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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 If you spot something that looks out of date, tell us and we will check it.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 Leicester Medicine? Here's a complete breakdown of entry requirements, admissions criteria, and the application process for 2026 entry.
The University of Leicester Medical School is one of the most respected medical schools in the Midlands, with a strong reputation for innovative teaching and research. Established in 1975, Leicester has consistently produced highly skilled doctors who are well-prepared for the challenges of modern medicine.
Leicester is known for its spiral curriculum, which allows students to revisit and build upon core concepts throughout their training. The medical school places a strong emphasis on early clinical contact, with students meeting patients from the first year of the course. This approach ensures graduates are confident and competent clinicians.
Considering University of Leicester Medical School? 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.
You are viewing this courseUCAS Code: A199 | 6 years
Widening participation programme for students from disadvantaged backgrounds who show potential for medicine. Home fee status applicants only.
View full entry requirementsThe following requirements apply to the standard 5-year Medicine MBChB programme (A100). For the Foundation Year programme, see the dedicated page linked above.
| Qualification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| A-Level Grades | A*AA in three subjects, including Chemistry or Biology. Leicester's published standard offers for 2027 entry are A*AA, or AAAB, or AAA plus a B in an EPQ or 4th subject AS. |
| Adjusted (Contextual) Offer | AAA — see the Contextual & Widening Participation section below for who qualifies |
| Required Subjects | Chemistry or Biology (with practical aspects), plus one of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Psychology |
| Third Subject | Any subject outside the excluded list below |
| Not Accepted | General Studies, Citizenship Studies, Critical Thinking, Global Perspectives |
All applicants must sit the UCAT in the same year they apply. Leicester uses UCAT scores as part of the initial screening process to determine who receives an interview invitation.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| UCAT Weighting | 50% of the pre-interview score (less for Access candidates). Leicester scores on a published points scale: a total above 2400 earns the maximum 48 points, falling by one point per 50-mark band (2350–2399 = 47, 2300–2349 = 46, and so on). |
| Cut-off Score | No fixed number is published in advance. Candidates in the bottom 2 UCAT deciles are not considered. For 2026 entry, the minimum total score (out of 96) to be guaranteed an interview was 79 for home non-graduates with predicted A-levels and 88 for the overseas equivalent. |
| SJT Consideration | "Applicants with band 4 in the Situational Judgement Test will be automatically rejected pre-interview." |
| Automatic Interview (achieved grades) | If you are in your first gap year, met the GCSE and A-level requirements at first sitting within two years of your GCSEs, and have a UCAT in the top 5 deciles (home) or top 3 deciles (international) with SJT Band 1–3, you are invited automatically. |
| Comparability Warning | Leicester's own note: because the UCAT changed in summer 2025, "only the 2026 admissions statistics will be meaningful as a guide regarding the threshold score to get to interview". |
"Leicester is one of those medical schools where hitting the UCAT threshold really matters for getting an interview. But once you're invited, it's a level playing field at the MMI. This means you need to prepare for both the UCAT and interview with equal intensity. Get the UCAT right to get your foot in the door, then let your interpersonal skills shine at the MMI."
— Dr. Ash, Future Doc
Applicants are ranked within four groups — predicted A-level, achieved A-level, Graduate, and Access — and international candidates are ranked against other international candidates. Leicester expects to interview approximately 1,400 Home applicants and 100 international applicants for 2027 entry.
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.
Leicester uses a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format. This approach assesses candidates across multiple stations, each focusing on different skills and attributes.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) |
| Number of Stations | Not published by Leicester |
| Station Duration | Not published by Leicester |
| Interview Period | December to March |
| What's Assessed | Communication, empathy, ethical reasoning, problem-solving, teamwork |
Important: Each station is scored independently, so a poor performance at one station does not necessarily affect your other scores. This format allows you to recover from a difficult station.
