Please note that this blog is just a guideline and we recommend conducting your own research and contacting the universities themselves before making any significant application decisions.
Over the last few years, the SJT has become an increasingly important part of the medical school application process. Although it is generally not as important as your overall UCAT score, you should still keep your SJT band in mind when applying.
Whether you have a Band 4 and you’re looking for med schools to avoid, or you have a Band 1 and you’re looking for how to make the most of your score, we’ve summarised how all UCAT medical schools use the SJT below.
Which Medical Schools Don’t Look at the SJT?
Since the SJT is relatively new, many medical schools believe evidence for its use is limited. Consequently, they are yet to use it in their selection process, meaning your band is irrelevant. These are:
- Aberdeen (but may be used when making offers to applicants with similar scores)
- Bristol
- Dundee (but “Band 4 may affect the decision on whether or not to make an offer”)
- Glasgow
- Plymouth
- Queen’s Belfast (“except, if necessary, to inform decisions on borderline applicants who have achieved a similar score”)
- Southampton
- St George’s
Which Medical Schools Eliminate Those With Band 4?
For the medical schools that do use the SJT, this is perhaps the most common way it is used. If you have a Band 4 then you should avoid the following:
- Anglia Ruskin – may be used in ‘tiebreak’ situation when making offers also
- Edge Hill
- Edinburgh
- Keele
- Leicester
- Lincoln
- Liverpool (this does not apply to international status applicants)
- Newcastle
- Nottingham
- Manchester
- Sunderland
Which Medical Schools Don’t Specify How the SJT is Used?
A few medical schools have not listed how they use the SJT. It is therefore likely they do not use the SJT. However, we would advise checking with the medical schools themselves before applying. These universities are:
- Aston – they have commented they “accept all four SJT bands”
- Cardiff
- Exeter
Which Medical Schools Use the SJT When Selecting for Interview?
A handful of medical schools place greater weighting on the SJT when selecting students for interviews. This normally involves awarding points for the SJT band, alongside points for the UCAT score and academics. For such universities, a high band in the SJT is obviously advantageous. These are:
- Edinburgh – 15% of selection for interview and 7.5% of selection for offers
- Hull York – contributes up to 15 points to selection for interview. Band 1 is given 15 points, Band 2 given 10 points and Band 3 given 5 points
- King’s – “higher weighting to those with Band 1 and Band 2. The weighting of Band 1 is double the weighting of Band 2. We do not give higher weighting to those with Band 3 or 4”
- Lincoln – awarded up to 4 points. Band 1 is given 4 points, Band 2 given 2 points and Band 3 given 1 point.
- Nottingham – awarded up to 4 points. Band 1 is given 4 points, Band 2 given 2 points and Band 3 given 1 point.
Which Medical Schools Use the SJT in the Interview Process?
As the qualities assessed in SJT overlap with those assessed in many interviews, some medical schools add your SJT score to your interview score.
For these universities, having a higher band is again advantageous. A student walking into the interview with a Band 1 would have an immediate advantage over a student with a Band 3. These medical schools include:
- East Anglia
- Birmingham
- Hull York
- Queen Mary
- Sheffield
- St Andrews
Words and Research: Daniel Huddart
