Edinburgh Medicine 2027: UCAT, Entry Requirements & Interview

Edinburgh Medical School building on Teviot Place, University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh Medicine (Edinburgh Medical School) for 2027 entry: entry requirements, A-level and GCSE grades, how it uses the UCAT, admissions statistics, interview format and graduate entry - from MedicHut's medical admissions team.

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

Edinburgh Medicine entry requirements (2027 entry)

Edinburgh Medicine asks for A*AA - Chemistry at A* plus one of Biology, Human Biology, Maths or Physics at A. Resits not accepted at A-level, or 40 points overall with 766 at HL (HL Chemistry at 7 plus one other science at 6 or better) in the IB. At GCSE: Profile heavy in 7s, 8s and 9s expected; Edinburgh uses GCSE attainment as a major shortlisting factor (most weighting of any UK med school). Combined pre-interview score of academics (25%), UCAT (17.5%) and SJT (7.5%) determines shortlisting for Assessment Day, which then makes up the remaining 50% of the final score. Minimum UCAT invited for 2026 entry: ~1,560 Scottish, ~1,700 RUK, ~1,900 International (out of 2,700).

SJT is used in shortlisting here, so your band sits alongside your other scores when interviews are decided.

SJT is used after interview, combined with your interview score, when offers are ranked.

How Edinburgh uses the UCAT

Combined pre-interview score of academics (25%), UCAT (17.5%) and SJT (7.5%) determines shortlisting for Assessment Day, which then makes up the remaining 50% of the final score. Minimum UCAT invited for 2026 entry: ~1,560 Scottish, ~1,700 RUK, ~1,900 International (out of 2,700).

Combined pre-interview score of academics (25%), UCAT (17.5%) and SJT (7.5%) determines shortlisting for Assessment Day, which then makes up the remaining 50% of the final score. Minimum UCAT invited for 2026 entry: ~1,560 Scottish, ~1,700 RUK, ~1,900 International (out of 2,700).

2024 entry cut-offs (out of 3,600): 2,112 Scottish - 2,299 RUK - 2,574 International. 2026 entry cut-offs (out of 2,700): ~1,560 Scottish - ~1,700 RUK - ~1,900 International.

Edinburgh medicine interview format

No traditional interview - Edinburgh shortlists via a combined UCAT + SJT + academic score, then invites candidates to an Assessment Day which makes up 50% of the final ranking. n/a - decisions are issued on a rolling basis from December.

Edinburgh Medicine FAQs

Does Edinburgh Medicine interview applicants?

No - Edinburgh is one of the very few UK medical schools that does not interview. All offers are made on the combined academic + UCAT + personal-statement score.

What UCAT score do I need for Edinburgh Medicine 2027 entry?

There's no published cut-off but the 2025 entry effective threshold was around 2,750. Without an interview to recover ground, push for 2,800+ and a top-decile SJT.

How important is the personal statement at Edinburgh?

Vital - Edinburgh is the ONE place where the PS truly is decision-making. It's scored against a published rubric and feeds directly into your combined score.

Does Edinburgh weight GCSEs heavily?

Yes - more than almost anywhere else. A profile dominated by 7s, 8s and 9s is the expectation, with grade 5/B minimum in English and Maths.

Does Edinburgh accept resit A-levels?

Generally no - Edinburgh expects AAA at first sitting. Resits are considered only with documented mitigating circumstances.

Does Edinburgh accept the IB?

Yes - 37 points overall with 666 at Higher Level including Chemistry.

Can I apply to Edinburgh as an international student?

Yes, but the Overseas intake is tiny (~14 places) and competition is fierce - expect to need a UCAT in the top decile and an academically near-perfect record.

When does Edinburgh issue offers?

From early December on a rolling basis through to March, with the bulk going out January-February.

Does Edinburgh offer Graduate Medicine?

No - only the 6-year undergraduate MBChB.

Does Edinburgh require work experience?

Yes - reflective work experience (clinical or care-based) must be evidenced in your personal statement. Without it, your PS score drops sharply.

Is Edinburgh Medical School good?

Yes - Edinburgh is one of the strongest medical schools in the UK. It was founded in 1726 (the oldest in the English-speaking world), is ranked 22nd in the world for Medicine in the 2025 QS World University Rankings, and consistently sits in the UK top 10 for teaching quality, research output and Foundation Programme allocation. Graduates train across NHS Lothian's teaching hospitals with strong clinical and research exposure.

How do I get into Edinburgh Medical School?

Hit AAA at first sitting including A/A* Chemistry plus a second science, pack your GCSEs with 7s-9s, score 2,750+ on the UCAT with no Band 4 SJT, and write a personal statement mapped to Edinburgh's published rubric (motivation, reflection, work experience, communication, breadth). Because there is NO interview, every component of that written application has to be near-perfect - it's your one shot. Most applicants who miss out lose a single component (UCAT below ~2,700, thin GCSE profile, or a generic PS).

Where is Edinburgh Medical School?

The historic Medical School building sits on Teviot Place in central Edinburgh, five minutes from the main university campus at George Square. Clinical years are taught at the Chancellor's Building on the Little France BioQuarter, alongside the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, about 4 miles south of the city centre.

How many students study Medicine at Edinburgh?

Around 1,500 undergraduates plus roughly 250 postgraduate research students study at Edinburgh Medical School at any one time. Each new MBChB cohort has ~205 Home/RUK places and ~14 Overseas places, meaning intake is deliberately kept small relative to demand (application-to-place ratio ~12:1).

Why choose Edinburgh Medical School over other Scottish or UK medical schools?

Three reasons applicants pick Edinburgh: (1) heritage and reputation - the world's oldest English-speaking medical school with elite research output; (2) the compulsory intercalated BMedSci in Year 3, which gives every graduate an honours research degree and a stronger Foundation Programme application; (3) the no-interview model, which suits applicants with elite academics + UCAT + a strong PS but who don't want to be judged on 8 minutes of MMI performance.

Practise the Edinburgh interview

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

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