Medical school guide · 2027 entry
Southampton Medicine
Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton
An integrated BMBS with a selection day of interview and group task, held in person for all applicants.
Highfield Campus, University of Southampton
- Course
- A100 · 5 yearsBMBS
- Typical offer
- AAA
- Interview
- Panel
- Halls from
- £139/wk
- Local private rent
- £1,261/mo
- Location
- Southampton
Preparing for Southampton
What matters most at Southampton.
- 01
The selection day includes a group task, so practise contributing to a group as well as answering alone.
- 02
Interviews are in person only, including for international applicants.
- 03
Offers rest on selection day performance, with UCAT as the tie-breaker.
Notes by Dr S Farooq, MBChB, BSc (Hons). Checked October 2026.
The interview
The Southampton medicine interview.
Panel
Format
For 2027 entry, a Selection Day: interview plus group task.
Stations and timing
Southampton does not publish a station count. For 2027 entry, its selection day combines an interview and a group task, held between January and the end of February.
In person or online
For 2027 entry, in person at the University for all applicants, including international applicants. No online interviews are offered.
Dates
For 2027 entry, Selection Days run January to the end of February; dates will be published in the autumn.
How it counts
Offers are based on Selection Day performance, with the UCAT used to break ties. The aim is to respond by the end of March.
What Southampton assesses
- Self-motivated and resilient
- Reflection on life experiences
- Effective communication
- Successful interaction with others
- Understanding of NHS Constitution values
What the tasks involve
- Interview drawing on personal statement
- Group task
Preparation advice from Southampton
Southampton publishes a Selection Procedure and Policy for 2027 entry; read it in full before the selection day.
The Interview Handbook covers every common question type, with a marking rubric and two full mock interviews.
Entry and UCAT
Getting an interview at Southampton.
Typical requirements for school leavers. Always check the full requirements on the Southampton website.
Typical A-level offer
AAA, with no grade or tariff equivalents.
Required subjects
Biology plus one of Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, Environmental Studies or Geography, with a practical pass where endorsed.
How the UCAT is used
For 2027 entry, applicants are ranked by UCAT score, and the top-ranked applicants are invited to a Selection Day.
Situational judgement (SJT)
Southampton states that it does not currently use the Situational Judgement Test (latest published, undated).
Published UCAT scores
Southampton does not publish a threshold. A July 2021 FOI response gave 2680 as the lowest score of a non-contextual Home school leaver invited to a BM5 interview (UCAT 2020, for 2021 entry). That score is on the four-subtest scale used before Abstract Reasoning was removed in 2025.
GCSEs
Seven at grade 6/B or above, including English Language, Maths and either Biology and Chemistry, Combined Science, or Science and Additional Science (graduates and mature applicants: four at grade 4/C).
Other qualifications
IB 36 (18 at HL) with 6 in Biology and another science; Access to HE Diploma (Medicine) accepted (online Access courses are not); BTEC National Extended Certificate at Distinction with AA in Biology plus a science (BTEC Applied Science not accepted).
Contextual offers
Home school leavers meeting two of the University's contextual criteria (for example care experience, low-participation or IMD Q1 postcode, free school meals, estrangement, UCAT bursary, outreach programme) receive an AAB offer.
The course
Studying medicine at Southampton.
At a glance
- Intake
- About 160–170 Home places a year on BM5 (FOI, 2021)
- Teaching
- Integrated, clinical topic weeks
- Anatomy
- Dissected specimens and models (CLAS)
- Intercalation
- Optional between Years 3 and 4
- Main campus
- Highfield and University Hospital Southampton
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 1–2Fundamentals of medicine taught through clinical topics such as COPD, diabetes and stroke, with early patient contact.
- Year 3Three 9-week placements: primary care and long-term conditions, medicine and elderly care, surgery and orthopaedics, plus mental health and population health.
- Year 437 weeks covering acute care, child health, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry and specialty weeks.
- Year 5Medicine, surgery and primary care placements, a student-selected unit and a 6-week assistantship.
How it is taught
Integrated, clinically contextualised modules organised around clinical topic weeks, with lectures, tutorials, coursework and independent learning.
