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Graduate Entry Medicine

Graduate Entry Medicine UK: A Guide to Applying for 2027 Entry

Dr Akash GandhiDr Akash Gandhi·NHS GP and Medicine Admissions ExpertUpdated 15 October 2026

Reviewed by Dr Shaneil Tanna

Graduate entry medicine (GEM) is the route into medicine for people who already hold a degree. This guide covers which UK universities offer it, the entry requirements and admissions tests, how to apply through UCAS and how the course is funded, for students applying for 2027 entry. To compare all 22 courses side by side, use our UK graduate entry medicine courses table.

What is Graduate Entry Medicine?

UK graduate entry medicine, often called grad med or GEM, lets people who already hold a degree retrain as doctors. Most apply for the dedicated accelerated four-year course (UCAS code A101), though graduates can also enter the standard five-year medicine course (A100).

For 2027 entry, 22 accelerated courses are open to graduates (17 in England, 3 in Wales, 1 in Scotland and 1 in Northern Ireland). Each one has its own page on this site, linked from the course list further down.

This article gives you all the information that you need to know, including where you can study GEM, what you need to study GEM, how to apply for it and how much it costs.

The standard five and six-year courses are explained in our guide to MBBS in the UK, which is a useful comparison if you are weighing up both routes.

Graduate entry medicine at a glance

  • Length: four years on all 22 graduate courses open for 2027 entry. Graduates can also apply to standard medicine courses of five or six years.
  • Where: 17 in England, 3 in Wales, 1 in Scotland and 1 in Northern Ireland, compared in our UK graduate entry medicine courses table.
  • Degree: usually a 2:1 or above. Some courses accept a 2:2 with a master’s or PhD.
  • Admissions test: 12 courses use the UCAT, 4 use the GAMSAT and 6 accept more than one test.
  • International applicants: 9 courses consider international fee payers; most of the others are for UK (home) fee payers only.
  • Deadline: 6pm on 15 October through UCAS, the year before you start, with up to four medicine choices.
  • Funding (England): the NHS Bursary pays up to £3,930 a year towards fees from year two, with student loans for the balance; in year one you pay part of the fee yourself and borrow the rest. The funding section below has the year-by-year detail.

Which universities offer graduate entry medicine?

Various universities offer GEM programs in the UK, so you’ll want to look at deciding which ones to apply to based on factors such as their admissions criteria, proximity to home and UK medicine rankings.

For more help with making this decision, check out our dedicated guide to choosing a medical school or our guides to each individual medical school. There are many in different regions - in particular, London graduate entry medicine is very popular.

22 four-year graduate courses are open for 2027 entry, including newer ones at Surrey, Pears Cumbria and Ulster. Our UK graduate entry medicine courses table compares them side by side on admissions test, degree, places and interview, and each course below has its own page with the detail. Provision changes most years, so it is worth confirming with the medical school before you apply.

Some well-known schools have no four-year course of their own. Imperial teaches its graduate MBBS at Pears Cumbria in Carlisle, Dundee teaches the later years of ScotGEM, and Birmingham and UCL take graduates onto their five-year courses; the table linked above covers what each of these asks for. If you would be an international fee payer, the courses open to you are Chester, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Surrey, Swansea, Warwick and Worcester, and our international students' guide explains fees and visas.

Of course, there are also opportunities for graduate students to study medicine across the globe, for instance, graduate entry medicine in Europe.

Graduates also have strong options in Ireland, where the four-year graduate entry route uses the GAMSAT. See our study medicine in Ireland guide for entry requirements, fees and deadlines.

Check out our guide to applying in Europe!

What are the Graduate Entry Medicine requirements?

Entry requirements vary between medical schools, so read the course page for each school on your list before you apply.

On most graduate courses your first degree counts for more than your A levels. For 2027 entry, 15 of the 22 courses accept a degree in any subject (some add conditions, such as A level grades or a science subject), while Bangor, Cardiff, King's, Manchester, Oxford, Pears Cumbria and Sheffield ask for a science or health-related degree.

