Entry requirements

A-levels

Most standard offers, for entry to BSMS, are conditional on gaining three A grades at A-level (including Biology and Chemistry). For applicants with contextual data – see below for further information – we will accept AAB (including Biology and Chemistry). Please be reassured that while many students are advised to study Maths or Physics by their schools or colleges, we do not specify the nature of the third A-level subject*. We actively welcome applicants who study subjects outside of the mathematical and physical sciences, as we recognise their value in broadening academic horizons.

*Please note that we do not except A-levels in General Studies, Critical Thinking or, if you are a non-speaker of English, an A-level in your original language of instruction.

UCAT

We use the UCAT, after assessing academic qualifications, to select for interview. For our 2025 entry admissions cycle, you must achieve an SJT Band score of 1, 2 or 3.

We will score the UCAT out of 3600. This is broken down to 900 marks for Verbal Reasoning, 900 marks for Decision Making and 900 marks for Quantitative Reasoning and 900 marks for Abstract Reasoning.We then rank all applicants according to their total score out of 3600 and work down the rankings to fill our interview places.

UCAT may also be used as a final discriminator if needed after interview.

Find out more about UCAT resources >

read more about additional considerations >

Read more about Special considerations on the day >

Read more about test centre incidents >

BSMS will not consider any requests for Special Consideration that have not followed the procedures detailed on the UCAT website.

GCSEs

We require all applicants, without contextual data, to have obtained at least a grade 6/B in English (Language or Literature) and Maths GCSEs. 

For applicants with contextual data, we will accept English (Language or Literature) and Maths GCSEs at a grade 5/C.

Please note we do not take any other GSCEs into consideration during our admissions process.

Widening participation and contextual data

Greater diversity within the medical profession is a goal that benefits us all. BSMS is committed to seeking out talented people who have the potential to become tomorrow’s doctors but who may not have considered it as a possibility, thus enabling medicine to better reflect the patient population.

As well as assessing your academic profile, we will also be looking to see whether you meet two or more of our contextual data criteria. If you identify as meeting any two elements of the criteria below and are classified as being a home fee paying student, you will be eligible for contextual data admissions offer and will be considered separately from the wider applicant pool.

Contextual data criteria

• You live in a neighbourhood that has low participation into higher education (POLAR 4 quintile 1 or 2) or live in an area that falls within the lowest 20% of the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019.* 

Check your POLAR4 quintile here >

Check your Index of Multiple Deprivation Decile here >

• You attended an 11–16 state school that performed below the national average according to Attainment 8.* 

Check your school Attainment 8 score here >

You (or a parent or guardian) are in receipt of, or have been eligible for a means-tested benefit.**

See the document link below for examples of means-tested benefits that we would accept.

View our means-tested benefits here > 

• You are (or have been) in receipt of a 16 to 19 bursary. Read more here > **
• You are (or have been) eligible for free school meals at any point between Year 9 and Year 13.**
• You are (or have been) eligible for a Personal Independence Payment (PIP)**

If you are or have been in receipt of an eligible for Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).**

Applicants that have been in local authority care will automatically be invited for interview subject to satisfying eligibility criteria which can be found here and academic criteria.

We welcome applications from students with disabilities. For information about available support please visit our student support pages here. If you would like to speak to a member of our student support team, please email outreach@bsms.ac.uk.

* This will be determined from the information you provide on your UCAS form.

** All applicants will be invited (via email) to upload any evidence of the above criteria after we receive your UCAS application.

If you have any queries as to whether or not you meet our contextual data criteria, you can email medadmissions@bsms.ac.uk.

Admissions offer for applicants with contextual data

School leavers

A-levels 

For applicants taking, or who have already obtained three A-levels, we require predicted, or achieved grades of at least AAB. This must include Biology and Chemistry. Please be reassured that while many students are advised to study Maths or Physics by their schools or colleges, we do not specify the nature of the third A-level subject*. We actively welcome applicants who study subjects outside of the Mathematical and Physical Sciences, as we recognise their value in broadening academic horizons.

