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Application Guide 2025:
UCAS
Applying to Medicine in the UK from Hong Kong 2025
UKMedicine Admissions Expert
Introduction
Everything you need to know about applying to the UK to study medicine in 2025 from Hong Kong as an international student. This includes information on the UCAT in Hong Kong and UCAT tutoring in Hong Kong.
Key Takeaways - Applying To UK Medicine From Hong Kong
The BMAT is Cancelled: All focus must now be on the UCAT exam for UK medical school entry.
MCHK Recognition is Vital: Ensure your chosen UK university is on the Medical Council of Hong Kong's list if you plan to practice in Hong Kong after graduation.
UCAT Preparation is Essential: A high UCAT score is critical. Specialist online 1-1 tutoring offers a significant advantage over generic local courses.
HKDSE Requirements: A typical offer is 555 in Chemistry, Biology, and another elective.
Interviews & IELTS: Be prepared for MMI-style interviews and the UKVI IELTS exam.
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Applying to Study Medicine in the UK from Hong Kong
The UK is home to many world-class medical schools, making it an ideal destination for prospective medical students looking to study abroad from Hong Kong.
Additionally, most UK universities make the process of applying from Hong Kong very easy, detailing their specific HKDSE entry requirements online. In this guide, we detail some of the key considerations that you should make throughout the process of applying to study Medicine abroad in the UK.
Medical students applying from Hong Kong should make use of the HKMSUK (Hong Kong Medical Society of the United Kingdom). Their website has plenty of up-to-date information and resources about applying to the UK.
You should also check out our in-depth guide on applying to study Medicine in the UK as an international student. This page is designed with information specific to Hong Kong to supplement that general, more in-depth walkthrough of the application process.
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UCAT in Hong Kong 2025
If you are applying to any medical school in the UK, you will be required to sit the UCAT. Fortunately, there are testing centres for both of these in the UK (in case you are attending school in the UK) and in Hong Kong (if you live there).
The UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) is often a significant hurdle because its style is very different from the HKDSE or IB curricula.
It's not a test of knowledge, but of innate skills under extreme time pressure. Sections like Verbal Reasoning demand incredible speed-reading and inference skills, while Decision Making requires spotting patterns under immense time constraints.
Success requires not just practice, but a specific strategy and technique for each section, which is why targeted UCAT preparation is so crucial.
The UCAT is an aptitude test that is used by most universities in the UK. It can be sat in Welkin Systems Limited, Mongkok, or Pearson Professional Centres (Hong Kong), Wan Chai. UCAT Tutoring for students in Hong Kong is something that we can help you with.
The BMAT was an exam that was previously used for entry to some UK Medical schools - however, the BMAT has been cancelled from 2024 onwards.
Expert Online 1-1 UCAT Tutoring In Hong Kong
If you are looking for some extra help with the UCAT, then check out our guides or the packages of expert 1-1 UCAT tutoring for Hong Kong Students that we offer here at TheUKCATPeople.
Our one-to-one UCAT tutoring is designed to build these specific skills:
Targeted Sectional Coaching: We identify if you're struggling with the logic puzzles of decision-making or the ethical dilemmas in the Situational Judgement Test (SJT) and provide focused coaching to turn weaknesses into strengths.
Time Management Mastery: Our tutors provide proven techniques to manage the intense time pressure of the exam, helping you complete more questions accurately.
Time of Lessons: All lessons will be conducted with respect to your current time zone. For students in Hong Kong, this will generally be lessons in the afternoon and evening, as our expert UCAT Tutors are all UK-based.
👉🏼 Read more: Compared: UK Medical School Fees For International Students (2025 Updates)
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List of Recognised UK Medical Schools To Work In Hong Kong (2025 Updates)
If you’re a student in Hong Kong researching how to apply to study Medicine in the UK, it’s crucial to understand which medical schools hold recognised qualifications for special registration by the Medical Council of Hong Kong.
