Medicine MBChB
The Medical School generates and sustains excellence in education and research in a friendly, supportive and stimulating environment. Our medical graduates are highly regarded for the breadth of their undergraduate experience and ability.
You will gain experience in clinical environments throughout the West of Scotland, including our medical teaching centre at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, which boasts a purpose-built learning and teaching facility, teaching laboratories and a state-of-the-art clinical skills suite.
- September start
- Session dates
- Medicine MBChB: A100 5 year degree
- Glasgow: Gilmorehill campus
- Professionally accredited
Medicine at Glasgow
Our Medical School is one of the largest in the UK and has a unique brand that reflects the exposure of medical undergraduates to leading researchers and teachers in clinical and basic science.
Our students have the opportunity to experience a diverse mixture of clinical attachments and our medical graduates are highly regarded for the breadth of their undergraduate experience and ability. The city of Glasgow and west of Scotland provide an excellent educational environment, with diverse opportunities for medical training.
Medicine at Glasgow since 1751
We have a long and proud history of outstanding achievements in medical science by world renowned physicians such as Joseph Lister (antisepsis), George Beatson (breast cancer), John MacIntyre (X-rays and radiology), William Hunter (anatomy and obstetrics) and Ian Donald (ultrasound).
International links
We have a global outlook, with links to medical schools abroad, and our students benefit from opportunities to experience medicine in other cultures.
Intercalated degrees
The School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing offers a one-year intercalated BSc degree, with over 20 options, and also a two-year BSc (Hons). These are taken between years 3 and 4 of the MBChB and involve an intensive period of study and training in a scientific discipline.
Student societies
Our medical student societies organise conferences and guest speaker events, social activities and revision groups.
Our facilities
- The Wolfson Medical School Building is at the heart of the University’s Gilmorehill campus, with library, teaching rooms, clinical skills area and café.
- Our Teaching & Learning Centre at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, one of Europe’s largest acute hospitals, offers a state-of-the-art clinical teaching environment, linked to the main hospital which opened in 2015.
- The New Lister Building is our newly refurbished medical teaching centre at the Royal Infirmary.
- Clinical placements in 25 hospitals and 150 GP practices throughout Glasgow and the west of Scotland.
Programme structure
Our innovative curriculum is delivered through a range of teaching styles which include small-group teaching, problem-based learning, lectures, vocational and clinical studies, labs and e-learning. You will gain experience of a clinical environment from year 1. The MBChB follows a 'spiral curriculum' where subject material is revisited at different stages of the curriculum with increasing depth and clinical focus.
You will undertake two periods of elective study, and can select from over 20 intercalated degree options, allowing flexibility to study areas of personal interest in more depth. Our Wolfson Medical School Building offers you extended access to library facilities, and a first-class clinical skills suite.
We have strong links with the Postgraduate Deanery, ensuring a smooth transition from undergraduate study to postgraduate training, and produce highly trained, competent graduates who are equipped for the Foundation Training programme, for higher training, and the challenges of medicine in the 21st century.
Phase 1
This occupies the first half of year 1. It is an overview of basic biomedical sciences, providing you with the knowledge required to engage in the rest of the undergraduate programme. You will undertake Vocational & professional studies, have your first Clinical skills sessions and undertake a clinical visit to an A&E ward or general practice.
Phase 2
This occupies the second part of year 1 and the whole of year 2. It covers the anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, biochemistry (and related biomedical sciences) of the major clinical systems, as well as Vocational & professional studies, Communication skills and Clinical skills.
Phase 3
This occupies the first half of year 3 and covers clinical systems with a focus on pathophysiology. There are major contributions from pathology, microbiology, haematology, clinical biochemistry and clinical pharmacology, and the small-group teaching focuses on clinical cases, using case-based learning, with a clinical tutor. You will have one day per week in hospital or general practice. You will also receive clinical procedural skills teaching.
Phase 4
This occupies the second half of year 3, all of year 4 and the first half of year 5. It is based in hospitals and in general practice, with dedicated academic days. Teaching is structured around 5–10 week clinical attachments, and students rotate through general medicine and surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, child health, general practice, psychiatry and a variety of hospital sub-specialties.
