Course summary
Our six-year Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) degree equips you with the knowledge, understanding and skills you need to become a Foundation Year 1 doctor. Why Edinburgh? Medicine at Edinburgh offers a modern, innovative curriculum designed to prepare you for contemporary medical practice. Our aim is for you to graduate as a competent, ethical and reflective doctor, with the care of patients as your first concern. You will graduate as an excellent communicator and team player, prepared for complex and uncertain situations. You will be equipped for ongoing personal development and trained for high professional achievement and leadership. You will also have a deep understanding of medical research and evidence-based medicine. This will be useful whatever career path you follow. You will be especially well-equipped to pursue an academic career in medicine, where ongoing practical involvement in research as a physician-scientist is paramount.
Qualified teacher status (QTS)
To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:
- Course does not award QTS
How to apply
You can no longer submit a new application for courses starting in 2024.
If you already have a 2024 application and are in Clearing, you can add this course as a Clearing choice – contact the university or college first to check they have places.
16Oct
This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.
Application codes
- Course code:
- A100
- Institution code:
- E56
- Campus name:
- Central area campus
- Campus code:
- -
Points of entry
The following entry points are available for this course:
- Year 3
Entry requirements
Standard Qualification Requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - A*AA
Scottish Higher - AAAAA
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 40 points
You will not be eligible if you have just started or are midway through a degree in the academic year in which you apply. Applications for deferred entry are not accepted for medicine unless the applicant is undertaking National Service in their home country. In those cases a deferral for one year is considered. All examination grades must be obtained at the first attempt of each subject. Those applying with resit qualifications will not be entered into the selection system unless under very exceptional circumstances (for which verified evidence has been provided prior to UCAS application). We welcome applications for graduate entry to first year. We require a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, with a preference for a medical related subject for example: Biomedical Sciences/Medical Sciences/Nursing/Paramedic Science. However we will also consider applicants with a UK 2:1 honours degree in other science subjects (Biology; Chemistry; Mathematics or Physics) and those with non-science subjects who also have an SQA Higher, A Level, or equivalent, in Chemistry at B. Graduates applying for our undergraduate medicine degree do not qualify for any additional consideration under our widening access offer policy unless they are care experienced or are an asylum seeker/refugee. No special concessions are made for mature, non-graduate applicants. In view of the competition for places, all applications must have achieved the same academic requirements as school-leaving applicants within the three-year period prior to the programme start date. We require all applicants to demonstrate the level of English language competency required to succeed in their studies. If you are using an English language test that is not part of your school studies to meet our English language requirements, you must provide these results by 30 June 2023. Meeting the entry requirements does not guarantee the offer of a place. Entrance to the Medical School is extremely competitive and each application is assessed independently by two members of admissions staff against the academic criteria, which is then added to the weightings applied to an applicant's Situational Judgement Test and total UCAT score. Thereafter applications are placed in rank order. The top scoring 700 applicants (approximately) will be invited to attend a half day assessment day/interview at Edinburgh Medical School. Offers will be made soon after the final assessment day. As a result of the level of competition for places, many high-quality applicants are unsuccessful. Some unsuccessful applicants, those with low selection scores, will be informed on an ongoing basis throughout the selection process of their status. As we review the selection process regularly, please check online before you apply to ensure you have the most up-to-date information. All overseas students who accept an offer of a place will have to pay a non-refundable fee deposit, which is a third of the year's fees. You can find out more about the application process and other requirements on the degree website. https://www.ed.ac.uk/medicine-vet-medicine/edinburgh-medical-school/medicine Detailed entry requirements, including typical offer levels, and information about other qualifications we accept, are available on the University of Edinburgh’s website. You’ll also find important information on how to apply. You must submit a fully completed UCAS application that includes details of the qualifications you are taking, including full predicted grades for qualifications not yet completed, your personal statement and your reference.
Please click the following link to find out more about qualification requirements for this course
Minimum Qualification Requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - AAA
Scottish Higher - AAAAB
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - 37 points
Please click the following link to find out more about minimum qualification requirements for this course
Additional entry requirements
Admission tests
Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)
Health checks
In accordance with Department of Health guidelines, students being admitted to the MBChB need to undergo viral screening for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C and be immunised against hepatitis B. This is part of the induction process for the MBChB. Applicants holding places in these degrees will receive further information. A positive result in any test will not necessarily preclude entry to the MBChB. It is the responsibility of each individual to ensure they familiarise themselves with the most recent vaccination requirements. Please read the General Medical Council's guidance on Good Medical Practice; particularly section 29.
