Entry Requirements for Medicine A100
Keele University is committed to graduating excellent clinicians. The admissions process is designed to select students with abilities and characteristics that indicate their potential to become excellent doctors.
On this page you will find information about:
- Entry requirements for UK/home applicants
- Aptitude tests
- Equivalent qualifications
- Entry requirements for international applicants
Applicants must meet all of the entry requirements detailed in the route they are eligible for.
In addition to the academic entry requirements listed on this webpage, applicants should also read our 'how to apply' webpage which includes information about additional entry requirements and the interview process.
UK / Home Applicants
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Applicants who have not undertaken study for any higher-level qualifications (above level 3, or level 7 in Scotland). |
Aptitude test – UCAT A total UCAT score below 2,280 or with an SJT score in Band 4 will not be considered. |
Five GCSEs at grade 7/A. You must also have a minimum of of grade 6/B in
GCSE combined science (6/6) and IGCSE co-ordinated sciences (double award, 66 or BB) are accepted. Biology and Chemistry without Physics will not be accepted. English Language and Maths GCSEs at 6/B are essential. GAMSAT may be offered in lieu of the other GCSEs listed above (see Aptitude test column). GCSE requirements must be met before applying.
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A Level grades A*AA or AAA + EPQ grade A (please see our Widening Participation pages for details of adjusted offers) Any science A Level (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) completed in England from 2017 must include a pass in the practical endorsement. Applications from students currently in their third year of A Level or equivalent study will not be considered unless (a) they have had relevant extenuating circumstances accepted by the University or (b) they have already met grade requirements and are taking one additional designated subject to meet subject requirements. Applications from students who have taken more than three years to complete three A Levels meeting the stated requirements will not be considered. |
A level subjects must include - A first designated subject from
PLUS A second designated subject from
PLUS A third academic subject (pre-reform subjects such as General Studies, Critical Thinking and Citizenship Studies will not be accepted). Only one subject from a combination of Maths/Further Maths/Statistics will be considered. Applicants may apply with achieved grades of A*AA with only one first or second designated subject if they are currently taking further A Levels to complete the subject requirements. |
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Graduate route
Applicants applying with a Bachelor's or undergraduate master's honours degree
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Aptitude test - UCAT A total UCAT score below 2,280 or with an SJT score in Band 4 will not be considered. GAMSAT is also required if A level or science GCSE requirements not met: an overall score of 55 or more with a section III score of 58 or more supported by a score of 50 or more in all other sections an overall score of 58 or more with a section III score of 55 or more supported by a score of 50 or more in all other sections. |
GCSE minimum grade 6/B in
GCSE combined science (6/6) and IGCSE co-ordinated sciences (double award, 66 or BB) are accepted. Biology and Chemistry without Physics will not be accepted. GCSE requirements must be met before applying.
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A level grades BBB including: A first designated subject from
PLUS A second designated subject from
PLUS A third academic subject (pre-reform subjects such as General Studies, Critical Thinking and Citizenship Studies will not be accepted). Equivalent level-3 qualifications (e.g. BTEC (DDM), International Baccalaureate (555 in three Higher Levels, or 30 points), Access to HE diploma) are accepted (see Equivalent qualifications, below). A-Level or equivalent qualification requirements must be met before applying. |
Honours degree 1st or 2:1 in any subject. Postgraduate qualifications (PGCert, PGDip, master’s degrees, doctorates) will not be taken into consideration. |
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Access to HE route Applicants who have been out of formal (school/college/university) education and have not undertaken Level-3 or higher qualifications within three years prior to commencing the Access course. |
Aptitude test – UCAT A total UCAT score below 2,280 or with an SJT score in Band 4 will not be considered. |
GCSE minimum grade 6/B in
May be taken during the current academic year.
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An Access to HE Diploma (Medicine) complying with the QAA subject descriptor for medicine with 45 graded level-3 credits at distinction plus 15 ungraded level-2/3 credits passed. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check that the Access diploma meets this requirement before enrolling; diplomas that do not conform to the QAA subject descriptor for medicine will not be accepted. For 2025 entry, no Access diploma that does not conform to the QAA subject descriptor for medicine will be accepted, even if it was completed before the introduction of the subject descriptor. |
The Access to HE route is intended for applicants with life experience outside formal education; it is not a “back door” route for applicants who have recently performed poorly in school, college or university qualifications. Applicants who have studied for level-3 or university-level qualifications less than 3 years before commencing the Access course will not be considered. Applicants who have not previously studied for post-level-2 qualifications must have been out of full-time education for at least 3 years before commencing the Access course. |
Students who have previously commenced study of medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine without completing their programmes will not usually be considered via any route. If you have been prevented from completing another medicine programme by serious events (e.g. war, revolution, forced repatriation), please contact medicine@keele.ac.uk to discuss your circumstances before applying. If you had to withdraw from a previous programme on health grounds, we expect you to return to your previous institution to complete that programme rather than starting a new one.
