Imperial Medical School Guide

Imperial College London School of Medicine is leading institution for research and is known for teaching and producing excellent doctors. It is one of the largest schools in the country and trains more than 2000 students. It has a 6 year MBBS programme for undergraduates with an intercalation year included and a fast-track 4 year programme for graduates. Situated in West London, the campus is located in South Kensington. London of course has great travel links so commuting through the city should be much easier. There is a lot to do for everyone with the societies at Imperial and also outside of university. From museums to parks to palaces, London is an amazing world city to study in. Read further to see what Imperial College London has to offer!

Imperial Medical School Entry Requirements

Academic

A-Level

Minimum AAA including Biology, Chemistry and a third subject Typical offer: A*AA

Admissions Test

Imperial Medical School used to accept the BMAT but from the admissions cycle 2025-2026, they will be using the UCAT. Applicants will be ranked based on their UCAT and a cut-off score will be generated. You will need to score a certain minimum threshold in all sections of the UCAT separately as well. It is predicted that the top third ranked applicants will be invited to an interview.

Work Experience

Imperial Medical School looks for candidates who have used their opportunities to gain some experience in a caring role. This will help you see essential skills such as teamwork, communication and leadership. This experience does not have to be medical related or in person. However, gaining some virtual work experience is recommended to gain an insight into the role of a doctor. Examples are Observe GP and BSMS work experience.

Personal Statement

The personal statement is not used in the selection process. However, it is a great way to prepare for interview as your experiences will be well reflected and explained. It is advised to know your personal statement thoroughly as it is very likely to be asked from during the interview.

Interview

The interview will be formatted as a MMI. The medical school will assess you based on your extracurricular interests, empathy and commitment to medicine.

Graduate Entry at Imperial Medical School

Academic Requirements	Minimum 2:1 in a Biosciences or Allied Healthcare degree
Admissions Test	Must meet threshold on either the GAMSAT or UCAT
Interviews	Multiple Mini Interviews

International Students Entry Requirements for Imperial Medical School

IB	Minimum 38 points including 6 in Biology and Chemistry at higher level Typical offer: 39 points with 6 and 7 in Biology and Chemistry at higher level

How many places are there for Home and International students at Imperial Medical School?

Home	296 places
International	74 places

Imperial Medical School Ranking

Imperial Medical School ranks 4th for Medicine, according to The Complete University Guide Rankings 2025.

It’s important to keep in mind that university rankings are subjective and can be based on different criteria. These rankings must only be one of your deciding factors. It is important to have a holistic approach when making your decisions and consider which universities you would thrive in the most.

Imperial Medical School Fees

Home	£9,250
International	£55,800

Imperial Medical School Acceptance Rate

Here is the admissions data for the 22-23 application cycle:

Home Applications	3,112
Overseas Applications	2,490

Imperial Medical School Medicine Course Structure

Phase 1a (Year 1)	Revolves around the bioregulatory systems and exposes you to early patient care
Phase 1b (Year 2)	Revolves around the diseased body with further insight in patient care and applying knowledge to cases
Phase 1c (Year 3)	Preparing for the transition to clinical placements by undertaking apprenticeships in GP and placements in secondary care.
Phase 2 (Year 4)	Intercalation – BScs
Phase 3a (Year 5)	Working through placements and deepening your clinical knowledge
Phase 3b (Year 6)	Preparation for your career as junior doctor by taking an elective and assistantship

Imperial Medical School Teaching Style

Imperial Medical School uses a variety of teaching method to suit everyone. This includes methods such as lectures, practicals, placements and workshops.

