Cambridge Medical School Requirements For International Students

Are you an international student aspiring to study at Cambridge University? With its prestigious reputation and world-class academics, gaining admission to this renowned institution can be a challenging yet rewarding experience. To be considered for admission, you may need to meet certain qualifications and requirements, such as A Levels, International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement (AP) courses, or the completion of the first year of an undergraduate degree at a non-UK university.

For international students looking to pursue a medical degree at Cambridge University, specific admission requirements must be met. For standard entry medicine (UCAS code: A100), applicants are typically expected to have achieved 37 points in the International Baccalaureate, including chemistry and another science subject, or AAA in A-levels, with chemistry and other science subjects like maths, physics, biology, or psychology. Additionally, a minimum IELTS score of 7.5 overall, with no component falling below 7.0, is usually required for non-native English speakers.

The admission process at Cambridge University is highly competitive and thorough, ensuring that only the most qualified candidates are admitted. Prospective students must submit a complete application through UCAS and receive an offer from one of the university’s Colleges. Interviews and entrance exams may also be part of the selection process, offering international students the opportunity to showcase their academic abilities and suitability for studying at Cambridge. Meeting the specified admission requirements is just the first step towards realizing your dream of studying at one of the world’s most prestigious institutions.

Cambridge university medicine entry requirements

To apply to Cambridge, students would need to have completed, or be studying for, at least 120 points at stage 1 or above, in appropriate subjects. We would expect students to be performing at the highest level, with at least pass grade 2.

Medicine

UCAS code	A100	Duration
Entrance requirements	A*AA (excluding Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and General Studies)	Subject requirements
Admissions test(s)	ox.ac.uk/bmat	Written work
Admissions statistics*	Interviewed: 25% Successful: 9% Intake: 159 ^*³^–^year ^average ²⁰¹⁹^–²¹	Contact

Cambridge Medical School has an acceptance rate of 29% for international students which makes it difficult for them to gain admission into the university. The tuition fees range from £9000-£10300 per year depending on the course selected by the student.

The entry requirements for Cambridge Medical School are quite strict so it is important that you fill out your application form carefully and submit it on time if you want to be considered as an applicant.

If you are planning on going to medical school, you need to make sure that you consider certain factors. One of the most important factors is the acceptance rate.

You would not want to waste your time and money on an institution that has a very low admission rate. You should also consider the tuition fees and accommodation cost if the university is located in another country.

The article below will tell you more about some of these factors so that you can make an informed decision before applying for Cambridge medical school.

cambridge medical school requirements for international students

Minimum offer level

A level: A*A*A
IB: 41-42 points, with 776 at Higher Level
Other qualifications: Check which other qualifications we accept

You can’t apply to this course if you:

will not be 18 years old on 1 November of year 1. This is due to national restrictions
have failed or been excluded from another medical school

We strongly recommend:

that you get some work experience before you apply. This can be paid or voluntary, in a health or social care organisation
that you look at free resources available online. See the Medical Schools Council work experience guide for more information

You should also check the PDF icon Key Criteria for Medical Admissions.

Subject requirements

To apply to any of our Colleges for Medicine, you will need A level/IB Higher Level or the equivalent in:

Chemistry
2 other science or mathematics subjects from:
- Mathematics
- Biology or Human Biology
- Physics
- Further Mathematics

You will usually need A*/7 in Chemistry and another science or mathematics subject.

If you’re taking a science subject not listed above, please contact the College you wish to apply to for advice.

Chemistry, Mathematics and Further Mathematics may not always be the best combination of subjects for this course. Candidates taking these 3 A levels only are advised to contact a College before applying.

What Medicine students have studied

Most Medicine students (who had studied A levels and started at Cambridge in 2017-19) achieved at least A*A*A*.

The majority of IB students achieved at least 44 points overall and/or grades 777 at Higher Level.

All A level entrants had studied Chemistry and most had usually studied at least one of:

Mathematics
Biology

Check our advice on choosing your high school subjects. You should also check if there are any required subjects for your course when you apply.

