Medical school guide · 2027 entry
UCL Medicine
UCL Medical School, University College London
A six-year MBBS with an integrated BSc in central London, ranking on UCAT for interview and running an MMI of up to eight stations.
Wilkins Building, UCL
- Course
- A100 · 6 yearsMBBS with integrated BSc
- Typical offer
- A*AA
- Interview
- MMI
- Halls from
- £154/wk
- Local private rent
- £2,834/mo
- Location
- London
Preparing for UCL
What matters most at UCL.
- 01
Shortlisting is on UCAT alone among eligible applicants: grades above the minimum give no advantage, and the personal statement is not scored.
- 02
Up to eight stations of five minutes, often with two or three questions each, reward efficient, structured answers.
- 03
Home applicants interview in person, from December to the end of March.
Notes by Dr S Farooq, MBChB, BSc (Hons). Checked October 2026.
The interview
The UCL medicine interview.
MMI
Format
MMI (2027 entry).
Stations and timing
Up to eight stations of five minutes each plus one minute of reading time, about 50 minutes in total, with two to three questions per station (latest published guidance, undated).
In person or online
For 2027 entry: in person (Rockefeller Building) for Home applicants; online for overseas applicants.
Dates
For 2027 entry, rolling from December to end of March; provisional dates are published from October 2026.
How it counts
There are no offers without an interview. Scores are reviewed by the Admissions Tutor, and most offers are made at the end of March once the full score range is known (initial offers from February).
What UCL assesses
- Academic curiosity and interest in healthcare
- Motivation for a medical career
- Understanding of a medical career
- Problem solving and reasoning
- Professional attitudes and values
- Teamwork and leadership
- Resilience and individual strengths
- Communication skills
What the tasks involve
- Structured questions on motivation
- Understanding of the career
- Preparation for medicine
Preparation advice from UCL
UCL points applicants to the Medical Schools Council's example MMI stations and its online interview preparation site; applicants are contacted in October with interview guidance.
Six complimentary mock MMIs with reading time, timed answers and marking points, written by a doctor.
Entry and UCAT
Getting an interview at UCL.
Typical requirements for school leavers. Always check the full requirements on the UCL website.
Typical A-level offer
A*AA
Required subjects
Biology and Chemistry are required, one at A*.
How the UCAT is used
For 2027 entry, eligible applicants are ranked on the total of the three cognitive subtests, and top scorers are invited (about 1,000 interviews a year). GCSE and A-level grades above the minimum give no advantage, and the personal statement is not scored.
Situational judgement (SJT)
For 2027 entry, the SJT score is used as a tie-breaker for equal totals.
Published UCAT scores
2026 entry minimum scores invited: Home 2190, Access UCL 2080, Overseas 2300 (out of 2700).
GCSEs
English Language and Maths at grade 6/B.
Other qualifications
IB 39 in total, with 19 in three HL subjects including 6 and 7 in Biology and Chemistry and no subject below 5. Access to HE Diploma (Medicine) from the College of West Anglia, or one meeting the QAA medicine descriptor, with 36 Level 3 credits at Distinction and 9 at Merit.
Contextual offers
The Access UCL contextual offer is AAB (A in Biology and Chemistry), or IB 36 with 17 at HL. Access UCL applicants are flagged automatically and their UCAT scores are reviewed separately.
The course
Studying medicine at UCL.
At a glance
- Intake
- 337 places for 2027 entry (24 overseas)
- Teaching
- Integrated, systems-based
- Anatomy
- Dissection in anatomy labs
- Intercalation
- Compulsory iBSc in Year 3
- Main campus
- Bloomsbury, then Royal Free and Whittington
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 1–2Three core modules a year with weekly Clinical and Professional Practice, Patient Journeys and student-selected components.
- Year 3Intercalated BSc chosen from a range of subjects (UK graduates are exempt).
- Year 4Clinical Care: three 12-week placement-based modules.
- Year 5Lifecycle: three 12-week placement-based modules and a student-selected component.
- Year 6Two assistantships, the Medical Licensing Assessment in term 2, an elective and preparation for Foundation Year 1.
How it is taught
An integrated, systems-based course with interactive lectures, small groups, practicals and clinical placements.
Patient contact
Weekly Clinical and Professional Practice and Patient Journeys from Year 1, with patient contact from the first year.
Intercalation
Compulsory intercalated BSc in Year 3 (UK graduates are exempt, making the course five years).
Placements
Royal Free Hospital (Hampstead), Whittington Hospital (Archway) and London partner sites in Years 4–6.
Distinctive features
- Compulsory iBSc (6-year MBBS BSc)
- Optional MBPhD
- Placement-based learning in Years 4–6 at Royal Free and Whittington campuses
How you are assessed
Single best answer and very short answer papers, online cases, practical and clinical exams, portfolios and workplace-based assessments. End-of-year summative exams decide progression, and the MLA is taken in Year 6.
Elective
An eight-week elective in Year 6 at a UK or overseas hospital of the student's choice.
Main teaching hospitals
- Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead
- Whittington Hospital, Archway
- Other NHS trusts in and around London
- GP practices and community settings
Placements and travel
Years 4–6 are based at NHS providers in and around London. From Year 5, NHS Bursary students can claim travel costs above their normal daily travel.
Student life
Living in London 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
Early years are on UCL's Bloomsbury campus in central London; clinical years move to the Royal Free (Hampstead) and Whittington (Archway) sites.
