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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 If you spot something that looks out of date, tell us and we will check it.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
Hull York 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.
The Gateway Year to Medicine at Hull York Medical School is a widening participation programme designed to support talented students from underrepresented backgrounds who have the potential to become excellent doctors but may not have had the same opportunities as other applicants.
This 6-year route consists of a preparatory foundation year followed by automatic progression to the standard 5-year MB BS programme. The Gateway Year provides additional academic support, study skills development, and early clinical exposure to ensure students are fully prepared for the demands of medical school.
Importantly, students who successfully complete the Gateway Year do not need to reapply or interview again, progression to the MB BS programme is guaranteed upon successful completion of the foundation year.
Considering Hull York Medical School Gateway Year? 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.
The Gateway Year is specifically designed for applicants who demonstrate academic potential but come from backgrounds that may have limited their opportunities. This is not simply an easier route into medicine, it's about recognising that talent exists in all communities and providing the support needed to help it flourish.
To be eligible for the Gateway Year, you must have Home fee status AND meet either at least two criteria from the first group, or at least one criterion from the second group.
Group 1 (meet at least two):
Group 2 (meet at least one):
Note: Meeting eligibility criteria does not guarantee a place. All applicants are assessed holistically.
"The Gateway Year exists because HYMS understands that potential isn't limited to those who've had every advantage. If you've faced barriers but still have that drive to become a doctor, this programme could be the opportunity that changes your life. Don't underestimate yourself, schools like HYMS are actively looking for students like you."
— Dr. Ash, Future Doc
The Gateway Year has lower academic requirements than the standard A100 programme, recognising that students from disadvantaged backgrounds may have faced educational barriers.
| Qualification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| A-Level Grades | BBC–ABB including Biology. Note the upper limit: HYMS states "Predicted or achieved grades should be no lower than BBC and no higher than ABB." If you are predicted AAA or above you are not eligible for A108 and should apply to A100 instead. |
| Required Subjects | Biology plus a second science (Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology) at grade B |
| Not Accepted | General Studies, Applied Science, Citizenship, Critical Thinking |
| Science Practicals | Practical endorsement required for science A-Levels |
HYMS considers a range of qualifications including BTEC, Access to HE courses, and Scottish Highers. Contact the admissions team for specific requirements if you hold alternative qualifications.
All Gateway Year applicants must sit the UCAT in the same year they apply. However, your UCAT score is assessed in the context of your widening participation background.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| UCAT Required | Yes |
| Cut-off Score | No fixed cut-off - contextual assessment |
| How UCAT is Used | Considered alongside academics and WP background |
| SJT Consideration | Applicants must achieve SJT Band 1, 2 or 3. Band 4 is an exclusion, not a consideration. |
Important: HYMS understands that students from disadvantaged backgrounds may have had less access to UCAT preparation resources. They consider your score in context, though preparing thoroughly is still strongly recommended.
Preparing for your Hull York Medical School Gateway Year 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.
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.
Gateway Year applicants are interviewed using the same MMI format as standard entry applicants, held in person at the Hull and York campuses. The interview assesses your potential to become a doctor, not your access to opportunities.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) – held in person at the Hull and York campuses |
| Number of Stations | 4 stations for Home fee status candidates |
| Station Structure | 1 group exercise, 2 mini-interviews and 1 scenario station |
| Scoring | Scored out of 90 |
| Interview Period | January to March |
| What's Assessed | Communication, ethical reasoning, problem-solving, teamwork, empathy, motivation |
The MMI is scored out of 90 in total. Note that this is a shorter circuit than the longer MMIs run by some other medical schools, so each station carries more weight.
Key insight: HYMS assessors understand that not everyone has had access to formal work experience in hospitals. They're looking for evidence of caring, communication skills, and understanding of what medicine involves, this can come from many sources including caring for family members, volunteering, or part-time work.
Preparing for your MMI? Future Doc's interview preparation sessions has helped students achieve a 93% success rate at securing offers. We specialise in helping students present their unique experiences effectively. Learn more about our programme.
