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An Early application
An Early application
Pupils applying for Medicine, Dentistry, Vet. Medicine and all those applying to Oxford or Cambridge are early applicants. Some pupils applying for Conservatoires (Music) are also early applicants but this is mentioned in our dedicated Conservatoire page .
You can find a link to the recorded webinar about Early applications here
Overview: Application to Medicine
Overview: Application to Medicine
How are Early applications different from other UCAS applications?
How are Early applications different from other UCAS applications?
Earlier deadlines
Earlier deadlines
The UCAS submission deadline mid-October compared to mid-January In practice,you will need to hand in your application to the school by mid- September so we can check it thoroughly. This means you will need to work on your Personal Statement over the summer to meet these deadlines.
Choices for Medicine, Dentistry and Vet medicine
Choices for Medicine, Dentistry and Vet medicine
You can only apply to four medical schools out of 5 possible choices on UCAS The 5th choice can be submitted later as long as it is before the UCAS January deadline.
Additional requirements
Additional requirements
Submitting the application to UCAS is just the first step
Applicants may have to take a pre-admission assessment.
For Oxford and Cambridge, they may have to submit marked or additional written work
For Medical applications you may have to hand in a log of their work experience
Applicants will have to prepare for an interview
The Early Application Process at GWC
The Early Application Process at GWC
Required subjects in S3/4
Required subjects in S3/4
For all Medical schools, you will need Biology and Chemistry at National 5 all the way to Advanced Higher level.
For a small number of medical schools in the UK you also require N5 Physics
you can find detailed entry requirements for each medical school on the Medical School Council website
Consider your subject choice in S5/S6 carefully
Consider your subject choice in S5/S6 carefully
In S5 you must take Higher Biology and Higher Chemistry
In S5 you must take Higher Biology and Higher Chemistry
Taking Higher Chemistry, Biology and either Maths or Physics (or both) will keep all the medical schools open to you.
if you don’t take Higher Maths or Physics but do take Chemistry and Biology, it will keep open the vast majority of medical schools
Subject choice in S6
Subject choice in S6
To cast the net as wide as possible when you’re choosing a Medical School, it’s a good idea to take Advanced Highers in both Chemistry and Biology.
If you don’t take Biology, but do take Chemistry and one from Maths or Physics, fewer medical schools will accept you.
A lot of Medical Schools (24 of them) state that Chemistry at AH is an essential requirement to apply, and 13 Medical Schools specify that you need to have AH in both Chemistry and Biology. If you don’t take AH Biology, around 19 Medical Schools say they will consider you with Chemistry plus Physics or Maths as a second subject.
For around 16 Medical Schools, AH Chemistry isn’t an absolutely essential requirement and they will consider you with Biology plus another science subject or Maths. Some Medical Schools (8) will accept Psychology as a second science subject.
The 3rd subject is less relevant and can be anything for Scottish Medical Schools and most Dentistry and Vet schools. But please check this attentively.
Some English schools may require AH Maths or Physics but not all so it’s important to check.
A few medical schools require Nat 5 Physics (e.g: Queens Belfast, Keele)
You can use this comparative tool to check various schools' entry requirements.
To summarise
- Some Medical schools require BOTH AH Biology AND AH Chemistry
- Some Medical schools require AH Chemistry, + either AH Biology, AH Physics or AH Maths
- Some Medical Schools say they will consider you with either AH Chemistry OR Biology
- Entry requirements are updated regularly by the Medical schools and it is best to double-check the information directly on their own website. If there is conflicting advice, always trust the information found on the university website.
What to do to prepare in S5?
What to do to prepare in S5?
Before the exams
Before the exams
Focus on getting the best grades possible in 5 Higher subjects. This is because getting excellent grades is the first step to be considered for a competitive course.
You may want to sign up for relevant newsletters and attend relevant webinars.
Post Exams
Post Exams
Engage with supercurricular activities and relevant work experience
Engage with supercurricular activities and relevant work experience
Super-curricular activities are activities that take the subjects you study further, beyond the demands of the curriculum. Pupils can explore their chosen subject in many ways; for example, by reading, engaging with online courses, as well as watching videos online, downloading lectures, visiting museums or entering academic competitions.
To be successful pupils need to critically engage with the material, and form their own opinion and judgement. Don’t be a passive consumer but reflect upon what you are learning.