Students who are currently enrolled on a degree or other HE programme that will not be completed in the current academic year will not be considered via any route.
Foundation years undertaken at other HE institutions or non-medicine foundation years undertaken at Keele, will not be considered in lieu of the stated A Level or equivalent requirements.
Aptitude Tests
All applicants must take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) in the year of application (i.e. in 2024 if applying in October 2024 for 2025 entry or deferred entry in 2026). UCAT results are only valid for 1 year and you may only sit the test once in a calendar year.
Graduate applicants who do not meet the A Level or science GCSE requirements must take the Graduate Australian Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) as well as the UCAT as above. GAMSAT results are valid for 2 years and there is no limit on the number of times you may sit the test.
Applicants with home fees status will have a range of factors taken into account in shortlisting for interview (see How To Apply). Applicants with international fees status who meet academic requirements will be shortlisted on the basis of UCAT score only.
For information on how fee status is assessed visit the UKCISA webpages for more information. Applicants may be required to complete a fees assessment before their application can be assessed.
Applications will not usually be accepted without a UCAT result from the year of application. If you are prevented from accessing a UCAT test centre for reasons of (a) serious ill-health or disability or (b) extreme local disruption throughout the testing season (war, social unrest, natural disasters, extreme weather conditions), we may be able to assess you on your personal statement, with the score scaled to cover the same range of possible scores available to applicants with a UCAT result. If you are in this position, you must contact us at medicine@keele.ac.uk before applying, providing evidence that you have communicated with UCAT and they have been unable to find a way for you to sit the test.
You will also be required to provide evidence of your circumstances and how they prevented you from sitting the test at any point in the testing window. You should not submit an application until we have confirmed that we can accept it without a UCAT result. We will only allow this if your circumstances cover the whole of the testing window, not just a particular date.
International Applicants
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Applicants who have not undertaken study for any higher-level qualifications |
Aptitude test - UCAT total score must be 2,600 or higher and SJT must be band 3 or better International applicants will be shortlisted for interview on the basis of the ranking of their UCAT score within the cohort of applicants. |
GCSE or equivalent or evidence up to 11th grade/age 16 of high performance in:
NB all of these subjects are essential. GCSE English language grade 6/B or
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A Level grades A*AA A Level subjects must include - A first designated subject from
PLUS A second designated subject from
PLUS A third academic subject excluding General studies, Citizenship, Critical thinking and barred subject combinations Only one subject from a combination of Maths/Further Maths/Statistics will be considered. Applicants may apply with achieved grades of A*AA with only one first or second designated subject if they are currently taking further A-Levels to complete the subject requirements. |
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Graduate route Applicants applying with a Bachelor's honours degree |
Aptitude test - UCAT GAMSAT is also required if A Level or science GCSE (or equivalent) requirements not met an overall score of 55 or more with a section III score of 58 or more supported by a score of 50 or more in all other section an overall score of 58 or more with a section III score of 55 or more supported by a score of 50 or more in all other sections |
GCSE or equivalent or evidence up to 11th grade/age 16 of high performance in
NB all of these subjects are essential GCSE English language grade 6/B or
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A Level grades BBB including
A first designated subject from
PLUS A second designated subject from
PLUS A third academic subject excluding General studies, Citizenship, Critical thinking and barred subject combinations. Only one subject from a combination of Maths/Further Maths/Statistics will be considered. A-Level or equivalent qualification requirements must be met before applying. |
Postgraduate qualifications (PGCert, PGDip, master’s degrees, doctorates) will not be taken into consideration. |
Students who are currently enrolled on a degree or other HE programme that will not be completed in the current academic year will not be considered via either route.
Foundation years undertaken at other HE institutions will not be considered in lieu of the stated A Level or equivalent requirements. If you are undertaking an international foundation programme that is accepted for entry to medicine at Keele, you will have been informed of this explicitly by your college.
Equivalent Qualifications
Please note, the following qualifications will not be considered for entry to A100 (standard 5-year MBChB):
- T-Levels
- BTEC qualifications
- Key skills qualifications
Certain T-Levels and BTEC qualifications may be considered for entry to A104 (Health Foundation Year for Medicine), subject to applicants’ meeting strict eligibility criteria based on evidence of educational and socio-economic disadvantage.
The following qualifications are considered with the stated requirements:
A minimum of P1 standard in all components including Global Perspectives and Independent Research (GPR).
Principal subjects with grades of D1 D3 M1 with Chemistry required at a minimum of M1.
A second science (Biology, Mathematics or Physics) and a third subject with no grades below M1.
The following combinations of subjects are not accepted: Biology and Sports Science; Mathematics and Further Mathematics.
Scores for Pre-U short courses in modern languages will not be taken into consideration.
