Medical school guide · 2027 entry

Queen's Belfast Medicine

School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast

A case-based MB BCh BAO in Belfast with a transparent points system of GCSEs and UCAT, and offers made solely on interview rank.

The interview Compare all schools

Lanyon Building, Queen's University Belfast

Course: A100 · 5 yearsMB BCh BAO
Typical offer: AAA
Interview: MMI
Halls from: £119/wk
Local private rent: £1,138/mo
Location: Belfast

Preparing for Queen's Belfast

What matters most at Queen's Belfast.

01
Shortlisting is out of 45: up to 36 points for your best nine GCSEs and up to 9 for UCAT, so GCSEs dominate this stage.
02
Offers are made on interview rank alone, with the SJT used to separate close scores.
03
Home applicants complete nine stations, more than at most schools, so build stamina through full-length practice.

Notes by Dr S Farooq, MBChB, BSc (Hons). Checked October 2026.

The interview

The Queen's Belfast medicine interview.

MMI

Format

MMI (2027 entry).

Stations and timing

For 2027 entry: Home: nine stations. International: seven stations. There is one minute of reading time per station.

In person or online

For 2027 entry: in person in Belfast for home applicants; online for international fee-payers.

Dates

For 2027 entry: mid-December to February.

How it counts

Offers are made solely on interview performance, in rank order. The personal statement is not scored. The SJT breaks ties between similar interview scores. Most decisions are made by the end of March, with final decisions in late April or early May.

What Queen's Belfast assesses

Empathy
Problem-solving
Moral reasoning
Communication skills

What the tasks involve

Role play with an actor
Problem-solving scenario with assessor
Semi-structured ethical scenario

Preparation advice from Queen's Belfast

Sample stations and tips. Stations carry equal marks, so a weak station can be offset.

Practise for the Queen's Belfast MMI under timed conditions.

Six complimentary mock MMIs with reading time, timed answers and marking points, written by a doctor.

Start a mock MMI

Entry and UCAT

Getting an interview at Queen's Belfast.

Typical requirements for school leavers. Always check the full requirements on the Queen's Belfast website.

Typical A-level offer

AAA plus an A in a fourth AS-level, or A*AA (see subjects).

Required subjects

For AAA plus an A at AS: Chemistry plus one of Biology/Human Biology, Maths or Physics (Biology at least to AS). Alternatively A*AA including Chemistry and Biology, or A*AA including Chemistry and Maths or Physics plus AS Biology at grade B. An EPQ at grade A may replace the fourth AS.

How the UCAT is used

For 2027 entry, the UCAT overall score (VR+DM+QR) is converted to 0–9 points by centile band (91st–100th = 9) and added to academic points (GCSEs, up to 36), giving a total out of 45. Applicants are ranked and around the top 700 are considered for interview.

Situational judgement (SJT)

For 2027 entry, used to decide between borderline applicants with similar academic and UCAT scores, and between applicants with similar interview scores.

Published UCAT scores

Interview threshold: 32/45 for 2026 entry; 30/42 or above for 2025; 38/42 for 2024 (or 37 with SJT band 1–2).

GCSEs

The best nine GCSEs (first attempt) are scored for shortlisting (A*=4, A/7-8=3, B/6=2, C/4-5=1). GCSE Maths, English and Physics (or Double Award CC/44) are required at C/4 if not taken higher.

Other qualifications

Irish Leaving Certificate H1H1H1H1H2H2 including H1 Biology and Chemistry; international IB 36 with 6,6,6 at HL including Chemistry and Biology.

Contextual offers

Northern Ireland widening participation: the Pathway Opportunity Programme (BT postcode) gives a guaranteed interview and a possible offer one A-level grade below. Northern Ireland free school meals and care-experienced applicants who meet the subject requirements are shortlisted for interview.

The course

Studying medicine at Queen's Belfast.

At a glance

Intake: 236 Home and 36 international (2027 entry)
Teaching: Case-based learning in Years 1–4
Anatomy: Cadaveric dissection (specimens permitting)
Intercalation: Optional after Year 2, 3 or 4
Main campus: Queen's main campus and Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast

Complete University Guide 2027

4th

of 40 for Medicine · table

Guardian University Guide 2027

18th

of 40 for Medicine · table

National Student Survey 2025

89.8%

positive about teaching on the course (224 responses) · OfS

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

Years 1–2Foundations for Practice: body systems science integrated with clinical skills, with one afternoon a week in a GP surgery or hospital.
Year 3Immersion in Practice: two 14-week longitudinal integrated clerkships, one in the Belfast Trust and one in another Trust.
Year 4One Trust for the year, with 9-week blocks in child health, mental health, reproductive health, and ageing and health.
Year 5Preparation for Practice: elective at the start of the year, 7-week primary care, surgical and medical placements, and a 6-week assistantship.

How it is taught

Case-based learning in Years 1–4 alongside lectures, seminars, tutorials, simulation and self-directed study. Assessment includes progress tests and OSCEs.

Patient contact

Clinical contact from Year 1, with first patients met in introductory units.

Intercalation

Optional: a BSc between Years 2 and 3, or a BSc or taught Master's (for example MPH, Clinical Anatomy, Biomedical and Clinical Research) after Year 3 or 4.

Placements

Hospitals and general practices across Northern Ireland from Year 3 (all regional hospitals and more than 150 practices), with at least two placements in Belfast and two elsewhere in Northern Ireland.

Distinctive features

Cadaveric dissection (specimens permitting)
Placements across Northern Ireland, including at least two outside Belfast; about 25% of clinical placements in primary care
Final-year assistantship and elective (can be abroad)
GCSE-points-based shortlisting

How you are assessed

Single-best-answer progress tests with individual feedback, OSCEs aligned with the GMC Medical Licensing Assessment, student-selected component coursework and a reflective portfolio.