Many graduate courses set no A level requirement, so weaker A levels need not rule you out if your degree is strong. Among the exceptions, Cambridge, Oxford, Queen Mary and Sheffield mention A level subjects or grades, so check their wording.

Whether you’ve studied Chemistry or Italian, there are spots available to you for UK postgraduate medicine.

Generally, you will need:

  • At least a 2:1 degree, ideally a 1st class degree
  • To sit the GAMSAT, UCAT or MCAT admissions test and perform well
  • Relevant medicine work experience
  • Some strong references from people whom you trust
  • A well-written and interesting personal statement

What are the admissions tests for graduate entry medicine?

Postgraduate entry into medicine will generally require you to sit at least one admissions test. Different universities require different tests, as outlined below.

Find out more about how universities use the UCAT here.

The UCAT requires no prior knowledge beyond basic maths skills and is an extremely time-pressured multiple-choice exam.

The GAMSAT is a day-long test divided into three sections: reasoning in humanities and social sciences; written communication, and reasoning in biological and physical sciences.

You should consider which suits your strengths more, and which is relevant to the universities that interest you more.

For 2027 entry, Liverpool, ScotGEM, St George's and Ulster ask for the GAMSAT, 12 courses (such as Warwick, Queen Mary, Newcastle and, from this cycle, Nottingham) use the UCAT, and Chester, Pears Cumbria, Surrey, Swansea, UEA and Worcester accept more than one test on some or all routes. Read our Ultimate GAMSAT graduate entry guide for the full breakdown, see our GAMSAT tutors if that is your test, and use our UCAT guides hub if you are sitting the UCAT instead.

For help with these exams, get in touch with our expert tutoring team and check out the guides on our website.

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How do I apply for GEM?

You apply for graduate entry medicine through UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, in the same way as for undergraduate medicine.

Your UCAS graduate entry medicine application is then sent to all universities to which you are applying, so you don’t need to worry about applying to each of them individually.

The medicine timeline is earlier than most subjects: the UCAS deadline for medicine (including graduate entry) is 6pm on 15 October each year, for entry the following September. You can apply to up to four medical schools, and unlike standard undergraduate medicine you may include both Oxford and Cambridge among those four for GEM.

Check out our UCAS guide for information on how the process works and what the associated costs are.

What is ScotGEM?

ScotGEM is a four-year graduate course run jointly by the University of St Andrews and the University of Dundee. Our ScotGEM graduate entry medicine page covers the entry requirements, the GAMSAT cut-off and the funding.

Students spend their first two years under St Andrews, then two years led by Dundee. The University of Aberdeen is not part of ScotGEM: graduates join its five-year course in Year 1.

Students are based in St Andrews in first year but move around a lot afterwards.

Much time is spent in rural areas of the Highlands and Dumfries and Galloway, so students must be prepared for this unique situation to take full advantage of the opportunity offered here.

How does funding work for GEM (four-year accelerated)?

Graduate entry students in England do not have to fund the whole course themselves. Student Finance England supports year one, apart from part of the tuition fee, and the NHS Bursary joins from year two. The figures below are the 2026/27 rates for students from England, the latest published.

For a full year-by-year breakdown of fees, loans, the NHS Bursary and the real cost of GEM, see our dedicated graduate entry medicine funding, costs and fees guide.

Year one tuition: the fee for 2026/27 is up to £9,790. At a university charging the full amount, you pay the first £3,665 yourself and Student Finance England lends the remaining £6,125 as a tuition fee loan that does not depend on household income. Some universities want the self-funded part upfront and others take instalments, so check with each one.

Years two to four tuition: the NHS Bursary pays up to £3,930 a year towards your fee, straight to the university, and Student Finance England lends the balance. The rates are set each year in the NHS Bursary Scheme rules for 2026 to 2027, and the bursary is open to students who normally live in England.

Student loans are repaid once your income passes the repayment threshold. NHS Bursary payments are never repaid.

