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Learn About Our Programme See How We Can Support Your Application →A 6-year pathway into medicine for Scottish applicants from widening access backgrounds
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We compile these profiles from each university's own published admissions pages and review them monthly. Entry requirements do change mid-cycle, and universities sometimes publish updates without announcing them.
Use this page to get oriented quickly, build your shortlist, and work out which questions to ask — then confirm the specifics that your application depends on (grades, admissions test, fees, eligibility) directly with the university before you apply. If you spot something that looks out of date, tell us and we will check it.
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Entry year covered: 2027
Key benefit: Successful completion of the Gateway year guarantees a place on Year 1 of Medicine. You do not need to reapply or compete for places again.
Aberdeen Gateway Medicine offers a widening participation route into medical school. Below you'll find the eligibility criteria, entry requirements, and application details for 2027 entry.
Gateway2Medicine is a widening access programme designed to support talented Scottish students from underrepresented backgrounds into medicine. The programme recognises that not everyone has equal access to educational opportunities, and provides an alternative pathway for those with the potential to become excellent doctors.
The programme consists of a one-year gateway foundation year, followed by the standard 5-year MBChB programme. During the gateway year, students receive intensive academic preparation, study skills support, and clinical exposure to ensure they are fully prepared for the rigours of medical school.
What makes Gateway2Medicine particularly attractive is the guaranteed progression: if you successfully complete the gateway year, you automatically progress to Year 1 of the MBChB programme without needing to reapply through UCAS.
Considering Aberdeen Gateway2Medicine? Future Doc's Predictable Offer Protocol™ coordinates every element of your application as one interconnected system, from UCAT preparation to university selection to interview readiness. 93% of our students receive at least one offer. Find out how it works.
Gateway2Medicine is specifically designed for Scottish applicants who have faced barriers to accessing higher education. To be eligible, you must be Scottish domiciled AND meet at least one of the widening access criteria.
You must be Scottish domiciled AND meet at least one of the following:
Aberdeen publishes an explicit list of applicants who cannot apply to Gateway2Medicine:
Important: You cannot apply to Gateway2Medicine if you don't meet the eligibility criteria. International students are not eligible for this programme, they should apply to the standard A100 MBChB programme instead.
Gateway2Medicine has lower academic entry requirements than the standard A100 programme, reflecting the barriers that widening access students may have faced. However, you still need to demonstrate strong academic potential.
| Qualification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Higher Grades | A minimum of 4 Highers at AABB, achieved over one or two sittings (across S4–S6) |
| Required Subjects | Must include any two sciences from Chemistry, Maths, Biology/Human Biology and Physics |
| National 5s | English and Mathematics at grade C or above |
No A-Level route is published. Aberdeen publishes only a Scottish Highers academic requirement for Gateway2Medicine. Because non-Scottish domiciled applicants are not eligible for the programme, there is no separate A-Level entry route to apply through.
"Gateway2Medicine is an incredible opportunity for students who have the motivation and potential to become doctors but haven't had the same advantages as others. The lower academic requirements don't mean lower standards, they recognise that a BBB from someone who faced significant barriers shows just as much ability as AAA from someone with every advantage. What matters is your potential and your commitment."
— Dr. Ash, Future Doc
Aberdeen states: "We do not require this for application to G2M but it will be required for progression to Medicine." The UCAT therefore plays no part in getting onto the gateway year, but you will need to sit it before you can move on to the MBChB.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| UCAT Required to Apply | No — not required for application to Gateway2Medicine |
| UCAT Required for Progression | Yes — required for progression to Medicine |
| Cut-off Score | No cut-off published for Gateway2Medicine entry |
| SJT Consideration | No SJT policy is published for Gateway2Medicine entry |
Tip: Because the UCAT is needed for progression rather than for entry, you have more time to prepare — but it is still a hurdle you will have to clear, so do not leave it to the last minute.
Note: The UCAT format changed in July 2025 with the removal of Abstract Reasoning, reducing the maximum score from 3,600 to 2,700. Cut-off scores and statistics from previous years may not directly apply to the current format.
Aberdeen states that all eligible applicants will be invited for interview for Gateway2Medicine, and that interviews will likely take place in April. Aberdeen does not publish a station-based MMI format for entry to the gateway year. The MMI you may have read about is a separate hurdle used later, for progression from the gateway year to the MBChB.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who Is Interviewed | All eligible applicants are invited for interview |
| Format | Interview — Aberdeen does not publish a station count or station duration for G2M entry |
| Interview Period | Likely April |
| Progression Interview | A separate MMI is held for progression to the MBChB, likely late March |
Preparing for your Aberdeen Gateway2Medicine interview? Future Doc's Think Like a Doctor™ module includes university-specific practice, high-pressure simulations, and an intensive In-Person Interview Day. Our near-100% interview-to-offer conversion rate reflects months of preparation across the full application, not just last-minute coaching. Learn more.
