A-level Further Maths: is it worth it, and what does it involve?
Further Maths extends A-level Maths with complex numbers, matrices and more. Who should take it, how it is examined and why it has the most top grades.
Further Maths is taken alongside A-level Maths, usually as a fourth or third subject, and goes well beyond it. Around 21,000 students took it in 2026, and it had the highest share of top grades of any major A-level: 58.9% got an A* or A. It is required or strongly preferred for maths degrees at the most selective universities and is valued for physics, engineering and computer science.
What you study
- Core pure maths (half the course): proof by induction, complex numbers, matrices, further algebra and functions, further calculus, polar coordinates, hyperbolic functions, and differential equations.
- Options (the other half): chosen by your school from further pure maths, further statistics, further mechanics and decision maths.
The exact topics depend on the exam board your school or college uses, so check its specification.
How it is examined
Like all reformed A-levels, it is a linear two-year course: you sit all the exams at the end of Year 13, and an AS taken along the way does not count towards the A-level.
| Exam board | Code | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Pearson Edexcel | 9FM0 | Four 1½-hour papers: two core pure papers and two option papers. |
| AQA | 7367 | Three 2-hour papers. |
| OCR A | H245 | Two core pure papers plus two option papers. |
| OCR B (MEI) | H645 | A core pure paper plus option papers. |
Coursework: None. Calculator: Calculators are allowed.
Grades and how hard it is
In summer 2026, 21,032 students took A-level Further Maths in the UK. 29.0% were awarded an A* and 58.9% an A* or A, compared with about 28% across all A-levels in England. See how subjects compare in the hardest and easiest A-levels.
Entry requirements: Usually a grade 8 or 9 at GCSE Maths, and you must also be taking A-level Maths.
Where it can lead
A-level Further Maths is useful for maths, physics, engineering, computer science, economics and finance degrees.
Goes well with: Maths (required), Physics, Chemistry, Computer Science.
Work out what your predicted grades are worth with our UCAS points calculator.
Tips for doing well
- Keep on top of A-level Maths first: Further Maths assumes it.
- Ask which options your school teaches; they shape a quarter to a half of your exams.
- If your school does not offer it, the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme (AMSP) can help you study it.
Questions people ask
Is Further Maths harder than Maths?
Yes, the content is harder, but the students who take it are usually strong mathematicians, which is why the share of A* and A grades is so high.
Do I need Further Maths for a maths degree?
For Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial, Warwick and similar universities it is required or strongly preferred. Many other universities accept A-level Maths alone.
Can Further Maths count as one of my three A-levels?
Yes, but some universities do not accept Maths and Further Maths together as two of the three A-levels in an offer, so check course requirements.
