Queen’s Belfast
Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) Medical School started delivering medical programmes in 1849 and has been training students ever since.
QUB is ranked 7th in the UK for medicine by the Complete University Guide 2024 and 13th in the UK by the Guardian 2024.
About The Course
Queen’s Belfast Medical School possesses world-class facilities to support its students, including a state-of-the-art modern dissection suite in which students learn through full-body dissection.
Highlights of studying medicine at Queen’s Belfast include clinical contact from the onset and the option to intercalate in either a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.
Queen’s Belfast’s Medicine five year integrated system-based programme offers various teaching styles from lectures, clinical experience and tutorials. It is one of the few medical schools in the UK that teaches students about anatomy through cadaveric dissections.
The course is integrated with four ‘Double-Helix Themes’ combined into each module over the five years. These themes are ‘General & Population Health’, ‘Clinical Science & Practice’, ‘Achieving Good Medical Practice’ and ‘Teamwork for Safe Care’.
Structure Of The Course
Year 1-2
The first two years at Queen’s Belfast focus on the scientific basis of medicine with teaching structured around bodily systems. Within each system, you will learn about the cellular mechanisms, pathology, genetics and therapeutics. From the start of Year one, students experience clinical skills training in which they engage with patient contact.
Year 3
The third year introduces a greater focus on clinical experience, in which students will spend more time in associated hospitals and general practices. Teaching in Year 3 is focused around medical and surgical disciplines. While more time is spent in clinical environments, classroom-based teaching continues to provide an integrated learning experience.
Year 4-5
The final two years at Queen’s Belfast Medical School focus on placements in more specialised areas of medicine including reproductive health, mental health, cancer and general practice. Finally, at the end of the programme, students can undergo an assistantship designed to prepare them for the foundation jobs they will soon be starting.
Academic Requirements
GCSEs: A minimum of a grade C/4 in GCSE Mathematics, English and Physics (or
grades CC/44 in GCSE Double Award Science) are required if not offered at AS-Level or A-level.
A-levels: A*AA or AAA with an A in an extra AS-level Chemistry plus Biology/Human Biology (or Chemistry with Mathematics/Physics and an AS-level of B in Biology).
Scottish Higher: ABBBB Chemistry (Grade A) plus a grade A in at least one from Biology, Mathematics and Physics are required.
Scottish Advanced Higher: AAA Three Advanced Highers are necessary unless applicants achieved five A grades in their Highers.
International Baccalaureate: 36 points Must include Chemistry and Biology at Higher Level.
IELTs (International applicants only): Overall score of 7.5 with a minimum of 7 in speaking and listening and 6.5 in reading and writing.
Bachelor's Degree (Graduates only): 2:1 degree classification with A-level grades of at least ABB/AAC or a first class degree with A-level grades of at least BBB/ABC. Additionally, the A-levels must conclude Chemistry and at least one of Biology/Human Biology, Mathematics or Physics.
Further Entry Requirements
Work experience: While there is no specified quantity of work experience required for the application process, candidates are advised to gain as much as they can to ensure they have an appropriate understanding of what a degree and career in medicine involves. Additionally, experience can help students in answering questions in the interview process.
Personal statement: Not scored as part of the application process but may be looked at. Additionally, all personal statements undergo a plagiarism check and if detected, applicants will be required to provide a written explanation.
Admissions Process
Application to Queen University Belfast 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 ✅
All candidates are required to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) in order to apply for Medicine at Queen’s Belfast. You can learn more about the UCAT in our guide. Queen’s Belfast allocated points to different bandings of UCAT scores which are then used to form part of a ranking. For example, a UCAT score of 2100-2299 will receive two points whereas a score of 2900-2600 will receive six points. Situational Judgement test scores are used in borderline decisions. You can find out what typical UCAT scores applicants who receive an interview/offer have below in ‘admissions statistics’.
In 2022,the average UCAT score for those who received an interview was 2602, but remember that students rankings are based more upon GCSE grades than UCAT scores.
Interview Type: MMI
Interview Topics: As described above, points are given to students based upon their UCAT score in addition to their GCSE grades. These scores then form a ranking in which the top x students will be selected to attend an interview. The weighting given to UCAT vs GCSE points changes year on year but typically 4x more points are made from GCSE grades.
If you receive sufficient points in order to be offered an interview these will take place between January and March which plan to be held face-to-face from 2024.
Queen’s Belfast uses Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI’s) in their selection process which consists of seven to nine stations and are designed to assess qualities such as empathy, problem solving skills, moral reasoning and communication skills.
To find out more about medical interviews at Queen University Belfast, you can explore our school-by-school guide.
Candidates successful with the interview process can expect an offer typically sent out around late March/early April.
Admissions Statistics
| Total number of applicants: | 1125 |
| Total number of places: | 262 |
| Total number of entrants: | 262 |
| Acceptance rate: | 23.29% |
Fees
| Home students: | £4750 pa |
| Rest of UK: | £9250 pa |
| International students: | £36900 pa (£44,200 in clinical years) |
Teaching Methods
Teaching style: Medicine at Queen’s Belfast is integrated with four ‘Double-Helix Themes’ combined into each module over the five years as outlined above in ‘Structure of the Course’. Additionally, content is delivered using a body systems based approach. Teaching involves a variety of delivery methods present throughout the years including full-body dissection for anatomy, case-based learning, lectures and group work.
Intercalation mode: Intercalation is available at the end of Year two or three in which students can take a year out of their medical degree to gain either a Bachelor or Master’s level qualification in a different field of study.
Graduate Prospects
Around 99% of graduates from Queen’s Belfast Medical School were in full time work or further study 15 months after their graduation. The average earnings for graduates at this time were £36,000.
FAQs
What are the A-level entry requirements for Queen’s Belfast medicine?
Typical A-level requirements are A*AA or AAA including Chemistry and Biology/Human Biology. Additional and alternative requirements are outlined above in ‘Academic Requirements’.
Where is Queen’s Belfast Medical School ranked?
Queen’s Belfast is ranked 7th in the UK for medicine by the Complete University Guide 2024 and 13th in the UK by the Guardian 2024.
How many years is Queen’s Belfast undergraduate medicine?
Five years.
Does Queen’s Belfast have good student satisfaction?
Yes, in 2021 Queen’s Belfast placed second in the UK for student satisfaction with 90% of students saying they were happy with their teaching.
School Details
School Details
Meet Alexander below. He's a first year medic at QUB and is here to give you some helpful insights into what the university is really like!
