Complete University Guide 2027
35thof 40 UK medical schools
Top40th
- Overall score
- 93%
- Entry standards
- 66%
- Student satisfaction
- 84%
- Research quality
- 72%
Source: Complete University Guide 2027 medicine league table.
Medicine · Medical School Profile
Medicine at University of Sunderland Medical School: Entry Requirements & UCAT 2026
UCAT requiredUpdated 1 October 2026
Reviewed by Dr Akash Gandhi, MBBS MA (Cantab) DGM DRCOG MBA MRCGP
Trusted UK medicine admissions specialists since 2012 · 2,700+ students taught
At a glance
- Location
- Sunderland, England
- Founded
- 1992
- Degree awarded
- MBChB (UCAS code A100)
- Course length
- 5 years
- Home fee
- £9,790 per year (2026/27)
- International fee
- Not applicable: the University of Sunderland is unable to accept international fee-paying applicants for MBChB Medicine, so no international tuition fee is charged
- Annual intake
- ~117 places per year
- Interview format
- MMI
- UCAT required
- Yes
- SJT Band 4 accepted
- No
- Foundation year
- No
- Intercalation
- Optional
Overview of Sunderland Medical School
The MBChB honours degree is designed to ensure you meet the necessary standards in terms of knowledge, skills and professionalism that all new doctors should have as they embark on further training. You will study alongside pharmacists, nurses, paramedics, biomedical, sport and physiological scientists offering opportunities for inter-disciplinary working. More can be seen at the Sunderland Medical School open day.
Where does Sunderland rank for Medicine?
The Guardian University Guide 2027
32ndof 40 UK medical schools
Top40th
- Guardian score (/100)
- 56.7
- Satisfied with teaching
- 92.6%
- Satisfied with assessment
- 60.7%
- Student to staff ratio
- 8.9
Source: The Guardian University Guide 2027 medicine league table.
Course Structure at Sunderland University Medicine
Phase 1: Years 1 and 2
Overview with early clinical exposure. You will learn the fundamentals of biomedical, behavioural and social science with a focus on sciences, research, study and communication skills, basic clinical skills and professionalism.
Phase 2: Years 3 and 4
You get a second run through of many aspects of biomedical, behavioural and social science with an increased emphasis on complexity and pathology, combined with learning fundamental clinical skills and knowledge.
Phase 3: Preparation for Professional Practice - Year 5
Very extensive student assistantships to prepare you for practice as a Foundation Year 1 doctor.
Teaching style
Sunderland Medical School uses a modern spiral curriculum that grows in complexity each year, blending biomedical science with early and continuous clinical experience. From Year 1, students learn via problem‑based and case‑based learning in small groups, supported by lectures, anatomy lab work and simulation in the purpose‑built facilities. They begin GP placements within weeks and continue hospital and community placements throughout, developing clinical reasoning, communication and professionalism with regular feedback and one‑to‑one tutor support.
Intercalated BSc
Intercalation is available as an option after Year 2 as a BSc degree or Year 4 as an MSc degree. You will have the opportunity to undertake a course at the University of Sunderland, or at another University, subject to approval by the School of Medicine.
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Sunderland Medical School Entry Requirements
Universities revise entry requirements between cycles, usually in August and September. Always confirm with the university before you apply.
A-Levels
The minimum A level requirement for Sunderland Medical School is AAA.
Completed within the past five years and including Chemistry or Biology plus another designated science subject (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths/Further Maths/Statistics) and a third academic 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.
Applied A Levels are not accepted, and nor are Citizenship Studies, Critical Thinking or General Studies. Any science A Level taken in England from 2017 must include a pass in the practical endorsement, or Sunderland will treat the qualification as a fail whatever the headline grade.
Compare this with the A-level requirements for every UK medical school.
GCSEs
The minimum GCSE grade requirements for Sunderland Medical School is 5 subjects at grade A (7) with a minimum of grade B (6) in Maths, English Language, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. GCSE Double Award Science is also accepted in place of the separate sciences.
Still sitting your GCSEs? Protect the grades this course screens for with 1-1 GCSE Maths, Biology and Chemistry tutoring from medics.
International Baccalaureate (IB)
35 points
Three grade 6 passes at IB Higher Level and grades of 6, 6, 5 at Standard Level are required.