Gateway2Medicine is a 6-year programme: 1 gateway year followed by the 5-year MBChB. Here's what to expect at each stage:
Intensive academic preparation in biomedical sciences, study skills development, and introduction to clinical environments. You'll build the foundations needed to succeed in the medical degree while receiving dedicated support.
Core biomedical sciences integrated with early clinical experience. You join the main MBChB cohort and follow the same curriculum as all other medical students.
Deeper study of body systems with increased clinical focus. Integration of pharmacology, pathology, and clinical skills through problem-based learning and hospital placements.
Extensive clinical rotations across medical and surgical specialties. Hands-on experience in hospitals, GP practices, and community settings throughout NHS Grampian and beyond.
The most important feature of Gateway2Medicine is the guaranteed progression to Year 1 of the MBChB programme. If you successfully complete the gateway year, you automatically have a place on the medical degree. You do not need to:
There are, however, two progression hurdles to be aware of. The UCAT is required for progression to Medicine even though it is not required to apply to the gateway year, and Aberdeen runs a separate MBChB MMI as part of progression, likely held in late March.
This removes the uncertainty of reapplying through UCAS, but the gateway year is not a free pass — plan for the UCAT and the progression MMI during the year.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Places Available | ~20 |
| Eligibility Pool | Scottish domiciled + widening access criteria only |
| Competition Level | Competitive but smaller applicant pool than A100 |
| Gateway Year Pass Rate | High (programme designed for student success) |
Gateway2Medicine students receive dedicated support throughout the gateway year and beyond:
"The support that Gateway students receive is exceptional. Aberdeen genuinely wants you to succeed, that's why they've created this programme. The gateway year isn't about 'catching up'; it's about building a strong foundation and giving you the confidence to thrive in medical school. Gateway graduates go on to be just as successful as their A100 peers."
— Dr. Ash, Future Doc
Aberdeen understands that widening access applicants may have faced barriers to gaining traditional work experience. They take a contextual approach:
Whatever experience you have, focus on what you learned from it and how it confirmed your motivation for medicine.
A contextual offer is an adjustment a university makes for applicants whose circumstances have made their education harder than the grades alone suggest. Universities use them because they recognise that two students with the same predicted grades have not always had the same run at them. They are a formal, published part of the admissions process — not a favour, and not something you have to argue for.
What the adjustment actually is varies by school, and it matters more than most applicants realise. Depending on where you apply, qualifying can mean: a lower grade offer; being ranked against other widening participation applicants rather than the whole field; a guaranteed or prioritised interview; a lower admissions test threshold or extra shortlisting points; relaxed GCSE or subject requirements; or access to a separate gateway or foundation year route.
If you meet these conditions, the University of Aberdeen does not simply shave a grade off an offer — it opens a different door. Gateway2Medicine is a separate one-year programme with its own UCAS code and its own, much lower, entry requirements, and every eligible applicant is interviewed. If you are also applying to the standard A100 MBChB, the same background lowers the grades Aberdeen asks of you and lifts your UCAT score in the ranking used to decide who gets an interview.
| How it helps | What that means for you |
|---|---|
| A separate gateway route with far lower grades | Entry to Gateway2Medicine is AABB across four Highers (achievable over one or two sittings, S4–S6, including two sciences) against AAAAB in one sitting for direct entry to A100 Medicine. Alternatives are accepted: an NC Level 6 in Applied Sciences with 18 credits plus a grade A science Higher, or an HNC Applied Science with 15 credits and a grade A graded unit at first attempt. |
| An interview for every eligible applicant | Aberdeen invites all eligible G2M applicants to interview, usually in April. You are not competing to be shortlisted — if you qualify, you are seen. |
| No UCAT needed to apply | The UCAT is not required to apply for Gateway2Medicine. You sit it during the gateway year, because it is required for progression into the MBChB. That buys you a full extra year of preparation. |
| A lower A100 offer if you apply there too | On the standard A100 route, an eligible applicant's minimum academic requirement drops by one grade: AAAB at Scottish Highers instead of AAAAB, or AAB at A-level instead of AAA. Chemistry plus the usual second or third science is still required. |
| A UCAT uplift that moves you up the A100 ranking | Aberdeen adds 10% to the UCAT score of SIMD20 and/or care-experienced school leavers, and 5% to SIMD40 school leavers, before UCAT is used to rank applicants for interview. There is no UCAT cut-off at Aberdeen, so the uplift directly improves your ranking position rather than clearing a bar. |
| A guaranteed A100 interview for many Scottish applicants | Scottish-domiciled applicants who meet the minimum academic requirements (including the adjusted widening access ones) and whose UCAT sits in the top 75% of Aberdeen's applicant pool are guaranteed an interview. |
| A guaranteed interview if you are care experienced | Aberdeen's Widening Access Contextualised Admissions Policy guarantees an interview to care-experienced applicants on any course where interview forms part of the process, and names Medicine and Graduate-entry Dentistry explicitly, provided you meet or are predicted to meet the academic requirements. |
| Guaranteed progression, not a second competition | Pass the gateway year and you move into Year 1 of the MBChB. You do not reapply through UCAS and you do not compete for a place again — though you do need a suitable UCAT score and to clear the progression MMI. |
See every UK medical and dental school's widening participation scheme to compare what each one actually gives you.
