Medicine MBBS BSc
London, Bloomsbury, London, Hampstead (Royal Free Hospital) and London, Archway (Whittington Hospital)
Medicine MBBS BSc (2024)
This six-year programme includes an integrated BSc (except for graduate entrants with UK degrees), leading to the awards of Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). The curriculum is centred on key health problems, clinical presentations and patient pathways. You will have clinical contact throughout, with patients and doctors.
Study mode
Duration
UK tuition fees (2023/24)
Overseas tuition fees (2023/24)
Programme starts
September 2023Application deadline
15 Oct 2022UCAS course code
Entry requirements
- Grades
- A*AA
- Subjects
- Biology and Chemistry required with either at grade A*.
- GCSEs
- English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6.
Contextual offer information
- Grades
- AAB more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- Biology and Chemistry required at grade AA
- GCSEs
- English Language and Mathematics at grade B or 6.
- Points
- 39
- Subjects
- A total of 19 points in three higher level subjects including 6 and 7 in Biology and Chemistry, in either order. No higher level score below 5.
Contextual offer
- Points
- 36 more about contextual offers
- Subjects
- A total of 17 points in three higher level subjects, including Biology and Chemistry at minimum score 6. No score higher level below 5.
UK applicants qualifications
For entry requirements with other UK qualifications accepted by UCL, choose your qualification from the list below:
Equivalent qualification
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Pass in Access to HE Diploma (Medicine) from the College of West Anglia, with a minimum of 36 credits at Distinction and 9 credits at Merit, all from Level 3 units. We are aware there are other courses which are now part of the QAA Subject Descriptor pilot. We may be able to accept applications from candidates studying on these approved courses and ask that you contact us directly before applying.
Successful completion of the WBQ Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate plus plus 2 GCE A levels at grades A*AA. To include Chemistry and Biology with either at A*.
A1,A,A at Advanced Highers (or A1,A at Advanced Higher and A,A,A at Higher), to include Chemistry and Biology at Advanced Higher with either at A1.
D2,D3,D3 in three Cambridge Pre-U Principal Subjects. Chemistry and Biology required with either at D2.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
Not acceptable for entrance to this programme.
International applications
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
Additional tests
BMAT
Student applying for Medicine must take the BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT).
Access and widening participation
UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. If you are eligible for Access UCL you do not need to do anything in addition to the standard UCAS application. Your application will be automatically flagged when we receive it.English language requirements
The English language level for this programme is: Level 4
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Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.
A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages & International Education.
Course overview
The goal of our MBBS programme is to educate 'The UCL Doctor'. This is a highly competent and scientifically literate clinician who is equipped to practise person-centred medicine in a constantly changing modern world with a foundation in the basic medical and social sciences.
The six-year integrated programme of study comprises a series of compulsory modules which are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken, through both formative and integrated summative methods.
The modules in each year are themed.
- Year 1: Fundamentals of Clinical Science 1
- Year 2: Fundamentals of Clinical Science 2
- Year 3: Integrated BSc
- Year 4: Integrated Clinical Care
- Year 5: The Life Cycle and Specialist Practice
- Year 6: Preparation for Practice.
Students who are already UK graduates are exempt from the integrated BSc and will move directly from year two to year four.
Clinical and Professional Practice (CPP) modules run 'vertically' through the entire MBBS programme. They include Anatomy and Imaging, Clinical Skills and Practical Procedures, Pathological Sciences, Use of Medicines, Doctor as a Data Scientist, Mental Health, Social Determinants of Health, Ethics and Law, Clinical Communication and Patient Safety/Patient Experience.
Student Selected Components (SSCs) in years one, two and six allow students to pursue special interests and develop a range of generic skills. The SSCs include choices in science, research, the arts and humanities and languages.
An elective period in year six, which most students choose to take overseas, enables you to experience medicine in other health care environments.
For highly motivated and especially able students, there is the opportunity to obtain a PhD in addition to the BSc and MBBS degrees. A small number of students are selected each year for the MBPhD programme. Selection normally takes place during year four of the programme.
What this course will give you
As a student of medicine at UCL, you are joining a prestigious medical school which has educated doctors since 1834 and now produces 350 distinctive 'UCL Doctors' each year. Located in the heart of London and working closely with several major teaching hospitals, it provides a truly world class medical education.
Six former students and staff have been awarded Nobel Prizes. Medical advances have included the discovery of adrenaline, the immune system, the hormone aldosterone and auto-immune disease.
Students can expect high quality teaching by an internationally acknowledged faculty of education and research leaders and a committed team of NHS based teachers whose aim is to provide the best possible student experience
UCL has one of the widest ranges of integrated BSc opportunities in the UK.