Preparation for Practice (PfP)
PfP is the final component of the course following the final exams. It involves shadowing foundation-year doctors in hospital and includes a lecture programme. Successful completion of Preparation for Practice is a prerequisite to graduate.
Community Orientated Medical Experience Track (COMET)
COMET is an innovative scheme, funded by the Scottish Government, to give selected medical students an enhanced and immersive experience of general practice which will equip them with the requisite skills to become the next generation of leaders of primary care in Scotland.
Student-selected components (SSCs)
You will be able to choose a variety of SSCs that allow you to personalise your learning experience. SSCs are five week-long blocks selected from a range of available options and are taken in years 2, 3 and 4. Projects cover topics from the core curriculum as well as topics outside medicine including humanities and languages.
Electives
The MBChB at Glasgow is unusual in having two electives, each for four weeks, during the vacations at the end of years 3 and 4. Electives are experiential in nature, obtaining personal, professional and clinical experiences in any recognised clinical specialty, including general practice and public health.
Programme alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all programmes as advertised. In exceptional
circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a programme. For more information,
please see: Student contract.
Entry requirements
for entry in 2025
Summary of entry requirements for Medicine
SQA Higher Entry Requirements (by end of S6)
- AAAAB Higher at end of S5 + BB Advanced Higher
- Additional requirements: Higher Chemistry, Biology and Physics or Mathematics. National 5 English at grade B. UCAT (www.ucat.ac.uk for more information). Interview. Offers conditional on S6 performance.
SQA Higher Adjusted Entry Requirements* (by end of S6)
- AAABB or AAAAC* Higher at end of S5 + BB Advanced Higher.
- Additional requirements: Higher Chemistry, Biology and Physics or Mathematics. National 5 English at grade B. UCAT (www.ucat.ac.uk for more information). Interview. Successful completion of Reach. Offers conditional on S6 performance. *C grade cannot be in Chemistry
* See Access Glasgow for eligibility.
A-level Standard Entry Requirements
- AAA
- Additional requirements: A-levels Chemistry and Biology or Physics or Mathematics. GCSE English at Grade B or 6. GCSE Biology at Grade B or 6 (if not studied at A-level). UCAT (www.ucat.ac.uk for more information). Interview.
IB Standard Entry Requirements
- 38 (6,6,6 HL)
- Additional requirements: HL subjects Chemistry and Biology, SL Physics or Mathematics at 6 (HL recommended) SL English at 6. UCAT (www.ucat.ac.uk for more information). Interview.
Successful applicants are required to undertake satisfactory health and police checks before commencing Medicine:
- Information on standards of undergraduate medical students
- Information on MBChB admissions and disclosure checks
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Graduate entry
Applications to Medicine will be considered from graduates provided they have a minimum of 2.1 Honours degree in a relevant science degree, obtained within seven years of the entry date. Applicants whose degree was obtained more than seven years from the date of entry, or graduated in a non-science degree will be required to have A-level/Scottish Higher Chemistry and A-level/AS-level/Scottish Higher Biology to be sat within seven years of entry (minimum grades AB, or AA with AS-level Biology). Graduates with a minimum of 2.1 Honours degree obtained more than seven years ago plus a Masters or PhD in a relevant field (obtained within seven years of the entry date) may compensate for not having Higher/A-level Chemistry and Biology. Graduate applicants must also complete the UCAT and may be invited for interview.
Dentistry Graduates
We welcome applications from UK BDS Graduates for entry into Year 3 of the MBChB Course.
It is a requirement that UK BDS Graduate applicants meet the following criteria in order to be considered:
- Must be a UK BDS Graduate
- Degree must have been obtained within seven years of proposed date of entry (As this accelerated course requires recent undergraduate Dental knowledge, the Medical School would not accept BDS graduates who were awarded their BDS degree more than 7 years from the date of entry regardless of whether they had achieved further qualifications)
- Must be eligible to register with the GDC
- Wishes to pursue a career in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery only.
- BDS Direct Application Form must be completed and submitted to the Medical School Admissions Administrator: med-sch-admissions@glasgow.ac.uk) by deadline of 15 October for entry in September the following year. Applications submitted via UCAS will not be considered.