Patient contact
Clinical Practice 1 gives patient contact and clinical skills from the first weeks of Year 1, with healthcare support worker shifts.
Intercalation
Optional: a Master of Medical Science or MSc at Southampton, or an iBSc or MSc elsewhere, between Years 3 and 4.
Placements
Wessex region: Year 3 at Southampton, Portsmouth and Winchester trusts; Years 4–5 across Wessex hospitals, GP surgeries, urgent care and the ambulance service.
Distinctive features
- Year 5 six-week assistantship as an apprentice FY1
- Healthcare support worker shifts early in the course
- Optional modules in public, global and planetary health and medical humanities
- Group task at selection day
How you are assessed
A mix of written exams, coursework and practical exams. Practical assessment rises from 19% in Year 1 to 80% in Year 5, and every module must be passed to progress.
Elective
In Year 5 students choose a UK or overseas elective, a clinical placement, or a research or education project; overseas medical insurance is not covered by fees.
Main teaching hospitals
- University Hospital Southampton
- Portsmouth partner trust
- Winchester partner trust
- Other Wessex hospital trusts
- GP surgeries and urgent care centres
- Ambulance service
Placements and travel
Year 3 is at Southampton, Portsmouth and Winchester trusts; Years 4–5 can be anywhere in Wessex. From Year 5, NHS Bursary students can claim travel costs above their normal daily travel, and dual accommodation where commuting is not practical.
Student life
Living in Southampton 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
A port city on the south coast. The University describes its cost of living as relatively low for a Russell Group city.
Accommodation
All new full-time undergraduates are guaranteed a hall room in first year if Southampton is their firm or insurance choice and they apply by the deadline (1 July for 2026 entry). Room type and price are not guaranteed.
Medical society
Students' union
Medic societies and clubs
- Surgical Society
- Wilderness and Expedition Medicine
- Emergency Medicine Society
- Teddy Bear Hospital
- Medics Revue
- Widening Access to Medicine Southampton
- Moose (medics' rugby)
- Gophers (medics' hockey)
Sport and gyms
Jubilee Sport and Recreation Centre on Highfield. Student Monthly Plus membership is £30.99 a month or £279 a year (2026 prices). Medics have their own teams in rugby, hockey, netball, football, cricket, squash, tennis and more.
Shops and essentials
Subsidised food outlets on every campus, free and reduced-price food schemes and open-access microwaves.
Getting around
Unilink buses are included in University hall fees and link Highfield, the city centre, Southampton General Hospital (U6, U9), Central Station and the airport (U1). A free Safety Bus runs late at night from Highfield.
Cars and parking
Students can apply for campus parking permission through the APCOA portal, but strict eligibility criteria apply (students pay no parking charge if approved). At Southampton General Hospital visitor parking is limited and must be arranged in advance, so most medics use the Unilink buses that stop outside the hospital.
Food and essentials
Highfield has the Piazza food court, Pret, Costa and SUSU's Shop, and Southampton General has a students-only canteen in the academic block; Portswood high street, next to the main campus and Wessex Lane halls, has international food shops including an international supermarket.
Going out
SUSU runs The Stag's, the pub at the heart of Highfield campus, plus the Below Deck courtyard; Southampton city centre holds Purple Flag status for its night-time economy.
Costs and living
Southampton medicine fees and living costs.
Fees, university accommodation and local private rents, from official sources.
University halls
From £139/wk£139.09–£284.48 per week (2026/27, university-run halls); 38-, 41- or 51-week contracts
Accommodation pricesLocal rent, whole homes (ONS)
£1,261/mo£1,261 per month, Southampton, ONS PIPR (Sept 2026 data, 21 Oct 2026 release)
Average for a whole home of any size; a room in a shared house costs much less.
Home tuition fee
£10,050 per year (shown on 2027/28 course page)
International tuition fee
£35,900 per year (years 1–2), £64,900 per year (clinical years 3–5) (2027/28 course page)
Fees sourceBursaries and funding
English students on a 5-year course can get the NHS Bursary from Year 5: up to £9,790 towards tuition plus a £1,081 grant and a means-tested bursary (2026/27). Southampton also offers a University bursary for UK students with household income under £36,200.