| Fee Status | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|
| Scottish students (SAAS-funded) | £1,820 — paid directly to the university by SAAS for eligible Scottish-domiciled students |
| Rest of UK | £10,050 |
| International / EU | £24,800 |
In practice, only the first row applies to you. Gateway2Medicine is open to Scottish-domiciled school leavers who are eligible for SAAS funding, so the rest-of-UK and international rates are published for completeness rather than because those applicants can apply. If you are eligible for G2M, you should not be paying tuition.
| Fee Status | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|
| Scottish students (SAAS-funded) | £1,820 — paid by SAAS |
| Rest of UK | £10,050 |
| International | £50,100, inclusive of the mandatory national levy covering NHS clinical teaching |
Aberdeen states that the NHS clinical teaching levy for 2027 entry has yet to be agreed; for 2026 entry it was £10,000 per year and it is included in the published overseas rate.
Figures above are the University of Aberdeen's published full-time undergraduate tuition fee rates for the 2027/28 academic year. Fees are reviewed annually and normally rise at least in line with inflation.
Important: You can apply to Gateway2Medicine (A1A1) and the standard Medicine programme (A100) at Aberdeen in the same application cycle, using two of your four UCAS choices.
Applying to medical school requires more than meeting the minimum entry requirements. Here are practical steps to strengthen your application:
For an overview of all UK medical schools and how they compare, see the UK Medical Schools hub page.
Yes, you can apply to both A1A1 (Gateway2Medicine) and A100 (standard MBChB) at Aberdeen. This uses two of your four UCAS medicine choices. If you meet the criteria for A100, you might receive an offer for that instead of or in addition to A1A1.
The Gateway year is designed for student success, with extensive support to help you pass. If you're struggling, you'll receive additional support. In the rare event that a student doesn't pass, they would not progress to the MBChB programme, but may be able to resit or pursue alternative options.
No. Once you join Year 1 of the MBChB, you are a medical student like everyone else. Gateway students follow the same curriculum, sit the same exams, and receive the same degree. Your transcript will show MBChB, not Gateway2Medicine.
Not to apply. Aberdeen states that the UCAT is not required for application to Gateway2Medicine, but it will be required for progression to Medicine, so you will need to sit it during the gateway year.
No, Gateway2Medicine is only available to Scottish domiciled students who meet widening access criteria. International students should apply to the standard A100 MBChB programme.
Aberdeen will verify your eligibility using your postcode (for SIMD), school data, and declarations in your application. You should explain your circumstances in your personal statement. Be honest and clear, Aberdeen wants to support students who genuinely meet the criteria.
Focus on meeting the academic requirements (4 Highers at AABB, including two sciences), gaining whatever work experience you can, and writing a strong personal statement that explains your motivation and circumstances. Most applicants treat these as separate tasks, which is why the national success rate is just 16%. Future Doc's Predictable Offer Protocol coordinates every element as one interconnected system, which is why 93% of their students receive at least one offer.
Most applicants treat the medical school application as a series of separate hurdles: the UCAT, personal statement, work experience, university selection, and interviews. They try to solve each one independently. This creates a fragmented approach where the pieces never add up.
Future Doc works differently. Through the Predictable Offer Protocol, a dedicated coach who knows your complete profile coordinates every element of your application as one interconnected system. Every decision is made with the full picture in mind.
The result: 93% of our students receive at least one offer. If they don't, they come back next year for free.
Find Out How It Works
Last updated: March 2026. Information verified against University of Aberdeen admissions pages and Medical Schools Council guidance.
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