Pears Cumbria Graduate Entry Medicine 2027: Entry Requirements & Interview

Pears Cumbria graduate entry medicine for 2027: degree and admissions test requirements, how applicants are shortlisted, the interview format and example questions, fees and places.

Last reviewed: 14 September 2026 by MedicHut's medical admissions team.

Pears Cumbria Medicine entry requirements (2027 entry)

Pears Cumbria Medicine asks for Not applicable - graduate entry only at A-level, or Not scored. in the IB. At GCSE: Not applicable - graduate entry only. 2026 entry: home minimum UCAT 1960/2700, contextual minimum 1910/2700. GAMSAT alternative: home minimum 59, contextual 53. The SJT is not used.

• A-level requirement: Not applicable - graduate entry only
• Minimum A-levels: N/A - a 2:1 (or above) in a Biosciences or Allied Healthcare degree is the academic requirement.
• IB requirement: Not scored.
• GCSE requirement: Not applicable - graduate entry only
• UCAS code: A102
• Places: Small graduate-entry cohort growing year on year; UK Home students only.
• Applications per place: ~14.3 applicants per place and ~3.0 applicants per interview (832 applications, 279 interviews, 58 places, 2026 entry); 2025 entry: ~11.2 applicants per place, ~1.9 per interview (652 applications, 343 interviews, 58 places)
• Contextual offers: Contextual applicants face a lower minimum UCAT/GAMSAT threshold - 2026 entry UCAT 1,910 and GAMSAT 53 versus 1,960/59 standard
• Fees: Home: £9,790 for 2026 entry; approximately £10,050 for 2027 entry (in line with the UK government fee cap, subject to parliamentary approval). International: not applicable - PCSM does not accept international / Overseas fee-status applicants.

How Pears Cumbria uses the UCAT

2026 entry: home minimum UCAT 1960/2700, contextual minimum 1910/2700. GAMSAT alternative: home minimum 59, contextual 53. The SJT is not used.

2026 entry: home minimum UCAT 1960/2700, contextual minimum 1910/2700. GAMSAT alternative: home minimum 59, contextual 53. The SJT is not used.

2026 entry cut-off: Home ~1,960, contextual ~1,910 (out of 2,700, post-Abstract Reasoning removal)

Pears Cumbria medicine interview format

Pears Cumbria runs Multiple Mini Interviews in person at its Carlisle campus. The school lists what it is looking for: commitment to medicine and understanding of the role of a doctor, potential to contribute to the medical school and the region, teamwork and leadership, ethics, empathy, and resilience and adaptability. Work experience with service users is assessed at interview alongside your application, and applicants without local links are asked about their interest in improving health outcomes for people in Cumbria. The school does not publish a station count or station timings. Check your invitation for current timings. Dates are confirmed in your interview invitation

Sample Pears Cumbria interview questions

• Why Pears Cumbria specifically - what draws you to a graduate-entry MBBS delivered in Cumbria and awarded by Imperial?
• You have no personal connection to Cumbria. How would you contribute to healthcare in North and South Cumbria as a doctor?
• Role-play: an elderly patient in a rural Cumbrian village is anxious about travelling to Cumberland Infirmary for a scan. Talk to them.
• Tell us about a time you demonstrated one of the values of the NHS Constitution - which value, and what did you do?
• Ethics: how should the NHS balance investment in rural community services against investment in specialist tertiary centres?
• What did your work experience with service-users teach you about the day-to-day reality of being a junior doctor?
• Describe a time you worked in a team where things went wrong. What was your role and what did you change?
• How would you support a fellow student on placement who was clearly struggling with their mental health?
• What health inequalities affect the population of Cumbria, and what could a newly qualified doctor realistically do about them?
• Describe a time you received difficult feedback on a clinical or academic task. How did you respond?
• Why medicine now, after your undergraduate degree, and not another route (nursing, physician associate, biomedical research)?
• Why should Pears Cumbria choose you over an equally qualified graduate with the same UCAT / GAMSAT score?

Pears Cumbria Medicine FAQs

What UCAT score do I need for Pears Cumbria 2027 entry?

The published 2026-entry minimum was UCAT 1960 (out of 2700), with a 1910 contextual threshold for widening-access candidates. Applicants who clear the threshold are ranked on UCAT score for MMI shortlisting - so aim well above the minimum. Confirm the current figure on the Imperial course page.

Do I need UCAT or GAMSAT for Pears Cumbria?

Either. UCAT must be taken in the same year as your UCAS submission; GAMSAT within the two years prior. 2026-entry minimums were GAMSAT 59 (Home) or 53 (contextual).

What degree do I need for Pears Cumbria?

A 2:1 or above in a Biosciences or Allied Healthcare degree - broadly interpreted (Biology, Biomedical Science, Pharmacy, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Paramedic Science, Psychology, Neuroscience, Dietetics, Public Health, Dentistry, Veterinary Science and more). Email PCSM admissions if unsure.

Do I need A-levels or GCSEs for Pears Cumbria?

No. A-levels and GCSEs are not scored as part of the widening-access design - degree classification and UCAT / GAMSAT score drive shortlisting.

Does Pears Cumbria accept international students?

No. Pears Cumbria is UK Home students only. International / Overseas fee-status applicants are not eligible for the A102 programme.

What is the Pears Cumbria interview like?

A Multiple-Mini Interview (MMI), potentially delivered in a blended format combining in-person stations with asynchronous online stations. Stations assess motivation, contribution to Cumbria, teamwork, leadership, ethics, empathy and resilience.

Who awards the degree at Pears Cumbria?

The MBBS is awarded by Imperial College London, but the whole 4-year programme is taught at the University of Cumbria's Fusehill Street Campus in Carlisle, with clinical placements across North and South Cumbria.

How much are the Pears Cumbria fees?

£9,790 per year for 2026 entry, rising to approximately £10,050 for 2027 entry in line with the government fee cap. Home students can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, maintenance loan and the Imperial Bursary.

Where will I do my clinical placements at Pears Cumbria?

Across North and South Cumbria - North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (Cumberland Infirmary Carlisle, West Cumberland Whitehaven), University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay (Furness General Barrow, Westmorland General Kendal), CNTW mental health services, plus general practice and community placements. Some placements require travel and temporary accommodation.

Can I defer my Pears Cumbria offer or transfer in from another medical school?

No. Imperial does not offer deferred entry for the PCSM A102 programme and does not accept transfers from other medical schools or from other Imperial College London programmes.

Do I need to be from Cumbria to apply?

No. Applicants from across the UK are encouraged to apply. Candidates without local links are assessed at MMI on their understanding of, and interest in, improving health outcomes for the people of Cumbria - so research the region's health needs.

When does Pears Cumbria make decisions?

MMI invitations roll from late autumn / winter; interview outcomes are typically issued through spring for 2027 entry.

Practise the Pears Cumbria interview

Book a Pears Cumbria medicine mock interview in the exact format Pears Cumbria uses, with an interviewer who holds an offer there.

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