- BDS transcript must be submitted along with application by deadline of 15 October.
- Two original and up-to-date references must be sent directly to the Medical School by deadline of 15 October.
The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is not required for application.
UK BDS candidates will be considered for entry into Year 3 only. Entry to Year 1 will not be considered and applications received via UCAS will also not be considered.
Applications will be competitively considered. An interview may be required but is not guaranteed.
There will be one or two places available in Year 3 every year. However, due to current student numbers, this cannot be guaranteed.
Veterinary Medicine Graduates
We welcome applications from graduates of BVMS degrees. The degree must be completed within seven years from the proposed date of the entry and all other entry requirements apply: please see: Undergraduate Medical School: Medicine Admissions. Veterinary graduate candidates will be considered for entry into Year 1 only.
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Gateway to Medical Studies
The gateway to medical studies is a one-year Certificate in Higher Education widening access programme suitable for students resident in Scotland. The programme equips students with the academic skills and knowledge required for entering a undergraduate degree in medicine or life sciences.
To be eligible for this programme you must meet the specified widening access criteria.
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Admissions guidance
English language
For applicants whose first language is not English, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level.
English language requirements
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic module (not General Training)
- 7.0 with no sub-test under 7.0
- This must be a recent test: the required score must have been achieved within the last two years at the point we consider your complete application (NMC, 2020)
- IELTS One Skill Retake accepted.
Pre-sessional courses
The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We also consider other BALEAP accredited pre-sessional courses:
- School of Modern Languages & Cultures: English for Academic Study
- BALEAP guide to accredited courses
FAQs
What do I do if...
my language qualifications are below the requirements?
The University's School of Modern Languages and Cultures offers a range of Pre-sessional courses to bring you up to entry level. The course is accredited by BALEAP, the UK professional association for academic English teaching.
my language qualifications are not listed here?
Please contact External Relations
If you require a Tier 4 student visa, your qualification must be one of the secure English language tests accepted by UK Border Agency:
- UK Border Agency Tier 4 English Language requirements
- UKBA list of approved English language tests [pdf]
Visa requirements and proof of English language level
It is a visa requirement to provide information on your level of English based on an internationally recognised and secure English language test. All test reports must be no more than 2 years old. A list of these can be found on the UK Border Agency website. If you have never taken one of these tests before, you can get an initial idea of your level by using the Common European Framework self-assessment grid which gives you a level for each skill (e.g. listening B1/writing B2 etc.) However, please note that this is not a secure English language test and it is not sufficient evidence of your level of English for visa requirements.
Further information about English language: School of Modern Languages & Cultures: English for Academic Study
Career prospects
Medical career options range from hospital-based specialties such as surgery, to community-based specialties such as general practice. Almost all of our graduates start their careers as doctors with the NHS in hospitals around Scotland, although some travel further afield to various parts of England and Northern Ireland.
Accreditation
At the end of the undergraduate programme you will receive your MBChB degree, which is a primary medical qualification (PMQ). Holding a PMQ entitles you to provisional registration with the General Medical Council, subject only to its acceptance that there are no Fitness to Practise concerns that need consideration. Provisionally registered doctors can only practise in approved Foundation Year 1 posts: the law does not allow provisionally registered doctors to undertake any other NHS service posts.
Degrees and UCAS codes
When applying you will need to know the UCAS code for the subject or subject-combination that you wish to apply to:
MBChB
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
How and when you pay tuition fees depends on where you’re from: see Tuition fees for details.
Scholarships
The University is committed to supporting students and rewarding academic excellence. That's why we've invested more than £1m in additional scholarship funding in recent years.
World Changers RUK Access Bursary
The bursary supports talented students who may not be able to take their place at University for reasons of financial hardship. It is available to new entrant full-time, undergraduate students of the University of Glasgow who are fully registered for the up coming academic session, ordinarily domiciled in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and paying annual tuition fees of £9,250 per annum.