Higher Level subjects must include Chemistry or Biology, plus one from Chemistry, Biology, Physics or Maths and a third rigorous subject. Any science not taken at the Higher Level must be offered at Standard Level grade 5 or GCSE grade B (or equivalent).
Scottish Highers
Minimum of AAAAB at Higher, including Chemistry/Biology plus a second science both at A, to be achieved by the end of S5 (i.e. before applying).
Any science subject not offered at Higher or Advanced Higher level must have been passed at Standard/National 5 grade B/2. At National 5 you also need a minimum of five subjects at grade A, including at least grade B in Maths, English, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
Scottish Advanced Highers
Minimum of AB from two subjects (both sciences) sat in S6. Any additional subject sat at Higher level in S6 must be achieved at grade B or higher
Graduates (degree requirements)
Minimum of 2:1 in any subject; masters' degrees/doctorates not accepted in compensation for a bachelor's degree below 2:1. The degree will have been completed within 5 years of application and gained at point of entry onto the course.
Graduate applicants must also have achieved a minimum of BBB in the required A Level subjects: Biology or Chemistry, plus another designated science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths/Further Maths/Statistics) and a third academic subject. Grade compensation is not permitted and the grades must come from one sitting. Scottish applicants can instead offer a minimum of two Advanced Highers at BB, both sciences.
If you do not meet the A Level subjects or grades, or do not have the required science GCSEs, Sunderland may still consider you if you have taken the GAMSAT. GAMSAT can only compensate for either the GCSE science requirement or the A Level requirements, not both.
English language requirements
Does not accept international students
Resits
Yes. Sunderland Medical School accepts A Level resits for medicine under certain conditions. Where an applicant has been awarded AAB, the applicant is only required to re-sit the B grade subject (one attempt only, in the same subject). GCSE resits are accepted and must be gained prior to application, a maximum of 2 resit attempts per subject will only be considered. The primary admissions criteria being considered, for example A Levels, must have been completed within the past five years.
Minimum grade at first sitting: AAB.
See A-Level & GCSE resit policies for every UK medical school →
Deferred entry
No
Minimum age requirements
We require all applicants to be 18 years old by 31 December in the year they intend to start the course due to our early clinical placements.
Compare minimum age requirements at every UK medical school →
A-Level Requirements at University of Sunderland Medical School →
Does Sunderland make contextual offers for medicine?
Yes. Sunderland publishes a contextual adjustment for medicine applicants.
Who it applies to, in the university's own words:
- For AAB: free school meals now or within the last six years, or receipt of a UCAT bursary
- For ABB: a North East of England or Cumbria postcode plus one or more of POLAR4 quintile 1 or 2, refugee status, free school meals, a UCAT bursary, or a UK armed forces family
Contextual offers of AAB or ABB against a standard AAA. The ABB offer is available only if Sunderland is the firm choice on UCAS; as an insurance choice the offer is AAB.
The firm-choice condition on the ABB offer is unusual. Mention it to a student before they decide their firm and insurance.
Source: Sunderland MBChB course page. Last checked 16 September 2026.
Compare contextual offers at every UK medical school, with each university's criteria in its own words.
Most useful
Admission Tests for University of Sunderland Medicine
UCAT at University of Sunderland Medical School 2026
How Does Sunderland Medical School Look At The UCAT?
Sunderland UCAT Cut Off in 2026 for 2027 Entry A100 Medicine
UCAT score must be in the top 8 deciles. This meant that the minimum score for 2024 entry was 2300.
Predicted grades are not looked at (2024 Entry)
They have a numeracy test to sit during the interview selection process.
👉🏼 LOWEST UCAT Score INVITED TO INTERVIEW ie Sunderland UCAT Cut Off Score A100 Medicine:
- 2025 Entry (/3600): 2260
- 2024 Entry (/3600): 2280
- 2023 Entry (/3600): 2280
- 2022 Entry (/3600): 2260
MEDIANUCAT Score Invited to Interview at Sunderland A100 Medicine:
- 2022 Entry (/3600): 2540
AVERAGEUCAT ScoreINVITED TO INTERVIEWat Sunderland A100 Medicine:
- 2025 Entry (/3600): 2548
- 2024 Entry (/3600): 2558
- 2023 Entry (/3600): 2554
- 2022 Entry (/3600): 2559
LOWESTUCAT ScoreGIVEN AN OFFERie Sunderland:
- 2023 Entry (/3600): 2260 (some say 2300)
- 2022 Entry (/3600): 2310
- 2021 Entry (/3600): 2290
AVERAGEUCAT ScoreGIVEN AN OFFERat Sunderland A100:
- 2023 Entry (/3600): 2578
- 2022 Entry (/3600): 2570
- 2021 Entry (/3600): 2552
🚩 SJT Band 4 = rejection.
