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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 If you spot something that looks out of date, tell us and we will check it.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
Interested in Leicester Foundation Medicine? This programme provides an alternative pathway with an additional preparatory year. Here you'll find the entry requirements, eligibility criteria, and application process for 2026 entry.
The University of Leicester Medicine with Foundation Year (A199) is a 6-year programme designed specifically for students from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in medicine but may not have had the same opportunities as other applicants.
The Foundation Year provides an additional year of study before students join Year 1 of the standard MBChB programme. This extra year offers enhanced academic preparation, study skills development, and early clinical exposure, helping students build confidence and competence before tackling the full medical curriculum.
This programme recognises that talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not. If you come from a background where pursuing medicine has been more challenging, Leicester's Foundation Year could be your route into the profession.
Considering Leicester Medicine Foundation Year (A199)? 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.
This is not a "tick one box" scheme. For 2027 entry Leicester requires you to meet both essential criteria in Group A, and then either one criterion from Group B or two from Group C.
Fee status: you must be a UK student living and studying in the UK. If your home country is not the UK but you live here, you must have settled or pre-settled status, or refugee status, at the time of application.
Evidence: if you meet Group A you may be emailed by the Admissions Team after 15 October to provide evidence. Do not send evidence before you are asked — you have to complete a form to enclose with it.
Criteria verified October 2026 on Leicester's own A199 Medicine with Foundation Year 2027 entry requirements page.
"The Foundation Year at Leicester is a fantastic opportunity for students who haven't had the same advantages as others. Don't be put off by not having perfect grades or a traditional path into medicine. If you meet the eligibility criteria and have genuine motivation, this programme is designed for people exactly like you. The extra year is not a disadvantage, it's an investment in your success."
— Dr. Ash, Future Doc
The Foundation Year has lower academic requirements than the standard A100 programme, recognising that students from disadvantaged backgrounds may have achieved less due to circumstances rather than ability.
| Qualification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| A-Level Grades | BBB. Leicester will also consider ABC, provided the grade C is in the third subject. |
| Required Subjects | Chemistry or Biology, plus one of Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Maths or Psychology, plus a third subject |
| Predicted grades | Leicester scores any candidate predicted at least BBC |
| Not Accepted | General Studies, Critical Thinking, Citizenship Studies, Global Perspectives (Cambridge Pre-U), and the Welsh Baccalaureate Skills Challenge Certificate |
| Timing | All A-levels should be taken within two years of your GCSEs. A-levels sat in Year 12 do not form part of pre-interview selection, nor do EPQs or fourth-subject AS-levels. |
| Requirement | Foundation Year (A199) | Standard (A100) |
|---|---|---|
| A-Level Grades | BBB (or ABC with the C in the third subject) | A*AA (AAA with an EPQ or AS at grade B; contextual AAA) |
| Places | 38 for 2027 entry, up to 15 reserved for East Midlands applicants | Not published separately on the A199 page |
| Graduates | Not considered — any previous higher education disqualifies you | Considered |
| Course Duration | 6 years | 5 years |
| Eligibility | Widening participation criteria required | Open to all |
| International Students | Not eligible | Eligible |
All Foundation Year applicants must sit the UCAT in the same year they apply. Leicester considers UCAT scores in context, recognising that widening participation applicants may have had less access to preparation resources.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| UCAT Required | Yes |
| Cut-off Score | Not published by Leicester. It publishes a scoring document setting out how academic and UCAT performance are used to select for interview, but no threshold figure. |
| How UCAT is Used | Used alongside academic criteria and contextual factors |
| SJT Consideration | Yes, SJT band is considered |
| Mitigating circumstances | Not normally accepted for UCAT. Leicester states that by sitting the test you declare you are fit to do so. Significant issues reported through test-centre annotations will be considered. |
Preparing for your Leicester Medicine Foundation Year (A199) 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.
