collageBecoming a medical practitioner is maybe the most popular career goal that many have, way before even reaching high school. Future doctors nurture their passion for helping others and start studying Medicine before applying to a medical school.
Medicine is also a versatile field that can be studied anywhere in the world, so you have a variety of choices at your disposal. This is why it may sound easy to choose a medical school abroad. However, since it’s a decision that might change your life, it needs to be well planned in advance.
Medical School With Highest Acceptance Rate UK
6. Medical School at the University of Manchester
The medical school at The University of Manchester is one of the largest medical schools in the UK. It is quite popular and frequently applied to by many students around the UK, who are attracted by the diversity of the city and the unique teaching-style at the university.
With an acceptance rate of 23.8%, it ranks as sixth on our list of the top ‘easiest’ medical schools to get in to.
Their application process is not as rigorous as other medical schools; that does not mean it is 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 like more details, you can check out the university’s website.
5. Medical School at the University of Birmingham
Next on the list is the medical school at the University of Birmingham, a popular university that attracts lots of students for multiple reasons.
The university provides a varied style of teaching and hands-on learning. Although courses 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 often a preferred university choice as many students enjoy experiencing all the city has to offer, including an abundance of marvellous greenery and 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 right here.
4. School of Medicine at University of St Andrews
Fourth on the list is a more traditional medical school: The University of St Andrews School of Medicine, which is the oldest medical school in Scotland. It is widely considered a prestigious school and many students enjoy being there; the medical school has a high student satisfaction rate.
Even though it is a relatively small university located in a small town, studying at St Andrews can be full of great opportunities – besides, small schools come with their 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 right here.
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 of Newcastle 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 list is Hull York, a joint medical school of the Universities of Hull and York.
Hull York Medical School offers a more contemporary and modern approach to medicine, making it a popular choice amongst keen students. Being a joint school, students often select this medical school as they find it fun to be part of two different universities at 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 into in the UK. If you are interested, more information can be found on the medical school’s website.
1. Queen’s University Belfast School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
Number one on the list, the easiest medical school to get into in the UK is the medical school at Queen’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 found here – are slightly harder to meet than the other medical schools. The common offer is A*AA at A-Levels. This can be used to explain the high acceptance rate: the students who apply will have already met the tough entry requirements.
The most Competitive Medical Schools in the UK
The University of Bristol, Imperial College London and the University of Birmingham can all be viewed as the most competitive because they have the highest number of applicants.
However, the University of Lincoln is the medical school with the least number of places available (but good if you don’t do as well in your UCAT) so could also be viewed as competitive.
Rate of offers given
Universities with the lowest rate (%) of offers for the number of applicants are Cardiff University, the University of Oxford and the University of Leeds. These percentages range from 9.1-15.9%, showing that the vast majority of applicants are rejected.
At the reverse end of this, there are other universities which much higher rates of offers (%) for the number of applicants. For example, Queen Mary University of London gives offers to almost 60% (59.61%) of applicants, which is actually pretty incredible odds for medical school applications. This drops to 50.79% for Hull York Medical School and then 44.61% for the University of Sheffield.
Lowest number of applicants
If you’re really scared about the competition from other candidates, the universities which seem the least popular (have the lowest number of applicants) are firstly the University of St Andrews, then Aston University and then Lancaster University.
Side note: The reason why the University of St Andrews may be less competitive is that you can’t complete your whole degree at St Andrew’s. Only the preclinical years, after which you receive a BSc and are transferred to another university to complete clinical years.
All of this information can seem really overwhelming so take your time to go through it slowly, and again remember you decide how much weight you want to place on this and which other factors are important to you.
Some other quick reminders to make sure you apply to your “easiest” medical school:
UCAT / BMAT requirements
Make the right choice – UCAT versus BMAT. If you hate writing essays, maybe don’t go for BMAT. If your UCAT score isn’t so strong, be sure to apply to universities that don’t care so much about it.
Equally, if you do really well in your UCAT, be sure to use this to your advantage! We have a whole separate article on this if you want to find out more.
Interview processes (multiple mini interviews/panel interviews / no interview)
If you think you can shine at interviews, then make sure to apply to a university that runs them. Make sure to read up about the different interview styles – if the multiple mini interviews set up sounds really daunting to you, and you think you’re going to freeze – avoid it!
