Entry requirements

What makes a good doctor?

Being a successful medical student and future doctor takes so much more than academic ability. You also need to be motivated and conscientious, and be able to demonstrate respect for patients, compassion and a caring nature. You must have insight into your chosen career and your own suitability to be a doctor. Working in a team is a crucial part of medical practice, and being able to work alongside and respect your peers is essential within our PBL curriculum.

As a Lancaster medical student, you must be committed to making a difference to the health and wellbeing of your patients, and the communities they live in.

If this sounds like you, and you want to be part of the future of medicine, join us at Lancaster Medical School.

Academic entry requirements

Entry requirements for our medical degree include both academic and non-academic criteria.

A Level: AAA or AAB plus EPQ. See full requirements below.

We accept applications from school leavers, graduates and those returning to higher education via Access courses. We do not provide a four-year graduate entry degree, but graduates are eligible to apply for our five-year undergraduate degree.

For 2025 entry onwards, all applicants must take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) to be eligible for consideration at Lancaster Medical School. More information about UCAT, how to register and how to prepare for the test can be found on the UCAT website.

There are four places available to international students and no offers are made without interview. For more details, please see our International applicants page.

GCSE:

In eight subjects attained by the end of Year 11.

At least a score of 13 points from the eight where A*-A or 7-9 = 2 points; B or 6 = 1 point^{1, 2}

A minimum of a grade B or 6 in the following required subjects:

Biology, Chemistry and Physics taken as individual subjects (or Combined Science: Trilogy as two GCSE qualifications)
English Language and
Mathematics

All subjects are expected to be at least grade C or 4.

A-level:

Three subjects taken at one sitting after two years of study³, including any two of Biology, Chemistry or Psychology⁴. Grade requirements: AAA

Three subjects taken at one sitting after two years of study³, including any two of Biology, Chemistry or Psychology⁴ plus a 4th subject or EPQ⁵. Grade requirements: AAB (b)

Only one of Maths or Further Maths will be considered and native languages can only be considered as a 4th subject.

BTEC (Level 3 Extended Certificate) may be considered in lieu of 3^rd A-level subject. BTEC (Certificate) may be considered in lieu of 4^th AS-level subject. Please note, BTEC Applied or Medical Science is not accepted, as a 3^rd or 4^th subject.

Additional Information:

BTEC Level 2: Dist/Dist*= 2 points; Merit (or equivalent) = 1 point. BTEC qualifications are not acceptable replacements for English, Maths and Science subjects.
Two points is the maximum score awarded in each subject area: for example, only one of Maths and Further Maths considered; Dual Award GCSEs (with the exception of Dual Award Science) are awarded a maximum of 2 points. Short courses will be awarded, at most, half the points of a full GCSE.
Lancaster Medical School will consider applications from applicants who have taken longer than two years to achieve the required grades at A Level, if the applicant otherwise meets the GCSE criteria and the non-academic entry requirements. Please see our resit policy below.
If Biology or Chemistry is not studied at A Level, then GCSE must be at least grade A/7
Qualifications considered as 4th subjects include any A Level or AS subject, BTEC (Certificate), Cambridge Pre-U Short Course, which do not duplicate content covered in the applicant's three A Levels, as well as EPQ, Core Maths or Welsh Baccalaureate.

English Language Requirements:

English Language Requirements for Medicine

If you are applying from outside the UK or if you have been permanently domiciled in the UK for less than 5 years and have not continuously resided in a majority English Language speaking country (as listed on the gov.uk website), you must demonstrate proficiency in English through one of the following recognised English Language qualifications:

IELTS (a minimum score of 7.0 with no component less than 7.0) or
Pearson PTE Academic qualification (at least 70 overall and at least 70 in each communicative skill sub-test).

Scholarships and Bursaries:

There are a range of scholarships available to both home and overseas students. Visit our Scholarships and Bursaries webpage to find out if you are eligible to receive any of them.

GCSE:

In eight subjects attained by the end of Year 11.

