UCAT Cut Off Guide 2023
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A Levels for Medicine Entry Requirements in 2024
Welcome to our comprehensive guide on A-Level requirements for medicine.
If you're considering a career in medicine, it's crucial to understand the necessary qualifications and subjects required to pursue this challenging yet rewarding field. In this article, we will delve into the specific A-Level subjects that are typically recommended or required for aspiring medical students.
Whether you're wondering about the best A-Level choices or seeking clarity on the specific requirements for medicine in the UK, you've come to the right place. Let's explore the essential A-Level subjects for medicine together.
We have created this Medicine A-Level Universities Guide to help students make a more informed decision on medicals schools while detailing the A-Level Entry Requirements for every medical school. We endeavour to keep this updated for 2023 (2024 entry), but we would always recommend checking each medical school's website for the most accurate and latest information and we assume no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions on this page - please let us know if you notice any errors!
Remember to check out our UK Medical School Guide for more information on each university and how they use different aspects of the UCAT and interviews in the application process. Some of these universities have ucat cut off scores for 2023 entry, which you will be able to see below. These UKCAT medical schools that require the ukcat have all outlined how they use the UCAT within the decision-making application process. There is no direct minimum ucat cut off for medicine, but each university has its requirements.
A Level Requirements for Medicine For 2024 Entry in the UK
A-Level Requirements at University of Bangor Medical School
AAA
Including biology and one other science subject (Chemistry, Physics, Economics, Maths, Further Maths, or Statistics).
A contextual offer of AAB may be made to first language Welsh speakers (must have Welsh GCSE) or those who meet our contextual offer requirements. Further details about contextual offers can be found here.
Notes:
Resits are not accepted.
BTEC or T Levels are not accepted for this programme.
A-Level Requirements at Brunel Medical School
AAB.
Must include:
Chemistry or Biology at grade A
a second science (Chemistry, Biology, Physics) or Mathematics at grade A and
a third subject (except General Studies) at grade B.
There are a wide range of international qualifications accepted.
A-Level Requirements at University of Cambridge Medical School
A*A*A (typical A-Level offer)
Must include Chemistry & Biology/Maths/Physics.
Some colleges require 4 subjects at A Level 0 please check each college.
Average A-Level Predicted Grades for Offer Holders at Cambridge Medical School:
2021: 92% had A*A*A*
2022: 95% had A*A*A*
A-Level Requirements at University of Keele Medical School
A*AA or AAA + EPQ A*/A
Including Biology or Chemistry plus (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths/Further Maths/Statistics) Resits: If AAB - resit the B subject. If <AAB - all three need to be resat at same time.
We do not use predicted A-Level grades in any way in selection for our Medicine programmes.
A-Level Requirements at University of Leicester Medical School
A*AA
Including Chemistry or Biology, and one of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology, but excluding General Studies, Citizenship Studies, Critical Thinking or Global Perspectives. The A* must be in one of the science subjects.
Will consider AAA plus EPQ at grade A or B
Resits: AAB can resit the B. ABB can resit the two Bs if significant mitigating circumstances (need prior approval).
A-Level Requirements at University of Plymouth Medical School
A*AA – AAA
This must include Biology and one other science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths and Psychology.
The third A level can be from any subject area and does not need to be science based. When shortlisting for interview we do not give preference to those who complete three Science A levels. General Studies is not accepted
A-Level Requirements at University of Queen's Belfast Medical School
AAA + A (AS) or A*AA
Requires an A in a fourth AS level subject including Chemistry plus at least one other from Biology/Maths/Physics or A*AA at A level including Chemistry and Biology or A*AA at A level including Chemistry and either Maths/Physics and AS level Biology grade B.
A-Level Requirements at University of Sunderland Medical School
AAA
Completed within two years and including Chemistry or Biology plus a second science subject. Only one subject from a combination of Maths or Further Maths or Statistics will be considered within the three A Levels. A Level grades must be achieved in one sitting.
Contextual Offer: AAB (2023 entry)
Predicted grades not looked at during the process.
What A-Levels Do You Need For Medicine?
