Medical school guide · 2027 entry
Aston Medicine
Aston Medical School, Aston University
A patient-centred MBChB in Birmingham that ranks on academics and UCAT, then re-ranks interviewees purely on an online MMI.
Main Building, Aston University, Birmingham
- Course
- A100 · 5 yearsMBChB
- Typical offer
- A*AA
- Interview
- MMI
- Halls from
- £144/wk
- Local private rent
- £1,106/mo
- Location
- Birmingham
Preparing for Aston
What matters most at Aston.
- 01
Offers come from your total MMI score, so the interview is the deciding stage once you are shortlisted.
- 02
The MMI is online: rehearse on camera, with good lighting and sound, and practise keeping answers structured without visual cues from an interviewer.
- 03
Aston notes that a single serious concern (a 'red flag') can lead to rejection, so professionalism and judgement must be consistent across every station.
Notes by Dr S Farooq, MBChB, BSc (Hons). Checked October 2026.
The interview
The Aston medicine interview.
MMI
Format
MMI (2027 entry)
Stations and timing
Scored out of 50, with each station out of 10, implying five stations (2026 entry data).
In person or online
Online (latest published, undated).
Dates
Normally December to March (latest published, undated).
How it counts
Interviewees are re-ranked on total MMI score and the top-ranked receive offers (Home, widening participation and International applicants are ranked separately). A red flag can lead to rejection.
What Aston assesses
- Understanding of studying and practising medicine
- Motivation to study medicine
- Verbal communication and listening
- Problem solving
- Teamwork and leadership
- Professionalism
- Compassion, empathy, respect and dignity
- Emotional intelligence
- Knowing your limitations and when to ask for help
What the tasks involve
- Stations with actors
- Reading and discussing a scenario with an assessor
Preparation advice from Aston
The Aston MMI advice page points to the Medical Schools Council's free interview resources. No medical knowledge is tested.
Six complimentary mock MMIs with reading time, timed answers and marking points, written by a doctor.
Entry and UCAT
Getting an interview at Aston.
Typical requirements for school leavers. Always check the full requirements on the Aston website.
Typical A-level offer
A*AA
Required subjects
Chemistry and Biology are required, with the A* in one of them. The third subject can be any except General Studies or Critical Thinking.
How the UCAT is used
No published cut-off. Home applicants are ranked on academic qualifications plus total UCAT score (international applicants on total UCAT score only), and the top-ranked are invited to MMI (2026 entry process).
Situational judgement (SJT)
There is no lower cut-off for the SJT (latest published, undated).
Published UCAT scores
2026 entry: the lowest UCAT score interviewed was 1560 overall (1580 for home applicants, 1560 for widening participation applicants, 1720 for international applicants), out of 2700. Aston does not set a minimum UCAT score.
GCSEs
Minimum of six GCSEs at grade 6/B, including English Language, Maths, Chemistry and Biology (or Double Science).
Other qualifications
IB 37 (HL 7,6,6 including Chemistry and Biology, one at 7); Advanced Highers AAA including Chemistry and Biology; BTEC Applied Science Extended Diploma DDD plus A*A in Chemistry and Biology A-levels. T Levels and Access courses are not accepted. Qualifications must be achieved within the last three years, and students must be 18 by 1 October of the year of entry.
Contextual offers
Aston Ready contextual offer of AAB (AA in Chemistry and Biology). Widening participation applicants are ranked separately, and the Wesleyan Pathway to Medicine can lead to a reduced offer.
The course
Studying medicine at Aston.
At a glance
- Intake
- 110 UK + 30 international places (2026)
- Teaching
- Patient-centred, team- and group-based learning
- Anatomy
- Life-size anatomical models and ultrasound
- Intercalation
- Optional, normally after Year 3
- Main campus
- Aston University city-centre campus, Birmingham
League tables weight different things, so the same school can sit in different places. Use them as one input, alongside the course, the selection method and where you would like to live.
Year by year
- Year 1Fundamentals of Medicine: cell biology, body structure, physiology, pharmacology and early systems, with two one-week GP placements.
