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Learn About Our Programme See How We Can Support Your Application →Wales's leading medical school, offering world-class training with early patient contact and strong NHS partnerships
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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 If you spot something that looks out of date, tell us and we will check it.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
Considering Cardiff Medicine? Here's a complete breakdown of entry requirements, admissions criteria, and the application process for 2027 entry.
Cardiff University School of Medicine is one of the UK's most established medical schools, founded in 1893 and now part of the Russell Group of universities. Located in the Welsh capital, the school benefits from close integration with the University Hospital of Wales and NHS Wales, providing students with exceptional clinical training opportunities.
Cardiff is known for its emphasis on early patient contact, with students gaining clinical exposure from the very first year of study. The school's Case-Based Learning (CBL) approach integrates clinical scenarios with scientific learning, ensuring graduates are well-prepared for modern medical practice. Cardiff also has strong research links, particularly in areas such as neuroscience, cancer, and infection.
Considering Cardiff University School of Medicine? 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.
UCAS Code: A100 | 5 years
The standard 5-year undergraduate medicine programme for school leavers and graduates. Open to UK and international applicants. Cardiff's flagship course with Case-Based Learning throughout.
You are viewing this courseUCAS Code: A101 | 4 years
Accelerated programme exclusively for graduates from selected Welsh Feeder Stream courses. Limited eligibility - see dedicated page for details.
View full entry requirements| Route | UCAS Code | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine MBBCh (standard entry, this page) | A100 | 5 years |
| Medicine: Graduate Entry MBBCh | A101 | 4 years |
| Gateway or foundation year route into Medicine | Not verified. We could not read Cardiff's course listings directly — confirm with the School of Medicine whether any feeder or foundation route exists for 2027 entry | |
Cardiff's website blocks automated access, so the A100 and A101 codes above are carried forward from our previous review of this profile rather than re-verified in Cardiff's own source this cycle. Check both codes on Cardiff's course finder before you put them on a UCAS form.
The following requirements apply to the standard 5-year Medicine MBBCh programme (A100). For Graduate Entry Medicine, see the dedicated page linked above.
| Qualification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| A-Level Grades | AAA including Chemistry and Biology |
| Required Subjects | Grade A in both Chemistry and Biology |
| Third Subject | Any subject except General Studies or Critical Thinking |
| Welsh Baccalaureate | Accepted as third A-Level equivalent |
All applicants to Cardiff must sit the UCAT in the same year they apply. Cardiff uses the UCAT as a significant factor in shortlisting candidates for interview.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cut-off Score | Not published in advance. Cardiff's threshold changes annually with the strength of the applicant pool |
| Numerical threshold for a recent cycle | Not verified. Cardiff's pages could not be read directly this cycle — ask the School of Medicine what threshold applied last year |
| Contextual UCAT threshold | Not verified for A100 Medicine. See the Contextual & Widening Participation section above |
| How UCAT is Used | Combined with GCSE score to create ranking for interview invitation |
| SJT Consideration | Yes, SJT band is considered (Band 4 may result in rejection) |
| UCAT Weighting | Significant - used as primary filter alongside academics |
"Cardiff is one of the Welsh medical schools that weights residency in their selection process. If you're a Welsh resident, you'll receive additional points in the ranking system. But regardless of where you're from, a strong UCAT score is essential. Cardiff receives thousands of applications, so you need to stand out on paper first."
- Dr. Ash, Future Doc
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.
Cardiff uses the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format. Candidates who meet the academic and UCAT thresholds are invited to attend MMI stations that assess a range of competencies.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | MMI with multiple stations |
| Duration | Approximately 2 hours total |
| Interview Period | December to March |
| What's Assessed | Communication, ethical reasoning, problem-solving, teamwork, motivation |
Important: Cardiff does not review personal statements or references when scoring interviews - your MMI performance is assessed independently.
Preparing for your Cardiff University School of 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.
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Annual applications (A100) | Not verified. We could not read Cardiff's published statistics directly this cycle |
| Total places (A100) | Not verified |
| Interview invitations | Not verified |
| Number of MMI stations | Not verified |
| Welsh resident places | Welsh residency carries additional weighting in Cardiff's selection. The proportion of the intake it accounts for is not verified |
We would rather tell you we do not know than hand you an estimate dressed up as a statistic. Cardiff's own admissions pages are the place to get these numbers, and the School of Medicine will answer a direct question about them.
Cardiff expects applicants to have undertaken some form of relevant experience to demonstrate their understanding of healthcare and commitment to medicine. While specific hours are not mandated, they look for:
Cardiff is understanding of barriers to clinical experience and will consider alternative evidence of commitment and motivation where direct clinical access was not possible.
Generally not accepted
Cardiff does not normally consider applicants who have resit A-Level examinations. Exceptions may only be made in cases of significant documented mitigating circumstances that affected first-attempt performance.
Yes
Re-applicants are welcome to apply again. You should demonstrate how your application has strengthened since your previous attempt, particularly your UCAT score and any additional experiences.
A100 only
| Programme | International Students |
|---|---|
| Medicine MBBCh (A100) | Accepted |
| Graduate Entry Medicine (A101) | Feeder Stream only |
Note: International places are limited. English language requirement is IELTS 7.0 overall with minimum 6.5 in all components, or equivalent.
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.
We are going to be straight with you here, because a confident-sounding guess would be worse than useless on something this consequential.
