University College London (UCL) Medical School

This profile of UCL highlights this medical school's entry requirements, typical offers, student numbers, competition ratios, teaching and learning methods, course structure, demographics and history.

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Summary overview:

University College London Medical School offers a six-year integrated medical programme, with a compulsory intercalated BSc in year three. The course aims to equip graduates with a strong grounding in science, enabling success in ever-evolving medical practice. Applicants should be aware that UCL offers an MBPhD programme, in which students interested in academic research study for a PhD after their fourth year on the course. Anatomy is taught through dissection, prosection, and computer simulation.

Website:

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/medicalschool

Email:

medicaladmissions@ucl.ac.uk

Telephone:

+44 (02)0 3108 5639

Key information dashboard

For convenience, here is an at-a-glance summary of key information related to UCL medical school.

Links in this dashboard can help you check which other UK medical schools are similar to UCL with regard to points listed here.

Be sure to check our notes in sections below for more details about each of these points.

UCL medical school establishment date:
1998

Years of course:
6

Total medical students:
2010

Average year cohort:
335.0

Region:
London

Subject prerequisites:

Biology (strictly required)
Chemistry (strictly required)

Interview format:
MMI

Admissions test:
BMAT

A Level typical offer:
A*AA

Advanced Higher typical offer:
A1AA

IB typical offer:
39 points

General teaching method:
Integrated

Anatomy teaching:
Dissection, Prosection, Virtual dissection table

Intercalation mode:
Required intercalation

Entry requirements

Work experience expectations:

Experience working with other people and gaining insight into healthcare professions is beneficial.
Applicants should reflect work experience in their personal statement.
Applicants should take into account work experience guidance provided by Medical Schools Council.

Admissions test: BMAT

No cut-off system, though average UCL applicant score is 4.8, 4.8. 3A. Emphasis on section 3 of the BMAT, which can be discussed at interview.

Personal statement usage:

Personal statements are read and priority scored using the following criteria: work experience, motivation to study medicine, evidence of team work, leadership and communication skills, independent learning skills and other interests.
Applicants are encouraged to think reflectively about their skills and experiences, and how they have helped to prepare them for a career in medicine.

Interview type: MMI

UCL historically used a panel interview, intending to implement MMIs for the first time in the 2020-2021 admissions cycle.
Note: Interview process is currently under review. "We anticipate using Multiple Mini Interviews for applicants in 2021-22."

For more details about subjects expected by this medical school, see the notes below regarding typical offers.

Typical offers

A Level typical offer: A*AA

A Levels must include Biology and Chemistry.

GCSE requirements: GCSE results must include Mathematics and English Language at grade B (6).
For UK-based students, a grade C (5) or equivalent in a modern foreign language is required.

Advanced Higher typical offer: A1AA

Advanced Highers must include Biology and Chemistry.

Scottish Higher typical offer: AAA

Scottish Higher subjects not specified
If results in Chemistry and Biology are A1, A at Advanced Higher, then AAA expected at Higher.

National 5 requirements: National 5 subjects not specified

International Baccalaureate typical offer: 39 points

IB applicants must have 19 points in three higher level subjects including Biology and Chemistry, each with minimum score 6. No score below 5 is acceptable.

Notes about Widening Access: As explained on the website, UCL is committed to widening participation and Access UCL scheme enables AAB offer, with AA in Biology and Chemistry.
UCL Medical School's summer school, Target Medicine, includes a Mentoring Scheme, Summer School and Summer Challenge.

Total students and cohort sizes at UK medical schools

For uniform comparison of medical student admissions each year across all UK medical schools, we rely on annual reports from the Office for Students (OfS) entitled 'Medical and dental intakes'.

Total medical students: 2010 Total years of course: 6 Years data reports available: 6 Average cohort per year: 335.0 Percentage of Home students in latest cohort: 93.5% Percentage of International students in latest cohort: 6.5%

Recent cohort admissions data:

Admission year	Total students admitted this year	Home places	International places
2020-21	385 students in this cohort	360 Home students	25 International students
2019-20	340 students in this cohort	315 Home students	25 International students
2018-19	320 students in this cohort	295 Home students	25 International students
2017-18	310 students in this cohort	290 Home students	20 International students
2016-17	330 students in this cohort	305 Home students	25 International students
2015-16	325 students in this cohort	290 Home students	35 International students
2014-15	315 students in this cohort	290 Home students	25 International students

Competition data

Competition ratio data reported here is from the 2019-20 admissions cycle, as confirmed by MedSchoolGenie Freedom of Information (FOI) requests from this period.

