St Andrews Medicine: Entry Requirements & UCAT Cutoff (2027 Entry)

Standard entry: AAA including Chemistry and one of Biology, Maths or Physics — the same floor whether grades are predicted or achieved. All three A-Levels must be taken at one sitting, studied over two years and completed in Year 13. Widening-participation applicants may be considered at the Minimum entry AAB. ^[8]

General Studies, Critical Thinking and Global Perspectives & Research are not accepted, and only one of Maths or Further Maths counts towards the three A-Levels. ^[9]

A fourth A-Level gives no advantage, and an A in one subject won't balance out a B or C in another. ^[10]

AQA Baccalaureate: a pass in the Baccalaureate plus AAA at A-Level including Chemistry and one of Biology, Maths or Physics. ^[11]

Five GCSEs at grade A/7, taken at one sitting (applicants with achieved A-Levels may be considered with fewer). GCSEs are an eligibility gate only — they are not scored or ranked. ^[27]

GCSE or AS-Level grade 5/B in Biology, Maths and English (Language or Literature) for any of these not taken at A-Level. Dual-award/Combined Science doesn't replace GCSE Biology, and CCEA grade C* counts as a 5. ^[28]

Intensive English (ESOL) GCSEs are not accepted in lieu of GCSE English Language or Literature; Human Biology counts as Biology. ^[29]

No fixed minimum UCAT score — UCAT thresholds are set dynamically from the applicant pool each year. UCAT is the ranking tool: the top ~650 by global score are invited to interview. ^[30]

The SJT is not used — St Andrews confirms there are no minimum UCAT section scores and no SJT band results in automatic rejection.

UCAT is required of all applicants — St Andrews would not exempt a candidate on medical or personal grounds, and re-applicants must re-sit each cycle. Sit it the year before entry. ^[31]

Standard entry: 38 points (HL 6,6,6 plus SL 6,6,6) including HL Chemistry and one of HL Biology, Maths or Physics, with SL Biology, Maths and English where not passed at HL. The same floor applies whether grades are predicted or achieved. Widening-participation applicants may be considered at the Minimum entry 36 points (HL 6,6,5 plus SL 6,6,5). ^[12]

Either Maths: Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretation meets the Maths requirement — Standard Level Maths Studies does not. ^[13]

Standard entry: AAAAB in Highers in S5 plus predicted BBB in S6 (Highers, Advanced Highers or a mix), including Higher Chemistry and one of Biology (or Human Biology), Maths or Physics at the same sitting. National 5 grade B in Biology, Maths and English is needed where these aren't passed at Higher. Widening-participation applicants may be considered at the Minimum entry AAABB in S5 + BB in S6. ^[14]

Gateway to Medicine (the widening-access gateway route): BBBB in Highers in S5. ^[15]

Offers are conditional on the S6 programme of study; an A at Higher or Advanced Higher won't balance out a C in another subject, and early Highers or a sixth Higher in S5 gain no advantage. ^[16]

Lifeskills Maths and Applications of Maths don't meet the National 5 Maths requirement; Higher ESOL may replace National 5 English only where National 5 English isn't offered. ^[17]

Required sciences or maths not taken in S5 may be taken in S6 — but two science subjects (including Chemistry) must be sat in the same year. ^[18]

BTEC, HNC, HND and SQA National Certificate qualifications are not considered for Medicine; Scottish Foundation Apprenticeships are also not accepted. ^[21]

Access to Medicine and Access to Science courses are not considered. Other than St Andrews' own International Foundation programme for Medicine, foundation programmes are not accepted either. ^[22]

Grade A in the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus AA at A-Level in Chemistry and one of Biology, Maths or Physics. The GCSE/AS-Level grade 5/B in Biology, Maths and English rule and the five GCSEs at A/7 requirement apply as for A-Level applicants. ^[23]

Graduates: 2:1 or first-class Honours in Science (or equivalent — a GPA of 3.5 counts as a 2:1) achieved within the three years before entry, plus grade B Chemistry at Higher, Advanced Higher or A-Level and grade B GCSE Biology, English and Maths. ^[24]

Degrees older than three years aren't considered unless followed directly by a PhD completed within three years of entry; a 2:2 followed by a second degree is not accepted. ^[25]

Graduates may re-sit Chemistry, Biology, Maths and English to reach the required grades, and 20 credits of high-grade undergraduate Chemistry, Biology or Maths can stand in for Higher/A-Level Chemistry. ^[26]

Over 595 points (calculated from the six highest-graded subjects, including the 25 bonus points for HL Maths) with H1 in Chemistry, English, Maths and Biology. Ordinary-Level Maths is considered if Physics is offered at H1. ^[19]

If required subjects were missed at the first sitting of the Leaving Certificate, applicants may still be considered if the missing subjects are sat the following year. ^[20]

Resits are not normally considered — only applicants with accepted extenuating circumstances whose achieved grades are 'borderline' (typically one grade below the requirement) may be considered. GCSE resits to meet a specific subject requirement are allowed. ^[6]

School-level qualifications must have been achieved within the three years before the programme start date — with older qualifications the only route in is as a graduate applicant. ^[7]

One repeat application is allowed — an unsuccessful applicant may submit one new application in a different year if they meet the entry requirements; beyond that, further applications are not considered. ^[32]

Applicants who have, or have had, a place on a medical programme elsewhere are not considered. ^[33]

Transfers are not accepted — the School does not consider applications for transfer. ^[34]