Offers above the minimum requirement

The minimum offer level and subject requirements outline the minimum you’ll usually need to achieve to get an offer from Cambridge.

In some cases, you’ll get a higher or more challenging offer. Colleges set higher offer requirements for a range of reasons. If you’d like to find out more about why we do this, check the information about offers above the minimum requirement on the entry requirements page.

IB offers

Some Colleges usually make offers above the minimum offer level. Find out more on our qualifications page.

All undergraduate admissions decisions are the responsibility of the Cambridge Colleges. Please contact the relevant College admissions office if you have any queries.

Admissions test

You will need to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test.

You will need to register in advance for this test.

Visit our UCAT page for more information.

Submitted work

You won’t need to submit any written work before your interview. You may be asked to do some reading instead, but we will let you know if this is the case.

Extra requirements if you get offered a place

If you get offered a place on this course we’ll need to check a few extra things with you. We’ll explain what you need to do when we send the offer letter out to you.

Everything you tell us will be confidential. Some of the usual extra checks include:

a criminal record check. In the UK this is called a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check. International students will need an equivalent overseas check. Find out more about criminal record checks
vaccinations – you’ll need to be immunised against certain infectious diseases
blood test – to make sure you can safely take part in certain surgical procedures
occupational health assessment
if you have a disability, specific learning disabilities, SpLD or a long-term health condition we’ll discuss your needs with you

Declaring minor misdemeanours

Minor misdemeanours will not necessarily prevent you from entering the medical profession.

You should declare these in your UCAS application. We will send you the relevant forms to complete if you are offered a place.

Selection requirements

You must be a keen scientist with a sound scientific understanding.

As selection for medical school implies selection for the medical profession, admissions decisions are informed by national guidance on what makes a good doctor. For example:

Professional expectations

The GMC has expectations regarding the attitudes, behaviour and performance of medical students.

Trainee doctors at Cambridge must satisfy the GMC’s fitness to practise requirements, both when applying and throughout the course.

These requirements are in place to ensure the safety of patients.

If you have another undergraduate degree

If you want to study this course as your second degree you need to:

have passes at A level (or equivalent), as listed on this page
have at least a 2:1 at Bachelors level in any subject
apply to study this course at Lucy Cavendish, St Edmund’s or Wolfson Colleges

You can complete the course in 5 years, moving from the end of Year 2 to clinical studies.

Check the Second Undergraduate Degrees page for more information.

You may also be interested in the accelerated Graduate Course in Medicine (A101).

20 Inexpensive Medical Schools in the UK and Scholarships for International Students

Medicine at Cambridge

The key to being a great clinician is combining practical skills with an excellent grounding in the science underlying practice. This course gives you just that.

The course lasts 6 years:

for the first 3 years you focus on scientific principles underlying medicine, alongside a clinical strand. You’ll also get to conduct a full-body dissection, which very few medical schools offer
the last 3 years you apply that knowledge to medical practice as a clinical student, spending much of your time learning directly from patients in GP surgeries and hospitals

You’ll also have opportunities to pursue research and project work throughout the course.

This course is for you if:

it’s your first undergraduate degree
it’s your second degree – you’ll complete the first half of the course in 2 years instead of 3. You can also apply to study the Medicine course for graduates.

If this is your first degree and you successfully complete the first 3 years of the course, you’ll graduate with a BA (Hons) degree.

If you successfully complete the full course, you will graduate with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MB, BChir).

In order to take up the offer of a place to study here, all applicants must meet the qualification requirements of their course. Many students who apply to Oxford are taking A-levels but we also accept a whole range of other equivalent UK and international qualifications. If you are an international student wanting to apply to Oxford, you need to have achieved – or expect to obtain – one of the qualifications listed below with the grades shown, or another equivalent. The qualifications below will only be sufficient alternatives to A-level where they cover the same content as the required A-levels, to the appropriate standard.

