Your questions answered
Find answers to the questions we get asked the most about applying for undergraduate study.
Application
Applications for UCL’s undergraduate degrees are made through UCAS (The Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Further information and guidance can be found on the UCAS website and there is dedicated section for Parents and Guardians supporting students applying to university in the UK.
Information about key days in the application timetable can be found on the Applying through UCAS page .
All applications are giving equal consideration if they meet the published UCAS in October (for Medicine) and January for all other degrees.
A full list of our degrees can be found in the prospectus. Course pages give details of A-level and IB requirements, as well as international qualifications. Details of any subject specific requirements can also be viewed here.
Taking four A-levels does not give an applicant an advantage over someone taking three A-levels. Our entrance requirements are based on three A levels. Any offer will only consist of three A level grades. If an applicant is studying more than three A levels, we will consider the three highest grades. We will include any required or preferred subjects as appropriate.
Some courses will use additional tests, selection tasks or interviews to differentiate between candidates. Refer to our Entry Requirements and How we assess your application webpages to see full details.
Some applicants will be required to provide evidence of English Language proficiency if made an offer. See English language requirements for information.
Due to the high volume of applications and the level of competition, it is very unlikely that we will make an offer to students with predicted grades below our entry requirements.
The degree programmes which currently require interviews can be seen on our How we assess your application webpage.
The only way for an offer holder to guarantee their place at UCL is to meet the conditions of their offer in full. On occasion, we may be able to consider candidates who have narrowly missed the conditions of their offer. Unfortunately, we will not be able to give you a decision until A Level results day in August. Final decisions will be communicated via UCAS Track.
The UK government imposes an overseas cap on medical school places. For our MBBS Medicine degree, we have 24 Overseas places. This is around 7% of our total MBBS Medicine intake. No other UCL degrees have an overseas student number cap.
We will not be able to discuss an application with any third parties without the applicant's written permission due to data protection legislation. If an applicant wishes to give UCL permissions to speak to a specific person about their application, they will need to contact us via our Admissions contact form with their:
- Full name
- UCAS PID number
- Name of the programme applied for
- Name of the nominated contact
UCL Medical School does not require applicants to have gained clinical work experience, and we do not specify a minimum duration of time spent completing work experience. We recommend that prospective students read the Medical Schools Council guide to work experience and the information on the UCL MBBS Admissions webpage for guidance.
Funding
The tuition fee will depend on whether a student is classed as a UK, Overseas or Islands students. Information about fee status can be found on the Student fee status webpage. Both UK and Overseas fees are clearly listed on the relevant course pages in the prospectus. Tuition fees covers all element of tuition, registrations and examinations.
Information about funding for undergraduate studies can be found on the Funding for students on undergraduate courses page and our Scholarships Finder.
Spending costs vary depending on lifestyle choices and the individual student. Some degrees will incur some additional costs not covered by tuition fees, such as specialist equipment, artists’ materials, books or cost related to carrying out field work. Where applicable, this will be detailed on the prospectus page.
Guidance on living expenses can be found on our How much does it cost to study at UCL? webpage. For students living in halls of residence, fees are available on the Accommodation webpages.
Accommodation and Life in London
UCL will guarantee an offer of accommodation to all full-time, first-year undergraduate students who are studying at UCL for the first time. The guarantee applies to individual applicants only (not as part of a couple or family) who apply before the deadline and meet the eligibility criteria. See full eligibility criteria and accommodation guidance on the accommodation webpages.
Accommodation places are allocated to students that meet the eligibility criteria in order of when applications are received. We use an auto allocate tool, which randomly allocates students to specific halls, as identified through the chosen room preferences and maximum weekly rate indicated on the application.
Students typically move into private accommodation after first year. However, from September 2026 we will be opening a new hall of residence, urbanest Canary Wharf, that will be open to returning students. Current student who have additional requirements can also apply for a place in halls after first year. Applications will be considered by the Medical Cases Panel and reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
We offer a range of services to assist and support students who are looking for private accommodation in London, including property platforms, flatmate finders, housing fairs, contract checking and housing advice. See our Alternative Accommodation page for details.
All UCL halls of residence have a dedicated team of Student Residence Advisers (current UCL postgraduate students) and a Warden (staff) to help students to settle in, stay safe and get involved in university. Our Guidance for current residents webpage provides more information.
London is generally a very safe city, but there are various steps students can take to ensure their safety. Our Personal Safety page provides advice on staying safe on campus and in London, emergency contacts and other safety matters.
Support
Our aim is to promote and implement an inclusive learning and teaching environment, allowing students to study as independently as possible during their time at UCL. Information on on the support available for students with learning difficulties, disabilities and long-term health conditions can be found here.
All UCL students on taught programmes are assigned a Personal Tutor, who is there to offer guidance and support on matters relating to the students’ academic progress, their personal or professional development, and general wellbeing. Information about Personal Tutors and other resources can be found on the Academic support pages.
The Academic support pages give some clear guidance as to the various ways we support our students to adapt to studying and living at university. As well as Personal Tutors first-year undergraduate students will also have a Transition Mentor, who is a student from the same department in second, third or fourth year. Mentors will be available for an informal discussion about university life and to help students settle in.
Employment
It is important to emphasise that academic work should take priority but UCL does offer advice and working opportunities for students whilst they are studying. UCLU’s JobShop service can help students find flexible part-time employment. Depending on a student’s immigration status there may be restrictions on employment and further information can be found here.
Our Careers team are on hand to support students in the different stages of their career planning. They offer a wide range of resources, events and services to support students in exploring and pursuing their future career plans. This includes on to one appointments, sector specific events, mentoring, skills workshops and jobs boards. Information on how students are supported can be found on the UCL Careers pages.