At least a score of 13 points from the eight where A*-A or 7-9 = 2 points; B or 6 = 1 point^{1, 2}

A minimum of a grade B or 6 in the following required subjects:

Biology, Chemistry and Physics taken as individual subjects (or Combined Science: Trilogy as two GCSE qualifications)
English Language and
Mathematics

All other subjects must be at least grade C or 4.

International Baccalaureate:

36 points overall, achieved after two years of study³, to include:

At Higher Level (HL): any two of Biology, Chemistry or Psychology⁴ and one other subject; all at a minimum of 6 points.

At Standard Level (SL): three subjects, all at a minimum of 5 points.

Additional Information:

1. BTEC Level 2: Dist/Dist*= 2 points; Merit (or equivalent) = 1 point. BTEC qualifications are not acceptable replacements for English, Maths and Science subjects.

2. Two points is the maximum score awarded in each subject area: for example, only one of Maths and Further Maths considered; Dual Award GCSEs (with the exception of Dual Award Science) are awarded a maximum of 2 points. Short courses will be awarded, at most, half the points of a full GCSE.

3. We will consider applications from applicants who have taken longer than 2 years to achieve the required grades in the International Baccalaureate. Please see our resit policy below.

4. If Biology or Chemistry is not studied at Higher Level in your IB, then GCSE must be at least grade A/7

English Language Requirements:

English Language Requirements for Medicine

IELTS (a minimum score of 7.0 with no component less than 7.0) or
Pearson PTE Academic qualification (at least 70 overall and at least 70 in each communicative skill sub-test).

Scholarships and Bursaries:

There are a range of scholarships available to both home and overseas students. Visit our Scholarships and Bursaries webpage to find out if you are eligible to receive any of them.

GCSE:

In eight subjects attained by the end of Year 11.

At least a score of 13 points from the eight where A*-A or 7-9 = 2 points; B or 6 = 1 point^{1, 2}

A minimum of a grade B or 6 in the following required subjects:

Biology, Chemistry and Physics taken as individual subjects (or Combined Science: Trilogy as two GCSE qualifications)
English Language and
Mathematics

All other subjects must be at least grade C or 4.

A-level:

Three subjects taken at one sitting, after 2 years of study.

Where degree is in a Biological, Biomedical or Health Science Subject: BBB including any two of Biology, Chemistry or Psychology^3,4

Where degree is in any other subject: AAB including any two of Biology, Chemistry or Psychology^3,4.

General Studies, Critical Thinking and native languages are only considered as the 4th subject. Only one of Maths or Further Maths will be considered.

Higher Education:

A minimum of an Upper Second Class honours degree with an average transcript mark of 65% or higher predicted/already attained.

Additional Information:

1. BTEC Level 2: Dist/Dist*= 2 points; Merit (or equivalent) = 1 point. BTEC qualifications are not acceptable replacements for English, Maths and Science subjects.

3. If Biology or Chemistry is not studied at A Level, then GCSE must be at least grade A/7

4. If Biology, Chemistry or Psychology A Level(s) are taken at a later date, the original A Levels must be at least BBB

English Language Requirements:

IELTS (a minimum score of 7.0 with no component less than 7.0) or
Pearson PTE Academic qualification (at least 70 overall and at least 70 in each communicative skill sub-test).

Scholarships and Bursaries:

There are a range of scholarships available to both home and overseas students. Visit our Scholarships and Bursaries webpage to find out if you are eligible to receive any of them.

National 5:

At least seven¹ subjects attained by the end of S4 including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English Language, Mathematics², plus at least two other subjects.

Required grades: National 5 (A or B) or Standard Grade Credit (1 or 2) or Intermediate 2 (A or B)

Highers:

At least five subjects taken at one sitting, after one year of study³ including Biology (A), Chemistry (A), plus at least three other subjects.

Minimum grades required: AAAAB

Advanced Highers:

Biology and Chemistry, taken at one sitting, after one year of study³. Minimum grades required: AA.

