Manchester

Manchester School of Medicine is the largest in the UK and is the third oldest in England, having been opened in 1873. In addition to having their own medical course, they also take St Andrews students in their clinical years.

Manchester Medical School is currently ranked 20th in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2026 and 25th for Medicine in the UK by the Guardian 2026.

About The Course

Manchester’s MBChB degree is a 5-year long course which gives their students all the knowledge, professional behaviours and clinical skills required to become a doctor in the UK. A wide variety of teaching and learning opportunities gives their students a diverse education to be able to meet the demands of a career in medicine.

Manchester’s 5-year curriculum focuses on active learning through clinical placements from the first year and themed case discussions. These are supplemented with teaching via lectures, practical classes including anatomy dissection and team based learning.

Structure Of The Course

Year 1

The first year at Manchester is primarily spent on their Oxford Road Campus, though you will spend time in community and hospital settings. The two modules in year one are Life Cycle in which you will learn about cellular & molecular processes and Cardiorespiratory Fitness which focuses on the chest, heart and lungs.

Year 2

Similarly, Year 2 is mostly spent on campus. The two modules in this year are Mind and Movement where you will learn about the brain, locomotor system and mental health. The second module is Nutrition, Metabolism and Excretion in which you will learn about the gastrointestinal system, the kidneys and the hormonal system. Students also have the opportunity to start exploring personal interests within medicine through the Personal Excellence Path.

Year 3

In Year 3, you are introduced to full time clinical study with five placements in the associated teaching hospitals around Greater Manchester. However, you will still receive face-to-face teaching at the university. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to undertake a research project at the end of the year.

Year 4

Year 4 involves clinical placements focussing on specialities for example in women’s health, oncology, dermatology, mental health and many more. At the end of the year, students are able to undergo an elective placement, commonly overseas.

Year 5

The final year at Manchester is aimed at preparing students for final exams and starting their foundation jobs within the NHS. Clinical placements in year five involve surgery, general practice and acute medicine.

Academic Requirements

GCSEs: At least seven GCSEs at grade A (7) or A* (8+). English Language, Mathematics and at least two science subjects are required at GCSE minimum grade B (6). If Dual Award Science or Core and Additional Science are offered, the minimum required is BB (66).

A-levels: AAA while A-level contextual offer is AAB. Both of these offers must include Chemistry or Biology/Human Biology and one of the following subjects; Chemistry, Biology/Human Biology, Physics, Psychology, Mathematics/Further Mathematics. Additionally, Manchester requires applicants to pass the practical element of any science A-level taken due to the emphasis of practical skills in the medical course.

Scottish Higher: AAAA by the end of Secondary 5 and AA by the end of Secondary 6. Including Biology/Chemistry plus a second science (as listed in the A-level requirements).

Scottish Advanced Higher: AAA Chemistry or Biology; a second science (from Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Psychology or Physics); plus one other rigorous academic subject. Other combinations accepted, see their website for details

International Baccalaureate: 36 points with at least 666 at higher level Mandatory subjects must include Chemistry or Biology plus another science, similar to A-level requirements

IELTs (International applicants only): A minimum average score of 7.0 and with not less than 6.5 in any one component taken at the same sitting

Mitigating Circumstances

Resits policy: Students who have resat their A-levels are welcomed however there are increased requirements. Firstly, only one resit is allowed at either year 12 or year 13. Secondly, minimum grades on the first sit for year 13 exams must be ABB. Finally, after resitting, applicants must achieve A*A*A in the subjects specified above. You may reapply to Manchester medical school if previously unsuccessful, however, after two consecutive failed applications, candidates will no longer be considered.

Extenuating circumstances: Candidates can check with the University if there are mitigating circumstances adjustments available for their application. Additionally, contextual offers (outlined above) are available for those with disadvantaged backgrounds.

Deferred entry: Students who wish to defer their year of entry are welcomed, however, it is preferred that this is stated at the point of entry as deferral may not be possible once an offer has been made.

