Are you looking into 'Home' competition data reported by UK medical schools?

Whether you prefer to think of competition in terms of ratios, percentages, and numbers, we provide further explanations here of relevant calculations and data sources.

Definition of 'Home' applicants

When evaluating 'Home' competition data, first it's important to understand exactly how UK medical schools define 'Home' applicants.

Keep in mind that classifications significantly change after 30 December 2020: whereas competition data in years before Brexit included EU applicants within the 'Home / EU' category, from 2020-21 onward EU applicants are counted within 'International' data sets.

Whenever looking at competition data across the years, do take into account this shift and be aware that in years following Brexit the 'Home' data set is defined somewhat differently.

Competition ratio data points

UK medical schools traditionally report two competition ratios (marked below with **), and we use these to calculate an intermediary data point:

1. RATIO OF HOME APPLICANTS PER INTERVIEW **
   This ratio answers the question: For each Home applicant invited to interview, how many initial Home applications were made?
2. RATIO OF HOME APPLICANT INTERVIEWS PER PLACE
   This calculated ratio answers the question: For each 'Home' place secured, how many Home applicants were interviewed?
3. RATIO OF HOME APPLICANTS PER PLACE **
   This ratio answers the question: For each Home applicant securing a place, how many initial Home applications were made?

Our derived calculation of 'Ratio of Home applicant interviews per place' is relevant to applicants who, once invited to interviews, would like to understand the level of competition for places within their interviewee cohorts.

To see the latest reported data, check our interactive table and chart listing Home competition ratios.

Percentages of success data points

Given competition ratios, it's possible to convert each of these ratios into percentages (again, with an intermediary data point derived from two reported data points, marked below with **):

1. PERCENTAGE OF HOME APPLICANTS INViTED TO INTERVIEWS **
   This data point answers the question: What percentage of initial Home applications succeeded in obtaining interviews?
   To calculate this, MedSchoolGenie converts each reported 'Ratio of Home applicants per interview' into a percentage.
2. PERCENTAGE OF HOME APPLICANTS SUCCEEDING AT INTERVIEWS
   This data point answers the question: What percentage of Home applicants who are interviewed do secure places?
   To calculate this, MedSchoolGenie converts the derived ratio 'Ratio of Home applicant interviews per place' into a percentage.
3. PERCENTAGE OF HOME APPLICANTS SECURING PLACES **
   This data point answers the question: Of all initial Home applications, what percentage finally result in secured places?
   To calculate this, MedSchoolGenie converts each reported 'Ratio of Home applicants per place' into a percentage.

To see the latest reported data, check our interactive table and chart listing Home applicant percentages of success.

Applicant numbers data points

Given the numbers of Home students securing places, as published by the Office for Students (OfS) in its latest UK medical and dental student (MDS) intake survey report, it's possible to estimate how many Home applicants have been competing for interviews and places at each medical school.

Specifically, to derive estimated numbers of applicants, MedSchoolGenie applies competition ratios to intake cohort numbers included in annual OfS reports:

1. TOTAL HOME APPLICANTS
   This data point answers the question: How many Home applications were initially submitted?
   To estimate this, MedSchoolGenie multiplies the number of 'Home' students in the latest intake (as reported by OfS) by the 'Ratio of Home applicants per place' most recently reported by each UK medical school.
2. HOME APPLICANTS INVITED TO INTERVIEWS
   This data point answers the question: How many Home applicants participated in interviews?
   To estimate this, MedSchoolGenie divides the estimated total number of 'Home' students (above) by the 'Ratio of Home applicants per interview' most recently reported by each UK medical school.
3. HOME APPLICANTS SECURING PLACES
   This data point answers the question: How many Home applicants finally secure places?
   For this, MedSchoolGenie simply uses the number of 'Home' students in the latest intake (as reported by OfS).

For further details on the annual intake data sets used in these calculations, including notes on how rounding in Office for Students (OfS) reports of student numbers affects estimates, see our overview of reference data sets.

To see the latest reported data, check our interactive table and chart listing Home applicant numbers.