University of Southampton Medical School Guide

Southampton is unique in being a coastal University which brings many benefits that other Universities won’t have. For this reason, it has a lot of maritime heritage. It is also well known for sports, historical sites, and green spaces. This medical school offers 3 medicine courses – The 4 year graduate entry course (Home students only), 5 year standard entry and 6 year widening participation course (Home students only). The University is a member of the Russell Group, composed of 7 campuses and is the largest University in the South-East of England; it is global top 100 for 8 years running.

University of Southampton Medical school entry requirements

Academic Requirements

Subject	Grade	Other
A Level	AAA	Assessed on a case-by-case basis, but generally, S5 minimum requirements include Chemistry and Biology
Scottish Higher	AAAAB	Assessed on a case by case basis, but generally, S5 minimum requirements include Chemistry and Biology
Scottish Advanced Highers	AB (plus an additional subject at Advanced Higher or Higher at A or B)	Needs to include Chemistry and Biology.
IB	36 points	18 at Higher level, 6 in Biology and one additional Science. Acceptable science subjects are Chemistry, Physics, Psychology, Sociology, Environmental Studies or Geography.

Admissions tests

All applicants must take the University clinical aptitude test (UCAT) prior to the 16th October medicine application deadline.

The lowest UCAT score for a graduate home applicant in 2020 was 2930.

The lowest UCAT score for an undergraduate home applicant in 2020 was 2680.

All applicants who meet the entry requirements through either achieved or predicted grades at the point of application are ranked by UCAT score and the top number invited to interview.

Graduate Entry at University of Southampton medical school

Southampton offers Graduate Entry Medicine as a four-year course (BM4). Only Home Students are eligible for this whilst international Students must apply for the 5-year Medicine program. Those applying for this course must also take the UCAT exam.

Applicants must achieve a 2.1 in their prior degree. This degree can be in any subject with there being no preference in the subject taken. There are no A Level requirements. Applicants must have 4 GCSEs at grade C/4 or above including English language, Mathematics and either Biology or Chemistry, combined science, or science and additional science.

N.B There is also a Widening Participation course that is 6 years in length which includes a Foundation year. This year functions to cultivate scientific and professional practice.

International Students entry requirements for University of Southampton Medical School

BM5 is open to Home and International students. International applicants must meet the entry requirements for either a School Leaver, Graduate or Mature Non-Graduate through the listed or equivalent qualifications (Refer back to Academic requirements). International applicants will also have to meet the IELTS or equivalent requirement listed below. 

If English isn’t your first language, you’ll need to take an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) to demonstrate your competence in English. You’ll need all of the following scores as a minimum:

https://www.southampton.ac.uk/courses/medicine-bm5-degree-bmbs#entry

How many places are there for home and international students at University of Southampton Medical school?

Home students: 160-170 places for BM5, 32 for BM6

International students: 10-11 spaces (Graduate and Undergraduate are grouped)

(*Freedom of information 2021*)

University of Southampton Medical school ranking

Global top 100 for 8 years running (QS World University Rankings by Subject)

30th on the Medical school rankings (Complete University Guide 2025)

It’s important to keep in mind that university rankings are subjective and based on differing criteria. Rankings may be a factor in deciding which medical schools you apply to but make sure to have a holistic approach when making your decisions and consider which universities you would thrive in the most.

University of Plymouth Medical school fees

Home students – £9,250

International Students – £26,352 for preclinical years and £51,648 for clinical years 3, 4 and 5

University of Southampton medical school acceptance rate

Total number of applicants: 1615

Total number of places: 202

Total number of entrants: 250

Acceptance rate: 15.48%

University of Southampton Medical School Course Structure

The course is predominantly lecture-based and has an integrated approach.

In your first two years, the teaching is all pre-clinical. Most of the time is spent in lectures learning the foundations of the sciences that underlie medical practice. This includes subjects such as anatomy (taught through prosection), physiology, and pathology. This is done using a systems-based approach. A typical day during pre-clinical years may involve half a day to a whole day full of lectures and/or practicals.

In the second year, there is a Healthcare Support Worker placement that is unique to Southampton University. This gives you a feel of what it is like to work in the hospital and be exposed to the different professionals who will be working within a hospital. After this, you can actually work as a health care support worker allowing you to earn a bit of money on the side if you wish.

At the start of Year 3, all students conduct a research project. There is a wide range of subjects to choose from and completion of this grants you a BMedSci qualification. If you desire to pursue research even further then you can do an integrated master’s (MMedSci) which is tailored for medical students.

The rest of Year 3 is spent doing clinical placements. The rest of your time is spent doing clinical placements and rotating through different specialties.

University of Southampton Medical School Teaching style

The teaching style composes of lectures, classes and tutorials, coursework and independent learning (studying on your own).

University of Southampton Medical School term dates

Term dates at the University of Southampton Medical School: Monday 30th September-Saturday 14th December, Monday 6th January-Saturday 29th March, Monday 28th April-Saturday 14th June.

University of Southampton Medical School Interview Process

This is called the selection day at Southampton University. This involves both a panel interview and a group interview task.

During this day the criteria that the University will be assessing are:

• Self-motivation and resilience
• Reflection of life experiences
• Effective communication
• Successful interactions with peers
• Understanding of the values of the NHS constitution

Life as a Medical Student at the University of Southampton

The social life at Southampton is very radiant and there’s always things going on like other universities. There’s the Cube, a student nightclub which is ALWAYS popular and of course The Stag’s head, a pub on the campus. However, current students believe a night out in the town is a lot more lively – Bedford place being the choice of a compact area of clubs.

Southampton SU has over 400 clubs and societies full of fun, and inclusive events.

Intercalation at University of Southampton Medical School?

No, the University recently stopped allowing intercalation to focus on clinical skills for their students.

FAQ’s

Does the University offer a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree?

You will receive a BMBS degree after your course; Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.

How much of the Medical degree is clinical vs pre-clinical?

Year 1 and 2 are Phase 1, or pre-clinical. Phase 2 involves progression into clinical practice in year 3. Phase 3 is Year 4 and involves developing clinical practice. Year 5 continues Phase 3 and progresses into Phase 4: preparing for independent practice.

Does University of Southampton Medical school offer scholarships?

If you’re a UK or EU student and your household income is under £25,000 a year, you may be able to get a University of Southampton bursary (up to £2000) to help with your living costs.

Scholarships are available for students from certain international backgrounds.

Support with getting into Southampton Medical school

UCAT Tutoring

As Southampton Medical School has competitive entry requirements, it’s a good idea to get a UCAT tutor to help you exceed the UCAT threshold. When looking for a good tutor, it’s wise to consider someone who has recently achieved an excellent UCAT score themselves 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 14%, entry to Southampton Medical School is competitive. A large part of the admissions process is the interviews (Individual and group), which you’ll need to thoroughly prepare for if you’re serious about getting into Southampton. We recommend booking in with a medicine interview tutor from Southampton Medical school to get the most realistic preparation for the Southampton interviews. An interview tutor can help you to gain interview confidence, competence, and the knowledge-base you need to stand out from the crowd.