Supercurricular activities are ACADEMIC endeavours that should be intellectually challenging. They are different from extracurricular activities, such as DofE or being part of a sport team.
This will help you writing your Personal Statement as well as performing during the interviews and in your academic studies at university.
We encourage you to create an 'Early applicant folder' to keep track of your reading and activities.
if you are applying to a medical related course, ensure you organise relevant and meaningful work experience.
Start researching your courses
Start researching your courses
As soon as the exams are done start researching your options, in particular the course and look into colleges as well. For medical applications, look at the schools website.
Check their entry requirements- will you need a pre-assessment? Written work? UCAT? What scores do they need? What type of interview to they do? What type of teaching methods do they use?
For medical related application, engage with work experience and keep a reflective log
Over the summer
Over the summer
Work on your personal statement: the first draft should be ready to be checked by your Tutor in August
Practise past papers for the relevant pre-assessments
Continue to engage with super-curricular activities/experience and update your ‘early applicant’ folder’ to keep track of your activities
The Process in S6
The Process in S6
August-October
August-October
Submit the UCAS application on time
(internal deadline in mid-September)
Prepare for the pre-admission assessments and submit your registration form to school if required
September- October
Take the relevant pre-admission assessment. This may happen during the October holidays.
October- December
Check your UCAS email regularly and submit any additional work/ documentation required
Prepare for the Interviews (Club and Mock interviews)
November/January
Go to the interviews. You may be offered more than one for Oxford/Cambridge.
You may receive a decision in December/ January but for some medical schools you may not hear until April.
The importance of Work Experience
The importance of Work Experience
Pupils should attempt to get meaningful work experience and reflect upon it.
NHS Lothian-Step into Healthcare programme
NHS Lothian-Step into Healthcare programme
Due to recent guidelines changes, young people of school age will no longer be able to shadow clinicians from 1st April 2024. However, NHS Lothian has launched their Step Into Healthcare programme which offers a structured approach to work experience in the healthcare field. Please be aware the Step Into Medicine Programme is only open to S5/S6 students.
How to get information about the Step Into Healtcare programme
How to get information about the Step Into Healtcare programme
The next Step Into Medicine programme is scheduled for June 2025.
To join their mailing list and receive updates on upcoming opportunities for next year, please email them at loth.workexperience@nhs.scot with your your full name, email address, school year, and school name.
Other way to gain work experience
Other way to gain work experience
There are alternative ways to gain work experience for medical school. These include private GP practices, nursing homes, volunteering opportunities including NHS Lothian Volunteering virtual work experience programmes, local hospices, and roles involving care for individuals with illnesses or disabilities.
Our enrichment programme at school provides opportunity for volunteering in S5 and S6 as part of the school curriculum. Our careers platform Unifrog may also help pupil find relevant virtual opportunities for volunteering
You should not pay to gain relevant work experience.
How to use Work experience?
How to use Work experience?
Pupils should reflect on their work experience (both in their Personal Statement and in the interview). Quality of work experience is more important than the quantity. It should
Give people-focused experience and provide pupils with an insight into the realities of caring for others
Help to develop the skills and values needed to become a Doctor/Vet/Dentist, such as teamwork, leadership, communication, the ability to interact with different people,
Give a realistic understanding of the physical and emotional demands of a career in these fields
I am an Early applicant and I need to appeal a grade
I am an Early applicant and I need to appeal a grade
Early applicants must fill the Non Priority Appeal Request Form here by the 29 August. They are nor eligible for the Priority appeal as these are reserved for S6 Pupils going to university.
However, the school lets the SQA know that they are an early applicant. In the past, the SQA have endeavoured to return the appeal before the UCAS deadline for Early applicants so they could update their grades on their applications. We hope they will be able to do so again this year, but we cannot guarantee that they will.
What does this mean for my application?
What does this mean for my application?
Let the Careers team know that you are an Early applicant AND which subject(s) you are appealing.
Please submit your application by the internal deadline (11 September). When you submit your application it is NOT sent to UCAS but it enables the Careers team to check it thoroughly and work with you on making it the best that it can be. We will only send it to UCAS once you have received your appeal if it possible to wait for the result.
What if my appeal has not come back before the UCAS Deadline?
What if my appeal has not come back before the UCAS Deadline?
We must send your Early application within the UCAS deadline (16 October) or it won't be considered for an early application.