Year one living costs: you can apply for the full Maintenance Loan, up to £10,830 in 2026/27 if you live away from home outside London (£14,135 in London, £9,118 at home), with part of it depending on household income (GOV.UK student finance). If you are 25 or over, married or in a civil partnership, or have supported yourself for three years, you are usually assessed as an independent student and your parents’ income is not counted.

Years two to four living costs: you can take a reduced-rate Maintenance Loan from Student Finance England that does not depend on household income, plus the NHS Bursary. For 2026/27 the bursary gives every eligible student a £1,081 grant, and a means-tested bursary of up to £2,855 if you study outside London and live away from home (£3,447 in London, £2,384 at your parents’ home). Courses that run for more than 30 weeks and 3 days a year add an extra weeks allowance of up to £91 a week (£116 in London, £61 at home).

Starting in 2027: courses that start from 1 January 2027 are funded through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement. The government says students who take medicine or dentistry as a second degree under it can get full tuition fee and standard maintenance support for the years the NHS Bursary does not cover. Graduate entry figures for 2027/28 had not been published by October 2026, so confirm the amounts with Student Finance England and your university before you budget.

In Scotland, students with Home (Scotland) fee status have their ScotGEM tuition fees paid by the Scottish Government (University of St Andrews). Our ScotGEM graduate entry medicine page covers the rest of its funding.

How does funding work for graduate entry students applying for standard medical undergraduate courses?

Years one to four: the tuition fee is up to £9,790 a year in 2026/27, and graduates who started before 2027 cannot get a Student Finance England tuition fee loan for these years because they already hold a degree.

You will have to pay this directly to the university. Some will expect this fee paid upfront, whilst others have schemes available for termly payments or payments in instalments.

For courses starting from January 2027 the Lifelong Learning Entitlement changes this: the government says second-degree medicine students will be able to get full tuition fee and standard maintenance support for the years the NHS Bursary does not cover. Check the 2027/28 detail with Student Finance England.

From your fifth year onwards, you will be eligible for the NHS Bursary Scheme for tuition fee support. They will pay your fees in full and you will never have to pay this money back.

For your first four years, you will also be eligible for a full maintenance loan from Student Finance England. The amount that you can receive will vary depending on your circumstances and where you are living.

If you are above the age of 25, married or have been in full-time employment for at least three years then you are considered an “independent student” and your parents’ household income will not be assessed when determining how much you will have to pay.

From year five, the NHS Bursary also gives a £1,081 grant that does not depend on income, a means-tested bursary of up to £2,855 outside London (£3,447 in London, £2,384 at home) and an extra weeks allowance for long academic years (2026/27 rates).

Scottish students will only have to pay £1,820 per year of tuition fees for their first four years if they study in Scotland. If they study in England or Wales, they will have to pay the full amount.

Transferring Into Medicine From Another Career

Becoming a doctor later in life in the UK can be done in various different ways. One of the most appealing for many candidates is transferring into Medicine from a different degree, as very little additional time in university is required.

These can provide pathways to studying medicine from various courses, such as UK nursing to medicine or pharmacist to doctor conversions as well as for biochemists or biomedical scientists into graduate entry medicine.

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Is it possible to transfer into medicine?

Yes, at some universities.

No fewer than 12 universities in the UK have schemes which allow you to transfer into medicine. However, all of these are extremely competitive because candidates who miss out on medicine often study at these universities intending to transfer.

Choose one of these degrees only if you would be happy to finish it. Transfer places are few, and if you miss out you will complete the degree you started.

Which universities have transfer to medicine graduate entry schemes?

The following universities have schemes that may allow you to transfer into medicine. Make sure to research each one fully by looking at their websites.

Anglia Ruskin

Students who perform exceptionally in the first year of BSc Medical Science, BSc Biomedical Science and BOptom Optometry can apply to transfer to Medicine. Last year, 7 of 52 applicants were successful. Requirements include a strong UCAT score, appropriate GCSEs, a 75% average across first year and no less than 65% in any one module.

