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Which Medical Schools Reduce Their Offer for an EPQ
Many students take three A-Levels and decide to add an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) on top. An EPQ has two advantages when applying to medicine. First, a year of independent research gives you something concrete to talk about in your personal statement and at interview. But more importantly, some medical schools will lower their offer by a grade if you achieve a good EPQ grade, which on results day can be the difference between keeping and losing your place. This article goes over the six schools that reduce their offer for an EPQ, the conditions each attaches, and whether an EPQ makes any difference to getting an interview.
Schools that reduce the offer for an EPQ
Six schools have a published route where the EPQ can lower a grade or stand in for another qualification. At every other medical school the EPQ has no effect on your offer, whatever grade you get.
- Sheffield: AAA becomes AAB + EPQ grade A. The A must be in Chemistry or Biology, and Sheffield must be your firm choice.
- HYMS: AAA becomes AAB + EPQ grade A, with AA in Biology and Chemistry. HYMS must be your firm choice.
- Keele: A*AA becomes AAA + EPQ grade A.
- Leicester: A*AA becomes AAA + EPQ grade B. An EPQ at B or above also earns bonus points in Leicester's academic score.
- Lancaster: AAA may become AAB for applicants offering a fourth subject or an EPQ.
- QUB: An A in the EPQ replaces the A in a fourth AS-Level on the AAA route. Your three A-Level grades don't change.
To see what that means on results day: say you're predicted A*AA and end up with AAA plus an A in your EPQ. At Keele or Leicester, that's your offer met. At a school without an EPQ route, it's a missed offer.
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Conditions to check before you count on it
The reductions come with small print, and the details differ by school:
- Firm choice only. Sheffield and HYMS only make the reduced offer if they're your firm choice. Put either as your insurance and the standard AAA applies.
- No resits. Sheffield and HYMS don't reduce the offer if you're resitting any A-Level, whatever your EPQ grade. Lancaster asks resitters for A*AA regardless.
- Timing. Sheffield wants the EPQ and A-Levels taken in the same sitting. HYMS accepts an EPQ completed in Year 12 or Year 13.
- Topic. None of the six require a medical topic, and Sheffield says outright that the EPQ can be in any subject.
- General policies don't apply to medicine. Some universities lower offers for an EPQ across many courses but specifically exclude medicine. Birmingham is the clearest example. Always check the medicine page, not the university's general entry requirements.
Does an EPQ help you get an interview?
At five of the six schools, no. A reduced offer changes the grades attached to your offer once you have one. It doesn't change whether you're shortlisted for interview or made an offer in the first place. You go through the same UCAT screen, interview and ranking as everyone else. Leicester is the one exception, where an EPQ at grade B or above adds a point to your academic score.
Where the EPQ does help is as material. It gives you a concrete example of independent research, time management and evaluating evidence to talk about in your personal statement and at interview.
Should you take an EPQ for the reduced offer?
Only if it won't cost you in your main subjects. An EPQ is a real amount of work on top of three A-Levels, and the grade drop only helps if you'd otherwise have missed the standard offer. Missing AAA because you spent the time on your project is the worst of both.
If you're already doing one, or your school runs it as standard, then it's a good reason to look closely at the six schools above, provided they fit the rest of your profile.
An EPQ lowers the offer at six medical schools and does nothing on paper at the rest. Use it to choose between schools that already suit your UCAT, grades and interview strengths, not as a reason to pick a school that doesn't.
Frequently asked questions
Which medical schools give a reduced offer for an EPQ?
Sheffield (AAB + EPQ A), HYMS (AAB + EPQ A), Keele (AAA + EPQ A) and Leicester (AAA + EPQ B). Lancaster may reduce to AAB for applicants with a fourth subject or an EPQ. QUB accepts an A in the EPQ in place of its fourth AS-Level requirement.
Does the EPQ have to be about medicine?
No. Sheffield states the EPQ can be in any subject, and none of the six specify a topic.
Does the reduced offer apply if the school is my insurance choice?
Not at Sheffield or HYMS, where it's only made if the school is your firm choice. Keele, Leicester, Lancaster and QUB don't attach a firm-choice condition.
Does an EPQ help you get a medicine interview?
Not at most schools. It changes the grades in your offer, not your shortlisting score. Leicester is the exception: an EPQ at grade B or above earns bonus points in its academic score.
Which medical schools don't count the EPQ?
Every school other than the six above. Birmingham, BSMS, KCL, Leeds, Manchester, Plymouth, Southampton, St Mary's, Glasgow and Lincoln say so explicitly; the rest simply don't mention it.