If you receive a positive outcome on your appeal past the UCAS deadline for submission, you will be able to update your grade by filling a form on UCAS (see here). it may be a good idea to contact the college/university as well to let them know of this update.
Important considerations to choose the right Medical school
Important considerations to choose the right Medical school
(subject choice, UCAT, interview style, course style)
(subject choice, UCAT, interview style, course style)
Each Medical school has different entry requirements and a different admission policy. There are some key things you should take into consideration before choosing which medical school to apply to.
- What subject do you need in S5 and S6?
These vary drastically depending on which Medical school you are applying to. You must check the subject requirements of your prospective medical school very attentively before applying. See below for more information
- How do they use UCAT
You need to be strategic depending on which per-assessment you took and how the medical school use (see below )
- How do they interview?
Some universities will have a traditional panel interview, other will use Multiple Mini Interviews. See below for more information
- What type of course do they offer?
There are two different types of courses:
Traditional Courses are when you’re taught in the classroom for the first few pre-clinical years, then move to a clinical setting in year three or four. This is only found at a small number of Med Schools.
Integrated Courses combine classroom and clinical environments from the start, and you’re taught by topic rather than by discipline. In these courses, you’ll find that the teaching is either problem-based, case-based or enquiry-based, or perhaps a mix.
Make sure you know what these teaching styles are, and think about what would suit you best.
What to do if you don't have the required sciences in S5 and S6?
What to do if you don't have the required sciences in S5 and S6?
Some pupils realise that they want to apply for Medicine at the end of S4 or in S5 and they haven't necessarily picked up the right N5 or Higher subjects to meet the requirements in S6.
If you are in S4 and you haven't picked S5 Chemistry and/or N5 Biology/Human Biology.
If you are in S4 and you haven't picked S5 Chemistry and/or N5 Biology/Human Biology.
Please get in touch with the careers team to discuss your options for S5
If you are in S5
If you are in S5
Medicine with a Preliminary Year
You may need to consider Medicine with a Preliminary Year. Sometimes this course is called a ‘foundation year’. This course takes the form of a five-year Standard Entry Medicine with an additional year at the start, making a six-year course. This course is designed for those who achieved highly at Higher and Advanced Higher but who did not take the required science subjects. This extra year gives students the necessary science training to catch up. It is not a means of boosting the grades of those who do not meet the entry requirements of Standard Entry Medicine.
Graduate entry to Medicine
if you don't have the right subjects or if you haven't secured a place in Medicine you may consider a graduate entry Medicine course. Graduate Entry Medicine is a pathway for graduates and degree-holders who want to study Medicine. The programme is accelerated, so it usually takes 4 years to complete, instead of the 5 or 6 years that Undergraduate Medicine courses take.
There are currently 16 Medical Schools in the UK offering Graduate Entry Medicine courses, and 11 of these say they will consider applicants with non-science degrees. Please note that many of the courses which accept non-science degrees do specify requirements for at least one science A-Level, so make sure you check their websites for specific entry criteria.
The entry requirements for Graduate Entry Medicine vary depending on which course you’re applying to, so you need to check with each Medical School first.
In general, you need:
At least a 2:1 degree
The GAMSAT, UCAT or BMAT admissions test
Relevant work experience
Strong references
A compelling Personal Statement
you can find a list of school offering a graduate entry to Medicine here
Which schools offer a Preliminary year?
Which schools offer a Preliminary year?
Dundee: https://www.dundee.ac.uk/undergraduate/medicine-gateway/entry-requirements
Manchester University – Medicine with Foundation Year: This allows you to spend a year preparing for the 5-year Medicine course if you don’t have the appropriate science qualifications for direct entry.
-Nottingham University – Medicine with a Foundation Year: For students who want to study Medicine but don’t meet the typical entry requirements. The Foundation year gives you the benefit of small class sizes, and upon successful completion of the year, you will transition into the standard Medicine course structure.
Bradford University – Foundation in Clinical Sciences/Medicine: A 1-year course for students who wish to progress onto the BSc in Clinical Sciences or apply to Medical School, but do not have the science A-Levels or the entry requirements for direct entry. Clinical Sciences has a formal link with Sheffield Medical School. Several other Med Schools accept the Foundation Year, but you need to seek advice directly from the individual Med Schools about this.
Buckingham University Medical Sciences (Pre-Med): A 9-month course developed for students who wish to enhance their application to Medical or Dental School. Graduates are awarded a Certificate of Higher Education (CertHE) in Medical Science qualification.