Please note: Due to ongoing impact of Covid-19 since March 2020, UK medical schools have not yet released competition ratio data for the 2020-21 admissions cycle. Applicants should keep in mind that coronavirus-related lockdowns and other restrictions affected the entire UK education sector, so competition ratios were most likely distorted during 2020-21. MedSchoolGenie will update here when further competition data becomes available.

Ratio of Home applicants per interview:

Ratio of Home applicant interviews per place:

3.3

Ratio of Home applicants per place:

Ratio of International applicants per interview:

Ratio of International applicant interviews per place:

2.8

Ratio of International applicants per place:

Applicant percentages of success

From reported competition ratios, it's possible to calculate percentages of success at various stages of the application process.

Numbers of applicants competing in latest admissions cycle

Based on reported numbers of applicants securing places, we can use competition ratios to estimate how many applicants have been competing at each stage of the most recent admissions cycle.

Please note: Estimates of competition factors from 2020 onwards may be less reliable than in previous years because UK medical schools have not yet reported competition ratios for the 2020-21 admissions cycle. MedSchoolGenie will update here when more recent data on competition ratios becomes available.

Total number of all applicants in latest admissions cycle: 4450

Number of Home applicants in latest admissions cycle:

3600

Number of Home applicant interviews in latest admissions cycle:

1200

Number of Home applicants securing places:

360

Number of International applicants in latest admissions cycle:

850

Number of International applicant interviews in latest admissions cycle:

Number of International applicants securing places in latest admissions cycle:

Teaching and learning

Predominant teaching style: Integrated

6-year course, including mandatory intercalated BSc in year 3.
Lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work and lab work.
Systems based learning is delivered as a series of sequential, integrated, systems based modules.
Anatomy taught through a combination of dissection, prosection and computer simulation.
As explained on the website overview of course structure, "The MBBS programme aspires to educate the 'UCL Doctor': a highly competent and scientifically literate clinician who is equipped to practise patient-centred medicine in a constantly changing modern world and has a foundation in the basic medical and social sciences. Each year is comprised of a number of themed integrated modules with Clinical and Professional Practice modules running vertically through the programme."

Anatomy teaching method: Dissection, Prosection, Virtual dissection table Intercalation mode: Required intercalation

Year three is devoted to an intercalated BSc, mandatory for all except graduate students already in possession of a BSc degree. There are a wide range of options, including ‘Sport & Exercise Medical Sciences', Oncology, and ‘Mathematics, Computers, and Medicine' among others. As explained in discussion of intercalation on this medical school's website, "The iBSc year allows students to pursue an individual subject, of their choice, in considerable depth, with a strong emphasis on undertaking an extended research study."

Overview of course structure

Years one and two:
Years one and two at UCL are entitled ‘Fundamentals of Clinical Science', introducing students to scientific topics that run throughout the six year course. Systems-based modules in years one and two cover physiology of each organ-system. Theory is consolidated through early interaction with patients and healthcare professionals.
Year three:
The third year intercalated BSc is mandatory for all except graduate students already in possession of a BSc degree. There are a wide range of options, including ‘Sport & Exercise Medical Sciences', Oncology, and ‘Mathematics, Computers, and Medicine' among others.
Year four:
Year four at UCL combines extensive clinical experience with formal teaching, building on core concepts from years one and two. Students undertake three long placements, based in primary care and on hospital wards.
Year five:
Year five adopts a ‘Life Cycle' approach to teaching, with students undertaking placements from Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine to Oncology and Palliative Care.
Year six:
UCL's sixth and final year aims to prepare students for foundation training, with opportunities for long clinical placements and assistantships. The importance of evidence based Medicine is revisited, ensuring graduates are practitioners of patient-centred care.

Reported demographics

This chart highlights gender and disability data reported by UCL to the General Medical Council (GMC), which has compiled this information into spreadsheets as part of its medical school annual return (MSAR) data sets.

Please note this data is retrospective, and that future numbers can vary from preceding years.

Demographic data collection:

For comparison, we also include below all demographic data reported by this medical school to General Medical Council.

Reporting year	Female students	Male students	Students with declared disability	Students without declared disability
2017-18	52.2% female students	47.8% male students	4.9% students with disability	95.1% students without disability
2016-17	50.7% female students	49.3% male students	5.6% students with disability	94.4% students without disability

Medical school history

UCL medical school was established in 1998. Previously, teaching of medicine was based elsewhere and the current structure of UCL medical school derives from several mergers: in 1987, a merger between the medical schools of Middlesex Hospital (1746) and University College Hospital (1834), and a subsequent merger in 1998 with the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine (founded as the London School of Medicine for Women in 1874).