Bradford University

This scheme is aimed at widening participation students. After completing one year of a Foundation in Clinical Sciences/Medicine course or BSc Clinical Sciences at Bradford, students can apply to transfer to study medicine at Sheffield University. They need to meet at least two widening participation criteria, meet their UCAT threshold, and average 70% in first year, including 70% in Chemistry and no failed assessments.

Brighton University

Brighton and Sussex Medical School guarantees interviews for well-performing Biomedical, Biological and Pharmacy students from Brighton University. They have schemes available for students after first and third year.

Cardiff University

Cardiff reserves some places for students in third year of a recognised feeder stream: BSc (Hons) Medical Pharmacology degree, Cardiff University; BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences degree, Cardiff University; BSc (Hons) Medical Sciences degree, University of South Wales; BMedSci (Hons) Medical Sciences degree, Bangor University. Students transfer into the second year of their five-year medicine program.

University of Exeter

Final-year BSc Medical Sciences and BSc Neuroscience students can apply to medicine and will be shortlisted for interview if they are predicted to receive a 2:1 or 1st class degree, and haven’t experienced “significant issues” during their time at Exeter.

University of Leicester

Leicester’s scheme is available to those who have finished a year of BSc in Biological Sciences, Medical Biochemistry, Medical Genetics, Medical Physiology, or Medical Microbiology. This is highly competitive and not guaranteed. Additionally, strong A-Levels and first-year university grades are required as well as good performance in the UCAT and a strong personal statement.

University of Manchester

Approximately 10 students can transfer into medicine each year if they have performed exceptionally in degree within the School of Biological Sciences. Unfortunately, details of this scheme are only made available internally to eligible students so we do not have more information.

Newcastle University

Newcastle makes up to 7 places each year available to students registered at the Faculty of Medical Sciences on Biomedical or Biomolecular Sciences programs. They can apply to transfer to stage 1 of Medicine after completing stage 1 of Biomedical Sciences.

University of Plymouth

Plymouth makes 5 spaces available each year for students to transfer from Biomedical Science to Medicine or Dentistry after year 1 is completed. This is, however, extremely competitive.

Queen Mary, University of London

QMU collates a list of students on the Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience, and Pharmacology and Innovative Therapeutics programmes. The top 19 highest-ranked on this joint list are guaranteed an interview for the 5-year Medicine program at Barts. This ranking is based on academic scores (50%) and UCAT score (50%). Of these, the top 5 will be considered for the accelerated four-year Graduate Entry programme.

St. George’s

Students studying BSc Biomedical Sciences at St George’s can apply for their Clinical Transfer programme. 25 students can fast-track to Year 2 of the accelerated 4-year GEM programme upon completion of their Biomedical Sciences degree. These spots are contingent on academic performance during students’ degrees and success at an MMI interview.

University of Sussex

Biomedical Science or Medical Neuroscience students at this university are guaranteed an interview at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. They can apply in first or third year, with different criteria for each.

What are my other options?

Mature student entry to medicine can take various forms. If you don’t manage to transfer out of your degree into medicine then you can become a doctor with a biomedical science degree, you can get into medicine with a nursing degree and you can study medicine with almost any other degree.

Can You Become a Doctor at 23, 24 or 25?

Yes, and easily. In your early twenties most medical schools would not class you as a mature applicant at all. Applying after a gap year, a resit year, a first degree or a couple of years of work is completely ordinary.

Two routes are open to you at this age.

  • Standard entry, 5 years: open to anyone who meets the academic requirements, whatever your age and whatever you studied before.
  • Graduate entry, 4 years: for people who already hold a degree, usually at 2:1 or above. 22 UK courses are open for 2027 entry, listed in our UK graduate entry medicine courses table.

Seven UK medical schools take graduates only: Chester, Pears Cumbria, Surrey, Swansea, Ulster, Warwick and Worcester. The rest run a standard entry course, and many run a graduate entry course alongside it.

If you start at 23: a 4-year graduate entry course puts you at graduation around 27, with Foundation training finished around 29. A 5-year course adds a year to each of those.