Foundation Year applicants go through the same MMI process as standard programme applicants. The MMI format allows you to demonstrate your potential across multiple stations.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) |
| Number of Stations | Typically 7-8 stations |
| Station Duration | 5-7 minutes per station |
| Interview Period | December to March |
| What's Assessed | Communication, empathy, ethical reasoning, problem-solving, teamwork |
Important: The MMI is your opportunity to shine regardless of your background. Interviewers are looking for potential, motivation, and the personal qualities needed to be a good doctor, not advantages or opportunities you may not have had.
"In the MMI, your background isn't a disadvantage, it's often an advantage. Many widening participation students have overcome significant challenges, developed resilience, and have unique perspectives that make them excellent doctors. Don't hide your story, use it. The experiences you've had can demonstrate exactly the qualities medical schools are looking for."
— Dr. Ash, Future Doc
The Foundation Year (Year 0) provides additional preparation before you join Year 1 of the standard MBChB programme. It is designed to:
After successfully completing the Foundation Year, you progress directly into Year 1 of the standard MBChB programme alongside students who entered via A100.
Academic preparation, study skills development, and introduction to clinical environments. Builds the foundations for success in the full medical curriculum.
Foundational biomedical sciences integrated with early patient contact. Students learn basic science alongside clinical skills, with regular community placements.
Hospital-based rotations covering major medical and surgical specialties. Students gain hands-on experience across Leicester hospitals and partner sites.
Final year focused on preparation for foundation training. Includes student assistantships, electives, and consolidation of clinical skills.
Leicester understands that students from disadvantaged backgrounds may have had less access to traditional work experience opportunities. They take a contextual approach:
If you haven't been able to gain clinical experience, focus on what you have done and what you've learned from it. Part-time jobs, volunteering, caring responsibilities, and community involvement can all demonstrate relevant skills and qualities.
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 Leicester, the contextual route is this course. A199 Medicine with Foundation Year is not a flag attached to a standard application — it is a separate six-year programme with its own UCAS code, its own places, and its own, much lower, entry bar.
See the Widening Participation Eligibility Criteria section above for the full published Group A / B / C structure. In short: you must be a UK student who went to a state school for GCSEs and has never attended higher education, plus one Group B criterion (care experience of three months or more, refugee status, a UCAT Bursary award, or an IMD quintile 1 postcode) or two Group C criteria (low household income or free school meals, a below-average Attainment 8 school, priority engagement group, estrangement, first generation to university, sole carer, or completion of Realising Opportunities / Access Leicester: Medicine / a UKWPMED programme).
If you meet those conditions, Leicester puts you on a route that asks substantially lower grades than its standard course and adds a preparatory year before you join the MBChB.
| How it helps | What that means for you |
|---|---|
| A far lower grade requirement | BBB — in Chemistry or Biology, one of Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Maths or Psychology, and a third subject — against A*AA for the standard A100. Leicester will also consider ABC provided the C is in the third subject. |
| Scoring on a lower predicted threshold | Leicester scores any A199 candidate predicted at least BBC, on the stated reasoning that predicted grades can be inaccurate. |
| Ring-fenced places — including regional ones | There are 38 places on A199 for 2027 entry. Up to 15 are reserved for applicants resident in the East Midlands while studying for A-levels or BTEC (Leicestershire, Rutland, Derbyshire including DE13–DE15, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire excluding North and North East Lincolnshire, Peterborough PE1–PE9, and CV1–CV13 / CV21–CV23). The other 23 are open to applicants from anywhere in the UK. |
| A preparatory year before the MBChB | The Foundation Year is taught partly alongside Biological Science students before moving into medicine-specific modules, with patient contact and clinical skills during the year. Successful completion takes you into Year 1 of the five-year MBChB. |
| A £6,000 scholarship package | Students on this course receive a £3,000 fee waiver, a £1,000 scholarship for the Foundation Year and a £2,000 scholarship in Year 1 of the Medicine course. The fifth year of the MBChB (following the Foundation Year) is then funded by an NHS Bursary. |
| Alternative qualifications are accepted | BTEC National Extended Diploma DDD in Applied Science; a single BTEC at Distinction with two A-levels at BB; IB 30 points with 5 each in three Higher Level subjects; T Level Distinction in Science with a minimum B in the core component. |
For a side-by-side comparison, see every UK medical and dental school's widening participation scheme.
