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. 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. As a graduate from Edinburgh Medical School, you will:
- Be an excellent communicator and team player.
- Be prepared for complex and uncertain situations.
- Have the care of patients as your first concern.
- Be equipped for ongoing personal development.
- Be trained for high personal achievement and leadership.
- We are the only Scottish institution to offer a six-year MBChB programme, which includes a full year of research-based study in Year 3.
- You will receive clinical training throughout your studies, preparing you to become a competent, ethical and reflective doctor. Training comprises of clinical placements in the city’s teaching hospitals and other regional sites mainly across the south of Scotland, in general practices in south-east Scotland, and in our state-of-the-art clinical skills and simulation suites.
- Our programme includes an academic year of research-based study in a biomedical or related subject of your choosing. This means you will graduate with two qualifications, a BMedSci (Hons) and an MBChB. In addition to your clinical studies, you will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience of laboratory-based scientific research.
- Edinburgh Medical School has been leading medical education, training and research for more than 300 years. Pioneers including the creator of anaesthesia, James Young Simpson, and Joseph Lister, discoverer of antiseptic, studied here.
- In recent years, we have led major medical innovations in:
- stem cell research
- cancer
- immunity
- and many other fields
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
This course is not open to application until the 13th May 2025.
15Oct
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 1
Entry requirements
Standard Qualification Requirements
UCAS Tariff - Not accepted
A level - A*AA
Scottish Higher - AAAAB
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. You cannot apply for deferred entry for this programme, unless you are doing National Service in your home country. In this case, we can consider a deferral of one year only. All examination grades must be obtained at the first attempt of each subject. If you are applying with resit qualifications, you will not be entered into the selection system except in very exceptional circumstances, for which you must have provided verified evidence 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 or Paramedic Science. However we will also consider applicants with a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, 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. There is high competition for places, which means all applicants must have achieved the same academic requirements as school-leaving applicants within the three-year period prior to the programme start date. You must prove that you can read, write, listen and speak in the English language at a level that will allow you to succeed in your studies. This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals. You can meet our English language requirements with qualifications from school or an English language test. 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 2026. You can find out more about the application process and other requirements on the degree website. https://medicine-vet-medicine.ed.ac.uk/edinburgh-medical-school/medicine 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. This assessment is then added to the weightings applied to your Situational Judgement Test and total UCAT score. We then rank applications in order. We invite the top scoring 750 applicants (approximately) to attend a half-day assessment day (interview) either virtually or at Edinburgh Medical School. We will provide you with more information about the assessment day if you are invited to attend. We make offers soon after the final assessment day. As a result of the level of competition for places, many high-quality applicants are unsuccessful. We inform some unsuccessful applicants (those with low selection scores) on an ongoing basis throughout the selection process of their status. As we review the selection process regularly, check the Edinburgh Medical School website before you apply to ensure you have the most up-to-date information. 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. Applications with these details missing will not be considered.
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 - AAABB
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
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. 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. Read the General Medical Council's guidance on Good Medical Practice, particularly section 29: https://www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance/ethical-guidance-for-doctors/good-medical-practice 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. If you have a disability or other health problems, we encourage you to seek advice from the Undergraduate Admissions Office before applying. Further information about fitness to train is available on the Higher Education Occupational Physicians/Practitioners website. http://www.heops.org.uk/
Interview
We invite top scoring applicants 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. We will provide you with more information about the assessment day if you are invited to attend.
Other
You need to show evidence that you are fit enough to participate in the practical applications and physical activities of this programme. If you are invited for an interview, you are required to declare in writing to the Admissions Team anything that might affect your fitness to practise ability. This might include (but is not restricted to) if you: * have previous or current civil or criminal legal proceedings * are or have been subject to disciplinary procedures connected to prior academic studies or employment * 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 you should make a declaration, contact the medical admissions team.
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 unless you are a Plus Flag widening access applicant. For UCAT deadlines and testing dates, see the Edinburgh Medical School UCAT page. https://medicine-vet-medicine.ed.ac.uk/edinburgh-medical-school/medicine/applying/how-to-apply/requirements/ucat We also consider the Situational Judgement section of the UCAT test separately. If you score a Band 4 in the Situational Judgement section of the UCAT test, you will not be considered for entry. https://www.ucat.ac.uk/ We will only consider an exemption from sitting the UCAT in very exceptional circumstances, and where you have agreed this with the Admissions Office before you apply. We will not consider applications without UCAT if we have not already agreed to the exemption.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 7.5 | total 7.5 with at least 7.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements. |
| 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. |
You must prove that you can read, write, listen and speak in the English language at a level that will allow you to succeed in your studies. This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals. You can meet our English language requirements with qualifications from school or an English language test. We accept any of the following, at the specified grade or higher: SQA National 5: English at B; GCSE: English at B or 6; Level 2 Certificate: English at B; International Baccalaureate (IB) Standard Level: English at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry). Before you apply, check the required subjects for this programme, as you may need a higher English grade to meet the academic requirements. We also accept other qualifications from around the world. If you don’t have school qualifications that meet our requirements, we accept any of the English language tests, at the specified grade or higher, as detailed above. Qualifications from the following English language tests must be no more than two years old from the start date of your programme, regardless of your nationality: IELTS, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT. All other types of English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of your programme. If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country or region, as defined by UKVI, there is no time limit on how old these other types of English language qualifications can be.
Full details of our English language requirements can be found on our website:
https://study.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/entry-requirements/english-language
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Scotland | £1820* | Year 1 |
| England | £9535* | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £9535* | Year 1 |
| Wales | £9535* | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £9535* | Year 1 |
| Republic of Ireland | £9535* | 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
Scotland
Scottish students must apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for payment of their tuition fees.
Please note the fee rate for 2026 entry is yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government.
England/Wales/Northern Ireland
The Rest of UK (RUK) rate is yet to be confirmed. The fee for 2025 entry was £9,535.
For 2026 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
The full time international rate is yet to be confirmed.
All overseas students who accept an offer of a place will have to pay a fee deposit, which is a third of the year's fees.
Provider information
The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh
Old College
South Bridge
Edinburgh
EH8 9YL