Written by a Medical Admissions Expert

🎓 Introduction

Planning to apply for medicine in the UK through UCAS? This guide outlines everything you need to know about the 2025 application cycle for starting medical school in September 2026.

Applying to medical school is a competitive and detailed process. With multiple stages, deadlines, and documents to prepare, it’s essential to stay organised and plan early. This guide walks you through every part of the process — from key UCAS deadlines to tips for work experience and volunteering.

📌 Remember: Medicine applications have an earlier UCAS deadline than most other courses!

🗓 Key UCAS Deadlines for 2026 Entry (Applying in 2025)

Here are the official application dates for those aiming to start university in 2026:

• 29 April 2025: UCAS search tool opens with 2026 course listings
• 13 May 2025: UCAS applications officially open
• 2 September 2025: You can begin submitting completed applications
• 15 October 2025 (by 18:00): Final deadline for medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, and Oxford/Cambridge
• 26 February 2026: UCAS Extra opens
• 5 July 2026: UCAS Clearing opens

🏫 What Is the UCAS Medicine Application?

All UK medical school applications go through UCAS — the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. You only need to complete one application, which is sent to your four chosen medical schools (you can apply to a fifth course, but it cannot be medicine).

This streamlined process means you don’t apply to each medical school individually. Instead, you submit:

• Your personal information
• Predicted grades
• Personal statement
• Admissions test scores (e.g. UCAT)
• Reference letter

🧭 Timeline for Applying to Medicine (2025–2026)

Here’s an overview of the major components you’ll need to prepare throughout the year:

1. Deciding on Medicine as a Career
2. Securing Work Experience
3. Volunteering and Extracurriculars
4. Reading and Research
5. UCAT Preparation
6. Writing Your Personal Statement
7. Choosing Universities
8. Preparing for Interviews

📌 Note: Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Medicine applicants usually aren’t assessed on UCAS tariff points (like BTECs or EPQs), unlike many other courses.

📚 Step 1: Deciding if Medicine is Right for You

Choosing medicine is a huge decision. The earlier you decide, the more time you’ll have to organise key parts of your application — like work experience, volunteering, and preparing for admissions tests.

Ask yourself:

• Do I understand what being a doctor really involves?
• Have I spoken to any medical professionals?
• Have I explored medicine beyond TV or media stereotypes?

Look into online resources, real-life accounts, and relevant reading to get a realistic view of the profession.

👉 Explore our guide to deciding on a career in medicine

✍️ Step 2: Organising Work Experience

Getting experience in a healthcare setting is a key part of any strong medicine application.

When to do it:

• Ideally during the summer after Year 11 or Year 12
• But it can be done any time — including during school holidays or online

Types of work experience:

• Hospitals
• GP surgeries
• Care homes
• Online placements

Why it matters:

• It shows you understand what the role involves
• It proves commitment and insight
• It gives real-life examples for your personal statement and interviews

👉 Read our 2025 Guide to Medicine Work Experience

❤️ Volunteering for Medicine

Volunteering demonstrates compassion, communication, and a genuine desire to help others — all qualities medical schools are looking for.

Where to volunteer:

• Hospitals or hospices
• Care homes
• Charities and community projects
• Youth groups or mentoring schemes

Try to reflect on what you’ve learned through these experiences, not just list them. Skills like teamwork, leadership, and empathy are just as important as clinical knowledge.

💡 Pro Tip: Quality of reflection is more important than quantity of hours.

💼 Want Extra Help?

If you’re applying in 2025 for medicine in 2026, consider joining our support programme:

✅ 1-to-1 mentoring with doctors and dental students
✅ Work experience advice and volunteering planning
✅ Expert UCAT prep
✅ Personal statement and interview coaching
✅ Proven success across hundreds of students

👉 Book a free consultation today

📜 Step 3: Doing Well In Your A-Level Exams

Getting into medical school is very competitive — only around 30% of applicants are successful. To give yourself the best chance, focus on achieving excellent grades. Most medical schools expect strong performance in Biology and Chemistry, so it’s highly recommended that you study these subjects at A-level.

Great grades will help your application stand out, and they’re often the first thing universities use to filter candidates.

👉🏼 See our full guide on Medicine Entry Requirements

🏫 Step 4: Sitting the UCAT

The UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) is required by most UK medical schools. It’s a time-pressured, multiple-choice exam designed to test your reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making — not your academic knowledge.

While the BMAT is no longer used, the UCAT is essential for keeping your options open.

Important UCAT 2025 Dates:

• 13 May 2025 – UCAT Account Creation opens
• 17 June 2025 – UCAT Booking opens (wake up early – 6:00 AM BST!)
• 7 July – 26 September 2025 – UCAT Testing window

Preparation is key, and many students benefit from structured practice and expert tutoring.

