After completing A-Levels (or any otherequivalent qualification), shortlisting universitiesand medical schoolsisusuallynext on the agendaof an aspiring medical student.Fishing for information and findingoutmore about various medical schools–withalltheir different entry requirements–can be anightmare in itself.
Medical schools are generally thought to have a stringent admission process; they are believed to be extremely hard to get into. Whileallthis is true, some medical schools area littleeasier to get into than others.
Disclaimer: The following rankings are statistic based, and so mainly consider information about acceptance rates to these medical schools. There are many other factors that can make the process of applying to medical school difficult, and so you should consider these separately. This should not be used as a solitary resource to decide which medical schools you should apply to. Make sure you consider other factors, such as entry requirements, number of applicants and interview processes. This list is not intended to downplay achievements of individuals who have got into the medical schools listed below – medical school admission is challenging, and getting in is a huge achievement!
In this article, we will be exploring the ten ‘easiest’ medical schools to get into in the UK. We will take a look at their acceptance rate, entry requirements andfactorsthat are worth knowing and considering. If you are an aspiring medical student (or just genuinely curious about medical schools), you will surely find this article interesting to read!
10. UCL Medical School
The tenth easiest medical school to get into in the UK isUCL Medical School,the medical school of University CollegeLondon.Located in London, it is an extremely well-known university and hasevenbeen rankedin the list ofthe best universities in the world!
With an acceptance rate of 20%, UCL Medical School comes out lastin the list ofteneasiest medical schools to get into in the UK.
However, just likea lot ofmedical schools, their entry requirements arequitecompetitive– perhaps even more competitive than average medical schools.Given the popularity of the university, this is no surprise.
The standard conditional offer requires grades A*AA at A-Level and must include Chemistry and Biology. Furthermore, they have specific GCSE grade requirements to enter – again, like most medical schools. If you are interested in knowing more about UCL’s entry requirements, find out morehere.
9. Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
Ninth on the list is a medical school part of Queen Mary University of London. Commonly known asBarts, this medical and dental schoolis located in London. It is one of the oldest medical schools in England and is sometimes referred to by students as “the best medical school in the UK”, due to a high student satisfaction rate.
According tothis data,the university has an acceptance rate of 21.5%(21.43% to be exact), ranking it as ninth on the list. However, being a medical school in a popular university, they have strict A-Level requirements – A*AA – and specific GCSE requirements too.
8. Leicester Medical School
Eighth on the list isLeicesterMedical School, a university preferred by students for its friendly atmosphere.It isfairly well-knownand has astrong reputation.Thecurriculum is designed to integrateinteractivelearning whilststillbeing clinically relevant, making it a great place forall kinds ofaspiring doctors.
The medical school has an acceptance rate of 21.5%, so it is not too challenging to get into;thus, it ranks eighth on the list.Furthermore, the entry requirements are generally AAA, but more information (and possible variations of these grades) can befound here.
7. University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine
Being one of the most popular universities in the world (I mean, who has not heard of Cambridge?), you may be surprised to find that the medical school at theUniversity of Cambridgehas made it on to the list of the ‘easiest medical schools’ to get into.
The acceptance rate is 21.8%, which is higher than other medical schools. However, there are some important other factors to consider when looking at admissions for Cambridge University.
You could saythatitis easy to get into Cambridge medical school because there is less competition for places. However,the entry requirements and standards expected are set much, much higher to start with, so itistougher in that respect.
On the bright side, it means thatif you apply to Cambridge for medicine and meet the entry requirements well enough, you will have a good chance of acceptance. If you are curious to find out, the full list of entry requirements can be found righthere.
A downside is that Cambridge medical courses are more difficult than other universities, so students should only apply if they are sure they will have enoughstrength and motivationto keep up.Students at Cambridgewritefar more essays and have far less free time than students at other universities, so it is important to keep factorslike thesein mind.
The application process for Cambridge also tends to be very tough, to determine which applicants are good enough for the hard work that the courses require. I am by no means saying that it is an easy task to get into Cambridge University!
6. Medical School at the University of Manchester
The medical school atThe University of Manchesterisone of the largest medical schools in the UK. Itisquitepopularandfrequently applied to bymanystudentsaround the UK, whoare attracted by the diversity of the cityand the unique teaching-style at the university.