Can You Study Medicine at 30, 40 or 50?

Yes. There is no rule against it and no school that can turn you down for it. Applicants in their thirties, forties and fifties apply every cycle, most of them through graduate entry, and they qualify.

As a GP, I would say the question is almost never about eligibility. It is about whether you want to spend the next several years in training, and whether you can fund them. Think both through carefully before you apply.

What does change with age is the money. Student finance for a second degree, the NHS Bursary and maintenance support all work differently depending on your route, your year of study and which UK nation you are from. The two funding sections earlier in this guide set this out year by year.

What does not change: the entry requirements. You still need the grades the course asks for, the admissions test, relevant experience and an interview. Age earns you no concession, and it does not count against you either.

Two practical things are worth planning for. Placements are full time, often away from home, and the timetable is fixed for years at a stretch. And you will be studying alongside people ten or twenty years younger than you.

Graduate Entry or Standard Entry: Which Route Fits an Older Applicant?

Both routes are open at any age. The choice comes down to what you already hold and how many years you are willing to give it.

  • Graduate entry, 4 years: needs a completed degree, usually a 2:1 or better. It is a year shorter and it is the route most career changers take. Seven schools offer nothing else.
  • Standard entry, 5 or 6 years: the route to take if you do not hold a degree, or if your degree is not in a subject the graduate entry courses on your list will accept.
  • Admissions tests: standard entry courses use the UCAT. Graduate entry courses use the UCAT or the GAMSAT, depending on the school, so check each one before you book a test date.

Funding: the two routes are funded differently, and the arrangement changes between year one and the years after it. The funding sections earlier in this guide cover the 4-year accelerated course, and our graduate entry medicine funding guide covers a standard entry course taken as a second degree.

Funding rules change, and they differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Before you commit, check the current year with Student Finance on GOV.UK and with the NHS Business Services Authority, and confirm the fee arrangement with the university itself.

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If You Start Medical School at 30, When Do You Qualify?

The arithmetic is the same at any age. Add the length of your course, then two Foundation Programme years. You gain full GMC registration at the end of FY1 and finish Foundation training at the end of FY2.

  • Start at 25, 4-year course: graduate at 29, full registration at 30, Foundation training complete at 31.
  • Start at 30, 4-year course: graduate at 34, full registration at 35, Foundation training complete at 36.
  • Start at 30, 5-year course: graduate at 35, full registration at 36, Foundation training complete at 37.
  • Start at 40, 4-year course: graduate at 44, full registration at 45, Foundation training complete at 46.
  • Start at 50, 4-year course: graduate at 54, full registration at 55, Foundation training complete at 56.

Specialty training sits on top of that. GP training runs three years after Foundation, and hospital specialties run longer. So somebody who starts a 4-year course at 35 could be a qualified GP in their mid forties.

Against a working life that now often runs into the late sixties, qualifying in your mid forties still leaves you two decades of practice. Whether that trade is worth making is a personal call, but the numbers are usually less discouraging than people expect before they do them.

Bar chart of when you qualify as a doctor by starting age. Start at 25 on a 4-year course: graduate at 29, full GMC registration at 30, Foundation training complete at 31. Start at 30 on a 4-year course: graduate at 34, registration at 35, Foundation complete at 36. Start at 30 on a 5-year course: graduate at 35, registration at 36, Foundation complete at 37. Start at 40 on a 4-year course: graduate at 44, registration at 45, Foundation complete at 46. Start at 50 on a 4-year course: graduate at 54, registration at 55, Foundation complete at 56.
Course length plus two Foundation years, at different starting ages. Specialty training comes after.

Applying Without Recent Science A Levels: Access to Medicine and Foundation Year Routes

Not having science A levels, or having sat them twenty years ago, is one of the most common reasons people decide they have left it too late. It is usually the most fixable part of the problem.