👉🏼 UCAT Registration & Dates
👉🏼 UCAT Guide & Practice Tips

✍️ Step 5: Writing Your Medicine Personal Statement

You’ll need to submit a personal statement with your UCAS application. For 2026 entry, the format is changing — instead of a free-form statement, you’ll answer three structured questions within a 4000-character limit.

We recommend drafting your personal statement over the summer between Year 12 and 13, when you have more time to reflect on your experiences.

Use your answers to demonstrate:

• Your motivation for studying medicine
• Your work experience and what you learned
• Relevant extra-curriculars and your readiness to become a medical student

👉🏻 Ultimate Medicine Personal Statement Guide
👉🏻 Expert Review & Editing Team

🏥 Step 6: Selecting Your 4 Medical Schools

Choosing where to apply is one of the most important parts of your application. Each medical school has different entry requirements — from UCAT cut-off scores to A-level subject expectations and interview formats.

Spend time researching courses on university websites, exploring prospectuses, and, if possible, attending open days. A poor university selection strategy is a common reason for receiving 4 rejections.

👉🏼 How to Choose Medical Schools Wisely
👉🏼 Compare UCAT Cut-Off Scores

📚 Step 7: Submitting Your UCAS Application

All applications for medicine in the UK must be submitted via UCAS. The deadline is earlier than for most courses:
15 October 2025 at 18:00 (UK time).

Your application will be sent to all four of your chosen medical schools, and includes:

• Personal details, GCSE and A-Level predicted grades
• UCAT score
• Personal statement
• Reference from your school or college

👉🏼 Full UCAS Medicine Application Guide

🩺 Step 8: Preparing for Your Medicine Interviews

If your application is shortlisted, you’ll be invited to interviews between November and March. These may be conducted online or in-person, and will either follow an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) or Panel format, depending on the university.

Start preparing early, and consider mock interviews to build confidence and refine your answers. Admissions teams are assessing your communication, empathy, ethical reasoning, and motivation to study medicine.

👉🏼 Medicine Interview Tutoring
👉🏼 Complete Interview Preparation Guide

⏳ Step 9: Waiting for Offers

Once interviews are complete, all you can do is wait — hopefully for good news. But remember, this is just the beginning.

It takes 5–6 years to complete a medical degree in the UK. After that, you’ll enter the foundation programme and then move on to specialty training, which can take several more years depending on your chosen field.

A medical career is long and challenging, but also incredibly rewarding. Make sure you understand the full pathway before committing.
👉🏼 Read: Doctor Training Pathway in the UK

⭐ Understanding the Costs and Application Nuances of Studying Medicine in the UK

💷 The Cost of Studying Medicine in the UK

Before applying to medical school, it’s crucial to understand the financial commitment involved.

In England and Wales, tuition fees for medical school are typically up to £9,250 per year.
In Scotland and Northern Ireland, fees vary depending on where you’re from. For example, Scottish students studying in Scotland often pay no tuition fees due to government support.

All UK and EU medical students are eligible for student loans to cover tuition fees. These can be applied for via the UK Government Student Finance portal:
👉 http://www.gov.uk/student-finance-register-login

You may also be eligible for a maintenance loan or grant to assist with living costs. Additionally, many universities offer their own bursaries or scholarships — check their websites for more information.

There is also a UCAS application fee. Often your school will pay this, but if not, expect to pay:

• £20 for a single course application
• £25 for multiple course applications

For international medical students, tuition fees are considerably higher — typically ranging from £20,000 to £45,000 per year, depending on the university.

👉 Read more about international tuition fees for medicine

❓ Tips to Boost Your UCAS Medicine Application

Applying for medicine is more than just good grades — you must approach it holistically. Medical schools assess several key elements, including:

• GCSE performance
• Predicted A-Level grades
• UCAT score
• Personal statement
• Performance at interview

It’s vital to optimise every area of your application. This is something we’ve helped students with for over a decade, offering expert support at every step.

👉 Check the latest medicine entry requirements for 2025
👉 Speak to an advisor – free consultation available

⭐ Applying Through UCAS with a Disability

Having a disability does not exclude you from studying medicine. As long as your disability does not prevent you from being fit to practise by the end of your degree, you can still pursue a medical career.

If you’re unsure whether a particular medical school can accommodate your needs:

• Visit their website
• Attend an open day
• Contact their admissions or Disability Services team directly

Most universities have dedicated Disability Services to support students. You can also declare your disability on your UCAS application, allowing universities to plan the necessary support in advance.

You may also be eligible for the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), which can help with study-related costs.
👉 Learn more about DSA

✅ How Many Medical Schools Can You Apply To?

When applying through UCAS, you can select up to five course choices — but only four of these can be for medicine (course code A100). This is a strict limit.

Your fifth choice can be for a different course (e.g., biomedical sciences or pharmacy), and it can even be at one of the same universities where you’re applying for medicine.

Since medicine is extremely competitive and many strong applicants don’t receive offers, we strongly recommend choosing a fifth backup course. Unfortunately, you cannot use that fifth choice for another medicine course.