With an acceptance rate of 23.8%, itranks as sixth on our list of the top ‘easiest’ medical schools to get in to.
Their application process isnot as rigorous as other medical schools; that doesnotmean itis easy though — it is, after all, a medical school! Applicants are generally given offers if they have received an AAA in their A-Levels.If you would likemore details, you can check out theuniversity’swebsite.
5. Medical School at the University of Birmingham
Next on the list is the medical school at theUniversity of Birmingham, a popular university thatattractslots ofstudentsfor multiple reasons.
The universityprovidesa varied styleof teachingand hands-on learning. Althoughcourses at the University of Birmingham are seemingly more traditional than others, this equips them with a strong foundation in medicine and can be a valuable thing. On top of that, it is oftena preferreduniversity choice as many students enjoy experiencing all the city has to offer, including an abundanceof marvellous greeneryand great outdoor fun.
Luckily,the medical school has an acceptance rate of 24%, making it the fifth easiest medical school to get into on our list.There’s further good news: the entry requirements are slightly less difficult than other medical schools – the usual offer calls for AAA or AAB at A-Levels. If you are interested, more information regarding this can be found righthere.
4. School of Medicine at University of St Andrews
Fourth on the list isa more traditionalmedical school:The University of St AndrewsSchool of Medicine, which is theoldest medical school in Scotland. It is widely considered a prestigious school and many students enjoybeing there; the medical school has a high student satisfaction rate.
Even though it isa relatively small universitylocatedin a smalltown,studying atSt Andrewscan befull ofgreatopportunities–besides, small schoolscome withtheir host of advantages!
The medical school has an acceptance rate of 25.1%, which brings it to fourth place on the list.Not only does it have a higher acceptance rate than some other universities, but the entry requirements are also quite attainable–AAA or AAB at A-Levels. The full list of entry requirements (and more information) can be found by clicking righthere.
3. Durham University School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Health
The Durham University School of Medicine, Pharmacy and Health was part of Durham University (now part ofNewcastle University) and has been ranked among the UK’s and the world’s leading universities. Also, it is well-known amongst students (especially Harry Potter fans since the castle-like university is often referred to as ‘Hogwarts’!).
While Durham University is generally considered to be a competitive university, the medical school had an acceptance rate of 28.8%– this is quite high for a medical school. Being one of the top three on the list, Durham was one of the easiest medical schools to get into in the UK. The entry requirements were AAA at A-Level – not so tough compared to some of the others!
Unfortunately, the acceptance rates for Newcastle University’s Medical school seem to be much lower, and this option is a lot more competitive that it first seemed! You can no longer apply to Newcastle’s Medical School through Durham University, and so this is not an option for medical school applicants looking for the ‘easiest’ universities to apply to anymore.
2. Hull York Medical School
The runner-up on our listisHull York,a joint medical school of the Universities of Hull and York.
Hull York Medical School offers a more contemporaryand modernapproach to medicine, making it a popular choice amongstkeenstudents.Being a joint school,studentsoften select this medical school as theyfind itfunto bepart of twodifferentuniversitiesat the same time!
The application process is quite straightforward, the entry requirements being an AAA at A-Levels.The acceptance rate is 28.9%, making it the second easiest medical school to get intoin the UK.If you are interested, more information can be found on themedical school’swebsite.
1. Queen’s University Belfast School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
Number one on the list, theeasiest medical school to get into in the UKisthe medical school atQueen’s University Belfast.
While no medical school is “easy” to get into, this one is comparatively ‘easier’ to get into, as it has an acceptance rate of 38.3%— not too bad for a medical school! Despite its high acceptance rate, this medical school is a great place for learners. The innovative teaching style and the state-of-the-art facilities make it a popular choice amongst students who want to become great doctors in the future. Additionally, Queen’s University Belfast is widely seen as a very prestigious university that provides world-class education.
A downside is that the entry requirements–which can be foundhere–are slightly harder to meet than the othermedical schools. The common offer is A*AA at A-Levels.Thiscanbe used toexplain the highacceptance rate:thestudents who apply will havealreadymet the toughentryrequirements.