*Please note that we do not except A-levels in General Studies, Critical Thinking or, if you are a non-speaker of English, an A-level in your original language of instruction.

A-levels and a Level 3 Extended BTEC Certificate

For applicants taking, or who have already obtained, two A-levels in Biology and Chemistry, as well as a Level 3 Extended BTEC Certificate, we require predicted, or obtained grades of at least AA in your A-levels and a Merit in your BTEC qualification.

International Baccalaureate

For applicants taking, or who have already obtained the International Baccalaureate (IB) we require a predicted, or obtained score of 35. This must include Higher Level Biology and Chemistry, both at a grade 6.

GCSEs 

For all applicants meeting our two or more of the contextual data criteria, we require English (Language or Literature) and Maths GCSEs at grade 5/C or above. These are the only two GCSEs we look at.

Admissions offer for graduate applicants with contextual data 

Applicants currently studying for, or who already have a degree may also be eligible for a contextual data offer. Applicants will be eligible if they met two or more of the contextual criteria whilst they were studying GCSEs or A-levels, or who currently meet two of the criteria. For eligible applicants, we require English (Language or Literature) and Maths GCSE at grade 5/C or above. Please note we do not alter our grade requirements for degree qualifications.

Admissions offer for Access student applicants with contextual data 

Applicants currently studying for, or who already have an BSMS recognised access qualification (see here for list of recognised access courses) may also be eligible for a contextual data offer. Applicants will be eligible if they met two or more of the contextual criteria whilst they were studying GCSEs or A-levels, or who currently meet two of the criteria. For eligible applicants, we require English (Language or Literature) and Maths GCSE at grade 5/C or above. Please note we do not alter our grade requirements for access course qualifications.

Applicants scoring above our minimum requirements, will not have any advantage in our admissions process. Once we see that applicants have been predicted, or have achieved the minimum academic requirements, they move on to the next stage of our admissions process.

Selection for interview  

As part of our agenda to widen participation to medicine, we aim to reserve 30% of interviews for applicants with contextual data. To select for interview, we rank applicants based on their UCAT score, with top ranking candidates invited to interview. Applicants with contextual data are ranked separately from the wider applicant pool. 

The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)

We welcome candidates who have successfully completed an Extended Project, recognising the effort that they have expended and the valuable skills and knowledge that they will have gained. However the EPQ will not form part of any offers that we make.

Graduate entry

Applications from graduates are welcomed. You should hold three A-levels or equivalent (at least BBB), to include Biology and Chemistry, and you should hold, or expect to hold, a first or upper second class science degree that demonstrates an adequate knowledge of Biology and Chemistry. Graduate entrants are assessed on their recent achievement, however our GCSE English and Maths requirements must still be met. As part of your academic assessment you will be asked to supply a transcript of your degree. 

If you are unsure whether we would regard your particular degree as having enough Biology and Chemistry requirements, please send us copies of your transcripts (via email to medadmissions@bsms.ac.uk) and we will advise you of your eligibility.

You should note, however, that the integrated nature of our degree in medicine does not allow advanced entry to a different year of the programme. 

If you hold (or expect to hold) a first or upper second class honours degree but do not have the necessary knowledge of Biology and Chemistry, you should consider entry via the Access to Medicine route.

International students

Applicants who may not have 'settled' status nor are ordinarily a resident in the UK are considered to be international. Applicants are advised to get in touch with the admissions team directly to see whether they are academically eligible before they apply. All applicants are also required to have grades 6 or B in English and Maths GSCE (or recognised equivalents), or if English is not their first language an IELTS of 7.0, with a minimum of 7.0 in each component. This must have been achieved no more than three years before the date that you intend to enrol with BSMS. 

International applicants are required to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT). Applicants will be invited for interview based upon meeting academic grade requirements and their UCAT score. The personal statement will not be used during the admissions process. 

International applicants will be interviewed by a Multiple Mini Interview during February and March, but may interview at other times. 

If offered a place to study at BSMS, international students are required to pay a £3,000 tuition fee deposit when they accept their offer.

International entry requirements >

International fees >