  • Access to Medicine Diploma: a one-year Level 3 course built for adults returning to education without the A levels a medical school asks for. A number of UK medical schools accept it in place of A levels. Not all do, and those that do often specify particular units and grades.
  • Medicine with a foundation year: a 6-year course where year zero brings your science up to the level the degree needs. See our guide to UK foundation medicine courses. These places are usually reserved for applicants from widening participation backgrounds or without the standard qualifications, so the eligibility criteria are strict and vary by school.
  • Retaking A levels: accepted everywhere, but the slowest of the three. Several schools restrict resits or want the grades achieved in one sitting, so read each policy before you commit two years to it.

Whichever you choose, check it against the specific schools on your list before you enrol rather than after. Acceptance is decided school by school, and a course one medical school welcomes may not meet the entry requirements of the next one.

What Is the Age Range of Students on a UK Medical Course?

A UK medical school year group is far more mixed than a sixth form. The youngest students in a first year are 17, at the schools listed in our guide to minimum age requirements for medicine. There is no oldest, because no school sets an upper limit.

  • 17 to 19: school leavers, the largest group on the 5-year standard entry course. Most start at 18.
  • 19 to 21: gap year students, resitters and reapplicants, on the same courses and treated no differently.
  • 21 to 30: the usual band on a 4-year graduate entry course, since a first degree finishes at 21 or 22 and many people work for a year or two before applying.
  • 30 and above: career changers, found mostly on graduate entry courses but present in plenty of standard entry year groups too.

One thing worth clearing up: pre med is an American term, not a UK one, so there is no UK pre med student age to quote. In the UK you apply straight to a medical degree, either from school or after another degree.

How can I get help with applying for GEM?

For help with any stage of a graduate entry application, book a free consultation with our team. If your courses use the GAMSAT, our GAMSAT tutors work through all three sections with you 1-1, and our GAMSAT guide explains how each school uses the test. For UCAT courses, see our UCAT tutoring.

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Frequently asked questions

What is graduate entry medicine (GEM)?

Graduate entry medicine is a medical degree for people who already hold a degree. Most graduates apply for an accelerated four-year course (UCAS code A101, or A102 at King's and Pears Cumbria), and some apply for a standard five-year course (A100). Selection looks at your degree, admissions test, work experience and interview, and both routes lead to the same medical degree and the same Foundation Programme.

Is graduate entry medicine a postgraduate course?

No. It is an undergraduate medical degree (usually an MBBS or MBChB) for people who already hold a degree, and the names postgraduate medicine and grad med refer to the same courses. You apply through UCAS, and it is funded through undergraduate student finance and the NHS Bursary.

Which UK universities offer graduate entry medicine?

For 2027 entry, 22 four-year graduate courses are open: Bangor, Cambridge, Cardiff, Chester, King's, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Pears Cumbria, Queen Mary, ScotGEM, Sheffield, Southampton, St George's, Surrey, Swansea, UEA, Ulster, Warwick and Worcester. Our UK graduate entry medicine courses table compares them on admissions test, degree, places and interview. Provision changes most years, so confirm with each medical school before you apply.

Can international students apply for graduate entry medicine in the UK?

Yes, at 9 of the 22 courses for 2027 entry: Chester, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Surrey, Swansea, Warwick and Worcester. The others are mainly for UK (home) fee payers. International fees are much higher, and the NHS Bursary is only open to students who meet its UK residency rules, so read our international students' guide for fees and visas.

Do I need GAMSAT or UCAT for graduate entry medicine?

It depends on the university. For 2027 entry, Liverpool, ScotGEM, St George's and Ulster ask for the GAMSAT. Bangor, Cambridge, Cardiff, King's, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Queen Mary, Sheffield, Southampton and Warwick use the UCAT (Nottingham stopped accepting the GAMSAT from 2027 entry). Chester, Pears Cumbria, Surrey, Swansea, UEA and Worcester accept more than one test on some or all routes, and some international routes accept the MCAT. It is worth checking each medical school's requirements before booking, then preparing for whichever test most of your target schools use.

What grades do you need for graduate entry medicine?