If you thrive in a time precious fast-paced situation, then consider MMI Medical Schools. Multiple mini-interviews might really work to your advantage and help you to secure your place at medical school.
Academic requirements
This might sound really obvious, but please, PLEASE don’t waste a precious application spot on a university where you don’t meet the academic requirements.
Double-check GCSE requirements (some universities calculate scores to determine cut-offs, so make sure you take the time to calculate these) and make sure you’ve got the right A-levels (some universities require Maths or Physics. Some only need Biology or Chemistry so it can really vary). Good luck!
Top 10 UK Universities with High Acceptance Rates
1. Aberystwyth University – 96.1% (Offers extended to students who apply)
Aberystwyth University is a university in Wales and one of the best in the UK for teaching quality and student experience (Times Good University Guide). Its campus is next to the vast expanse of Cardigan Bay, and 97% of Aberystwyth graduates are in employment or further education 6 months after graduation.
2. University of Roehampton – 93.9%
The University of Roehampton is centrally based in London and offers great academic and language support to international students, who make up 14% of the student population. Despite being based in London, tuition fees and on-campus accommodation is competitively priced and affordable for all.
3. Bishop Grosseteste University – 92.2%
Located in Lincoln’s historic and beautiful city, Bishop Grosseteste University is one of the biggest providers of teacher education programmes in the UK. BGU was awarded Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework, which is the highest possible rating given to UK universities based on their quality of teaching, the learning environment and student outcomes.
4. University of Portsmouth – 89.9%
The University of Portsmouth was awarded Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework and, internationally, was ranked in the top 150 of young universities in Times Higher Education World Rankings 2020 and in the top 500 universities in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022.
5. York St John University – 89.4%
York St John University is located in the historic centre of York and 95% of York St John students were in work or further study 15 months after graduating following the Experimental Graduate Outcomes data 2018.
6. Leeds Trinity University – 89%
Leeds Trinity University is located on a beautiful campus just six miles from Leeds city centre. The University “pioneered the inclusion of professional work placements with every degree and is one of the UK’s top universities for employability, with 97% of graduates in employment or further study 15 months after graduating (Graduate Outcomes, HESA 2020).
7. Nottingham Trent University – 88.9%
Many Nottingham Trent University subjects are rated in the top 20 of UK universities (Guardian University Guide 2022) and every NTU course has opportunities to gain practical skills and experience. The University received a Gold award in the most recent Teaching Excellence Framework.
8. Newman University, Birmingham – 88.7%
Newman University Birmingham is a small, intimate institution that hosts a friendly community of staff and students. Small class sizes mean that academic staff can give personal care and attention to each student.
9. University of Exeter – 88.7%
Located in the South West of England, the University of Exeter is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and is ranked amongst the UK’s top universities. It has a vibrant community of over 23,500 students from 130 different countries represented across six academic colleges.
10. St Mary’s University, Twickenham – 88.3%
St Mary’s University is located in West London on a safe and green friendly campus just 30 minutes from the city centre. Students enjoy all the advantages of a perfect location – a personal, self-contained campus community experience in a world renowned city – and the University was ranked as the best University in London for student satisfaction by The Times Good University Guide in 2019.
Best medical schools in the UK in 2021
Medical schools in the UK are at the top of university rankings in Europe, so we’ve decided it’s best to create a list of their own. Keep in mind that while they are considered the best, the study and living costs at these universities are likely higher than at other top universities in Europe.
Here are the best medical schools in the UK, according to QS Rankings 2021 by Subject Medicine:
- University of Oxford – 17.5% acceptance rate
- University of Cambridge – 21% acceptance rate
- University College London – 63% acceptance rate
- Imperial College London – 14.3% acceptance rate
- King’s College London – 13-15% acceptance rate
- The University of Edinburgh – 10% acceptance rate
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- The University of Manchester – 56.1% acceptance rate
- University of Glasgow – 70% acceptance rate
- Queen Mary University of London – 43.6% acceptance rate
In addition to the UK medical schools mentioned above, Times Higher Education 2022 also features the following 3 universities in the top 10:
- University of Sheffield – 85% acceptance rate
- University of Liverpool – 72% acceptance rate
- University of Bristol – 67.3% acceptance rate
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