Teaching and learning
In each year of your degree you will take a number of core modules: Year 1 and 2 each carry 120 credits and Year 4-6 each carry 180 credits, awarded on the basis of the end of year assessments. Although a 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS), MBBS modules are not currently transferrable.
Upon successful completion of 780 credits, you will be awarded a MBBS degree. Upon successful completion of 120 credits, you will be awarded a BSc (Hons) in your chosen programme (except graduate entrants with UK degrees).
Modules
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.
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The MBBS is a six-year integrated programme. It comprises five years of undergraduate medicine taught in themed core modules and one year of BSc study (year three), which is taught in core and optional modules relevant to each individual iBSc degree award.
- Year 1: Fundamentals of Clinical Science 1
- Year 2: Fundamentals of Clinical Science 2
- Year 3: Integrated BSc
- Year 4: Integrated Clinical Care
- Year 5: The Life Cycle and Specialist Practice
- Year 6: Preparation for Practice.
The integrated BSc (iBSc) year allows you to pursue an individual subject of your choice in considerable depth, with a strong emphasis on undertaking an extended research study. The Year 3 modules below are a sample of those available for iBSc programmes currently offered. The integrated BSc programmes are reviewed annually and can include:
- Medical Sciences with Anatomy and Cell and Developmental Biology
- Medical Sciences with Cardiovascular Sciences
- Medical Sciences with Clinical Sciences
- Medical Sciences with Global Health
- Medical Sciences with History & Philosophy of Science & Medicine
- Medical Sciences with Human Genetics & Genomics
- Medical Sciences with Immunology, Infection and Cell Pathology
- Medical Sciences with Mathematics, Computers and Medicine
- Medical Sciences with Medical Anthropology
- Medical Sciences with Medical Physics & Biomedical Engineering
- Medical Sciences with Neuroscience
- Medical Sciences with Oncology
- Medical Sciences with Orthopaedic Science
- Medical Sciences with Paediatrics & Child Health
- Medical Sciences with Pharmacology
- Medical Sciences with Physiology
- Medical Sciences with Physiology & Pharmacology
- Medical Sciences with Policy, Communication & Ethics
- Medical Sciences with Primary Health Care
- Medical Sciences with Psychology
- Medical Sciences with Sports & Exercise Medical Science
- Medical Sciences with Surgical Sciences
- Medical Sciences with Women's Health.
Detailed information about the available integrated BSc programmes will be provided to you during your second MBBS year. Places are obtained through an allocation process which aims to match you with your highest preference, although this cannot be guaranteed as the number of places on each iBSc is limited.
If you already have a UK Bachelor’s degree, you will be exempt from the integrated BSc and will move directly from year two to year four. Your programme length will be five years in total.
Clinical and Professional Practice (CPP) modules run 'vertically' through the entire MBBS programme and include Anatomy and Imaging, Clinical Skills and Practical Procedures, Pathological Sciences, Use of Medicines and Use of Evidence, Mental Health, Social Determinants of Health, Ethics and Law and Clinical Communication.
Student Selected Components (SSCs) taken in years one, two and six allow you to pursue your special interests and develop a range of generic skills. The SSCs include choices in science, research, the arts, and humanities and languages. An elective period in year six, which the majority of students choose to take overseas, enables you to experience medicine in other health care environments.
You may also have the opportunity to obtain a PhD in addition to the integrated BSc and MBBS degrees. Selection takes place during year four of the MBBS programme, and you will have the opportunity to discuss this option with relevant academic staff.
Compulsory modules
Compulsory modules
Compulsory modules
Optional modules
Compulsory modules
Compulsory modules
Compulsory modules
Your learning
A variety of teaching and learning methods are used throughout the programme. These include small group activities, lectures, self-paced and computer-assisted learning, practical work, patient and community-based activities, and private study.
Anatomy and Imaging are taught through a combination of dissection, prosection and computer simulation. You will also learn from a range of healthcare professionals and patients during placements.
Assessment
You will be assessed using a wide range of methods, including single-best-answer questions, online cases, practical examinations, clinical examinations, workplace-based assessment and a portfolio.
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support & Wellbeing team.
The foundation of your career
Your medical degree opens up a structured career framework and a wealth of opportunities. You will have access to the UCL Careers Service, and to specialist help and advice through activities provided by the medical school in each year of the programme.
After graduation, the two-year UK Foundation Programme offers opportunities to gain insight into possible career options or build a wider appreciation of medical practice before embarking on specialist training.
Employability
The programme integrates basic medical sciences and clinical sciences with professional skills and competencies throughout. The integrated BSc enhances key generic skills including independent learning, critical thinking, scholarly writing and scientific method.