Elective

Self-arranged clinical elective at the start of Year 5, in the UK or overseas.

Main teaching hospitals

Hospitals across all five Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Trusts (Belfast, Northern, South Eastern, Southern, Western)
Over 150 general practices

Placements and travel

From Year 3, students may be placed in any hospital in Northern Ireland, with at least two placements outside Belfast; Trust allocations are given in Year 2. About a quarter of clinical placements are in primary care.

Student life

Living in Belfast 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.

Accommodation

First-year accommodation is guaranteed for new students from outside Northern Ireland (conditions apply); the 2026 application deadline was 30 June. Rooms from £119 a week (2026/27).

Medical society

Belfast Medical Students' Association (BMSA)

Students' union

Queen's Students' Union

Medic societies and clubs

SCRUBS (Surgical Society)
SWOT (Students Working Overseas Trust)
QUB Internal Medicine Society
PHEM (pre-hospital and emergency medicine)
QUB Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Society
GP Society
Teddy Bear Hospital
Friends of MSF Belfast

Sport and gyms

Queen's Sport runs the PEC (gym, pools, climbing, halls) and the Upper Malone outdoor pitches; memberships from £20 a month. BMSA runs a medics' 5-a-side league and the SNIMS sports weekend with Scottish medical schools.

Support for medics

Each student has an Adviser of Studies and a reflective practice tutor every year, and each year group has a Student Support Lead. Several medic societies run peer teaching or mentoring schemes.

Cars and parking

Queen's general campus permits are for staff (priced by CO2 band), and students can apply only for accessibility permits, so plan on walking, cycling or buses around the University Quarter. In Years 3 to 5 at least two placements are outside Belfast, and some trusts offer hospital accommodation (free in certain trusts) to medical students on placement.

Food and essentials

Near the main campus there is a Tesco Express on University Road and Spar shops on Botanic Avenue and Malone Road, while Elms BT9 residents have a Mace on site and a larger Tesco about ten minutes' walk away on the Lisburn Road.

Going out

Queen's Students' Union has the Union Bar (open seven days a week) and Mandela Hall, a 1,000-capacity concert, club and comedy venue; Botanic Avenue and Belfast city centre are short walks away.

Costs and living

Queen's Belfast medicine fees and living costs.

Fees, university accommodation and local private rents, from official sources.

University halls

From £119/wk

£119 to £210 a week at current published rates, from Elms BT9, Mount Charles and similar residences at the lower end up to Weavers' Hall at the top.

Accommodation prices

Local rent, whole homes (ONS)

£1,138/mo

£1,138 per month, Belfast BRMA, ONS PIPR (July 2026 data, latest available for NI in 21 Oct 2026 release)

Average for a whole home of any size; a room in a shared house costs much less.

Home tuition fee

£4,985 (NI/RoI students, 2026/27); £9,790 (GB students, 2026/27)

International tuition fee

£39,990 per year pre-clinical (2027/28); clinical-year fee and the clinical placement levy (charged in all five years) are still to be confirmed for 2027/28. For 2026/27 they were £47,000 and £12,133.

Fees source

Bursaries and funding

Northern Ireland students receive standard student finance for Years 1–4 and Department of Health NI funding for Year 5 (and Years 4–5 after an intercalated degree). Students from Great Britain follow their own nation's rules.

Other routes in

Graduate, gateway and international routes.

Graduate entry

Queen's Belfast 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: 36 (2027 entry).

36 international and 236 Home places (2027-entry admissions policy). International applicants have a seven-station MMI online.

Places

236 Home and 36 International (2027 entry).

Applications, interviews and offers

Around 700 of the top-ranked applicants are interviewed.

FAQs

Queen's Belfast medicine FAQs.

What are the entry requirements for Queen's Belfast medicine?

For 2027 entry, the typical offer is AAA plus an A in a fourth AS-level, or A*AA, with Chemistry plus one of Biology/Human Biology, Maths or Physics (Biology at least to AS). The best nine GCSEs are scored for shortlisting.

What UCAT score do you need for Queen's Belfast medicine?

For 2027 entry, UCAT is converted to 0-9 points by centile band and added to GCSE points (up to 36) for a total out of 45. The interview threshold for 2026 entry was 32/45, and around the top 700 applicants are considered for interview.

What is the Queen's Belfast MMI like?

For 2027 entry, Queen's runs nine MMI stations for home applicants, in person in Belfast, and seven online for international fee-payers, with one minute of reading time per station. Interviews run from mid-December to February.

How does Queen's Belfast decide medicine offers?

For 2027 entry, offers are made solely on interview performance, in rank order, and the personal statement is not scored. The SJT breaks ties between similar interview scores.

How many places does Queen's Belfast medicine have?

236 home and 36 international places for 2027 entry.

Is accommodation guaranteed for first-year medics at Queen's Belfast?

First-year accommodation is guaranteed for new students from outside Northern Ireland (conditions apply, 2026/27). Rooms cost from £119 a week (2026/27).

Sources

Official sources.

Checked in October 2026 for 2027 entry. Requirements and dates change each cycle, so always confirm on the Queen's Belfast website before applying.

Official links

Open days: Check the Queen's undergraduate open days page for 2027-entry dates. Check dates

Show 16 sources

Photo: Lanyon Building, Queen's University Belfast, Nick Birse, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Vetta Education is independent and not affiliated with Queen's Belfast or any university. No offer, interview or admission outcome is guaranteed.

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