Applying to Medical School Strategically: Part 2 - Where to Apply with a High UCAT Score

Chemistry and at least one of Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Biology/Human Biology or Physics.

Cambridge asks applicants to note that 93% of their medicine applicants study at least three science subjects. Less than 3% of applicants with two science subjects received an offer. They also caution against taking Chemistry, Mathematics and Further Mathematics alone and advise candidates taking these three A-Levels together to contact the college before applying.

Oxford will not be looking at the Situational Judgement subtest prior to interview for 2026 entry. However, they will use the cognitive UCAT score as part of their selection criteria in conjunction with GCSEs. Applicants will be ranked with the strongest invited to interview.

Oxford states that all non-selected applicants are reviewed by tutors to identify candidates close to interview selection. As a result of this process, 81 extra candidates were interviewed for 2024 entry.

Students who meet these requirements are then ranked based entirely upon UCAT scores, with the highest-scoring individuals invited to interview.

Bristol does not use the Situational Judgement subtest as part of the selection process.

Candidates are then ranked using UCAT, academic performance and widening participation criteria, with the strongest candidates invited to interview.

Unfortunately, there is limited information available regarding the exact weighting of GCSEs and UCAT. Freedom of Information (FOI) requests suggest that King's uses a points system with 100 points available for UCAT, 40 points for GCSEs and 10 points for Situational Judgement. King's states that a student's overall UCAT score is given more consideration than their individual subtest scores. UCAT Situational Judgement Band 4 does not lead to automatic rejection at King's.

Edinburgh's current guidance states that students will then be ranked via a points system. They will divide their cohort into deciles for the UCAT and allocate a score for Situational Judgement. Note that Edinburgh's applicant deciles may differ from the ones published by UCAS at the end of testing season. The total will then be combined with the academic score to rank candidates for an assessment day.

Last year, the weighted criteria was as follows:

• 50% academic score
• 35% UCAT cognitive subtest score
• 15% UCAT Situational Judgement Score

The assessment day score, academic score, UCAT cognitive subtest score and UCAT Situational Judgement score are then summed together to determine offers. Edinburgh requires a minimum of Band 3 in the Situational Judgement subtest; students who achieve Band 4 face automatic rejection.

A minimum UCAT score of 1650 for 2026 entry (1850 has been published as the baseline for 2027 entry, so expect this threshold to keep rising).

As of 2024 entry (the most recent figure Edinburgh has published for this measure), the average UCAT score for entry onto their course was 2777 (2083) for Scottish students and 3093 (2320) for the rest of the United Kingdom. Edinburgh, along with the other four Scottish universities, treats applicants who reside in other parts of the UK & the Republic of Ireland in a separate category to Scottish students. As there are far stricter limits on place numbers for RUK applicants, the score thresholds tend to be higher for those who live outside Scotland — strong predictions and lower Situational Judgement bands are often not sufficient for an interview invitation.

Birmingham uses a points system to select candidates for interview. They updated this points system for 2022 entry, with applicants being given a score out of 10, with 4.5 points available for a total of seven GCSEs, 4 for UCAT and 1.5 contextual points by POLAR4 quintile. Details of the grades required for full marks are available here.

The GCSE points are based on seven subjects to include "English (both English Language and English Literature), Mathematics (or one, but not both, of Methods in Mathematics and Applications of Mathematics), Biology and Chemistry (or dual award science)" as well as two other subjects. Each A* (8 or 9) is worth 4 points with 7/A given 2 points and 6/B 1 point. A candidate's total GCSE points will be adjusted to a score out of 4.5.

UCAT scores are ranked into deciles with each decile being awarded a score out of 4.0. Contextual points are allocated based on POLAR4 quintile out of a possible 1.5. UCAT Situational Judgement subtest is used at interview.

St. Andrews states that they screen candidates initially to ensure that they have a strong academic record, a positive reference and relevant, medically related work experience. Students are then ranked for interview using their UCAT score in combination with their personal statement, reference and academic grades, rather than by UCAT score alone. St. Andrews has 650 interview places. Contextual applicants will receive a UCAT score uplift of 10 percent.

Please note that St. Andrews assesses Scottish residents separately from other UK applicants and there are fewer places available for RUK candidates, so higher UCAT scores are required.