James McCune Smith Undergraduate Scholarship
The University of Glasgow has up to 30 undergraduate scholarships available for students of African/African-Caribbean backgrounds. The scholarship supports students who could face financial difficulties taking up their place to study at the university. The value of the scholarship is £2,000, paid in instalments for year one of undergraduate study. The scholarship is open to new applicants to the university for 2025 entry. Current students who have previously been in receipt of the award may reapply, however, preference will be given to applicants entering their first year of study.
Care Experienced and Estranged Student Bursary
The University of Glasgow is offering five bursaries specifically for Care Experienced and Estranged Students. These bursaries aim to support students who have been in care or are living independently due to family estrangement. Definitions of these terms are provided below, and further details are available here.
Care Experienced
"Care-experienced" refers to anyone who has ever been in care, regardless of the duration. This includes individuals who have been in the care of a local authority at any stage, whether through residential care, foster care, kinship care, or under a supervision requirement at home. This category also includes those who have been adopted from care.
Estranged
Estranged students are young people studying independently without family support due to a breakdown in family relationships. These students often have limited or no contact with their families, and any contact that does occur is usually infrequent or strained. Causes of estrangement may include emotional or physical abuse, conflicting family expectations, personality clashes, or differing values.
Each bursary is typically valued at £1,500 per year for each consecutive year of the degree programme.
Beaconhouse Schools
The University of Glasgow offer a 15% discount on the first year of tuition fee to students from Beaconhouse Schools and who enrol on an undergraduate programme at the University of Glasgow. The discount does not apply to Veterinary Medicine, Medicine and Dentistry programmes.
Republic of Ireland (RoI) Access Bursary
Glasgow has a long and proud tradition of providing financial support to talented students who, for reasons of financial hardship, might not be able to take a place at university. Our RoI Access Bursary is part of our commitment to continue to attract and support students from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Payments of the RoI Access Bursary will be detailed in your Award Letter.
- The RoI Access Bursary will be awarded as a cash payment.
- The RoI Access Bursary will be paid in 10 instalments from October until July; this award is based on household income
- The RoI Access Bursary will only be awarded in years where tuition fees of £9,250 apply
Please see here for up to date information and criteria for 2024 entry.
Undergraduate Talent Scholarships
The University of Glasgow is awarding c.50 undergraduate Talent Scholarships to support students who could face financial difficulties in taking up their place to study at the University for 2025 entry. The value of each scholarship is typically £1,500 p.a. for each year of the degree programme, subject to satisfactory progress. Talent Scholarships are available to students entering any of the University's Colleges.
Dental School students are eligible for a Talent Scholarship in their first year of study only. They are eligible for the NHS Dental Student Support Grant in the following years.
Cowrie Foundation Scholarship
The University of Glasgow and The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation (CSF) will offer a scholarship to support Black African and Caribbean heritage applicants from socio-economically challenged backgrounds. Applicants must be ordinarily resident in the UK and commencing an undergraduate study programme.
The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation wants to fund 100 Black British students through UK universities in the next decade. More information on the Foundation can be found here.
Sanctuary Scholarships
The University of Glasgow is offering up to 30 Sanctuary Scholarships for applicants to the University, who have been forced to travel to the UK for humanitarian reasons and are facing challenges in progressing onto Higher Education. The scholarship is open to prospective undergraduate and postgraduate taught students at the University of Glasgow applying for entry in September 2025/26. Please note that you must have applied to the University before submitting an application for this scholarship.
The scholarship will meet the cost of tuition fees for the duration of your programme, for applicants who are unable to access mainstream funding through Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) or Student Finance. The Sanctuary Scholarship also provides a £5,000 per year stipend, to assist with study costs. In addition, if the eligibility criteria for university accommodation is met, this will also be provided for the duration of your degree, if required. For more information on the accommodation criteria, please see the Accommodation Services section on the website.
Undergraduate students with refugee status (or equivalent) and access to funding, are eligible to apply for the scholarship and would receive the £5,000 stipend towards study costs only, if successful.
Postgraduate Taught Masters students with refugee status (or equivalent) and access to funding, are eligible to apply for the scholarship and would receive the £5,000 stipend towards study costs and a partial tuition fee waiver, to cover any shortfall not met by your Postgraduate Masters tuition fee loan.