Up to two A-Levels at grade A or above may be substituted for Pre-U Principal subjects. The overall Principal grades should be equivalent to the A-Levels substituted: D3 equivalent to A, D1 equivalent to A*. The subject and combination exclusions apply to A level components.
- A level route equivalent
A minimum of five National 5s at grade A with a minimum of B in English Language, Mathematics and Sciences.
Higher: minimum of AAAAA including Chemistry/Biology plus a second science (Chemistry/Biology/Physics) both at A, to be achieved by the end of S5 (i.e. before applying).
Advanced Higher: minimum of AB from two subjects (both sciences: Chemistry/Biology/Physics) sat in S6 - any additional subject sat at Higher level in S6 must be achieved at grade B or higher.
Any science subject not being offered at Higher or Advanced Higher level must have been passed at National 5 grade B.
- Graduate route equivalent
Higher: minimum of BBBBB plus Advanced Higher grades of BB including Chemistry or Biology and a second science at Higher and two sciences at Advanced Higher.
Grades of AA required in 2 Advanced Highers (including Chemistry or Biology) plus AA in interdisciplinary project unit and 1 higher. Chemistry or Biology must be at Advanced Higher grade A.
National 5 requirements must also be met.
Grade A pass in the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma and two full science A-levels at grade A*A taken within a two-year period. Chemistry or Biology is essential plus one subject from:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Economics
- Maths/Further Maths/Statistics
- Physics
- Psychology
GCSE requirements must also be met, as detailed in the A-level route above.
A level route equivalent
Achieve IB Diploma with a score of at least 37 points (including ToK/EE) including 7 or 6 in Higher Level Biology or Chemistry and 7 or 6 at Higher Level in one of Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Maths (any), Physics or Psychology.
OR
766 in three Higher Level subjects including Biology or Chemistry plus one from Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Maths (any), Physics or Psychology.
Any science not taken at the higher level must be offered at Standard Level grade 5 or GCSE grade 6 (or equivalent).
GCSE requirements must also be met, as detailed in the A-level route above.
English Language (Language A) at Standard level grade 6 is accepted in lieu of GCSE English language.
Middle Years Programme (MYP) with five grade 6s and including Maths and all the Sciences at grade 5 is accepted in lieu of GCSE requirements.
Graduate route equivalent
Achieve IB Diploma with a score of at least 30 points (including ToK/EE) including minimum of 5 in Higher Level Biology or Chemistry and 5 at Higher Level in one of Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Maths (any), Physics or Psychology and a third rigorous subject, with no subject grades below 4 and no more than one HL below 5.
OR
555 in three Higher Level subjects including Biology or Chemistry plus one from Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Maths (any), Physics or Psychology and a third rigorous subject.
Any science not taken at the higher level must be offered at Standard Level grade 5 or GCSE grade 6 (or equivalent).
A level route equivalent
Six H1 or H2 grades at Higher level including Biology or Chemistry, plus two more of the following subjects:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Agricultural science
- Mathematics/Applied Mathematics
A minimum of five Higher Merits at Junior Cycle with English and Maths (Higher Level) and Science (Common Level) at minimum Merit.
Graduate route equivalent
Three subjects at H2 or higher including Chemistry or Biology, plus one more of the following subjects
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Maths
- Physics
plus three more at H3 or higher
English Language and Maths (Higher Level) and Science (Common Level) at Junior Cycle Merit.
A Level route equivalent
BTEC and other vocational/technical qualifications are not accepted for entry to the standard 5-year MBChB programme, either in place of A-Levels (level 3) or in place of GCSEs (level 1/2). Some BTECs, T-Levels and other vocational/technical qualifications are accepted for entry to the Health Foundation Year for Medicine.
Graduate route equivalent
The following may be accepted as equivalent to BBB at A Level for graduate applicants who entered their previous degree on the basis of BTEC qualifications:
- BTEC National Extended Diploma in Applied Science, Health & Social Care or Sport and Exercise Science at DDM.
- Combination of DD in BTEC National Diploma or D in BTEC National Extended Certificate with one or two A Levels, respectively, at minimum of grade B; if the BTEC qualification is not in one of the subjects listed for Extended Diploma in the previous paragraph, then Chemistry or Biology is required at A Level, with a second A Level or BTEC National qualification in a science or numerate subject.
- BTEC qualifications completed alongside or after the previous degree will not be considered.
A Level route equivalent
Only Access to HE Diploma (Medicine) conforming to the QAA subject descriptor for medicine is accepted (see table above).
Graduate route equivalent
The following may be accepted as equivalent to BBB at A Level for graduate applicants who entered their previous degree on the basis of an Access to HE qualification:
- Access to HE Diploma in a science subject (not computer science, data science or social science): 60 credits with 45 graded level-3 credits equivalent to 122 UCAS tariff points, with a minimum of 30 credits at Distinction.
- Access Diplomas – other than subject-descriptor-compliant Access to HE Diploma (Medicine) – completed alongside or after the previous degree will not be considered.