Accommodation
First-year undergraduates are guaranteed one offer of UCL accommodation if UCL is their firm choice, they apply by the deadline (10 June for 2026 entry) and have not lived or studied at a university inside the M25. Location and room type are not guaranteed.
Students' union
Medic societies and clubs
- RUMS Rugby (men's)
- RUMS Football (men's)
- RUMS Hockey (women's)
Sport and gyms
TeamUCL Gym in the Bloomsbury Theatre Building on Gordon Street, plus TeamUCL Gym East in Stratford. RUMS runs separate medics' sports teams, including rugby, football and hockey.
Support for medics
Every MBBS student has a Personal Academic Tutor from Medical School staff or a linked GP practice, from entry to graduation, who can refer to the Programme and Progression Support Team.
Food and essentials
Students' Union UCL runs the Bloomsbury Shop at the heart of campus and cafes such as the Print Room Café; nearby supermarkets include Sainsbury's on Hampstead Road and at Euston, a Waitrose in the Brunswick Centre, Tesco on Goodge Street, Lidl on Tottenham Court Road and Aldi at Mornington Crescent.
Going out
Students' Union UCL runs four bars: the Institute Bar & Kitchen, The Huntley, Phineas and Mully's basement bar; the union is at 25 Gordon Street, Bloomsbury.
Costs and living
UCL medicine fees and living costs.
Fees, university accommodation and local private rents, from official sources.
University halls
From £154/wk£153.86 to over £455.71 per week (2026/27), with an average of about £320.
Accommodation pricesRoom in a private house (university estimate)
£150–£300 a week (£650–£1,300 a month) for a room in a shared house, excluding bills (UCL cost guide)
University cost guideLocal rent, whole homes (ONS)
£2,834/mo£2,834 per month, Camden, 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 (2027/28)
Bursaries and funding
On this 6-year course, English students can get the NHS Bursary in Years 5 and 6, covering up to £9,790 of tuition plus a £1,081 grant and a means-tested bursary of up to £3,447 in London (2026/27). UCL Medical School Bursaries are also awarded to students in financial need.
Other routes in
Graduate, gateway and international routes.
Graduate entry
UCL 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: 24 places for overseas fee-paying applicants out of 337 in total (2027 entry) (2027 entry).
International applicants are accepted and selected separately from Home applicants; 24 of the 337 places are for overseas fee-payers (2027 entry), and overseas candidates interview online.
Places
337 for 2027 entry (313 Home, 24 Overseas).
Applications, interviews and offers
About 2,800–3,000 applications and about 1,000 interviews per year.
FAQs
UCL medicine FAQs.
What are the entry requirements for UCL medicine?
For 2027 entry, the typical offer is A*AA with Biology and Chemistry, one at A*. GCSE English Language and Maths are needed at grade 6/B, and grades above the minimum give no advantage.
What UCAT score do you need for UCL medicine?
For 2027 entry, UCL ranks eligible applicants on the three cognitive subtests and invites the top scorers to about 1,000 interviews. For 2026 entry the minimum invited was 2190 for home, 2080 for Access UCL and 2300 for overseas applicants.
What is the UCL MMI like?
UCL's MMI has up to eight stations of five minutes each plus one minute of reading time, about 50 minutes in total. For 2027 entry it is in person at the Rockefeller Building for home applicants and online for overseas applicants.
When are UCL medicine interviews for 2027 entry?
Interviews are rolling from December to the end of March. Most offers are made at the end of March, with initial offers from February.
Does UCL score the personal statement for medicine?
No. The personal statement is not scored, and there are no offers without an interview.
How many places does UCL medicine have?
337 places for 2027 entry (313 home, 24 overseas).
Sources
Official sources.
Checked in October 2026 for 2027 entry. Requirements and dates change each cycle, so always confirm on the UCL website before applying.
Official links
Open days: The Medicine MBBS virtual open day (27 June 2026) is available as a recording; register for UCL open day updates for future dates. Check dates
Show 19 sources
- ucl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/divisions/medical-school/study/undergraduate/mbbs-adm
- ucl.ac.uk/study/prospective-students/undergraduate/courses/medicine-mbbs-bsc
- ucl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/divisions/medical-school/study/undergraduate/mbbs-adm
- ucl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/divisions/medical-school/study/undergraduate/mbbs-adm
- ucl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/divisions/medical-school/study/undergraduate/mbbs-adm
- ucl.ac.uk/medical-school/study/undergraduate/mbbs-admissions/selection-interview
- medschools.ac.uk
- ucl.ac.uk/study/accommodation/fees-guidance-and-payment/fees-2026-27
- ucl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/divisions/medical-school/study/undergraduate/mbbs-adm
- ucl.ac.uk/medical-school/study/undergraduate/mbbs-admissions/selection-interview
- ucl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/divisions/medical-school/information-current-mbbs-stu
- studentsunionucl.org/clubs-societies/rugby-club-rums-mens
- studentsunionucl.org/clubs-societies/football-club-rums-mens
- studentsunionucl.org/clubs-societies/hockey-club-rums-womens
- ucl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/news-and-events/events/open-days/undergraduate-open-d
- nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-bursary-students
- ucl.ac.uk/study/student-finances/cost-study/how-much-does-it-cost-study-ucl
- ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/datasets/priceindexofprivaterentsukm
- ucl.ac.uk/study/prospective-students/undergraduate/courses/medicine-mbbs-bsc
Photo: Wilkins Building, UCL, Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Vetta Education is independent and not affiliated with UCL or any university. No offer, interview or admission outcome is guaranteed.
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