To study medicine in the United Kingdom, you typically need to have specific A-level subjects. The exact requirements can vary between universities, so it's important to check the specific entry requirements of the institutions you are interested in. However, most medical schools require Chemistry and Biology as essential A-level subjects. Additionally, many medical schools also prefer or require a third A-level, which can be either another science subject (such as Physics or Mathematics) or a non-science subject (such as Psychology or a language).
Here's a general overview of the commonly expected A-level subjects for medicine:
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Chemistry: This subject is usually required by all medical schools as it forms the foundation for understanding the principles of drug action and the chemical processes in the human body.
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Biology: Biology is another essential subject as it provides knowledge of the structure and function of living organisms, including humans.
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Third A-level: This can vary depending on the institution. Some medical schools may require or prefer a third science subject like Physics or Mathematics, as they complement the scientific aspects of medicine. Other universities may accept non-science subjects such as Psychology or a language, which can demonstrate a broader range of skills and interests.
It's worth noting that the competition for places in medical schools is intense, and meeting the minimum subject requirements may not guarantee admission. Many medical schools also consider additional factors like the overall grades, personal statement, aptitude tests (e.g., BMAT or UKCAT), and interviews as part of their selection process.
It is essential to thoroughly research the entry requirements of the specific medical schools you are interested in and consult their official websites or admissions departments for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Which medical school to apply to with a low UCAT score?
If you did not score very well, or think that you have a bad UCAT score, you have several options:
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Apply to universities that traditionally require low UCAT scores
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Apply to medical schools that have a greater emphasis on academics
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Apply to medical schools that have other methods of scoring students
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Keele - uses a Roles & Responsibilities form
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Sunderland - uses a Roles & responsibilities form
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Apply to universities that look at the BMAT
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Some of these universities are often tougher to get into, so please bear this in mind.
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Although, students that don't do well on the UCAT also don't tend to do well in the BMAT
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Take a gap year
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Retake the UCAT next year and work harder, or receive UCAT tutoring for an improved grade
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Apply to universities in Europe
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They do not require the UCAT for entry
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See our article outlining how to apply to Europe for medicine.
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Graduate Entry Medicine
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Begin an alternate degree, and reapply to medicine either in 1st year during the 3rd year of the degree to apply to graduate entry medicine in the UK.
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Which UCAT Medical Universities Can I Apply To With A SJT Band 4?
Scoring a band 4 in the situational judgement test can limit your choices of universities that you apply to. Please see the table below to better understand how each university looks at the SJT and whether they have any automatic rejection of those scoring a band 4 in the UCAT SJT. Remember it is important to meet the minimum academic requirement, as well as consider your total ucat score or average ucat score.
The following medical schools reject any applicant with a band 4 in their SJT in 2022:
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Anglia Ruskin
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Dundee
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Edge Hill
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Edinburgh
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Hull York
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Keele
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Kent And Medway
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Leicester
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Lincoln
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Liverpool
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Manchester
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Newcastle
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Nottingham
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Sunderland
So which medical schools/universities can you apply to with a band 4 in your SJT in 2022?
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Aberdeen
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Aston
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Barts And London
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Birmingham
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Brighton And Sussex
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Bristol
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Buckingham
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Cambridge
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Cardiff
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Exeter
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Glasgow
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Imperial College London
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Kings College London
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Lancaster
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Leeds
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Norwich
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Oxford
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Plymouth
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Queen's University Belfast
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Sheffield
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Southampton
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St Andrews
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St George's
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UCL (University College London)
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UCLAN
Band 3 in UCAT SJT: every else you can apply to, but we would advise against applying to Manchester, Nottingham and Lincoln.
UCAT ANZ Medical Schools
There are several universities in Australia and New Zealand that require the UCAT to be sat:
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Adelaide
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Charles Stuart
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Curtin
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Flinders
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Monash
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Newcastle
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New South Wales
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Queensland
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Tasmania
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UWA
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Western Sydney University
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Auckland
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Otago
UCAT Dentistry Cut Offs For A200 Dental Schools (BDS) 2022 (2023 Entry)
There are many dentistry and dental universities in the UK that look at the UCAT in their application process. Here you can see what the dentistry ucat cut-offs are for each university. Some of these universities have a minimum ucat score for dentistry, whereas others consider dentistry holistically in the selection process. There is no information on the lowest ucat score accepted for dentistry, so you must check the latest information available to find out what ucat score is needed for dentistry.