Medicine (6-year programme) (MBChB)

Introducing MBChB Medicine (6-year programme)

Our six-year Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) degree equips you with the knowledge, understanding and skills you need to become a Foundation Year 1 doctor.

Why Edinburgh?

Medicine at Edinburgh offers a modern, innovative curriculum designed to prepare you for contemporary medical practice. Our aim is for you to graduate as a competent, ethical and reflective doctor, with the care of patients as your first concern.

You will graduate as an excellent communicator and team player, prepared for complex and uncertain situations. You will be equipped for ongoing personal development and trained for high professional achievement and leadership.

You will also have a deep understanding of medical research and evidence-based medicine. This will be useful whatever career path you follow. You will be especially well-equipped to pursue an academic career in medicine, where ongoing practical involvement in research as a physician-scientist is paramount.

Standard entry requirement

The standard entry requirement is:

• SQA Highers: AAAAA by end of S5 and BB at Advanced Higher in S6.
• A Levels: A*AA.
• IB: 40 points with 766 at HL (7 in Chemistry).

Minimum entry requirement

The minimum entry requirement for widening access applicants is:

• SQA Highers: AAABB by end of S5 and BC at Advanced Higher in S6.
• A Levels: AAA.
• IB: 37 overall with 666 at HL.

More information for widening access applicants

Required subjects

The grades used to meet our entry requirements must include:

• SQA: Highers: Chemistry and two from Biology, Mathematics/Applications of Mathematics or Physics. For some applicants this subject combination is not possible at S5. Students who meet the grade requirements in S5 but are missing one or more sciences may take the missing subject(s) in S6. Human Biology may replace Biology. National 5s: Biology, Chemistry, English and Mathematics at B. We accept Higher Applications of Mathematics at C in place of National 5 Mathematics at B. Offers are conditional on S6 performance.
• A Levels: Chemistry at A* (A if eligible for minimum entry requirements) and one from Biology/Human Biology, Mathematics, or Physics at A. Only one of Mathematics or Further Mathematics will be considered. GCSEs: Biology, Chemistry, English and Mathematics at A or 7 (B or 6 if eligible for minimum entry requirements). Double Award combined sciences, or equivalent, at AA/77 (BB/66 if eligible for minimum entry requirements) may replace GCSE grades in sciences. Additional Applied Science and Applied Science are not accepted.
• IB: HL: Chemistry at 7 (6 if eligible for minimum entry requirements) and one other science subject. SL: 666 (555 if eligible for mnimum entry requirements) to include Mathematics: Analysis and approaches or Mathematics: Applications and interpretation, English and Biology (if not at HL). If Mathematics and English Language do not form part of your IB diploma we will also accept GCSE, or equivalent, at A or 7 (B or 6 if eligible for minimum entry requirements).

Additional requirements

Enrolled on another degree programme

You will not be eligible if you have just started or are midway through a degree in the academic year in which you apply.

Deferred Entry

Applications for deferred entry are not accepted for medicine unless the applicant is undertaking National Service in their home country. In those cases a deferral for one year is considered.

Resits

All examination grades must be obtained at the first attempt of each subject. Those applying with resit qualifications will not be entered into the selection system unless under very exceptional circumstances (for which verified evidence has been provided prior to UCAS application).

Graduate applicants

We welcome applications for graduate entry to first year. We require a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, with a preference for a medical related subject for example: Biomedical Sciences/Medical Sciences/Nursing/Paramedic Science. However we will also consider applicants with a UK 2:1 honours degree in other science subjects (Biology; Chemistry; Mathematics or Physics) and those with non-science subjects who also have an SQA Higher, A Level, or equivalent, in Chemistry at B.

Graduates applying for our undergraduate medicine degree do not qualify for any additional consideration under our widening access offer policy unless they are care experienced or are an asylum seeker/refugee.

Mature applicants

No special concessions are made for mature, non-graduate applicants. In view of the competition for places, all applications must have achieved the same academic requirements as school-leaving applicants within the three-year period prior to the programme start date.

English Language Tests

We require all applicants to demonstrate the level of English language competency required to succeed in their studies. If you are using an English language test that is not part of your school studies to meet our English language requirements, you must provide these results by 30 June 2025.

University Clinical Aptitude Test

You must sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) within the same year of submitting a UCAS application. We require that you meet a minimum UCAT score as part of our entry requirements unless you are a PLUS FLAG applicant.

For UCAT deadlines and testing dates, please see the Edinburgh Medical School UCAT page.

University Clinical Aptitude Test Requirements

We also consider the Situational Judgement section of the UCAT test separately. Any applicants who score a Band 4 in the Situational Judgement section of the UCAT test will not be considered for entry.