The Dima Alhaj Scholarship
The Dima Alhaj Scholarship was set up in 2024 in memory of a University of Glasgow alumna. After graduating, Dima worked in Gaza with the World Health Organization as a patient administrator at the limb reconstruction centre, as part of the trauma and emergency team and was tragically killed in Gaza in November 2023. The Scholarship is open to a Palestinian National who is living in or has been forced to leave the State of Palestine due to humanitarian reasons. The chosen applicant may be domiciled in any country but must be a Palestinian National. The scholarship is open to prospective undergraduate and postgraduate taught applicants to the University of Glasgow applying for entry in September 2025/26.
The Clan Gregor Society Prize
The Clan Gregor Society is offering an award to new entrants to the University of Glasgow who descend from Clan Gregor. Prospective students will be asked to submit an application highlighting areas of consideration such as academic excellence and financial need. The award is open to both Undergraduate and Postgraduate applicants for 2024 entry.
The scholarships above are specific to this programme. For more funding opportunities search the scholarships database
How to apply
Full-time students must apply through the Universities & Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
Applying for Medicine
We welcome all applications, provided they meet minimum entry requirements and meet the 15 October deadline. Please check at glasgow.ac.uk/undergraduate/entryrequirements if you are unsure. Unfortunately we are unable to consider late applications, given the number of applications we receive. If applying for Medicine (A100), please limit your choice to four medical schools only as UCAS will not forward your application to institutions if more than four medical schools have been selected.
The procedures document details the application process in full and also includes information on disability and health (including information on bloodborne viruses) and the disclosure checks required prior to commencing.
Application deadlines
- 16 October: if including Dentistry, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine or also applying to Oxford or Cambridge
We do not usually accept any applications after this deadlines.
It's your responsibility to ensure the accuracy of your application before submission. Requests to correct application content, change degree programme or change college of entry, will not be accepted after these deadlines. This policy is in place to ensure fairness and consistency to all applicants, and no exceptions will be made.
- Apply at www.ucas.com or through your school or college
- Contact UCAS on 0871 468 0468
Selection process
As multiple elements are considered within the selection process, the process runs from October until March, with the majority of offers processed in February/March. Once we receive your application, all aspects are considered carefully, with the focus on academic qualifications obtained and predicted, personal statement and reference. Later in the cycle, the UCAT scores are made available to the admissions team and are used for allocation of interview for those that meet all requirements.
Work experience in a hospital or general practice is not required, but we do expect candidates to have explored the realities of a career in medicine.
You may be invited to attend an interview. Candidates receiving offers are those who not only achieve the academic standards required but who also show they have seriously considered the implications of a medical career and who display the characteristics desirable in a future doctor, as well as demonstrating a commitment, motivation and enthusiasm for a medical career. Given the number of applications we receive which meet minimum entry requirements, we are unfortunately not able to interview all candidates.
As a guide, we normally interview approximately 850 applicants. The interview format and guidance is available on our webpages. Once the interview process is complete, interview scores are accumulated and all applications are checked, before offers are made. This stage runs until the end of March, with all offers being conditional (includes submission of qualification documentation and police records check). A number of applicants who narrowly miss an offer may be contacted to advise that, should places become available, they will be reviewed provided they wish to be reconsidered.
Applicants who are not made an offer will obtain information via UCAS Track on the reason for their application being unsuccessful. Provided entry requirements are met, we welcome reapplications to undergraduate Medicine at Glasgow. Please check our webpages before applying, or come and meet us at one of our open days.
Applicants unsuccessful at point of application review, or post interview for Medicine MBChB but who meet eligibility requirements for entry to the Gateway to Medical Studies programme may be made a change of course offer.
See more information about the Gateway to Medicine Studies programme and eligibility criteria:
Applicants who do not wish to take up a change of course offer for the Gateway to Medical Studies programme can decline this offer via their UCAS Hub account.
All applications must be received by UCAS by 15 October. Late applications are not normally considered. If applying for Medicine (A100) you must limit your choice to four medical schools only. If you apply to more than four medical schools, your application will not be forwarded to institutions by UCAS. You are encouraged to read the MBChB admissions guide.
Subject league tables
Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide [Medicine]
Related programmes
Undergraduate events