Preparing for your University of Leicester Medical School 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 |
|---|---|
| Places (A100, 2026 entry) | 293 — 275 Home, 18 Overseas |
| Applications (A100, 2026 entry) | 2,622 in total |
| Interviews (A100, 2026 entry) | 1,638 in total |
| Offers (A100, 2026 entry) | 869 in total |
| Home non-graduates, predicted A-levels | 1,743 applied · 1,347 interviewed · 717 offers |
| Home graduates | 100 applied · 50 interviewed · 32 offers |
| Overseas non-graduates, predicted A-levels | 511 applied · 104 interviewed · 55 offers |
| Places (A199 Medicine with Foundation Year, 2026 entry) | 38 — 15 for East Midlands candidates, 23 for the rest of the UK |
| A199 (2026 entry) | 689 applied · 171 interviewed · 98 offers |
| Expected interviews for 2027 entry | Approximately 1,400 Home and 100 international (Leicester's own estimate, subject to change) |
All figures above come from Leicester Medical School's published "A100 & A199 Admissions Statistics — September 2026 entry" document. Leicester cautions that its scoring system changes every year and these thresholds should not be treated as a minimum for future cycles.
Leicester values evidence of understanding and commitment to medicine through relevant experiences. While there is no strict minimum hours requirement, they look for:
If clinical experience was limited due to circumstances beyond your control, Leicester will consider alternative evidence of your commitment to medicine and understanding of healthcare.
Exceptional circumstances only
Applicants who did not attain the required grades at first sit will only be considered with resits if they were holding a conditional firm offer for Medicine at Leicester and there was substantial mitigation that had been previously agreed by the Mitigating Circumstances Panel. There is no general resit route outside that process.
Yes
Re-applicants are welcome. You should demonstrate how your application has improved and what you have learned from your previous attempt.
A100 only
| Programme | International Students |
|---|---|
| Medicine MBChB (A100) | Accepted |
| Medicine with Foundation Year (A199) | Home fee status only |
Note: International applicants must meet English language requirements (typically IELTS 7.5 with at least 7.0 in each component).
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.
Leicester runs two separate contextual mechanisms. The first is through a progression programme:
The second works from contextual markers on your UCAS form. Leicester looks for:
If you meet the right combination of those conditions, Leicester will lower the grades it asks of you from A*AA to AAA, and in some cases guarantee you an interview outright. Note that your referee must corroborate free school meal or 16–18 bursary status in the UCAS reference.
| How it helps | What that means for you |
|---|---|
| An adjusted offer of AAA | Leicester's 2027 scoring document is specific: "ROP, Access Leicester: Medicine or Sutton Trust applicants; and candidates living in IMD quintile 1 (decile 1 or 2) who also have either UCAT or 16-19 bursary, or free school meals (at least 6 months), or time in local authority care (over 3 months) will be made an adjusted offer of AAA" — against a standard A*AA. |
| A guaranteed interview — AccessLeicester: Medicine | You are guaranteed an interview if you meet the minimum GCSE requirements at first sit, are predicted at least ABB (or achieved AAA in a first gap year, no resits), completed the programme, and have a UCAT in the top 7 deciles with SJT Band 1–3. State "Access Leicester: Medicine" in the "Activities in preparation for Higher Education" section of UCAS. If you have not heard by 10 December, email medadmis@le.ac.uk. |
| A guaranteed interview — ROP or Sutton Trust | Same guarantee, with a predicted-grade bar of at least AAB (or achieved AAA in a first gap year), the programme completed, and a UCAT in the top 7 deciles with SJT Band 1–3. |
| A guaranteed interview — UKWPMED | Same guarantee, requiring at least ABB achieved in the required subjects without resits (including an A in Chemistry or Biology), top 7 UCAT deciles, SJT Band 1–3. State "UKWPMED" in the same UCAS section. |
| A lower bar to be scored at all | UKWPMED completers applying in their first gap year are considered with predicted or achieved ABB (A in Chemistry or Biology). Applicants in IMD quintile 1 with a bursary, free school meals or care experience are considered with AAA. Leicester also scores any candidate predicted at least AAB, "since we know predicted grades can be inaccurate". |
| A tie-break in the borderline group | Both before and after interview, borderline applicants are reviewed on their whole UCAS form including contextual markers. "An applicant with two or more contextual markers may be advantaged at this stage over another applicant with the same score and no, or fewer contextual markers." |
Leicester also runs A199 Medicine with Foundation Year, a six-year route that is itself a widening participation programme, with places split between East Midlands candidates and the rest of the UK. See our separate page for that course.