Additional Information:

1. Applicants who have taken less than seven subjects at National 5 may be considered if the academic reference states that it is school or local authority policy for National 5 students to be entered for fewer than seven examinations.

2. All applicants must study Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English Language and Mathematics to National 5/Standard grade. Applicants may be able to take an additional National 5 subject alongside their Highers or Advanced Highers to meet this subject requirement.

3. We will consider applications from applicants who have taken longer than 2 years to achieve the required grades in their Highers/Advanced Highers subjects. Please see our resit policy below.

English Language Requirements:

English Language Requirements for Medicine

IELTS (a minimum score of 7.0 with no component less than 7.0) or
Pearson PTE Academic qualification (at least 70 overall and at least 70 in each communicative skill sub-test).

Scholarships and Bursaries:

There are a range of scholarships available to both home and overseas students. Visit our Scholarships and Bursaries webpage to find out if you are eligible to receive any of them.

Access to Higher Education qualifications are designed for adults who are returning to education, and who have achieved few previous qualifications because of social, educational or individual circumstances. Access to Higher Education programmes provide academic preparation for higher education study and allow mature applicants to demonstrate their academic suitability for further study.

These qualifications not appropriate for school-leavers to gain entry to our medicine programmes and will not usually be accepted in lieu of resitting A-levels, or other equivalent qualifications. Lancaster Medical School will not consider applications from applicants enrolled on an Access to Higher Education diploma (Medicine) course if they have already re-taken AS or A Level examinations and failed to meet the standard academic entry requirements at the second attempt. Only one Access-type qualification will be accepted and applicants cannot make multiple attempts at completing access-type courses.

We only accept Access to Medicine courses that comply with the QAA national framework and subject descriptors.

GCSE:

A minimum of a grade B or 6 in the following required subjects¹

Biology, Chemistry and Physics taken as individual subjects (or Combined Science: Trilogy as two GCSE qualifications)
English Language and
Mathematics

Qualifications should be achieved at one sitting. Depending on individual circumstances, applicants may be required to demonstrate at least a score of 13 points from eight GCSEs where A*-A or 7-9 = 2 points; B or 6 = 1 point^2,3

A Levels:

Any AS or A Level qualifications held (irrespective of subject) should usually be at a minimum of grade C at first attempt. Applicants offering an Access-type qualification to compensate for having studied the wrong subjects at A-level are usually expected to offer three A-levels and have achieved at least BBB at the first attempt.

Access Course:

Complete an approved Access to Medicine course and achieve distinction in 45 Level 3 credits. The Level 3 components of the Access course will need to offer at least 15 Level 3 credits in Biology, 15 in Chemistry and 15 credits in another science and maths that cover physical and mathematical concepts as described in the subject descriptor document above. In addition, 9 ungraded credits should be completed in the use and comprehension of numerical data, study skills and professional behaviours.

Additional Information:

1. BTEC qualifications are not acceptable replacements for English, Maths and Science subjects.

2. BTEC Level 2: Dist/Dist*= 2 points; Merit (or equivalent) = 1 point

3. Two points is the maximum score awarded in each subject area: for example, only one of Maths and Further Maths considered; Dual Award GCSEs (with the exception of Dual Award Science) are awarded a maximum of 2 points. Short courses will be awarded, at most, half the points of a full GCSE.

English Language Requirements:

English Language Requirements for Medicine

IELTS (a minimum score of 7.0 with no component less than 7.0) or
Pearson PTE Academic qualification (at least 70 overall and at least 70 in each communicative skill sub-test).

This is in addition to the academic entry requirements outlined above. We do not accept other English Language proficiency qualifications. Applicants must demonstrate their English language proficiency before application. Applicants who do not include details of their English language proficiency qualification on their UCAS application will not be considered. English language qualifications must be less than 2 years old at the time of application. The required level (usually distinction or equivalent) in the approved Access to Medicine course. The Level 3 components of the Access course will need to offer at least 15 Level 3 credits in Biology, 15 in Chemistry and 15 in at least one other subject.