| Fee Status | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|
| Home (UK) | £10,050 — Leicester states that "for the 2027/28 academic year, the Home UK tuition fee is expected to be £10,050", the statutory England cap. Fees for subsequent years of the degree are charged at the standard undergraduate rate set by the UK Government and are likely to rise each year. |
| International | Not applicable — Leicester states plainly: "This course is only available to students living in the UK." |
| Support | Detail |
|---|---|
| Course scholarship | £6,000 in total: a £3,000 fee waiver, a £1,000 scholarship for the Foundation Year, and a £2,000 scholarship in Year 1 of the Medicine course |
| NHS Bursary | The fifth year of the MBChB (following the Foundation Year) is funded by an NHS Bursary |
| Intercalation | If you extend the course with an iBSc or iMSc, you still receive a tuition fee loan for the first four years of the MBChB, then an NHS Bursary for Years 5 and 6 |
| Additional costs | An iPad is included in your tuition fee in first year. Budget around £80–£100 for a stethoscope and about £15 for a white coat, plus placement travel in Years 3 and 4 (partially subsidised, subject to the medical school's funding). |
Verified October 2026 on Leicester's own A199 course page for 2027 entry.
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.
Not published. Leicester publishes a scoring document showing how academic and UCAT performance combine to select for interview, but no threshold figure for A199. Note also that Leicester does not normally consider mitigating circumstances for the UCAT: "By attending your UCAT exam, you are declaring that you are fit to sit the test at that time." Significant problems reported through test-centre annotations will be looked at.
No, you can only apply to one Leicester medicine programme through UCAS. If you meet the widening access criteria and your predicted grades are around BBB, the Foundation Year (A199) is likely to be the better application — the standard A100 asks A*AA, or AAA with an EPQ or fourth-subject AS at grade B. Note that A100 has its own separate contextual offer of AAA, so if your grades reach that level it is worth comparing the two routes rather than assuming A199 is the easier door.
Yes. After completing the Foundation Year, you join Year 1 with all other medical students. You graduate with the same MBChB degree and are equally qualified to work as a doctor. The extra year simply provides additional preparation.
Yes, and several criteria need third-party confirmation. If you meet the Group A essentials, Leicester's Admissions Team may email you after 15 October to ask for evidence — do not send anything before that, because you have to complete a form to enclose with it. Depending on which criteria you are claiming, you may need: a confirmation letter from your local authority, care worker or school (care experience); a Home Office letter (refugee status); a Tax Credit, Universal Credit, Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance award notice showing household income under £35,000 (income); a letter from your school (free school meals, priority engagement group, estrangement, sole carer); or a declaration form (first generation to university). Leicester cannot return documents, so do not send originals.
Your degree certificate will show "MBChB" the same as any other Leicester medicine graduate. The Foundation Year is not a disadvantage in your career, in fact, the resilience and skills you've developed may be assets.
No. Leicester states plainly: "This course is only available to students living in the UK." You must be eligible for Home fee status — settled or pre-settled status in the UK, or refugee status (a Home Office letter is required) — at the time of application. International students should look at the standard 5-year A100 programme instead.
Start by checking the Group A, B and C criteria carefully — and note that any previous higher education, even partial, is an automatic rejection, and Access to Medicine courses are not accepted. Get your evidence ready before you are asked for it. Then achieve the academic requirements (BBB, or ABC with the grade C in your third subject), prepare thoroughly for the UCAT, and focus on demonstrating your motivation and potential in your personal statement. 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.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Admissions email | Not published in plain text — Leicester obfuscates the Medical School admissions address on its own pages. Use the contact details on the A199 course page, where the address is displayed in the browser. |
| Admissions phone | +44 (0)116 252 2969, 2985 or 2966 (Leicester Medical School, all enquiries) |
| Course page | Medicine with Foundation Year MBChB (A199), institution code L34 |
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 University of Leicester admissions pages and Medical Schools Council guidance.
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