Sunderland Interview Selection Tool (Roles & Responsibilities Form) - unclear if this is changing for 2024 Entry
The interview selection tool is a survey used as part of the shortlisting process for selection for an interview. Here are some helpful tips for completing the survey:
- This survey is used as part of the shortlisting process for selection for interview
- This is a survey about your work experience over the past 2 years only (if your work experience is still ongoing and commenced more than 2 years ago that can be included)
- We class ‘work experience’ as hands-on work in a public-facing role. This can be either voluntary or paid. In addition to the above, significant caring responsibilities for the family will also be included as work experience: this will typically be caring for an unwell or disabled family member.
- We do not include school- or college-organised programs as work experience, unless you have helped to develop these yourself
- Shadowing staff in clinical environments should not be included in this survey but is useful in preparing you for an interview
- You can list up to 4 work experiences, however, please note it is not the number of work experiences we look at but the total commitment you have shown with your experience(s)
- For any sections, you are not completing please leave blank
- You must supply contact details for your most significant work experience provider (employer/provider) or give the contact information of a teacher who knows your family situation.
- Only complete one form. If you do submit two forms, we will only look at the first one that was submitted
Application Statistics:
- 2023 Entry: 944 Applications, 180 Offers, 100 places
- 2023 Entry: 203 on the reserve list, 41 made an offer
- 2022 Entry: 631 Applications, 169 Offers, 100 places
- 2021 Entry: 490 Applications, 252 Offers, 100 places
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GAMSAT
Required for some. Applicants not meeting the minimum requirements in A-level subjects or grades or Science GCSEs may be considered for Medicine if they have taken the GAMSAT prior to application. Our minimum requirement is either(a) 55 overall with a minimum of 58 in section III or (b) 58 overall with a minimum of 55 in section III - no section score below 50 accepted.
Work Experience at Sunderland University School of Medicine
They want to see that you understand what a career in medicine involves. Work experience, and other related experiences, are only as valuable as the way you talk about them. Needs to show that you are people-focused, attitudes towards being a doctor and a realistic understanding of Medicine.
Interview preparation
1-1 Tutoring for Sunderland University Medicine & 1-1 Mock Interviews 2026
Our 1-1 medicine interview tutoring is online and your tutor is matched to Sunderland, so every mock runs in the multiple mini interview (MMI) format Sunderland uses, with written feedback after each one.
We cover every UK medical school and last year our students were offered places at every one, including Sunderland.
Ten hours is £749 (£75 an hour) and includes the £349 Ultimate Q&A Guide free (500+ questions with model answers written by doctors), plus WhatsApp support between sessions.
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Personal Statement for Sunderland Medical School
The personal statement is not used or assessed. Instead, applicants who meet the minimum academic requirements complete an online 'interview selection tool' (a short survey with written responses reflecting on work and caring experience), used alongside academic results and UCAT to shortlist for interview.
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.
Graduate entry at Sunderland
Sunderland has no four-year graduate entry course. Standard five-year MBChB with a 2:1 in any subject from the last five years, plus BBB at A-level. GAMSAT can stand in for missing A-levels or science GCSEs. Compare every UK graduate entry course
Does Sunderland have a gateway or foundation year?
Sunderland interview
Everything on the Sunderland interview is on its own page: the 2027 entry dates, what Sunderland assesses, 61 practice questions grouped by its published themes, model answers and a free mock interview.
Contact details for Sunderland
Address: The University of Sunderland, Edinburgh Building, City Campus, Chester Road, Sunderland, SR1 3SD
Telephone: +44 (0)191 515 2000
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FAQs
Sunderland medicine FAQs
Where does Sunderland rank for Medicine in the UK?