Imperial Medical School Hospitals

Imperial Medical School teaches students across all five of their sites. This includes:

• Charing Cross Hospital
• Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital
• Hammersmith Hospital
• St Mary’s Hospital
• Community Diagnostic Centre Wembley

Imperial Medical School Interview Format

Imperial Medical School uses Multiple-Mini Interviews for selected applicants. This is split into 2 parts: an online interview in January and a face-to-face interview with 7 stations. Each station will be 5 minutes with 1 minute for reading. These stations can be based on the following topics:

• Motivation and realistic approach to medicine as a career
• Capacity to deal with stressful situations
• Evidence of commitment to the values of the NHS constitution
• Evidence of working as a leader and a team member
• Ability to multitask
• Likely contribution to university life
• Communication skills and maturity of character

Imperial Medical School Interview Questions

1. Why Medicine?

This question will assess how genuine your interest in medicine is and what fuelled it. It requires an honest, passionate answer but not overdramatic. It is ok to share a personal experience that you may have had first-hand or with a family member. You should begin by mentioning what sparked your initial interest towards a healthcare career – e.g. was it your passion for science but also wanting a career that enables a lot of communication? Then, you should explain in chronological order how you gained further insight into medicine to confirm that this is the career for you.

1. Tell me about a time where you demonstrated strong teamwork skills.

This question asks you to draw on your experiences and talk about what you did to display teamwork. It is always advised to link your experience back to medicine and talk about the importance of teamwork as a medical student and doctor.

1. What work experience have you taken to gain an insight into the role of a doctor?

This is a typical question for you to talk about the work experiences you mentioned in your personal statement. This is why it is vital to reflect on your experiences – what did the doctor do? what skills did you witness and what was the effect on the patient?

Life as a Medical Student at Imperial Medical School

Social Life at Imperial Medical School

The university is based in the heart of West London which makes it very accessible to explore many cultural and historical sights. For example, you can visit Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, the Natural History Museum and Oxford Street. The city is home to many unique places with so much to do from bars to cafes to restaurants to parks. There is something for all students to have a great social life!

Societies and Clubs at Imperial Medical School

Student activities include societies, clubs, volunteering and many events for student to participate in. Whether you enjoy sports, culture, arts or mostly any activity, you will have a place. And the university always welcomes new ideas for you to make a society! The medical school itself also has many subsocieties related to medical specialties, events and revision.

Intercalated Degree at Imperial Medical School

An intercalation year is compulsory at Imperial Medical School and is part of Year 4 (Phase 2) of the course. Students can undertake a BSc from a large range of choices. This includes the following:

• Anaesthesia and Critical Care
• Biomedical Engineering
• Cancer Frontiers
• Cardiovascular Sciences
• Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology and Hepatology
• Global Health
• Molecular and Translational Haematology
• Humanities, Philosophy and Law
• Immunity and Infection
• Management
• Neuroscience and Mental Health
• Pharmacology
• Remote Medicine
• Reproductive and Developmental Sciences
• Surgical Design, Technology and Innovation
• Translational Respiratory Medicine

FAQs

Does Imperial Medical School offer a Bachelor of Science (BSc) Degree?

Yes, as part of their intercalation programme, Imperial Medical School offers multiple BSc degrees in research, natural sciences and biochemistry. There is a large variety for all students to choose from.

How Much of the Imperial Medicine Course is Clinical vs Preclinical?

The 6-year MBBS course is balanced. The first 3 years are mostly preclinical with some placements and contact with patients. The final 3 years include an intercalation year and the last 2 years are fully clinical with students rotating through specialties within medicine.

Is Imperial Medical School a Good Medical School?

Imperial Medical School is renowned for its teaching facilities, research and making great doctors. It also ranks highly as a medical school. It is ideal for all medical students however, it depends on what your priorities are when selecting a medical school. It is best to visit the university on their Open Days to gain a realistic idea of the place and speak to the friendly staff!

Support with Getting into Imperial Medical School

UCAT Tutoring

It’s a good idea to get a UCAT tutor to maximise your score and help you rank higher as we have no previous data on the UCAT cut-offs of Imperial Medical School. When looking for a good tutor, it’s wise to consider someone who has recently achieved an excellent UCAT score and who has experience with tutoring. Your tutor should be able to assess your strengths and weaknesses to focus your lesson time on improving the areas you need improvement in.

Medicine Interview Tutoring

With an acceptance rate under 10% in 2023, entry to Imperial Medical School is competitive. A large part of the admissions process is the MMI, which you’ll need to thoroughly prepare for if you’re serious about getting into Imperial. We recommend booking in with a medicine interview tutor at Imperial to get the most realistic preparation for the interview process. An interview tutor can help you to gain interview confidence, competence, and the knowledge base you need to stand out from the crowd.