Medicine at University of Sheffield Medical School: Entry Requirements & UCAT 2026 (2027 Entry)

Sheffield is a fantastic city. It is easily accessible, with direct trains taking less than 2 hours from London, and 45 minutes from Manchester! It is one of the safest and most affordable cities in the UK. The University of Sheffield is a member of the Russell Group of leading UK research universities, and is ranked 75th in the world by the QS World University Rankings 2019, making it one of the most prestigious and highly accredited universities in the country. The Sheffield Medical School is no different; heavy emphasis is placed on developing students into confident and competent medics at the end of the 5 year course.

Phase 1

This phase focuses on the normal structure and function of the human body. Whilst it is obviously important to cover subject disciplines such as Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, these are presented in an integrated way within the relevant body system under study.

Phase 2a

This lasts for one academic year and starts with a six-week research project. Students are attached to researchers within the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health and have an opportunity to develop their research skills. In Phase 2a, you will also receive training in a large number of procedural clinical skills in simulation (e.g. obtaining a 'blood' sample from a manikin arm).

Phase 2b

You will spend most of your time in hospital wards, operating theatres and outpatient clinics, learning the skills that you will need to join the medical profession.

Phase 3

Just under two years and is clinically based. It is a period of study and clinical experience taking students into both primary and secondary care of the patient with an emphasis on 'hands-on' medicine. Phase 4 The final year of the course will provide you with the opportunity to prepare for clinical practice after graduation. The year begins with a series of lectures that will allow you to consolidate and further develop your knowledge over a wide area of clinical medicine.

Universities revise entry requirements between cycles, usually in August and September. Always confirm with the university before you apply.

Compare this with the A-level requirements for every UK medical school.

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A-Level Requirements at University of Sheffield Medical School →

We recognise that it is not always possible for applications to obtain work experience with a doctor in a medical setting. Many applicants work or volunteer as a Healthcare Assistant in the NHS. Other areas to explore, whether paid or voluntary, can include:

• a residential care home, hospice or similar
• working in a youth centre or with young children
• participating in community volunteering schemes
• roles that involve interacting with a diverse range of people

Roles that involve participating in the work rather than simply observing are particularly useful. We recommend that applicants keep a journal of their work experience so that, at interview, they are prepared to reflect on what they learned, what they found interesting, what they were inspired to find out more about, and how their experience can be applied to their future medical career.

Sheffield does not normally read or score the UCAS personal statement as part of selection (the exception is if UCAS flags it as potentially plagiarised). The activities, interests and values you express may, however, be explored at the Multiple Mini Interviews, so your work experience and outside interests should be genuine and ready to discuss.

Note: from 2026 entry, UCAS replaced the single free-text personal statement with three structured questions: why you want to study the course, how your studies have prepared you, and what else you have done to prepare. Any guidance above still applies; it is simply spread across those questions. For worked examples and a review of your own statement, see our medicine personal statement examples and review service.

See our medicine personal statement examples: model statements in the new UCAS format, each with commentary on what works and why.

Sheffield runs a four-year graduate entry course. The full requirements, interview format and dates are on our Sheffield graduate entry medicine page.

Medical Admissions Office
School of Medicine and Biomedical Science
The University of Sheffield
Beech Hill Road
Sheffield
S10 2RX

Tel: 0114 222 5522
Email: medadmissions@sheffield.ac.uk

Website: www.shef.ac.uk/medicine

Official website →