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.
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 AAA achieved within two academic years including Chemistry or Biology plus one of either Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics.
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
The admissions process is split into three phases.
Phase 1: Academic Screen
At this stage, any applications in which the applicant does not meet any minimum academic requirements (e.g. GCSE/ A-Level grades) will be disregarded.
Phase 2: Shortlisting
At this stage, all applicants that meet the minimum academic requirements will be ranked by their UCAT score. You will get extra shortlisting points if you live/ study in the East of England, with extra points for Essex.
Phase 3: Interviews
Interviews at ARU follow the MMI format.
Admissions Tests:
UCAT ✅
They include the UCAT score within the selection process, but do not have a standard cut-off value. Applicants will be ranked by their UCAT score and a certain number will be invited to an Interview Day, provided they meet the main academic entry requirements. For 2023, the lowest UCAT score invited to interview was 2640 (or 2570 is local). Anybody scoring a band 4 in the SJT will not be considered.
Interview Type: MMI
Interview Topics:
- Ethical/ moral reasoning
- Interpersonal and communication skills
- Empathy
- Teamwork and leadership
- Critical thinking
- Integrity
- Familiarity with NHS, NHS constitution and GMC expectations of medical students.
Admissions Statistics
| Total number of applicants: | 1243 |
| Total number of places: | TBC |
| Total number of entrants: | TBC |
| Acceptance rate: | TBC |
Fees
| Home students: | £9250 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
As ARU’s programme is very new and only produced its first cohort of qualified doctors in the summer of 2023, there is limited data about graduate outcomes. However, as ARU now has full GMC licensing, graduates are able to follow the usual NHS foundation programme.
Additionally, 99% of students are still on the course or have completed it.
FAQs
Is Anglia Ruskin good for Medicine?
ARU’s medicine course was only available from September of 2018, so there is much less data on graduate success/ student satisfaction than other universities. According to the complete university guide, ARU is 24th in the UK for medicine overall, scoring 3.81/5 for student satisfaction.
What is the UCAT cut off for Anglia Ruskin Medical School?
ARU does not use a UCAT cut off score. Instead, applicants are ranked by their UCAT score and the top proportion will be invited to interview. For 2023 entry, the applicant with the lowest UCAT score invited to interview had a score of 2570. For ARU, a band 4 in the SJT is an automatic rejection.
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 the 2023 application cycle, 40% of applicants were invited to interview and 7% of applicants were offered a place.
What is Anglia Ruskin University ranked?
According to the Times Higher Education World rankings, ARU is ranked 39th in the UK and is in the top 350 institutions in the world as of 2023.
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