Interview
The top scoring applicants will be invited to attend a half-day assessment day/interview. The structure of the day is based on a consultation of clinicians and teachers in the medical school about the most important attributes we seek in our medical students. You will be provided with more information about the Assessment Day if you are invited to attend.
Other
If invited for interview you will be required to make a written declaration of any matter that might reasonably be considered to have implications for your fitness to practise. This might include (but is not restricted to) previous or current civil or criminal legal proceedings; if you are or have been subject to disciplinary procedures connected to prior academic studies or employment; if you have previously been the subject of Fitness to Practise procedures in any context and any such disclosure may lead to appropriate investigation processes. If you are unsure about whether or not you should make a declaration then you should contact the medical admissions team. If you do not disclose a matter that could reasonably be considered to be of relevance to your future fitness to practise at the time of admission, this may be detrimental and in itself impact on your Fitness to Practise. The University has a responsibility to ensure that students enrolled on a degree that involves practical training in a clinical environment, and that leads to a professional registerable qualification, are fit to practise. This is assessed according to the requirements and standards of the profession the student wishes to enter. All medical graduates must complete a period of further training, normally in a hospital environment. The Admissions Committee is required to ensure all applicants have the physical capability to fulfil the responsibilities of such posts effectively and safely. Applicants with disabilities or other health problems are encouraged to seek advice from the Undergraduate Admissions Office prior to application. Further information about fitness to train is available on the Higher Education Occupational Physicians/Practitioners website.
University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)
You must sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) within the same year of submitting a UCAS application. We require that you meet a minimum UCAT score as part of our entry requirements. We are currently reviewing the UCAT cut-off score for the 2023 admission cycle. A decision will be taken by 1 June 2022 and will be communicated on this page and the Edinburgh Medical School UCAT page. We also consider the Situational Judgement section of the UCAT test separately. Applicants who score a Band 4 in the Situational Judgement section of the UCAT test will not be considered for entry.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 7.5 | Total 7.5 with at least 7.5 in each component. |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 110 | Total 110 with at least 25 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements. |
| Cambridge English Advanced | Total 191 with at least 191 in each component. | |
| Cambridge English Proficiency | Total 191 with at least 191 in each component. | |
| PTE Academic | 76 | Total 76 with at least 76 in each component. |
Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies. For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher: SQA National 5 at C; SQA Standard Grade at 3; SQA Intermediate 1 at A; SQA Intermediate 2 at C; GCSE/IGSCE at C or 4; Level 2 Certificate Grade C or IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry). We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests. English language qualifications must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the degree you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, or Trinity ISE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
Full details of our English language requirements can be found on our website:
https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/undergraduate/entry-requirements/english-language
Student Outcomes
Operated by the Office for Students
There is no data available for this course. For further information visit the Discover Uni website.
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Republic of Ireland | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £1820* | Year 1 |
| England | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9250* | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9250* | Year 1 |
*This is a provisional fee and subject to change.
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Additional costs/fee information
Scotland
In 2023-24 the fee level set by the Scottish Government was £1,820 but is yet to be confirmed for 2024-25. The 2024-25 fee rate is expected to be confirmed by the Scottish Government in early 2024. Students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees.
The Rest of UK (RUK) rate is yet to be confirmed for 2024 but was £9,250 for 2023 entry. For 2024 entry this may increase in line with inflation and will be subject to government limits.
EU
On 9th July 2020 the decision was made by the Scottish Government to end free university tuition for European Union (EU) students starting in 2021-22.
Funding policy for EU nationals and associated groups starting a course of study in academic year 2021-22 or later will be in line with international fees
International
Full time international student’s tuition fees for entry in the 2024-25 session are under review and will be confirmed in July 2023. All students will pay this fixed annual fee rate for Years 1, 2 and 3. For Years 4, 5 and 6 the fixed annual fee was £49,900 in session 2023-24 (for academic year 2024- 2025 entry fees will be confirmed in the summer of 2023).
Provider information
The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Old College
South Bridge
Edinburgh
EH8 9YL