This recognition is part of the "Special Registration" pathway, which allows graduates from these specific programmes to apply for registration with the MCHK without needing to pass the local licensing examination.
This provides a clear, streamlined route to becoming a practising doctor in Hong Kong after your UK studies and foundation years. Choosing a non-recognised course would mean facing significant additional hurdles if you wish to return to practice.
Below you’ll find a comprehensive list of top UK medical schools whose qualifications are currently recognised. Each institution is linked to detailed guidance and admissions advice, providing valuable insights into entry requirements, UCAT scores, interview preparation, and personal statement tips.
This information will help you strategically select the right medical school, maximise your chances of admission, and lay the groundwork for a successful medical career bridging both the UK and Hong Kong healthcare systems.
Below is the updated list of recognised UK medical schools (as at 28 June 2024),
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 5-year medical programme
(Also recognised: 4-year medical programme)
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 5-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 6-year Gateway to Medicine medical programme
(Also recognised: 4-year medical programme)
Bachelor of Surgery (BChir); Bachelor of Medicine (MB) – 4-year medical programme
Bachelor of Surgery (BChir); Bachelor of Medicine (MB) – 6-year medical programme
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD); Bachelor of Surgery (BChir), Bachelor of Medicine (MB) – 9-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB); Bachelor of Medical Sciences – 6-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 5-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) – 6-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) – 5-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 5-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 4-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 5-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 6-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 4-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 5-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 5-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 6-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) – 4-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) – 5-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB); Bachelor of Medical Sciences (BMedSci) – 5-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BM,BCh) – 4-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BM,BCh) – 6-year medical programme
Queen Mary University of London
(Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry)
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) – 4-year medical programme (London Campus)
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) – 5-year medical programme (London Campus)
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 5-year medical programme
(Also recognized: 6-year medical programme)
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BM,BCh) – 4-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BM,BCh) – 5-year European Medicine Programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BM,BCh) – 5-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BM,BCh) – 6-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) – 6-year medical programme
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) – 4-year medical programme
Joint UK-Singapore Programme:
(Nanyang Technological University & Imperial College London)
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) – 5-year jointly offered medical programme
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Medical Interviews in Hong Kong 2025 For UK Medical Schools
Another consideration when applying from Hong Kong will be your medicine interviews. As a student from Hong Kong, you have a unique perspective on how medicine works in the UK as you are viewing it externally.
Most UK medical schools now use the MMI format. Instead of a traditional panel interview, you will rotate through a series of 6-10 short "stations," each lasting about 5-8 minutes.
These stations test different attributes like communication, empathy, ethical reasoning, and teamwork.
As a Hong Kong student, you can use this to your advantage. For example, in an ethics station, you could briefly compare the healthcare funding models of the NHS and Hong Kong's public system to demonstrate a global perspective.
You will be expected to have an understanding of medicine in the UK in your interviews, so you should be prepared to demonstrate this. In particular, you should research the NHS: how it works, what its core values are, and what the key challenges that it will face moving into the future are.
You should also make a habit of reading through UK healthcare news - even spending 5-10 minutes each day on the health section of BBC News or Sky News. This will help you to get used to how healthcare works in the UK.
Many universities are currently offering online interviews, and some also offer interviews in Hong Kong - such as Bart’s Medical School and the University of Manchester.
Some will require you to fly to the UK for an in-person medicine interview, however. You can check out the specific details of each medical school on their individual websites.
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IELTS Exam For Students In Hong Kong Applying To Study Medicine In The UK
Another important consideration when applying from Hong Kong is that, depending on your passport/visa status, you may have to sit the UKVI IELTS.
This is an English-language exam that is required for you to demonstrate sufficient competency both for universities and to get a visa here.
There are plenty of testing centres in Hong Kong, including in universities and schools, so you should have no trouble booking and taking this exam.
The IELTS is quite straightforward if you have a good understanding of the English language from your schooling, and is very unlikely to require extensive preparation. It can last up to 2 hours and 45 minutes.
