survey 2019/20, published by HESA in June 2022.