- Year 2Further systems (GI, respiratory, renal, immune, head and neck) and clinical pharmacology, with nine days in primary care.
- Year 3Clinical Apprenticeships: three 12-week blocks, one in primary care and two in hospital medicine and surgery, plus an SSC.
- Year 4Six six-week specialty placements, including child health, psychiatry, reproductive health, cancer care and neurology/senses.
- Year 5Three six-week blocks before finals, then a six-week foundation assistantship and a six-week elective.
How it is taught
Patient-centred curriculum in two phases, using lectures, team-based and problem-based group work, clinical skills and simulation.
Patient contact
Clinical placement in the first term, with two one-week primary care placements in Year 1.
Intercalation
Optional but strongly encouraged. Students normally intercalate after Year 3 (after Year 4 is also possible) in a BSc, MBiol, MSc, MRes or MPH at Aston.
Placements
NHS trusts and primary care providers across the West Midlands. Year 3 comprises three 12-week blocks, Year 4 specialty rotations, and Year 5 an assistantship and a 6-week elective.
Distinctive features
- Up to 40% of UK places aimed at widening participation applicants
- Predicted A-level grades are not used in scoring; achieved grades only
- Simulated hospital ward and clinical skills centre with ultrasound
- Interprofessional learning with pharmacy and other health courses
How you are assessed
In-course assignments, computer-based knowledge exams and practical clinical skills tests, with professional behaviour assessed continuously.
Elective
A six-week elective in Year 5, after finals, in the UK or abroad.
Main teaching hospitals
- Walsall Manor Hospital
- NHS trusts and GP practices across the West Midlands
Placements and travel
Placements run through NHS trusts and primary care providers across the West Midlands, covering inner-city, town and rural settings, so expect travel beyond Birmingham city centre.
Student life
Living in Birmingham as a medic.
Where you will live, the societies and sport on offer, and how you will get around. Prices and dates change, so check the linked pages.
The city
Birmingham is the UK's second-largest city. Aston's campus is in the city centre, about 5–10 minutes' walk from the main shopping areas.
Accommodation
Campus accommodation is guaranteed for individual undergraduates. Aston Student Village (run with Unite Students) is on campus, about two minutes' walk from lecture theatres; September 2027 prices are £144–£155 a week on 44-week contracts, bills included.
Medical society
Students' union
Medic societies and clubs
- Surgical Society
- Emergency Medicine Society
- Neurosurgical Society
- Plastic & Reconstruction Surgery Society
- Medical Research Society
- Women's Health Society
- African Caribbean Medical Society
- Islamic Medical Society
Sport and gyms
The on-campus Sports Centre has a gym, Edwardian swimming pool, sauna and classes. Student gym and classes membership is £166 for the 2026/27 academic year (all-inclusive with pool £206), and includes access to over 70 other university gyms through the BUCS UNIversal scheme.
Shops and essentials
A Tesco Express is on campus, and Birmingham city centre shops are 5–10 minutes' walk away.
Getting around
Birmingham New Street, Moor Street and Snow Hill stations are 10–15 minutes' walk from campus. Birmingham Airport is about 9 miles away, with trains from Birmingham International to New Street.
Support for medics
Each student has a personal tutor, and a Student Support Lead helps with the particular demands of medicine, alongside university services such as the Learning Development Centre.
Cars and parking
Aston does not offer student parking on its city-centre campus and asks students to use public transport; Blue Badge holders and students needing accessible parking apply through the Disability and Neurodiversity Support Team. Visitor parking in Car Park 5 (Holt Street) costs £6 a visit.
Food and essentials
On campus, the Aston Coffee Lab on the ground floor of the Main Building serves hot and cold food (weekdays 08:00–16:00 in term), and the Students' Union's The Lounge kitchen and bar serves food including halal, vegan and vegetarian options.
Going out
Aston Students' Union's venue is The Lounge in the Adrian Cadbury Building, a bar and kitchen with pool tables, quizzes and society nights. Broad Street is Birmingham's main student bar and club strip.
Costs and living
Aston medicine fees and living costs.
Fees, university accommodation and local private rents, from official sources.
