MBChB Medicine unsuccessful applicants

MBChB Medicine is an extremely competitive degree programme with its own unique entry requirements and selection process. There are a number of reasons why your application may have been unsuccessful.

Common reasons for an unsuccessful Medicine application

You did not take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) 

It is essential that you take the UCAT before you submit your application. If you do not take the UCAT, we cannot consider your application.  

We only offer exemptions:  

  • if you cannot take the UCAT in your country, or
  • on a case-by-case basis under very exceptional circumstances, when you have applied for an exemption before making your application 

The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) (Edinburgh Medical School) 

You achieved a UCAT score below the minimum cut-off score and/or a Band 4 in the situational judgement test (SJT) 

You must meet our minimum UCAT score as part of our entry requirements.  

We cannot take your application further if you apply with a score below the minimum, unless you are eligible for a widening access Plus Flag.  

We also do not consider applicants who have achieved a Band 4 in the situational judgement test (SJT). 

The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) (Edinburgh Medical School) 

What happens if you might be eligible for a Plus Flag 

You are qualified but competition for places was very high 

Medicine is known as a ‘controlled subject’. This means that there is a strict limit on the number of places that are funded by the Scottish Funding Council.  

Applicants who normally live in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland are funded differently from students in Scotland. This means the places available are allocated separately. These allocations are decided by the Scottish Funding Council and are based on historical intake patterns. 

MBChB Medicine places available in previous cycles (Edinburgh Medical School) 

Because of the limit on places, competition is extremely high, and we must turn away many qualified applicants. 

We assess and score all applications that meet our entry requirements, looking at: 

  • academic grades (achieved and predicted)
  • UCAT total score
  • situational judgement test (SJT) banding  

While it will not be formally assessed, your personal statement may provide guidance to us when we are shortlisting applications and will be essential preparation for you if invited to attend one of our Assessment Days. 

We invite shortlisted applicants who have the most competitive scores within their fee status group to an Assessment Day, before making our final decision. 

Your application may have been unsuccessful because: 

  • your scores were not as competitive as other applicants within your fee status group, meaning you did not qualify for an Assessment Day, or
  • you attended an Assessment Day but when all of your scores were added together you were not as competitive when compared with other candidates within your fee status group 

MBChB Medicine admissions statistics (Edinburgh Medical School) 

You applied after the deadline 

Due to the extremely high demand for places, we only consider a late application in the most exceptional circumstances. The deadline for applicants is 15 October in the year prior to the programme start date. 

You applied with resits

We do not consider resits for any qualification. You must achieve your examination grades at your first attempt in each subject.  

If you are applying with resit qualifications, we will not enter you into the selection process unless under very exceptional circumstances, for which you have provided verified evidence before applying through UCAS. 

You are already enrolled or midway through another degree programme 

If you are already studying a degree and you want to apply to MBChB Medicine, you must not have just started or be midway through your degree in the academic year in which you apply.  

We expect people who undertake degree programmes to complete them, and therefore, we cannot consider applications from people who are not in the final year of their degree. 

You have previously studied medicine or have been enrolled on another medicine programme elsewhere 

We do not accept any transfers into Medicine or candidates who have already studied or been enrolled on another medicine programme elsewhere, other than: 

  • from institutions where prior agreement exists, or
  • due to extreme exceptional circumstances, considered on a case-by-case basis 

Transfers (Edinburgh Medical School) 

You applied for deferred entry 

Medicine is extremely competitive. For this reason, we are unable to consider any applications for deferred entry, unless it is due to compulsory National Service in your home country. In this case, we can consider a deferral of one year only.

What to do after an unsuccessful application

If you were unsuccessful after an Assessment Day 

You can request detailed feedback by contacting us at medug@ed.ac.uk with your full name and UCAS personal ID number. 

If you want to apply again in the future, we recommend that you take a year out and use some of the time to gain extra work experience and to practise interview techniques. We cannot guarantee an interview or a place in future years, as demand will remain high and offers are dependent on how other applicants perform. 

If you were not invited to an Assessment Day 

We can provide written feedback if you met our entry requirements and were entered into the selection process. 

Contact our Undergraduate Admissions team at medug@ed.ac.uk. 

Unfortunately, we cannot provide feedback if you did not meet our entry requirements. 

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