How students are selected

A ‘hurdle’ based approach is taken to assessing applications – your application will not be scored nor will weighting be applied to specific parts of your application. The selection process for applicants to Medicine includes an assessment of all information on the application form including:

  • academic performance
  • personal statement and reference
  • UCAT scores.

The School has a limited number of interview places (approximately 500). To be considered for interview, applicants must have:

  • a strong academic record
  • a positive reference
  • relevant, medically related work experience (see 'qualities and experience' on the entry requirements page).

Applicants meeting these requirements will be ranked on the basis of their UCAT global score. Those ranked in the top 500 or so will be given an interview. Decisions to make offers will be based on the interview score and the ‘route’ to which applicants have applied. Where applicants have the same interview score, the global UCAT score will be used to differentiate between them.

The interview process

Invitations to attend an interview will be emailed to applicants at various times from November up to April. Interviews usually take place on dates in late November and early December and then in the following January, February and March. 

For 2024 entry, interviews are planned to be held both online using Microsoft Teams and in-person in St Andrews. Applicants who are overseas and RUK for fee purposes will be invited to attend an online interview, and all other applicants will be invited to attend an in-person interview.

Decisions and feedback

Decisions to make offers will be based on the multiple mini interviews. Applicants will be notified of decisions via UCAS. Although some decisions may be made earlier on in the admissions cycle, the majority of decisions will be made in line with UCAS published deadlines.

The information on UCAS Track will include some feedback as to why an applicant was unsuccessful in their application.

Please see the University’s admissions policy for information on the appeal process.