Every school does this differently, and the differences are worth knowing before you build your shortlist — see every UK medical and dental school's widening participation scheme.
| Fee Status | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|
| Home (UK) | £10,050 |
| International — Years 1 and 2 (pre-clinical) | 2027/28: TBC. Leicester states "Tuition fees for 2027/28 are yet to be confirmed." The 2026/27 rate was £30,150. |
| International — Years 3, 4 and 5 (clinical) | 2027/28: TBC. Leicester publishes an indicative clinical-year fee of £48,900, based on 2026/27 rates and provided "for illustrative purposes only". |
The Home figure is Leicester's own: "For the 2027/28 academic year, the Home UK tuition fee is expected to be £10,050." The clinical years carry a much higher international fee because they include the cost of clinical training in the NHS, and Leicester warns that clinical year fees are reviewed annually and typically increase. Applicants resident outside the UK and Republic of Ireland pay a deposit, which is deducted from the total fee. Year 5 of the course is funded by an NHS Bursary; if you extend to six years with an iBSc or iMSc, you receive a tuition fee loan for the first four years and an NHS Bursary for years 5 and 6.
The MBChB programme uses a spiral curriculum that builds knowledge progressively across five years:
Foundational biomedical sciences integrated with early patient contact. Students learn basic science alongside clinical skills from the very beginning, with regular community placements.
Hospital-based rotations covering major medical and surgical specialties. Students gain hands-on experience in clinical settings across the Leicester hospitals and partner sites.
Final year focused on preparation for foundation training. Includes student assistantships, electives, and consolidation of clinical skills ready for working as a junior doctor.
Optional intercalated degrees are available, allowing students to spend an additional year pursuing research or a related academic subject in greater depth.
Students train across various healthcare settings in the East Midlands:
"What I love about Leicester is the balance. You get excellent teaching, early patient contact, and a really supportive learning environment. The Midlands location means lower living costs than London, and the hospitals serve a diverse population so you see a great variety of cases. It's an underrated medical school that produces excellent doctors."
— 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.
Leicester publishes no fixed UCAT cut-off. The UCAT is worth 50% of your pre-interview score, awarded on a published points scale, and candidates in the bottom two UCAT deciles are not considered at all. Band 4 in the Situational Judgement Test means automatic rejection before interview, so you need Band 1–3. For 2026 entry, home non-graduates with predicted A-levels needed a total score of 79 out of 96 to be guaranteed an interview; overseas equivalents needed 88. Those thresholds change every year.
Leicester uses a multiple mini-interview (MMI) format, with stations assessing different attributes including communication, ethical reasoning, and problem-solving. Leicester does not publish the number of stations or how long each one lasts, so prepare for a rotation of short, varied tasks.
Only in narrow circumstances. If you did not achieve the required grades at first sit, Leicester will only consider you with resits if you were holding a conditional firm offer for Medicine there and there was substantial mitigation previously agreed by its Mitigating Circumstances Panel.
International students can apply to the standard 5-year Medicine MBChB (A100) programme. The Foundation Year programme is restricted to Home fee status applicants. Leicester has a supportive international student community and lower living costs than many other UK cities.
Leicester uses a spiral curriculum, which means you revisit and build upon core concepts throughout your training. Combined with early patient contact from Year 1, this approach helps you develop both knowledge and clinical skills progressively.
Focus on three areas: achieve strong academics (A*AA at A-Level including Chemistry or Biology), prepare thoroughly for the UCAT to score above the threshold, and gain meaningful experience that you can reflect upon. 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, Leicester is a well-respected medical school with strong teaching, research, and clinical training. The spiral curriculum and early patient contact prepare students well for clinical practice. The East Midlands location offers a lower cost of living and a diverse patient population.
Leicester advises making @le.ac.uk a trusted domain in your email and checking your junk folder regularly — interview invitations are sent by email and have been known to land in spam, particularly for Gmail accounts.
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 Leicester admissions pages and Medical Schools Council guidance.
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