Note: Our year-by-year overview of UK medical school course structures can help you see how this course structure compares with progressions through studies, clinical rotations, and (where relevant) intercalation at other medical schools.

Work experience:
Candidates are strongly advised (though not required) to undertake some relevant work experience (either paid or voluntary) in a health or related area.
The medical school is not prescriptive about how this is obtained and recognises the widely differing opportunities available.

Widening access:
No formal access to medicine programme, though contextual factors are considered.
Relevant applications receive contextual flags based on individual, socio-economic and educational disadvantage.
The university delivers a Medicine Summer School with the Sutton Trust, alongside a number of other subject-specific outreach interventions.

Teaching style notes:
Three years of pre-clinical medicine taught via supervisions, seminars, and practicals.
Full body cadaveric dissection.
Intercalated tripos.
Three years of clinical medicine taught in Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Personal statement:
Personal statement is reviewed prior to interview but not scored

Notes about admissions test:
No pass mark.
Each college uses the BMAT differently.
Refer to college website for specific guidance.

Type of interview:
Traditional interview
Interview notes:
Candidates are assessed on: Understanding of the scientific basis of medicine & recent innovation, personal qualities showing aptitude to medical practice, communication skills, understanding of ethical and legal issues related to medicine, teamwork, teaching, and the ability to evaluate & research.
Candidates have at least two panel interviews, each lasting from twenty to forty-five minutes. Interviewers are usually admissions tutors and practising clinicians.

Intercalation notes:
As explained in this medical school’s prospectus(link is external): “It also has a compulsory intercalated year in third year (Part II) which means you can study any one topic from the Natural Sciences Tripos, such as pathology or pharmacology or even history and philosophy of science. This broadens your horizons of knowledge outside core medicine….”

Medical school history:
The current medical school was established in 1976, although teaching of medicine at Cambridge has a longer history. The Linacre Readership in Medicine was founded in 1524, and the Regius Professor of Physic was established in 1540.

Teaching and facilities

Teaching

Clinical teaching is delivered on the wards and in general practice. There are also additional opportunities to attend general and specialist outpatient clinics.

The course is based in Cambridge. Some of the course is also delivered in regional hospitals or practices, to take advantage of the different educational opportunities they offer.

Facilities

This Cambridge Medical course embodies teaching from world experts, progressive technology and modern facilities.

Along with all other students at Cambridge, you’ll also have access to:

our impressive Cambridge University Library, one of the world’s oldest university libraries

Course costs

When you go to university, you’ll need to consider two main costs – your tuition fees and your living costs (sometimes referred to as maintenance costs).

Your living costs will include costs related to your studies that are not covered by your tuition fees. There are some general study costs that will apply for all students – you can find details of these costs here.

Other additional course costs for Medicine are detailed below. If you have any queries these costs, please contact the Department.

Equipment

To buy and maintain essential equipment for the course, the estimated cost is £60. Equipment includes:

University approved scientific calculator
Lab coat
Safety glasses
Dissecting instruments
Gloves

You will also need:

Theatre clogs – estimated contribution £10
Stethoscope – estimated cost £60 to £100. This is only required for the clinical part of the course (years 4 to 6)

Placements – years 1 to 3

Costs for the Preparing for Patients modules vary and are detailed below. You are expected to cover the costs detailed below, plus basic subsistence costs.

Preparing for Patients A (year 1) – travel costs, approximately £25
Preparing for Patients B (year 2) – one week of College accommodation, approximately £130
Preparing for Patients D (year 3) – travel costs, approximately £25

Clinical placements – years 4 to 6

Clinical placements start from year 4 of your course and will vary from student to student. You will be on placement at hospitals across the East Anglia Region.

The types of cost you will be expected to cover and those covered by the School of Clinical Medicine are detailed below.

The School will pay the cost of one return journey for each clinical placement.
Costs of accommodation near the clinical placement hospitals are covered by the School.
You are expected to cover basic subsistence costs during your placements.

