Anglia Ruskin
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) began as Cambridge School of Art in 1858 and now has campuses in Chelmsford, London and Peterborough as well as its original campus in Cambridge.
ARU accepted its first cohort of medical students in 2018, making it one of the newer Medical Schools in the UK. Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is currently ranked 31st in the UK for medicine by the guardian 2026.
About The Course
Anglia Ruskin runs a five-year medicine course that uses an integrated teaching style and values early clinical experience.
Studying at ARU is ideal for students who want to be close to London without the increased living costs. The Medical School itself is based in Chelmsford, with all of your clinical placements being based in Essex.
Medicine at ARU is 5 years long and is split into 3 phases. Each phase has a different focus.
Structure Of The Course
Year 1
Phase 1 (year 1): This phase focuses on learning clinical sciences in a systems-based approach. This is achieved via lectures, anatomy dissection, small group sessions, clinical skills, laboratory work, clinical placements, and individual study time.
Year 2-3
Phase 2 (years 2-3): Systems-based learning continues in this phase while introducing problem-orientated learning (learning clinical science through clinical problems). This includes both lectures and clinical placements.
Year 4-5
Phase 3 (years 4-5): This phase is mostly about clinical exposure and preparing you for your life as a junior doctor.
Throughout the course you will also have student selected components (SSCs), giving students the opportunity to study an area of their own choice. Assessments will take the form of Single Best Answer exams (SBAs), Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and anatomy spotter exams.
Like all other medical students, you will also be required to pass the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) and a Prescribing Safety Assessment.
Academic Requirements
GCSEs: 5 GCSEs at grade A*-B (9-6), including English Language, Maths and two science subjects.
A-levels: AAA Achieved within two academic years including Chemistry or Biology plus one of either Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics. T-levels: Distinction with a minimum grade A in the core component and minimum merit in specialism. T-level must be in health or healthcare science and be taken within 5 years of application.
Scottish Higher: AAAAA Must include Biology and/or Chemistry and another science subject.
Scottish Advanced Higher: ABB Grades AB to come from Biology and/or Chemistry and another science subject.
International Baccalaureate: 36 points 666 at Higher Level in Biology and/ or Chemistry plus one other science, and including Mathematics or English. Must be achieved within two academic years prior to year of entry.
IELTs (International applicants only): 7.5 overall with a minimum of 7.0 in each component taken within two academic years prior to application. If English is not your first language, you will also need to provide evidence of proficiency in English, including writing, speaking, listening, and reading.
Bachelor's Degree (Graduates only): While there is no graduate entry programme at ARU, applicants with a minimum 2:1 honours degree may apply for the undergraduate course. The degree must be in a biological, biomedical, chemistry or health science subject and the GCSE requirements must be met.
Mitigating Circumstances
Resits policy: A-Level resits will be considered provided AAB (or BBB for Widening Access to Medicine (WAMS) application) was achieved at the first sitting. Resit grades of AAA must be achieved within two academic years prior to application.
Extenuating circumstances: Information has not been publicised regarding extenuating circumstances for applicants. See the contact details at the end of this webpage for ARU admissions to enquire about this.
Transfers: Internal transfers are possible at ARU. Students have the opportunity to transfer onto the first year of the five-year medicine course if they study BSc Medical Science (Chelmsford campus), BSc Biomedical Science (Cambridge campus), or MOptom Optometry (Cambridge campus) at Anglia Ruskin. However, this route is very competitive. In 2023, of 59 applications received only 4 candidates were offered a place. See the ARU website for detailed entry requirements via this route.
Further Entry Requirements
Work experience: It is important for ARU medicine applicants to have some kind of health-related work experience for them to gain insight on the working life of a doctor. This can be voluntary work, shadowing experiences, or employment in the healthcare sector. There is no minimum number of hours of work experience that must be completed.
Personal statement: While your personal statement will not be used during the selection process, you may need to discuss topics from it at interview such as work experiences and motivation to study medicine.
Admissions Process
Application to ARU Medical School must be done via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Deadlines for submission are earlier for medical courses, typically mid-October. This application will include all of your academic history as well as your personal statement and other qualifications/achievements.
Admissions Tests:
UCAT ✅
There is no threshold UCAT score used at ARU’s selection process, instead, candidates who fulfil the minimum requirements are ranked based on their total UCAT score. The top ~500 ranking candidates are then invited to interview. ARU does not consider anyone with an SJT band 4. In 2024 (the most recent data available), the lowest total UCAT score to receive an interview offer was 2480 while the average was 2597. As the 2026 cohort is the first year to sit the UCAT without the Abstract Reasoning component, a likely comparable minimum score is around 1827 and an average of around 1944. Though minimum scores tend to fluctuate slightly year-by-year depending on the cohort performance.
Interview Type: MMI
Interview Topics: MMIs at ARU for the 2026 entry will take place between the 4th – 9th of December 2025 and the 7th – 14th of January 2026. It will consist of 6 interviews, each lasting several minutes with one minute of reading time between each. Topics typically assessed in the interviews are:
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- Interpersonal and communication skills
- Teamwork and leadership
- Preparation and motivation
- Critical thinking
- Ethical/moral reasoning
- Integrity
Admissions Statistics
| Total number of applicants: | 957 |
| Total number of places: | 128 |
| Total number of entrants: | 128 |
| Acceptance rate: | 13.38% |
Fees
| Home students: | £9535 pa |
| Rest of UK: | TBC |
| International students: | TBC |
Teaching Methods
Teaching style: Anglia Ruskin uses numerous different teaching methods, including:
– Lectures
– Labs
– Clinical placements
– OSCEs
– Problem-orientated learning
– Multiple choice and anatomy spotter exams
– Student Selected Components (SSCs)
Graduate Prospects
In 2025, 100% of graduates from ARU medical school were in employment or further education 15 months after completion of the course, with annual earnings averaging £38,000. Additionally, 95% felt they were using what they learnt during the course in their current work.
FAQs
Is Anglia Ruskin good for Medicine?
Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is currently ranked 31st in the UK for medicine by the guardian 2026, and has a high level of reported satisfaction in the program according to the National Student Survey.
What is the UCAT cut off for Anglia Ruskin Medical School?
Although there is no official UCAT cut off score used during ARU’s selection process, the minimum score needed to be invited to interview in 2024 was 2480, which for the 2026 cohort (without the AR component) is likely comparable to 1827. Additionally, note that ARU will not consider candidates who score a band for in the SJT.
Is Anglia Ruskin a prestigious university?
While this question is subjective, ARU was named the Times Higher Education University of the Year 2023. Anglia Ruskin is not a Russell Group university.
What is ARU’s acceptance rate?
In 2024, 957 candidates applied for 128 places, giving an acceptance rate of 13.37%
School Details
- Website
- https://www.aru.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/medicine
- medicine@aru.ac.uk
- Phone
- 01245 686868
School Details
- Website
- https://www.aru.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/medicine
- medicine@aru.ac.uk
- Phone
- 01245 686868