University halls
From £144/wk£144–£155 per week (prices for September 2027 starters, Aston Student Village, run with Unite Students, bills included); 44-week contracts
Accommodation pricesLocal rent, whole homes (ONS)
£1,106/mo£1,106 per month, Birmingham, ONS Price Index of Private Rents (September 2026 data, released 21 October 2026)
Average for a whole home of any size; a room in a shared house costs much less.
Home tuition fee
£10,050 per year (2027/28, subject to parliamentary approval)
Bursaries and funding
Aston offers small awards and prizes for new and continuing students; full scholarships covering most tuition fees are not available. The Wesleyan Pathway to Medicine can lead to a reduced offer.
Other routes in
Graduate, gateway and international routes.
Graduate entry
Aston does not run a separate graduate-entry course for 2027. Graduates can usually apply to the standard course. See graduate-entry courses
Gateway or foundation
No gateway or foundation route listed for 2027.
International applicants
Accepts international applicants. International places: 30 (2027 entry).
Course page says 110 home and 30 international places (the figure is stated for 2026 entry). EU students count as international.
Places
110 Home (UK) places and 30 international places (figures stated for 2026 entry). Aston aims to offer up to 40% of UK places to widening participation applicants.
Applications, interviews and offers
2026 entry MMI scores: mean 34.25/50 across interviewees, and lowest offer 26/50.
FAQs
Aston medicine FAQs.
What are the entry requirements for Aston medicine?
For 2027 entry, the typical offer is A*AA with Chemistry and Biology, with the A* in one of them. You also need six GCSEs at grade 6/B, including English Language, Maths, Chemistry and Biology (or Double Science).
What UCAT score do you need for Aston medicine?
Aston sets no minimum UCAT score: home applicants are ranked on academics plus total UCAT, and international applicants on total UCAT alone. For 2026 entry the lowest score interviewed was 1580 for home and 1560 for widening participation applicants (out of 2700).
What is the Aston MMI like?
Aston runs its MMIs online, normally between December and March (latest published, undated). For 2026 entry, each station was scored out of 10, for a total out of 50.
How does Aston decide medicine offers?
For 2026 entry, interviewees were re-ranked on total MMI score and the top-ranked received offers, with home, widening participation and international applicants ranked separately. The lowest offer was 26/50.
Does Aston have an SJT cut-off for medicine?
No. Aston states that there is no lower cut-off for the SJT (latest published, undated).
Is accommodation guaranteed for first-year medics at Aston?
Yes, campus accommodation is guaranteed for individual undergraduates. For September 2027 starters, Aston Student Village costs £144-£155 a week on 44-week contracts, bills included.
Sources
Official sources.
Checked in October 2026 for 2027 entry. Requirements and dates change each cycle, so always confirm on the Aston website before applying.
Official links
Open days: Undergraduate open days are booked through Aston's open days page; campus tours run on 28 October 2026 and 7 January 2027. Check dates
Show 13 sources
- aston.ac.uk/study/courses/medicine-mbchb/september-2027
- aston.ac.uk/hls/aston-medical-school/advice-zone/faq
- aston.ac.uk/hls/aston-medical-school/advice-zone/ucat
- aston.ac.uk/hls/aston-medical-school/advice-zone/mmi
- aston.ac.uk/hls/aston-medical-school/acato/intercalated-degrees
- aston.ac.uk/hls/aston-medical-school/advice-zone/ucat
- astonsu.com/activities/societies
- aston.ac.uk/open-days
- aston.ac.uk/sites/default/files/How%20to%20find%20us_0.pdf
- walsallhealthcare.nhs.uk/news/2022/10/18/new-partnership-sees-trust-take-student
- aston.ac.uk/undergraduate/your-application/accommodation/accommodation-for-new-u
- ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/datasets/priceindexofprivaterentsukm
- aston.ac.uk/study/courses/medicine-mbchb
Photo: Main Building, Aston University, Birmingham, Christophe.Finot, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Vetta Education is independent and not affiliated with Aston or any university. No offer, interview or admission outcome is guaranteed.
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