Scholarships and Bursaries:

There are a range of scholarships available to both home and overseas students. Visit our Scholarships and Bursaries webpage to find out if you are eligible to receive any of them.

International Qualifications

For international qualifications, please download our LMS International Qualifications 2025 Entry fact sheet. If your qualification is not listed, please email medicine@lancaster.ac.uk.

Contextual offer scheme

As part of our commitment to widening access to medicine, we take a holistic approach to reviewing applications and aim to understand as much as possible about our applicants and their potential.

Medicine as a profession needs to attract the best students to embark on what can be a challenging career. While academic qualifications provide one marker of potential, a number of studies have shown that potential to succeed in medicine is not reliant on qualifications alone. In 2012, Lancaster University’s Chancellor, the Rt Hon Alan Millburn, published a report which highlighted that the UK medical profession does not reflect wider society. We are committed to recruiting medical students who reflect the diversity of our society.

If you meet two or more of our widening participation criteria (see below), meet the academic entry requirements and are successful at interview, you may be considered for a contextually lowered offer of ABB. To be eligible for the contextually lowered offer, you must be predicted at least AAB in your A-levels, at the first attempt, after two years of study. If you are predicted less than AAB but fulfil two or more criteria, you may be eligible for A104, Medicine & Surgery with a Gateway Year. Resit applicants may be considered for a contextually lowered offer of AAA, reduced from A*AA, if they meet two or more widening participation criteria.

In addition to the information collected through UCAS, Lancaster Medical School considers a variety of information to provide a full picture of the applicant and their circumstances. As part of the application process, the admissions team will consider whether applicants meet two or more of our widening participation (WP) criteria listed below:

You live in a neighbourhood of low participation in higher education or live in an area that is less advantaged, as assessed by multiple factors. To find out if this applies to you please visit the Index of Multiple Deprivation, or if you live in Scotland, the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. A map of the UK, showing the areas that differ in terms of young people’s participation in higher education can be found on the Office for Students website.
You live in a low income household. This can be demonstrated in any of three ways: (1) your parent or guardian is in receipt of a means-tested benefit (e.g. Universal Credit, Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance); (2) you receive or are eligible for the 16-19 bursary or, if you live in Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland, Education Maintenance Allowance instead of 16-19 bursary; (3) you receive or are eligible for free school meals.
You attended a non-selective state school for your GCSEs with an Attainment 8 score below the average of mainstream English state schools or you attend(ed) a non-selective state school or college for your A Levels with A Level results below the average of mainstream English state schools/colleges.

To determine the average we use Attainment 8 and A Level performance data published by the Department for Education from the previous three academic years and compare this against the average performance of all mainstream state schools and colleges over the same period. For further advice or guidance, please email the Medical School Admissions team at medicine@lancaster.ac.uk.

Your parent(s) did not attend university or attain a higher education qualification, apart from as a mature student.
You have been in local authority care for three months or more, or considered as Care Experienced , including residing within a secure or children’s care home, foster care and kinship care. You can find out more on our Care Leavers page.
You are a young carer to a parent or sibling.

You are a refugee.

If you meet two or more of our widening participation criteria (see below), meet the academic entry requirements and are successful at interview, you may be considered for a contextually lowered offer (CLO) of ABB. Care leavers, care experienced and applicants who are refugees will automatically be considered for a CLO regardless of how many other criteria they meet.

Prior to interview, applicants will be asked to complete our Supplementary Information Form and provide evidence in support of our Widening Participation criteria if applicable. If you think you have a piece of evidence that is not listed below, please let us know by emailing medicine@lancaster.ac.uk and we will confirm whether it is a suitable alternative.