HYMS publishes applicant and offer numbers for each programme. These are its own figures for 2025 entry.
| Stage | A108 Gateway Year | A100 Medicine (for comparison) |
|---|---|---|
| Applications received | 416 | 1,625 |
| Invited to interview | 119 | 904 |
| Offers made | 111 | 796 |
| Places available | 40 home, 0 international | Not published separately on the selection pages |
| UCAT cut-off score | Not published. HYMS states "We do not look for a specific score to be achieved" — applicants are ranked and the top scorers are invited. For A108 the only hard UCAT requirement is SJT Band 1–3. | Ranked on UCAT decile; no published cut-off |
The striking number is the interview-to-offer step: 119 A108 interviews produced 111 offers. Getting to the HYMS Gateway interview is the hard part; once you are there, the odds change completely.
| Route | UCAS Code | Length |
|---|---|---|
| MB BS Medicine (standard entry) | A100 | 5 years |
| MB BS Medicine with a Gateway Year | A108 | 6 years (1 + 5) |
Institution code H75. The MB BS is awarded jointly by the University of Hull and the University of York.
The foundation year is designed to prepare you academically and personally for the challenges of medical school. It provides a supportive environment where you can develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed.
Upon successful completion of the Gateway Year, you automatically progress to Year 1 of the MB BS programme. There is no need to reapply, resit the UCAT, or attend another interview. You simply continue your medical education alongside students who entered directly onto the 5-year course.
"The Gateway Year isn't about catching up, it's about building solid foundations. Students who come through this route often do exceptionally well in the MB BS programme because they've had that extra year to develop their skills and confidence. By the time they graduate, there's no distinction between Gateway students and direct entrants."
— Dr. Ash, Future Doc
HYMS understands that students from widening participation backgrounds may have faced barriers to accessing traditional clinical work experience. They take a flexible approach to what counts as relevant experience.
The key is reflection. HYMS wants to see that you understand what being a doctor involves and have thought seriously about whether it's right for you. This understanding can come from many sources.
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.
At Hull York Medical School, widening participation is not one adjustment but three separate machines, and they do not all apply to this course. It is worth being precise about which is which.
HYMS awards contextual admissions points to UK school leavers with Home fee status who meet one or more of the following. Points are not available to graduates, or to anyone who has previously started or completed a university course, including a foundation programme.
If any of those apply, HYMS adds points to the score that decides who is invited to interview, and — if you meet the fuller A108 eligibility criteria — opens up this Gateway Year route with its substantially lower entry requirements. You must confirm your eligibility on the online Additional Information form by 30 October; HYMS states it cannot accept late submissions and that anything not on that form cannot be taken into account for the cycle.
| How it helps | What that means for you |
|---|---|
| This course exists at all | A108 Medicine with a Gateway Year is a six-year route open only to applicants who meet the contextual eligibility criteria. 40 home places; no international places. |
| Three grades lower at A-level | BBC–ABB (B in Biology and B in a second science from Chemistry, Maths, Physics or Psychology) against AAA for the standard A100 MB BS. |
| Relaxed GCSE requirement | Five GCSEs at 9–4 / A*–C including English Language and Maths. HYMS also scores your best five GCSEs on this route rather than the best six used for A100 — so one weak subject costs you less. |
| Almost no UCAT requirement | For A108, the UCAT requirement is reduced to the SJT band only: Band 1, 2 or 3. You must sit the UCAT in the year of application, but no cognitive-subtest score threshold applies. |
| Up to 15 contextual points at interview selection | Shortlisting is a ranking out of 100: GCSEs 35, UCAT decile 35, UCAT SJT 15, contextual points up to 15. Care experience, refugee status, a military background or a Gypsy, Roma or Traveller background are each worth the full 15 points on their own. The UCAT bursary is worth 8; a below-average Progress 8 school 3; POLAR4 Q1 3 and Q2 2; first in family 1; a recognised WP programme 7. In other words the contextual component is worth as much as the entire SJT component. |
| Regional priority | If your permanent address is in the HYMS region — City of York, Darlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, Hartlepool, Hull, Middlesbrough, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, Redcar & Cleveland or Stockton-on-Tees — you receive priority at all stages and 2 additional selection-for-interview points on top of your contextual points. |
| Progression without reapplying | Complete the Gateway Year to the required standard and you move into Year 1 of the MB BS. No second UCAS application, no second interview. |
| For A100 applicants: Reduced and Alternative offers | If you apply instead to the five-year A100, the same contextual flags can buy you a Reduced Offer of AAB rather than AAA, or — after completing a designated WP programme such as UKWPMED or Realising Opportunities — an Alternative Offer of ABB, plus a flexible approach to other entry criteria. |
For a side-by-side comparison, see every UK medical and dental school's widening participation scheme.