Most GEM courses require at least a 2:1 in your undergraduate degree, and some prefer or require a first. Many do not have A-level requirements, so you can apply with weaker A-levels if your degree is strong. Some schools accept any degree subject, while others require a science or health-related degree, so check each one carefully.

Can I do graduate entry medicine with a non-science degree?

Yes. For 2027 entry, 15 of the 22 graduate courses accept a degree in any subject: Cambridge, Chester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham, Queen Mary, ScotGEM, Southampton, St George's, Surrey, Swansea, UEA, Ulster, Warwick and Worcester, though some add conditions such as A level grades or a science subject. Bangor, Cardiff, King's, Manchester, Oxford, Pears Cumbria and Sheffield ask for a science or health-related degree. Check each course's wording before you apply.

How long is graduate entry medicine?

Four years on all 22 graduate entry courses open for 2027 entry. Graduates who join a standard course (A100) study for five or six years. Both lead to the same medical degree and the same two-year Foundation Programme, and the four-year course moves into clinical work sooner and at a faster pace.

Is there a 3 year graduate entry medicine course in the UK?

No. All 22 UK graduate entry courses open for 2027 entry last four years, and standard medicine courses take five or six. Some universities run transfer or feeder schemes that move strong students from a related degree into medicine, covered later in this guide.

How do I apply for graduate entry medicine?

You apply through UCAS, choosing up to four medical schools. The deadline is 6pm on 15 October for entry the following September. Unlike undergraduate medicine, you may apply to both Oxford and Cambridge for GEM in the same cycle. You will also need to sit the required admissions test (GAMSAT or UCAT) and arrange relevant work experience in good time.

How do you get into medicine as a graduate?

Hold, or be on track for, a 2:1 or above, check which courses accept your degree subject, and sit the admissions test those courses use (the UCAT or the GAMSAT). Build clinical or caring experience, then apply through UCAS by 6pm on 15 October with your personal statement and reference. Shortlisted applicants are interviewed, usually between December and March.

Is graduate entry medicine harder to get into than undergraduate medicine?

Graduate entry is very competitive because there are far fewer places than for undergraduate medicine and a large pool of strong, motivated applicants. Published intakes range from about 20 places to 203 at Warwick. A high admissions test score, a strong 2:1 or first, relevant work experience and a focused personal statement all matter, and applying to schools that suit your profile improves your chances.

How much does graduate entry medicine cost?

On a four-year graduate course the 2026/27 tuition fee is up to £9,790 a year. Students from England pay the first £3,665 of the year-one fee themselves and can borrow the rest from Student Finance England. From year two the NHS Bursary pays up to £3,930 a year towards the fee and a loan covers the balance. Courses starting from 2027 move to the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, which the government says will fund the years the bursary does not cover, so check the 2027/28 figures with Student Finance England. Our funding guide has the year-by-year breakdown.

Do you get an NHS bursary for graduate entry medicine?

Yes, from year two of a four-year graduate course, if you normally live in England. For 2026/27 the NHS Bursary pays up to £3,930 a year towards tuition fees, a £1,081 grant that does not depend on income, and a means-tested bursary of up to £2,855 outside London (£3,447 in London). Bursary payments are not repaid. The rates are set each year in the NHS Bursary Scheme rules.

What is ScotGEM?

ScotGEM is a four-year graduate entry medicine course run by the University of Dundee and the University of St Andrews, with later years involving the University of the Highlands and Islands and NHS sites in rural Scotland. It uses the GAMSAT and focuses on generalist and rural medicine. Students with Scottish fee status have their tuition fees paid by the Scottish Government; students from the rest of the UK pay part of the fee and can use student loans and the NHS bursary.

Can you transfer into medicine from another degree?

Yes, several UK universities run transfer schemes that let high-performing students move from a related degree (often biomedical science) into medicine after the first or final year. Examples include Anglia Ruskin, Bradford, Brighton and Sussex, Cardiff, Exeter, Leicester, Manchester, Newcastle, Plymouth, Queen Mary and St George's. These schemes are extremely competitive, so never rely on transfer as your only plan.