Other routes in
Graduate, gateway and international routes.
Graduate entry
BMBS Medicine Graduate Entry (BM4) · A101 · 4 years. 2:1 in any subject (no preference by subject); 4 GCSEs at C/4 incl. English, Maths and sciences; no A-level requirement. Test: UCAT (ranked; also tiebreaker). Places: 48 places a year on BM4 (FOI response, July 2021).
Gateway or foundation
BM6 Widening Participation (A102) is a six-year course including Year 0. It is open to home non-graduates meeting three of six criteria (first-generation higher education, means-tested benefits, looked after, IMD lowest 20% or travelling family, free school meals or 16-19 bursary, young carer). The offer is BBB including Biology and a science, with five GCSEs at grade 4/C.
International applicants
Accepts international applicants. International places: Around 10–11 international places a year across all medicine courses (FOI response, July 2021) (2027 entry).
BM5 (A100) is open to international applicants, who are ranked and selected separately from Home applicants. International applicants cannot apply to BM4 or BM6 and are not eligible for contextual offers (2027 entry).
Places
160–170 Home places a year on BM5, plus around 10–11 international places across all medicine courses (FOI response, July 2021).
Applications, interviews and offers
2020 entry, BM5 Home: 1,421 applications, 749 invited to interview and 587 offers (FOI response, July 2021).
FAQs
Southampton medicine FAQs.
What are the entry requirements for Southampton medicine?
For 2027 entry, the typical offer is AAA with Biology plus one of Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, Environmental Studies or Geography. You need seven GCSEs at grade 6/B or above, including English Language, Maths and sciences.
What UCAT score do you need for Southampton medicine?
For 2027 entry, applicants are ranked by UCAT and the top-ranked are invited to a Selection Day. A 2021 FOI response gave 2680 (for 2021 entry), on the scale used before Abstract Reasoning was removed in 2025.
Does Southampton use MMIs for medicine?
No. For 2027 entry, Southampton holds a Selection Day combining an interview and a group task, in person for all applicants, including international applicants. No online interviews are offered.
When are Southampton medicine interviews for 2027 entry?
For 2027 entry, Selection Days run from January to the end of February, and dates will be published in the autumn.
How does Southampton decide medicine offers?
For 2027 entry, offers are based on Selection Day performance, with the UCAT used to break ties. The aim is to respond by the end of March 2027.
Does Southampton have a gateway or foundation year for medicine?
Yes. BM6 Widening Participation (A102) is a six-year course including Year 0; for 2027 entry the offer is BBB including Biology and a science.
Sources
Official sources.
Checked in October 2026 for 2027 entry. Requirements and dates change each cycle, so always confirm on the Southampton website before applying.
Official links
Open days: Campus open day Saturday 7 November 2026; virtual open day Saturday 21 November 2026. Check dates
Show 14 sources
- southampton.ac.uk/courses/medicine-bm5-degree-bmbs
- southampton.ac.uk/~assets/doc/medicine/Selection_Procedure_and_Policy_Faculty_Me
- medschools.ac.uk
- southampton.ac.uk/~assets/doc/legal-services/FOI%20requests%20released%20documen
- southampton.ac.uk/medicine/undergraduate/apply.page
- southampton.ac.uk/study/facilities/centre-for-learning-anatomical-sciences
- susu.org/activities/categories/medical-societies
- southampton.ac.uk/student-life/support-money/student-living-costs
- unilinkbus.co.uk/unilink-info-new-students
- nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-bursary-students
- nhsbsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2022-03/Guide%20to%20Travel%20and%20Dual%20Acc
- southampton.ac.uk/student-life/accommodation/fees-contracts
- ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/datasets/priceindexofprivaterentsukm
- southampton.ac.uk/courses/medicine-bm5-degree-bmbs
Photo: Highfield Campus, University of Southampton, Roger Davies, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Vetta Education is independent and not affiliated with Southampton or any university. No offer, interview or admission outcome is guaranteed.
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