Sunderland is ranked 35th out of 40 UK medical schools for Medicine in the Complete University Guide 2027.
Sunderland is ranked 32nd out of 40 UK medical schools for Medicine in the Guardian University Guide 2027.
Is Sunderland a good medical school?
Sunderland is ranked 35th out of 40 UK medical schools for Medicine in the Complete University Guide 2027.
In the Complete University Guide 2027 it scores 66% for entry standards and 84% for student satisfaction.
What are the A-Level requirements for Medicine at Sunderland?
The minimum A level requirement for Sunderland Medical School is AAA.
What are the GCSE requirements for Medicine at Sunderland?
The minimum GCSE grade requirements for Sunderland Medical School is 5 subjects at grade A (7) with a minimum of grade B (6) in Maths, English Language, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. GCSE Double Award Science is also accepted in place of the separate sciences.
Does Sunderland accept A-Level resits for Medicine?
Yes. Sunderland Medical School accepts A Level resits for medicine under certain conditions. Where an applicant has been awarded AAB, the applicant is only required to re-sit the B grade subject (one attempt only, in the same subject). GCSE resits are accepted and must be gained prior to application, a maximum of 2 resit attempts per subject will only be considered. The primary admissions criteria being considered, for example A Levels, must have been completed within the past five years.
What is the UCAS course code for Medicine at Sunderland?
The UCAS course code for the standard Medicine course at Sunderland is A100, and the degree awarded is the MBChB.
The course is based in Sunderland, England and lasts 5 years.
Does Sunderland require the UCAT for Medicine?
Yes, Sunderland requires the UCAT for entry to Medicine.
What UCAT score do you need for Medicine at Sunderland?
UCAT score must be in the top 8 deciles. This meant that the minimum score for 2024 entry was 2300.
Predicted grades are not looked at (2024 Entry).
They have a numeracy test to sit during the interview selection process.
2025 Entry (/3600): 2260.
2024 Entry (/3600): 2280.
2023 Entry (/3600): 2280.
2022 Entry (/3600): 2260.
2022 Entry (/3600): 2540.
2025 Entry (/3600): 2548.
2024 Entry (/3600): 2558.
2023 Entry (/3600): 2554.
2022 Entry (/3600): 2559.
Do you offer medicine interview tutoring for Sunderland?
Yes. Our 1-1 medicine interview tutoring is online and your tutor is matched to Sunderland, so every mock runs in the multiple mini interview (MMI) format Sunderland uses, with written feedback after each one.
We cover every UK medical school and last year our students were offered places at every one, including Sunderland.
Ten hours is £749 (£75 an hour) and includes the £349 Ultimate Q&A Guide free (500+ questions with model answers written by doctors), plus WhatsApp support between sessions.
Book on the medical school interview coaching page at www.theukcatpeople.co.uk/medicine-interview-tutor-coaching, or start with a single £125 mock: upgrade within 7 days of your feedback and the full £125 comes off any package.
Does Sunderland offer a foundation or gateway year for Medicine?
No, Sunderland does not offer a foundation or gateway year for Medicine.
Does Sunderland accept graduate entry for Medicine?
Sunderland has no four-year graduate entry course for 2027 entry. Standard five-year MBChB with a 2:1 in any subject from the last five years, plus BBB at A-level. GAMSAT can stand in for missing A-levels or science GCSEs.
Admissions test for graduates: UCAT (GAMSAT only in place of missing school qualifications).
Is the personal statement assessed for Medicine at Sunderland?
No, Sunderland does not formally score the personal statement for Medicine applicants.
The personal statement is not used or assessed. Instead, applicants who meet the minimum academic requirements complete an online 'interview selection tool' (a short survey with written responses reflecting on work and caring experience), used alongside academic results and UCAT to shortlist for interview.
Do you need to be 18 to study Medicine at Sunderland?
No, Sunderland accepts Medicine applicants who are under 18.
We require all applicants to be 18 years old by 31 December in the year they intend to start the course due to our early clinical placements.
Can you intercalate during Medicine at Sunderland?
Intercalation is optional for Medicine students at Sunderland.
Intercalation is available as an option after Year 2 as a BSc degree or Year 4 as an MSc degree. You will have the opportunity to undertake a course at the University of Sunderland, or at another University, subject to approval by the School of Medicine.
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