Optional study abroad – year 5

In year 5 there is an opportunity to go abroad for 7 weeks. If you do, the estimated cost is around £3,000. College and national grants may be available to help you cover these costs.

Course funding

You may be able to get funding from the NHS to help pay for your studies. Find out more about the NHS Bursary.

Disabled students

The University respects and adheres to the GMC’s guidance on supporting disabled learners. You can view the guidance on the GMC’s Welcomed and valued website.

In your first 3 years, your College and the Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre (ADRC) will arrange most of your support.

During your clinical studies, the School of Clinical Medicine can arrange support. The School has a Student Academic Support Lead. They are a member of academic staff and they facilitate learning for disabled students.

Becoming a doctor

As a graduate you’ll be able to get provisional registration with the General Medical Council (GMC). The GMC has certain expectations about attitudes, behaviour and performance of medical students.

Read about registering as a doctor on the General Medical Council website.

You can then go anywhere in the country to complete two years as a junior doctor. These are known as Foundation Years. At the end of these two years you can register with the GMC as a doctor.

Read about the foundation programme on the UK Foundation Programme website.

If you’re graduating from 2025 onwards, you’ll need to take the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA).

This is a test introduced by the General Medical Council to test the core knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to practise safely in the UK.

Read about the medical licensing assessment on the General Medical Council website.

Your future career

We enable students to develop the excellent communication, clinical, interpersonal and professional skills required for good medical practice.

As a graduate you’ll be ready for a range of careers across:

general practice
medicine
psychiatry
other specialities

If you’re interested in an academic research career, our MB/PhD Programme leads to the MB, BChir and PhD degrees. Read about the MB/PhD on the School of Clinical Medicine website.

cambridge university medicine fees

Next, we review cambridge university medicine fees, cambridge medical school acceptance rate, oxford university medicine entry requirements and undergraduate medicine uk.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees for international students depend on the course you’re studying (see table below). Please note:

fees listed are per year and are fixed for the duration of the course
for international students undertaking a year abroad, the tuition fee payable to the University of Cambridge during the year abroad will be 50% of the full fee
for international students taking Veterinary Medicine, the tuition fee payable in Year 3 will be the tuition fee for the course taken in that year – see the course page for details

International tuition fees for 2022 entry

Group	Courses	Tuition Fee
1	Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic; Archaeology; Asian and Middle Eastern Studies; Classics; Economics; Education; English; History; History and Modern Languages; History and Politics; History of Art; Human, Social, and Political Sciences; Land Economy; Law; Linguistics; Modern and Medieval Languages; Philosophy; Theology, Religion, and Philosophy of Religion	£23,340
2	Mathematics	£26,031
3	Architecture; Geography; Music	£30,537
4	Chemical Engineering; Computer Science; Engineering; Management Studies; Manufacturing Engineering; Natural Sciences; Psychological and Behavioural Sciences	£35,517
5	Medical and Veterinary Science (including for this purpose the Second M.B. and Second Vet.M.B. Examinations)	£60,942

College fees

All international/overseas fee status students, and those Home fee status students who aren’t eligible for tuition fee support (eg affiliate students), normally have to pay an annual College fee in addition to University tuition fees. This covers the cost to your College of providing a range of educational, domestic and pastoral services and support.

Living costs

Your living expenses may be higher than for a UK student (eg if you stay in Cambridge/the UK during vacations). In 2021-22, the minimum resources needed in Cambridge for the year (excluding tuition and College fees) are estimated to be approximately £11,440, depending on lifestyle (this figure is rounded up to the nearest £10 and you should allow for increases in future years).

Please note that all students should ordinarily be available to live and study in Cambridge for the full duration of their course (with the exception of the year abroad where part of the course).

cambridge medical school acceptance rate

More details coming up on cambridge medical school acceptance rate, oxford university medicine entry requirements and undergraduate medicine uk.

The University of Cambridge, School of Clinical Medicine is ranked #3 amongst the best medical schools in the world by QS World Ranking 2021 (10th globally). As one of the most competitive medical schools, only 21% of applicants are accepted and the university receives 5 applicants per seat.