It is important to recognise that a MBBS degree in the UK is recognised from some institutions which can be found in the batches - these include Oxford, Cambridge Imperial, Manchester etc.
👉🏼 Read more: IELTS Exam English Language Requirements For Medicine In The UK
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Your Application Timeline: A Year 12 & 13 Guide for HK Students Applying To The UK For Medicine
A successful application from Hong Kong requires careful, long-term planning. This step-by-step timeline breaks down the entire process, showing you what to do and when, to maximise your chances of receiving an offer from a top UK medical school.
Stage 1: Year 12 (Lower Sixth) - The Foundation Year
This is the most important year for building the core components of your application.
Secure Medical Work Experience: Begin your search for medical work experience in Hong Kong early. This can include volunteering at hospitals, shadowing doctors in local clinics, or working in a care setting. UK universities want to see long-term commitment. Also, explore the excellent virtual work experience programmes now recognised by most medical schools, as these provide structured insight into the NHS.
Start UCAT Preparation: The UCAT is a test of skill, not just knowledge. Begin your UCAT preparation now with slow, consistent practice. Spending a few hours each week will build your skills gradually and avoid last-minute cramming in Year 13.
Begin Strategic University Research: Start shortlisting potential UK medical schools. Crucially, cross-reference your list with the MCHK-recognised universities to ensure your degree will be valid back home. Look at each university's typical UCAT cut-off scores for international students and their specific HKDSE or IB entry requirements.
Stage 2: June - August (Summer before Year 13) - The Intensive Period
This summer is when the most critical parts of your application come together.
Intensive UCAT Study & Exam: This is the peak period for your UCAT prep. You should be taking full mock exams under timed conditions to perfect your strategy. You will sit the official UCAT exam between July and late September.
Draft Your Personal Statement: August is the ideal month to write your first full draft. With your UCAT exam completed (or nearly completed), you can fully concentrate on crafting a compelling narrative. Your medicine personal statement must synthesise your work experience reflections, your academic interests, and your motivation for studying medicine in the UK. Show, don't just tell, the skills you have developed.
Finalise Strategic University Choices: Based on your final UCAT score, you can now make your final strategic university selections. Applying with a known UCAT score allows you to choose universities where you are a competitive applicant, maximising your chances of receiving an interview invitation. Avoid applying to schools where your score is well below their typical international cut-off.
Stage 3: September - October (Start of Year 13) - The Application
Finalise and Submit Your UCAS Application: Your personal statement should be perfected, and your four medical school choices finalised. The absolute deadline for medicine applications is 15th October at 6 PM UK time (this changes by a few days either side each year). There are no exceptions.
Stage 4: November - March - The Interview Season
Begin Intensive Interview Preparation: As soon as your application is submitted, you must begin your medical school interview preparation. Research the MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) format, practice common questions, and prepare to speak confidently about your personal statement and work experience. It is vital to develop a strong understanding of the NHS core values and be able to discuss current UK healthcare topics.
Navigating Your Application with The Ultimate Package
Navigating this complex timeline, especially from Hong Kong, can be a daunting challenge. This is precisely why we designed our Ultimate Package. It is a comprehensive, all-in-one mentoring programme that guides you through every single stage outlined above. Our expert team provides:
Guidance on securing high-quality work experience.
World-class, one-to-one UCAT tutoring to maximise your score.
In-depth personal statement reviews and editing to make your story stand out.
Help with strategic university selection based on your unique profile.
Intensive interview coaching, including MMI circuits, to build your confidence.
Our Ultimate Package removes the guesswork and provides you with the expert support needed to build the strongest possible application.
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Important Update for 2025 and 2026 Entry: BMAT Has Been Cancelled
If you are searching for BMAT courses in Hong Kong, a BMAT course, or information on "BMAT 香港", please be aware of a critical update:
The BMAT exam has been permanently discontinued and is no longer used for entry to any UK medical school.