Can I study graduate entry medicine in London?

Yes. London GEM options include St George's, Barts (Queen Mary University of London) and King's College London, all of which run accelerated four-year courses, alongside graduate entry into standard courses at other London schools. Requirements vary: some use the UCAT and some the GAMSAT, and some require a science degree, so check each school's current entry criteria before applying.

Can graduates study medicine abroad?

Yes. Ireland offers four-year graduate entry medicine using the GAMSAT, and there are graduate routes across Europe. Studying abroad can widen your options if UK places are competitive, but check recognition and licensing carefully if you plan to practise in the UK afterwards. See our study medicine in Ireland and study medicine in Europe guides for details on entry requirements and fees.

How can I improve my chances of getting into GEM?

Maximise your admissions test score, secure a strong 2:1 or first, gather relevant clinical and caring work experience, and write a focused personal statement that explains your motivation to switch to medicine. Apply strategically to schools whose requirements match your test, degree subject and grades. Targeted tutoring and mock interviews can also strengthen weaker areas of your application.

Can you be a doctor at 23?

Yes. At 23 you are a completely normal age to apply, and most medical schools would not class you as a mature applicant. You can apply to the 5-year standard entry course, or to a 4-year graduate entry course if you already hold a degree. Starting a 4-year course at 23 means graduating at 27.

Can you study medicine at 40 or 50?

Yes. No UK medical school publishes an upper age limit, so applicants in their forties and fifties can and do apply, most of them through graduate entry because they already hold a degree. What changes with age is the funding arrangement and the number of years before you qualify, not whether you are eligible to apply.

Can you become a doctor at any age in the UK?

In principle yes, because there is no upper age limit at any UK medical school. You still have to meet the same academic requirements, sit the UCAT or the GAMSAT, and get through interview. The practical limit is the length of training: roughly 6 years from starting a 4-year graduate entry course to finishing Foundation training.

What is the age range of medical students in the UK?

A UK first year runs from 17 at the youngest to people in their forties and fifties on graduate entry courses. Most standard entry students are 18 or 19. Most graduate entry students are between 21 and 30. There is no upper end to the range, because no medical school sets one.

What if I am 35 and want to study medicine?

Being 35 does not stop you applying anywhere. If you already hold a degree at 2:1 or above, graduate entry is usually the fastest route, at 4 years plus 2 Foundation years. Without recent science qualifications, an Access to Medicine Diploma or a foundation year course can get you there. Check funding early.

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If your child did not get into medicineIs your child reapplying or considering graduate entry? Our parents' guide explains every route back in.Read the parents’ guide
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2025/26 results

Why Students & Parents Recommend Us

Ultimate Package students from our 2025/26 cycle, with their UCAT scores and offers, who trained with us for the UCAT, personal statements and interviews.

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Sophie
Medicine, King's College London
2025 UCAT2,590 / 2,700
“Harry got my UCAT up to 2,590, working through the sections I kept dropping marks on week by week. Gemma then ran my interview practice so the MMI stations didn't catch me out, and Dr Akash mentored me the whole way through. I'm off to King's for Medicine.”
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Daniel
Medicine, University College London
Medicine offers4 offers
“The interview prep was the part that actually moved the needle. Proper mock MMIs, not just lists of questions, and feedback that was honest about what I was getting wrong. I ended up with four offers and firmed UCL.”
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Aisha
Dentistry, University of Birmingham
Dentistry offers4 offers
“The Ultimate Package kept me organised from UCAT through to interviews. They knew what dental schools actually ask and tightened up my personal statement. Four offers in the end, and I'm going to Birmingham.”
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Charlotte
Veterinary Medicine, Royal Veterinary College
Vet offers4 offers
“Vet applications come down to the written SAQs as much as the interview. Dr Rebecca went through my SAQs line by line, sharpened my answers and prepped me for the panels. I came away with four offers and chose the RVC.”
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