Graduate Entry Medicine: Selection Criteria

Academic Entry requirements

The Graduate-Entry Medicine course (A101) is open to applicants with:

• A degree in applied or experimental science (see here) – with a degree class of 2.1 or above (or a GPA above 3.5)
• Passes at A-level of at least AAB with an A or A* in Chemistry (grade requirements apply if A-levels were taken within the last 5 years; applicants whose exams were taken more than 5 years prior to the year of application are not required to have AAB, although their grades will be assessed carefully at the shortlisting stage). See “GCSE and A-level requirements” below for further details and equivalent qualifications.
  

GCSE and A-level requirements

• Applicants must have A-level Chemistry (normally passed at A or A* if taken within last 5 years). Applicants with a degree in Chemistry or Biochemistry (2.1 or above) are exempt from this requirement.
• Applicants must also have one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics at A-level.
• Applicants with a degree in a subject other than bioscience must have a qualification in biology at GCSE or equivalent level.
  

International equivalent qualifications

International Baccalaureate:

• Applicants must have an overall score of 36 (including core points) and scores of 6 in subjects taken at Higher Level.
• Applicants are required to offer the following subjects at Higher Level:
  i) Chemistry (unless applicants have a degree in Chemistry or Biochemistry with a 2.1 or above)
  ii) At least one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics
  

Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers:

• Applicants must have AAB with an A in Scottish Advanced Higher Chemistry if taken within last 5 years. Applicants with a degree in Chemistry or Biochemistry (2.1 or above) are exempt from this requirement.
• Applicants must also have one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics at Scottish Advanced Higher Level.
  

European Baccalaureate:

• Applicants must have average of 79% or more with marks of 8-9 required in relevant subjects
• Applicants are required to offer Chemistry (unless applicants have a degree in Chemistry or Biochemistry with a 2.1 or above) and at least one from Biology, Physics or Mathematics.
  

Other qualifications

We welcome applications from those studying towards qualifications other than those listed here, as long as they are considered equivalent to A-levels - in terms of both content and achievement.

We advise all non-A-level applicants to make it clear on their UCAS application form that they meet our requirements i.e. all subjects studied, and at what level, should be specified.

The University has provided some guidance on qualifications required from international applicants - see the University listing of international qualifications.

Please note that, regardless of qualifications, we will require applicants to achieve particular excellence in Chemistry (compulsory), plus at least one from Biology, Physics and Mathematics.

Any applicants unsure of their eligibility for the course should contact geadmissions@medsci.ox.ac.uk for guidance.

Work Experience

Applicants are expected to show evidence of their genuine commitment and personal suitability to medicine. This may be demonstrated through relevant work experience in a health or social care setting, for example. 

General selection requirements

Feedback

Please note that the Medical School is only able to provide basic feedback to candidates who were not shortlisted for interview. For interviewed candidates, any such requests should be directed to the Tutor for Admissions of the college to which you applied or to which you were subsequently assigned, whether as a result of making an open application or through reallocation. Read the University’s policy concerning feedback on admissions decisions.

Statistics from the 2023 Admissions Round (for 2024 Entry)

In 2023 we received 187 UCAS applications of which 158 were complete and met the published selection criteria.

• 65% of applicants were female (61% in 2022).
• 29% of applicants resided outside of the EU and 5% resided in the EU outside of the UK.
• 28% of applicants had not completed their first degree at the time of application (30% in 2022), 39% had, or were completing, a Master’s Degree (38% in 2022) and 10% had, or were completing, a PhD/DPhil (14% in 2021).
• For those that had completed their first degree, 50% had a First Class Classification.
• 18% of applicants had, or were completing, a degree in Biomedical Sciences, 15% in Chemistry or Biochemistry, 22% in Biology, and 7% in Mathematics, Physics or Engineering.

Interviews & Offers

Each shortlisted applicant was interviewed at two colleges: the college of preference, or allocation if an open application was made, and one other. The number of applicants called for interview was set at approximately 2.5 applicants per place available.

Interviewers assessed each applicant against the selection criteria. Following interviews, colleges ranked all the applicants seen, on the basis of all information available to them at that time. After disclosure of the candidate rank from the second college, colleges reviewed their ranking and submitted a final rank. On the basis of this final ranking, applicants were provisionally assigned offers at a particular college, with the college the applicant had chosen (or had been allocated to) having priority. Admissions decisions were confirmed by college tutors.

Please note that colleges interviewed blind of college of choice (or allocation) and BMAT score.

Colleges made 35 quota offers and 6 open offers (which means that the applicant is guaranteed a place at Oxford to study Medicine, but will not be assigned to a final college until later in the year). The overall success rate was 26%.

• The overall success rate for male applicants was 32%; the overall success rate for female applicants was 21%.
• The success rate for applicants with a First Class degree was 40% (compared to 17% for those with a 2.i)
• UK, EU and Outside of the EU had success rates of 30%, 25% and 17% respectively.
• Success rates for applicants with a Biomedical Sciences degree was 10%, compared with 26% for those with a Biochemistry or Chemistry degree, 34% for those with a Biology degree, and 45% for those with a degree in Mathematics, Physics or Engineering.
• The mean BMAT score across all applicants (sections 1 and 2 combined) was 9.5. The mean BMAT score across shortlisted applicants (sections 1 and 2 combined) was 10.5. The mean BMAT score across offer-holders (sections 1 and 2 combined) was 10.8.