University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

Fitness to practise

If invited for assessment day (interview) you will be required to make a written declaration of any matter that might reasonably be considered to have implications for your fitness to practise. This might include (but is not restricted to) previous or current civil or criminal legal proceedings; if you are or have been subject to disciplinary procedures connected to prior academic studies or employment; if you have previously been the subject of Fitness to Practise procedures in any context and any such disclosure may lead to appropriate investigation processes. If you are unsure about whether or not you should make a declaration then you should contact the medical admissions team. If you do not disclose a matter that could reasonably be considered to be of relevance to your future fitness to practise at the time of admission, this may be detrimental and in itself impact on your Fitness to Practise.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that students enrolled on a degree that involves practical training in a clinical environment, and that leads to a professional registerable qualification, are fit to practise. This is assessed according to the requirements and standards of the profession the student wishes to enter.

Health clearance checks

In accordance with Department of Health guidelines, students being admitted to the MBChB need to undergo viral screening for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C and be immunised against hepatitis B. This is part of the induction process for the MBChB.

Applicants holding places in these degrees will receive further information. A positive result in any test will not necessarily preclude entry to the MBChB.
It is the responsibility of each individual to ensure they familiarise themselves with the most recent vaccination requirements.

Please read the General Medical Council's guidance on Good Medical Practice, particularly section 29:

Good Medical Practice

Disability

All medical graduates must complete a period of further training, normally in a hospital environment. The Admissions Committee is required to ensure all applicants have the physical capability to fulfil the responsibilities of such posts effectively and safely. Applicants with disabilities or other health problems are encouraged to seek advice from the Undergraduate Admissions Office prior to application.

Further information about fitness to train is available on the Higher Education Occupational Physicians/Practitioners website.

Higher Education Occupational Physicians / Practitioners

Find out more about entry requirements

International applicants

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.

Entry requirements by country

Mature applicants

We welcome applications from mature students and accept a range of qualifications.

Mature applicant qualifications

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

SQA, GCSE and IB

For SQA, GCSE and IB students, unless a higher level is specified in the stated entry requirements, a pass is required in English at the following grades or higher:

• SQA National 5 at B
• GCSE at B or 6
• Level 2 Certificate at B
• IB Standard Level at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.5 with at least 7.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 110 with at least 25 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 191 with at least 191 in each component.
• PTE Academic: total 80 with at least 80 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 9 overall with at least 9 in each component.*

We also accept a wider range of international qualifications and tests.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the degree you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Oxford ELLT, or Trinity ISE test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins, regardless of your nationality.

English language requirements

(*Revised 24 May 2024 to change PTE Academic requirement from total 76 with at least 76 in each component, and to clarify that we do not accept PTE Academic online. Revised 29 August 2024 to add Oxford ELLT requirements.)

We take part in the UK Foundation Programme Scheme. This places graduates in Foundation Doctor posts across the UK.

Many graduates also go on to work with distinguished national and international research groups.

What happens when you complete your MBChB?

At the end of your programme, you will receive your Bachelor of Medical Sciences Honours degree and MBChB degree, which is a Primary Medical Qualification (PMQ).

Once you hold a Primary Medical Qualification and have passed the Medical Licensing Assessment, you qualify for provisional registration with the General Medical Council (as long as there are no Fitness to Practise concerns).

International students who graduate from UK medical schools are entitled to provisionally register and work in the UK as Foundation doctors, but must check their own country's regulations if they wish to return home to work immediately after graduation.

(Revised 1 October 2024 to add information for international students wishing to return home straight after graduation)

Foundation Year 1 posts

Once you are a provisionally registered doctor, you can practise in approved Foundation Year 1 posts. You cannot undertake any other type of work.

To obtain a Foundation Year 1 post, you will need to apply during the final year of your undergraduate programme. You should do this through the UK Foundation Programme Office selection scheme, which allocates posts to graduates on a competitive basis.

So far, all suitably qualified UK graduates from Edinburgh have found a place on the Foundation Year 1 programme but this cannot be guaranteed in all instances; for example, if there were to be an increased number of competitive applications from non-UK graduates.

The Foundation Year 1 programme usually takes 12 months to complete. On completion, you will be awarded a Certificate of Experience.

Full registration

Before you can begin unsupervised medical practice in the NHS or in private practice in the UK, you must have full registration with a licence to practise.

Once you have your Certificate of Experience, you are eligible to apply for full registration with the General Medical Council.

Please be aware that these regulations may be subject to change.

Outcome: what happens when you complete your MBChB