Cardiff University does operate a contextual admissions policy at institutional level, and its School of Dentistry publishes a contextual scoring uplift and a named guaranteed-interview route. But we have not been able to read Cardiff's published medicine-specific contextual admissions detail directly, so we are not going to publish criteria, grade reductions or mechanisms for A100 that we have not verified in Cardiff's own words. Cardiff's website blocks automated access, and we do not publish figures taken second hand.
What that means for you: if contextual admissions matters to your application — and if you are in a widening participation group applying to Medicine, it almost certainly does — this is a question to put to Cardiff directly before you commit a UCAS choice. Specifically, ask:
For context only — these apply to the School of Dentistry, not to A100 Medicine, and are recorded here at low confidence because we could not read them in Cardiff's own source:
| How it helps | What that means for you |
|---|---|
| Additional points in dentistry shortlisting | Cardiff's dentistry admissions information describes additional points in the scoring process for applicants identified as contextual applicants, raising their position in the shortlisting ranking. The number of points is not published in any source we could read. |
| Pathways to Dentistry guaranteed interview | Applicants who have completed, or are participating in, one of four named widening participation initiatives — Cardiff's Step-Up to University programme, the Cardiff Sutton Trust Dental Summer School, Deintyddion Yfory (Tomorrow's Dentists), or the North Wales Dentistry Scheme — and who meet the minimum entry requirements are guaranteed an interview for BDS Dentistry. |
| Equivalent for A100 Medicine | Not verified. We found no Cardiff-published statement that either mechanism extends to Medicine, and we are not going to assume it does. |
For a side-by-side comparison, see every UK medical and dental school's widening participation scheme.
Cardiff is in Wales, and the English statutory fee cap does not apply here — Welsh institutions set their own rate. Cardiff’s own 2027-entry course page states that it is “awaiting confirmation on tuition fees for the 2027/28 academic year”, so there is no figure to publish yet.
| Fee Status | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|
| Home (UK, including Wales) | 2027/28: TBC — Cardiff states it is awaiting confirmation. For reference, Cardiff charges the maximum fee the Welsh Government sets each year: £9,790 for 2026/27 and £9,535 for 2025/26. Do not assume the English £10,050 cap applies |
| International | 2027/28: TBC — Cardiff states it is awaiting confirmation. International medicine fees are frequently banded by pre-clinical and clinical year, so ask Cardiff for the figure for each year of the five-year course, not just Year 1 |
Why there are no numbers here: Cardiff has not set its 2027/28 fees yet. We would rather show you that than print last year’s figure as if it were this year’s. Cardiff says that if the Welsh Government raises the cap after you accept an offer, it will write to you and let you withdraw without penalty.
Get the figure from Cardiff's own course page before you apply, and ask specifically for the 2027/28 academic year. Welsh-domiciled students should also check their Student Finance Wales entitlement, which works differently from the English system.
The MBBCh programme at Cardiff uses a Case-Based Learning (CBL) approach integrated throughout the curriculum:
Foundation in biomedical sciences with early clinical exposure. Students study body systems through clinical cases while building core scientific knowledge. Includes regular patient contact through clinical placements from Year 1.
Transition year focusing on clinical reasoning and applied knowledge. Increased time in clinical settings with structured rotations. Students begin to take on more responsibility in patient interactions.
Full clinical rotations across medical and surgical specialties. Students work as part of clinical teams in hospitals and community settings across Wales. Includes elective opportunities and preparation for foundation training.
Optional intercalated degrees available, typically taken between Years 2 and 3. Options include BMedSci or BSc in various medical science disciplines.
Students train primarily in Cardiff with placements across Wales:
"What sets Cardiff apart is the early patient contact and the strong sense of community. Students aren't just observers - they're integrated into clinical teams from Year 1. The Welsh NHS partnership is genuinely excellent, and students get to see a diverse patient population. Plus, Cardiff itself is a fantastic city to live in as a student."
- Dr. Ash, Future Doc
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.
Cardiff does not publish a fixed UCAT cut-off as it varies each year based on the applicant cohort. However, competitive applicants typically score above the national average. Your UCAT is combined with your GCSE score to create a ranking for interview selection, so both components matter significantly.
Cardiff uses the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format. You will rotate through several stations, each lasting a few minutes, covering different scenarios and questions. This format assesses a wide range of competencies rather than relying on a single conversation.
Generally no. Cardiff does not normally consider applicants who have resit A-Level examinations. Exceptions are only made in cases of documented mitigating circumstances that significantly affected your first attempt.
International students can apply to the 5-year Medicine MBBCh (A100) programme. However, places for international students are limited and competition is high. The 4-year Graduate Entry programme (A101) is not open to international applicants. International fees are significantly higher than home fees.
Yes. Cardiff operates a selection system that gives additional points to Welsh residents. This reflects the school's mission to train doctors for the Welsh NHS. However, places are also available for applicants from across the UK and internationally.
Focus on achieving strong academics (AAA including Chemistry and Biology), prepare thoroughly for the UCAT to achieve an above-average score, and practise extensively for MMI stations. 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.
Yes, Cardiff is one of the UK's leading medical schools with a strong reputation for clinical training and research. It is part of the Russell Group and benefits from excellent NHS partnerships across Wales. The Case-Based Learning approach and early patient contact are highly valued by students and employers alike.
A note on this profile: Cardiff University's website returns HTTP 403 to automated requests, which means the fees, UCAT thresholds, application statistics and medicine-specific contextual admissions detail on this page could not be re-verified in Cardiff's own source during our October 2026 review. Everywhere that is the case, we have said so rather than guessing. Confirm anything your application depends on with Cardiff directly.
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: February 2026. Information verified against Cardiff University admissions pages and Medical Schools Council guidance.
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