Transfers: Transfers from other medical schools are not considered. If you wish to enrol at Manchester Medical School, you must start from year one.

Further Entry Requirements

Work experience: Although no specific number of hours in work experience is required, Manchester expects applicants to have relevant work experience so that they have a realistic idea of what a career in medicine involves. Additionally, experience in care or other healthcare settings is very beneficial for the interview process.

Personal statement: Manchester doesn’t directly assess your personal statement as part of the selection process, but you will be able to use most of what you have written as the starting point for your Non-Academic Information Form, which explains why you’ve decided to apply. The Non-Academic Information Form in their submission to Manchester Medical School which is sent to applicants via email after their UCAS submission.

Admissions Process

All applications to Manchester must be submitted via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) by October. This application will include all of your academic history as well as your personal statement and other qualifications/achievements. Candidates are screened according to whether they meet the academic requirements outlined above before moving onto the next stage of the application process which considers UCAT scores and then interview performance.

Admissions Tests:

UCAT ✅
All candidates are required to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) in order to apply. You can learn more about the UCAT in our guide. Manchester calculates a threshold score each year depending on cohort results. Those who exceed the threshold will be invited to interview. Additionally, applicants must achieve band 1 or 2 in the SJT component.

In the 2025 admission cycle, the UCAT threshold was placed at 2710, and the average score for a shortlisted candidate was 2904. For the 2026 application cycle however, the UCAT has removed the abstract reasoning component of the test which means likely comparable scores would be a threshold of 2057 and an average score of 2251. Remember that thresholds change year by year depending on cohort performance, so scores above this threshold do not guarantee you an interview at Manchester.

Interview Type: MMI

Interview Topics: Interviews at Manchester are a formal but friendly process and comprise 5 eight minute stations, with a two minute gap between each. Although interview topics are not directly specified, Manchester list the following areas as examples of what you can expect:

Ability to communicate
Why you want to be a doctor
Previous caring experience
Ethical issues
Matters of a medical interest

For the latter two topics, our ‘hot topics’ guides may be useful for your interview preparation.

Interviews for the 2026 cycle will take place between December and early March.

You can find out more about interviews at Manchester in our school-by-school guide.

If you are successful in your interview, you will receive an offer from March onwards.

MMI, available in person or online (note there are limited places for each option which are allocated on a first come first served basis).

Admissions Statistics

Total number of applicants:	2305
Total number of places:	401
Total number of entrants:	401
Acceptance rate:	17.40%

Fees

Home students:	£9535 pa
Rest of UK:	TBC
International students:	£39900 pa (applies to years one and two, £60,900 pa for years 3-5.)

Teaching Methods

Teaching style: Manchester uses an integrated style of teaching, where the preclinical years (years one and two) are taught mainly on campus through a mixture of lectures, group work and clinical experience. Teaching in the later years is primarily through clinical placements.

Intercalation mode: At Manchester, you also have the opportunity to intercalate, not only with a bachelor’s or master’s degree, but you also have the possibility to intercalate with a PhD in a subject of your interest.

Graduate Prospects

15 months after graduating from Manchester, 99% of medical graduates are either in full time employment or future study and 86% felt positive about their teaching on the course.

FAQs

Is Manchester a good university for medicine?

Manchester is the largest medical school in the UK and is ranked 20th in the UK for medicine by the Complete University Guide 2026. However, it is more important to look at how each school’s curriculum is structured and which style is best suited to you.

What is Manchester medicine famous for?

Apart from being the largest UK medical school, Manchester is famous for its world firsts in cancer research.

How hard is it to get into Manchester?

Academic requirements for medicine are challenging, including top A-levels and a good UCAT score. In 2025, 2305 candidates applied for 401 places at Manchester, giving an acceptance rate of 17.4%.

What is the tuition fee for Manchester medicine?

For 2026, for UK students, the tuition fee is the national standard of £9,535. However, international students are charged between £39,900 and £50,900 depending on which year they are in.