Oxford

Oxford Medical School is a highly prestigious and internationally recognised medical school, located in the beautiful city of Oxford.

Not only is Oxford consistently ranked top 10 in UK medical schools (depending on the system), the Times Higher Education ranked the University of Oxford as number 1 in the world in 2023 and 2024 for medicine!

About The Course

Students at Oxford Medical School receive a comprehensive grounding in medical and biomedical sciences during their pre-clinical years and a variety of experience during placements in clinical years.

As Oxford has a relatively small cohort for medicine, students benefit from a close-knit community and a relaxed atmosphere in which they can get to know their peers and staff members well.

Oxford’s medical degree programme follows a more traditional structure with a split between pre-clinical and clinical years, three years in each.

Structure Of The Course

Year 1-3

The first three years at Oxford Medical School are dedicated to the science underpinning medicine including physiology, pharmacology, biochemistry and anatomy. These three years will be taught primarily through lectures and practicals, with the remainder of your time allocated to self-directed study and extra-curricular activities. Oxford employs a college tutorial system in all of their courses including medicine in which two to four students receive tailored teaching from a tutor. Finally, in the third year, students will engage in a research project.

Year 4-6

The latter three years at Oxford Medical School are based in Oxford University Hospital Trusts and GPs around the area in which you will be taught by clinicians as well as University staff. Students’ first clinical year is focused on perfecting clinical skills with rotations in surgery and medicine within hospital trusts. Year five comprises six eight-week placements in specialties including Psychiatry, Obs & Gynae, Paediatrics etc. The final year aims to prepare students for starting their foundation jobs as well as sitting their final exams.

Academic Requirements

GCSEs: No formal GCSE requirements.

A-levels: A*AA. Must include Chemistry and at least one of Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Biology or Physics.

Scottish Higher: AAAAA

Scottish Advanced Higher: AA. Must include Chemistry, plus one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics.

International Baccalaureate: 39 points. 766 at HL, including Chemistry and at least one from Biology, Physics and Mathematics.

IELTs (International applicants only): 7.5

Further Entry Requirements

Personal statement: Unlike most other UK medical schools, Oxford do consider applicants' personal statements. They recommend that you consider Oxford’s selection criteria when you write it.

Admissions Process

Application to Oxford 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. At Oxford, you can apply either to individual colleges or to the university as a whole.

Admissions Tests:

UCAT ✅
2024 is the first year Oxford have moved from the BMAT to the UCAT. It has not been specified how it will be used.

Interview Type: Traditional

Interview Topics: The number and style of interviews vary depending on the individual college but typically follow a more panel style interview in which you will meet with two tutors. Be sure that you are very familiar with your personal statement and that you are ready to discuss any element of it with the tutors.

Applicants who are successful in the interview stage can expect an offer in early January.

You can learn more about medical interviews at Oxford on our school-by-school guide.

Admissions Statistics

Total number of applicants:	1350
Total number of places:	155
Total number of entrants:	168
Acceptance rate:	12.44%

Fees

Home students:	£9250 pa
Rest of UK:	£9250 pa
International students:	£57690 pa

Teaching Methods

Teaching style: Oxford employs the very tradition split between preclinical and clinical teaching. One of the unique aspects of Oxford teaching is the use of tutorials in which students receive small group, individually tailored teaching. In addition, students learn through a mixture of lectures, lab workshops and practicals. In clinical years, teaching is primarily delivered by physicians.

Graduate Prospects

In 2021, 94% of graduates from Oxford medicine were in full time employment or further study with average earnings being £34,500 annually.

FAQs

How hard is it to get into Oxford Medicine?

Competition at Oxford Medical School is strong with a 12.4% success rate, meaning roughly 1 in 8 applicants receive an offer.

Why is Oxford Medicine six years long?

The length of Oxford’s course is due to its traditional split into pre-clinical and clinical years. Oxford puts a larger emphasis on the scientific basis of medicine compared to other medical schools.

Is it harder to get into Oxford or Cambridge Medicine?

Cambridge has slightly higher entry requirements of A*A*A at A-levels while Oxford require A*AA. However Cambridge has a slightly higher acceptance rate of 14% compared to Oxford’s 12.4%.

What admissions test do you need for Oxford Medicine?

Oxford has just changed from the BMAT to the UCAT.