Criterion	Accepted Evidence
Your parent(s) did not attend university or attain a higher education qualification, apart from as a mature student.	Your parent(s) or guardian will be required to complete and sign a form.
Your parent or guardian is in receipt of a means-tested benefit (e.g. Universal Credit, Income Support, Job Seekers Allowance)	A letter confirming receipt of a means-tested benefit e.g. from Jobcentre Plus.
You receive or are eligible for the 16-19 bursary or Education Maintenance Allowance	A letter from your school or college.
You receive or are eligible for free school meals	A letter from your school or college.
You have been in local authority care for 3 months or more.	A letter from a social worker or your local authority.
You are a young carer to a parent or sibling.	NHS Assessment

What to include on your personal statement

We’re looking for a coherent, well-structured personal statement that conveys a real impression of you and demonstrates effective written communication skills.

Visit the Medical Schools Council website

You should demonstrate what you have done to establish that medicine is the right career path for you. For example, you should outline any relevant work and voluntary experiences and describe what you have learned about being a doctor, and about your own suitability, from these experiences. You do not need to have shadowed a doctor; voluntary or caring roles, especially in a healthcare setting, are just as valuable. Voluntary and caring roles can also be useful to demonstrate your commitment to improving the lives of others. You should describe the skills you have developed through engaging in these roles and explain their relevance to a career in Medicine.

Please see the Medical Schools Council website for advice and guidance about work, voluntary and caring experience

You should also demonstrate an understanding of the NHS constitution and core values in your personal statement. For instance, you might draw upon your work and voluntary experiences to illustrate why these values are important. You might also present evidence to demonstrate that you share these values. More information about the NHS Constitution and Core Values can be found on the NHS website.

Reapplications and Resit Policy

We do not consider re-applications from applicants who were unsuccessful after interview in a previous cycle. Applicants who were rejected before interview in a previous admissions cycle can however re-apply if they can show evidence of further work experience and self-reflection.

Lancaster Medical School will consider applications to A100 Medicine and Surgery from applicants who have taken longer than 2 years to achieve the required grades at A-level or equivalent qualification, if the applicant otherwise meets the GCSE criteria and the non-academic entry requirements. This includes those who have retaken Year 12, are resitting or have resat their A-levels or taken additional subjects at A-level after year 13. All resit applicants should reflect on their circumstances in their UCAS personal statement and must achieve the required grades (typically A*AA) within three years of study.

If you would like to apply during your resit year of A level study:

in the absence of exceptional circumstances, you must have achieved at least ABB in your A Levels at the first attempt.
if you are able to evidence that exceptional circumstances negatively affected your studies or exam performance we will consider grades of BBB - CCC in your A levels at the first attempt. Please note, the COVID-19 pandemic on its own will not be accepted as an exceptional circumstance.

If you have achieved the resit requirements of A*AA within three years of A Level study, Lancaster Medical School will consider your application if you meet our other entry requirements, regardless of initial grades achieved at A Level and exceptional circumstances.

Similar criteria apply to applicants who have failed to achieve the required grades in the International Baccalaureate or Scottish qualifications at the first attempt. Such applicants may apply if they are resitting (or resitting components of) these qualifications.

We will not consider applicants who have resat any GCSE qualifications unless evidence of exceptional circumstances is provided at the point of application. For further information about the exceptional factors process, please contact the admissions team (medicine@lancaster.ac.uk).

Entry requirements

What makes a good doctor?

Academic entry requirements

Tab Content: A-levels

GCSE:

A-level:

Additional Information:

English Language Requirements:

Scholarships and Bursaries:

Tab Content: International Baccalaureate

GCSE:

International Baccalaureate:

Additional Information:

English Language Requirements:

Scholarships and Bursaries:

Tab Content: Graduate

GCSE:

A-level:

Higher Education:

Additional Information:

English Language Requirements:

Scholarships and Bursaries:

Tab Content: Scottish Highers

National 5:

Highers:

Advanced Highers:

Additional Information:

English Language Requirements:

Scholarships and Bursaries:

Tab Content: Access

GCSE:

A Levels:

Access Course:

Additional Information:

English Language Requirements:

Scholarships and Bursaries:

International Qualifications

Contextual offer scheme

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What information is considered?

How is information collected?

How will your information be held?

Required evidence

What to include on your personal statement

Reapplications and Resit Policy

Course details

MBChB overview

Application process

International applicants

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