| Fee Status | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|
| UK (Home) | 2027/28: TBC. HYMS states on its own fees page that "Fees for 2027/28 have not yet been confirmed and are subject to increase in line with government policy." For reference, the figure it publishes for 2026 entry is £9,790 per year. The England-wide fee cap for 2027/28 is £10,050, so expect the HYMS figure to land at or below that. |
| International | Not applicable. A108 has 40 home places and no international places — HYMS does not accept applications to this programme from outside the UK. (For context, the international fee on the five-year A100 is £49,750 per year for 2026 entry.) |
| Total programme cost | TBC — six years of fees, but the per-year figure for 2027/28 onwards is not yet set, so any total would be a guess. Do not plan on the basis of one. |
HYMS adds that increases to the Government fee cap may apply in future years of your course, and that it will notify students of any changes as soon as it can.
Gateway Year students have access to the full range of student finance options:
Important: The Gateway Year is only open to Home fee status applicants. You must be eligible for Home tuition fees to apply.
Yes
HYMS has an unusually clear and generous resit rule: applicants may repeat or restart Year 12 or Year 13 a single time with no restrictions. Year 13 repeaters must achieve a minimum of CCD, including grade C in Biology and a second science subject.
Yes
Re-applicants are welcome. You should demonstrate how your application has developed since your previous attempt.
Not eligible
The Gateway Year is only open to Home fee status applicants who meet widening participation criteria. International students should consider the standard 5-year MB BS programme (A100).
Welcome
Mature students who meet the widening participation criteria are welcome to apply. There is no upper age limit.
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.
BBC to ABB at A-Level including Biology plus a second science (Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology) at grade B, with at least five GCSEs at grade 9-4 (A*-C) including English Language and Mathematics. Applicants must also meet widening participation criteria and sit the UCAT.
Home fee status applicants who meet the widening participation criteria: either at least two from the first group (UCAT bursary, low participation neighbourhood, first generation at university, or a below-average Progress 8 school), or at least one from the second group (care experience, refugee status, military family background, or Gypsy, Roma or Traveller background).
Students who successfully complete the Gateway Year automatically progress to Year 1 of the 5-year MB BS programme. You do not need to reapply, resit the UCAT, or attend another interview, progression is guaranteed upon successful completion.
The Gateway Year has lower academic entry requirements (BBC–ABB vs AAA), recognising that students from disadvantaged backgrounds may have faced educational barriers. However, the programme itself is rigorous and prepares you fully for the MB BS course. By graduation, there is no distinction between Gateway students and direct entrants.
You should apply to the programme that best fits your circumstances. If you meet the widening participation criteria and are predicted in the BBC–ABB range, the Gateway Year may be appropriate. If you meet the AAA requirements for standard entry, you may wish to apply for A100. Contact HYMS admissions for guidance on which programme suits you best.
HYMS understands that not everyone has equal access to clinical work experience. They accept a range of experiences including caring responsibilities, volunteering, part-time work, and virtual work experience. The key is demonstrating reflection and understanding of what medicine involves.
Ensure you clearly meet the widening participation criteria, achieve the best grades you can, prepare thoroughly for the UCAT, and reflect deeply on your experiences. 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: February 2026. Information verified against Hull York Medical School admissions pages and Medical Schools Council guidance.
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