How to use my UCAT score to choose a Medical School
How to use my UCAT score to choose a Medical School
It is the most popular test for Medicine and Dentistry schools. it is a 2h computer-based test which is split into 5 subtests.
In total, there are 225 questions in the UCAT test which include problem-solving, communication, numerical skills, spatial awareness, integrity, empathy and teamwork. Pupils need register for UCAT independently online from June.
The tests are taken in a Pearsons vue centers. There are several tests dates (from July until end of September) and you must sit the UCAT by the end of September before submitting your UCAS application. Here is the list of UCAT universities
How do UCAT universities use UCAT scores?
How do UCAT universities use UCAT scores?
It’s important to understand how each UCAT university considers your UCAT score so that you can be strategic with your application and boost your chances of getting into Medical School.
The approach to scores varies with each UCAT university. Some will only shortlist candidates who meet a cut-off UCAT score, while others weight the score alongside other things like your Personal Statement or academic history.
Rule of thumb:
A score of 2500 and above or the UCAT can be considered ok- 5th to 9th decile for UCAT. Situational Judgement score of 1-2 - you need to think carefully with a score of 3/4 as some schools won't consider you
For Scottish students. Dundee, Aberdeen and Glasgow are good options and there are more spaces open this year in Scotland
Go more granular:
You can find a copy of our 2023/24 year's results anonymised..
There are some very useful pages on the Medic portal
- How universities use UCAT scores
- Where to apply with a Low UCAT score
- Where to apply with a Medium UCAT score
Note You do not need the UCAT to apply for veterinary school. The only entrance exam needed for vet school in the UK is if you are applying to Cambridge Vet School - where you must complete the Natural Sciences Aptitude Test (NSAA)
Two types of interviews
Two types of interviews
MMI
MMI
Most medical schools use MMI (Multiple mini-interviews) which consist of several different stations or small interview scenarios.
MMI interviews usually last around two hours
Most include 10 MMI stations or less
Each station is typically 10 minutes or less
List here
Panel Interviews
Panel Interviews
Other schools use traditional Panel Interviews- fewer schools (which includes Cambridge and Oxford). These are:
Question-focused, rather than task-based. They feel more like a conversation rather than back to back questions
Last between 20 and 40 minutes
The interviewer may be a GP or Nurse, a lecturer, an Admissions Tutor, a Junior Doctor or a current medical student
Medical schools have information on their websites about what they’re looking for during interviews and what topics may be covered.
What support exists for Early applicants in school ?
What support exists for Early applicants in school ?
The school supports Early applicants in a number of ways
Information to pupils and parents: information meetings and dedicated workshops during S5 Futures week in june
Support from the Careers team and the S6 Tutor
Early applicant club- once a week at lunchtime between August and December
Advice on the application process
Interview advice and practice
Advice in choosing your medical school
Rigorous checking of the UCAS application by the Careers team
Mock interviews and mock MMI practice
Maths help with Maths related assessments
Useful links
Useful links
Gaining work experience
Gaining work experience
Step Into Healthcare- the NHS Lothian programme, opened to S5/S6 pupils
Check Unifrog, our Career platform, in particular the Subject Library, Courses and MOOC sections for virtual opportunities
Supercurricular links for Medical related courses
Supercurricular links for Medical related courses
UCAT https://www.themedicportal.com/application-guide/ucat/
BMAT
https://www.themedicportal.com/application-guide/bmat/bmat-guide/
Interview questions for Medicine
Interview questions for Dentistry
Medicine
Medicine
Medic portal- free resources: https://www.themedicportal.com/application-guide/
https://www.medschools.ac.uk/studying-medicine in particular the interactive website about entry requirements
Dentistry
Dentistry
https://studyinghealthcare.ac.uk/applications/dentistry/why-dentistry/
Entry requirements for Dentistry here (PDF) - 2023 entry.
https://www.medentry.co.uk/blog/applying-to-dental-school-strategically-using-your-ucat-score
Vet medicine
Vet medicine
https://www.vetschoolscouncil.ac.uk/applications/information-for-prospective-students/
https://www.vetrecordjobs.com/myvetfuture/vetfuture-secondary-school/
https://animalowners.rcvs.org.uk/veterinary-careers/i-want-to-be-a-vet/
UCAT
UCAT
BMAT
BMAT
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