Accreditation
The MBBS is accredited by the General Medical Council (GMC) as a Primary Medical Qualification.Fees and funding
Fees for this course
| Fee description | Full-time |
|---|---|
| Tuition fees (2023/24) | £9,250 |
| Tuition fees (2023/24) | £47,000 |
The fees indicated are for undergraduate entry in the 2023/24 academic year. The UK fees shown are for the first year of the programme at UCL only. Fees for future years may be subject to an inflationary increase. The Overseas fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2023/24 entrants for each year of study on the programme, unless otherwise indicated below.
Fixed fees for Overseas students do not apply for this programme. Overseas students pay the fees in 5 annual instalments of £47,000 (2x £32,100 plus 3x £56,933), subject to annual increases of up to 5%.
Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate/funding-your-studies.
Additional costs
The nature and length of the MBBS programme with extensive clinical placements at a distance from UCL means that some additional costs will be incurred. These include:
- A charge for a Post Office check needed for an application for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (but not the cost of the check itself, which is paid by the Medical School).
- Some basic personal medical equipment, such as a stethoscope.
- Travel costs between our three main campuses (UCLH, Royal Free and Whittington Hospitals), to General Practice and Community-based placements in London, and to hospital-based placements in and around London, for example Basildon, Luton and Stevenage.
- For students who choose to take their Year 6 elective overseas, professional negligence insurance, immunisations, personal protection equipment, post exposure prophylaxis and other costs determined by your choice of destination.
A guide including rough estimates for these and other living expenses is included on the UCL Fees and funding pages. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).
Funding your studies
There are many bursaries and scholarships available to MBBS students, mostly based on financial need. Further information can be found on the Medical School website.
Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.
Scholarships
Funding opportunities relevant to the department may appear in this section when they are available. Please check carefully or confirm with the programme contact to ensure they apply to this degree programme and 2023/24 entry.
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Dorothy Parkin Bursary
Value: £1,100 for 1yr only (1 year)Criteria Based on financial needEligibility: UKDr Norman Munro Medical Scholarship
Value: £1,000 - £2,000 (1 year)Criteria Based on financial needEligibility: UKElizabeth Garrett Anderson Scholarships
Deadline: Oct 2023Value: £3,000 for 1yr only (1yr)Criteria Based on financial needEligibility: UKManika Ghosh Scholarship
Deadline: October 2023Value: £1,000 - £3,000 for 1 year only (1yr)Criteria Based on financial needEligibility: UKPeter Costin Memorial Scholarship
Deadline: 16 October 2020Value: Up to £2,000 (1 year)Criteria Based on financial needEligibility: UKProfessor Barbara Heap Billing Fund
Value: £1,000 - £2,000 (1yr)Criteria Based on financial needEligibility: UKProfessor Franz Hobbiger Bursary
Deadline: Oct 2023Value: £1,000 for 1 year only (1 year)Criteria Based on financial needEligibility: UK
The Scholarships and Funding website lists scholarships and funding schemes available to UCL students. These may be open to all students, or restricted to specific nationalities, regions or academic department.
Next steps
Your application
Working in a healthcare career can be rewarding and fulfilling, and we encourage candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds to apply to medical school. We seek to select candidates who have the motivation and passion for caring for others, who have an understanding of the rewards and challenges, and who align with the values of the NHS constitution. In addition to your academic achievements, medical schools look for a range of skills and attributes that we believe will make you a well-rounded candidate to study medicine, including compassion, empathy, personal organisation, honesty, team working, leadership and resilience.
At UCL Medical School, we are looking to train a UCL Doctor: a highly competent and scientifically literate clinician, equipped to practise person-centred medicine in a constantly changing modern world, with a foundation in the basic medical and social sciences. This vision is underpinned by the values of scholarship, rigour and professionalism. The focus is on the development of the student as a scientifically informed, socially responsible professional who can serve the health needs of individuals and communities.
How to apply
Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.
Selection
For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.
This programme does not consider applicants who are resitting qualifications. For further information on UCL's selection process, see how we assess your application.
We recommend that applicants have an understanding of what a career in medicine involves. We advise students to gain any experience that involves working with other people, building relevant skills, and reflecting on the attributes needed and if possible, gaining insight into healthcare professions, to help with their application. Your reflections on what you learnt from your work experience may be assessed at interview and we may request that a small selection of candidates provide evidence of the work experience that they have done. Please also refer to the work experience guidance provided by Medical Schools Council.
We anticipate moving from panel interviews to multiple mini interviews as our interview method in 2022-23. These take place between December and March. On application in October, we will write to all applicants explaining more about our interview procedure. We recommend that applicants review the interview preparation resources provided by Medical Schools Council.
Got questions? Get in touch
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