Universities that previously required the BMAT, such as Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College, and UCL, now all use the UCAT as their required admissions test. This means all of your preparation efforts must be focused on achieving an outstanding score in the UCAT.
Any time or resource spent looking for BMAT preparation is now redundant; the UCAT is the single most important admissions test for your application from Hong Kong
Read more here: BMAT Cancelled
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Are there any universities in the UK where I can apply to solely as an international student?
Yes - you can apply as direct entry to Brunel Medical School, Buckingham Medical School, UCLAN Medical School and Queen Mary's Malta.
This means that you can apply here in addition to the four UCAS choices that you make.
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Good Luck!
Best of luck with your application! If you are looking for more help, then check out the other parts of our UCAS guide or our other guides to components of the application such as the UCAT tutoring and personal statement.
You can also contact our expert team of tutors for assistance with studying for the UCAT, writing your medicine personal statement, or medicine interview coaching.
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Hong Kong to UK Medicine: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Hong Kong BMAT - Is The Exam Cancelled?
Is the BMAT exam completely cancelled for Hong Kong students? Yes. For 2025 entry and beyond, the BMAT is permanently cancelled for all applicants, including those from Hong Kong. All former BMAT universities now require the UCAT. Do not waste time on BMAT preparation; focus exclusively on the UCAT.
What is the best way to prepare for the UCAT in Hong Kong?
The most effective UCAT preparation for Hong Kong students is specialist one-to-one online tutoring. Unlike generic local UCAT courses, online tutoring with UK-based medical experts provides a personalised plan focused on your specific weaknesses, whether it's the intense time pressure of Verbal Reasoning or the logic of Abstract Reasoning.
Can I find a dedicated UCAT tutor in Hong Kong?
Yes, the best UCAT tutors for Hong Kong students are available online. This gives you direct access to high-scoring UK medical students and doctors who provide expert UCAT coaching on a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends, fitting perfectly around your HKDSE or IB studies.
Where can I sit the official UCAT exam in Hong Kong?
You must take the UCAT in person at an official Pearson VUE UCAT test centre. In Hong Kong, the two locations are Welkin Systems Limited in Mongkok and the Pearson Professional Centre in Wan Chai. You must book your test slot via the official UCAT website, and it is crucial to book early as places are very limited.
What HKDSE score do I need for UK medical schools?
While it varies, a typical offer for students with the HKDSE is Level 5, 5, 5 in three elective subjects, which must include Chemistry and Biology. You will also need strong results in the four core subjects, including English Language.
Is it important that my chosen UK university is on the MCHK list?
Yes, it is vital. If you plan to return to practice medicine in Hong Kong, graduating from a university on the Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK) recognised list allows you to apply for registration without taking the local licensing exam. Choosing a non-recognised university will create significant barriers to practicing in Hong Kong later.
Do I need to take the IELTS exam if I studied in English in Hong Kong?
In most cases, yes. To get a UK Student Visa, and to satisfy most university requirements, you will need to pass the UKVI Academic IELTS exam to prove your English language proficiency. This is a separate requirement from your HKDSE English grade.
When should a Hong Kong student start preparing for their UK medical school application?
The ideal time to start is the beginning of Year 12. This allows for 18 months of steady, low-intensity preparation, focusing on securing medical work experience and beginning your UCAT practice, which is far more effective than cramming in Year 13.
How can I make my application stand out as a student from Hong Kong?
Leverage your unique perspective. In your personal statement and interviews, reflect on your experiences within the Hong Kong healthcare system and compare it to your understanding of the UK's NHS. A high UCAT score and excellent grades are essential, but this unique insight can set you apart.
What is the real difference between a UCAT course and UCAT tutoring in Hong Kong?
A UCAT course in Hong Kong is typically a group class with a set curriculum. UCAT tutoring, especially one-to-one, is personalised coaching. A tutor identifies your specific weaknesses and provides targeted strategies, which is a much more efficient and effective way to raise your score significantly.
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