The university’s School of Clinical Medicine has an acceptance rate of only 21%. Only 2% of applicants from around the world receive admission offers, making it one of the most selective medical programs in all of Europe.

The school’s entry requirements are some of the highest in the country, and students must complete a three-year pre-medical course before applying. The university also accepts students who have completed their undergraduate studies at other institutions through a variety of transfer programs.

The university offers two different curricula: a Bachelor’s degree program that lasts five years and culminates in an MBCHB degree, or a Master’s degree program that lasts two years and culminates in an MBChB/MBBS qualification.

undergraduate medicine uK

Introduction to Medicine

Medicine is one of the most competitive courses in the UK to gain entry to, but every year thousands of international students are accepted into medical school. If your grades are of the highest standard, and if you can prove that you have set your heart on studying and working in this field, then applying to read Medicine in the UK is for you. 3 As at A-level, including chemistry or biology, an IB of 38 or IELTS score of 7.0 is the academic standard required for undergraduate Medicine.

A strong first degree and a successful career record are required for graduate Medicine and work experience of one day a week for six months in a hospital, care home, hospice or other caring environment is the sort of evidence of intent the medical schools will be expecting and looking for. Understanding of the National Health Service and how it works is also crucial for international applicants.Your Medicine Application

SI-UK is here to help with your medicine application. Take the first step and arrange your free consultation online or at our London office today.

The entry standards for any medical school are strict and exacting. Interviews for admission can be tough and students should expect questioning on motivation, previous work, personal interests, as well as being able to produce evidence of all previous achievements, including relevant work experience. A number of medical schools will expect completion of the clinical aptitude test, UCAT.

Careers in Medicine

With the number of positions medical graduates can move into numbering over 60, there is no shortage of opportunity depending on what area you wish to specialise in. Areas of expertise generally fall into the following categories:

Anaesthetics
General Practice
Medicine
Pathology
Psychiatry
Radiology
Surgery

Medicine Entry Requirements

Undergraduate: If you decide you want to study medicine, you will need to enrol at a medical school, which is often part of a university, but will have strong links to local hospitals and medical practises. To initially study at undergraduate level, students will need AAA grades, with either Chemistry or Biology a requirement.

For international students wishing to study Medicine at undergraduate level, an IELTS score of no less than 6.5 across all four categories – reading, writing, speaking and listening – with an overall 7.0 score generally required at most universities.

Foundation: Once undergraduate study of two-years has been completed, medical students will then move on to Foundation training, lasting another two-years. This brings together medical school graduates, other postgraduates and various health care providers. Once completed, you will move into your specialist training path.

Speciality Training: Once you have completed four-years of study, now the serious work begins! The entry process once you have decided on which area you wish to specialise in is extremely competitive, so plenty of hard work is needed to ensure you can secure a place in the area you wish to focus on. Training here can last for anything up to seven years, and upon completion you will be awarded a Certificate of Completion Training (CCT).

UK Clinical Aptitude Test

The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is part of the selection process of some UK medical and dental schools. It is an online test designed to test cognitive abilities, attitudes, critical thinking, and logical reasoning. There are four reasoning tests and a situational judgement test.

– Verbal Reasoning. Assesses ability to think logically about written information and arrive at a reasoned conclusion: 21 minutes, with 11 passages to read and 44 questions.

– Quantitative reasoning. Assesses ability to solve numerical problems: 24 minutes, 9 tables, charts, graphs etc. as information and 36 questions.

– Abstract reasoning. Assesses ability to infer relationships from information by convergent and divergent thinking: 13 minutes and 55 questions.

– Decision Analysis. Assesses ability to deal with various forms of information to infer relationships, make informed judgements, and decide on an appropriate response: 32 minutes, 1 scenario full of information and 28 questions (basic calculator provided)

– Situational Judgement. Measures your responses in situations, and your grasp of medical ethics: 27 minutes and 67 questions on 20 scenarios.