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Learn About Our Programme See How We Can Support Your Application →6-year widening participation programme opening doors to medicine for underrepresented students
COURSE WITHDRAWN — CHECKED 7 OCTOBER 2026
The University of Manchester's six-year Medicine with Foundation Year (A104) no longer appears in Manchester's course listings for 2027 entry. Its 2027 course page returns a “page not found” error, the old 2026 address redirects into that same error, and Manchester's current MBChB Medicine entry requirements page for 2027 entry makes no mention of a foundation-year route. Manchester's undergraduate medicine listing shows only A106 MBChB Medicine (five years) and A101 MBChB Medicine (Graduate Entry) (four years).
If you were planning to apply to A104, do not build your UCAS choices around it. Confirm the position directly with Manchester before you apply: ug.medicine@manchester.ac.uk or 0161 529 4577. If you need a foundation or gateway year into medicine, look at the routes other schools still run — Keele A104, Leeds A101, Nottingham A108, Bristol's Gateway to Medicine and others.
We have kept the rest of this page below as a historical record of how the course worked when it last ran. Treat every figure below as historical, not as guidance for a 2027 application.
HOW WE BUILT THIS
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 If you spot something that looks out of date, tell us and we will check it.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 Manchester Extended 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 2027 entry.
The University of Manchester Medicine with Foundation Year (A104) is a 6-year widening participation programme designed for students who have the potential to succeed in medicine but may not have had the same opportunities as other applicants. The programme includes an integrated foundation year that prepares students for the rigours of the medical degree before they join the standard MBChB curriculum.
This route recognises that academic potential doesn't always translate directly into grades when students face educational or socioeconomic barriers. The Foundation year provides additional support and preparation, ensuring students are fully equipped to succeed when they progress to the main medical programme.
To be considered for the A104 programme, you must be a Home fee status student AND meet two or more of the following criteria (care-experienced and refugee applicants need no additional criteria):
Note: Manchester assesses eligibility holistically. Most applicants need to meet two or more criteria, though care-experienced and refugee applicants are eligible without additional criteria.
| Qualification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| A-Level Grades | BBB achieved in a single sitting, including Biology and Chemistry |
| Required Subjects | Biology and Chemistry are both required |
| Contextual Offers | May be adjusted based on individual circumstances |
"The Foundation programme at Manchester is a genuine opportunity for students who've faced barriers but have real potential. The entry requirements are lower because they understand that your grades don't always reflect your ability when you've had fewer resources. What matters is showing you have the drive and commitment to become a doctor."
— Dr. Ash, Future Doc
All applicants to the Foundation programme must sit the UCAT. However, the way UCAT scores are used may differ from the standard programme:
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| UCAT Required | Yes |
| Cut-off Score | May be lower than standard programme |
| How It's Used | Considered alongside contextual factors |
| SJT Band | Manchester states: “we do not consider applicants who achieve Band 3 or 4 in the Situational Judgement Test” — so you need Band 1 or 2. This applies regardless of any widening participation flag |
| Published Cut-off Score | Not published — Manchester does not publish a UCAT threshold in advance; it is set each year from the distribution of scores received |
| Contextual UCAT Adjustment | Not published — Manchester publishes no UCAT uplift or lower threshold for widening participation applicants |
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 programme applicants go through the same MMI process as standard programme applicants. The interview assesses your potential and motivation rather than polished performance.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) |
| Number of Stations | 7-8 stations |
| Station Duration | 5-7 minutes each |
| Interview Period | January to March |
Considered in Exceptional Circumstances
Unlike the standard programme, Manchester may consider A-Level resits for the Foundation programme if you have documented mitigating circumstances that affected your original performance.
Yes
Re-applicants are welcome. Demonstrate what you've done to strengthen your application since your previous attempt.
Home Fee Status Only
The Foundation programme is only available to applicants with Home fee status. This is because the programme is specifically designed to support UK students from underrepresented backgrounds.
The foundation year builds your scientific knowledge and academic skills. You'll study biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics at an advanced level, along with developing study skills, critical thinking, and academic writing. This year prepares you to succeed in the main medical programme.
After successfully completing the foundation year, you join the standard MBChB programme alongside students from the A106 route. The curriculum, clinical placements, and assessments are identical from this point onwards.
| Route | UCAS code | Length | Status for 2027 entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| MBChB Medicine | A106 | 5 years | Listed — AAA standard, AAB contextual, ABB refugee/care-experienced |
| MBChB Medicine (Graduate Entry) | A101 | 4 years | Listed — no contextual offer applies |
| Medicine with Foundation Year | A104 | 6 years | Not listed for 2027 entry — course page returns an error; confirm with Manchester |
UCAS institution code M20. Manchester also runs BDS Dentistry, which carries the same contextual and refugee/care-experienced offers as A106 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 Manchester's contextual criteria, the university lowers the grades it asks of you on both MBChB Medicine and BDS Dentistry, and it tells the people reading your application and interviewing you to take your circumstances into account. It does not put you in a separate pool and it does not guarantee you an interview.
| How it helps | What that means for you |
|---|---|
| A one-grade lower offer on Medicine and Dentistry | Flagged applicants receive AAB rather than the standard AAA for both A106 MBChB Medicine and BDS Dentistry. The subject requirements do not change: Biology/Human Biology or Chemistry, plus one of Chemistry, Biology/Human Biology, Physics, Psychology, Maths or Further Maths. |
| A two-grade lower offer if you are care experienced or a refugee | ABB rather than AAA, with the same subject requirements, for both Medicine and Dentistry. Manchester publishes this as a separate, more generous offer than the standard contextual one. |
| Relaxed GCSE requirements for the strongest flags | WP+ and WP++ applicants may offer six GCSEs at grade 7 or above instead of the usual seven. |
| Context taken into account when you are read and interviewed | Manchester states that flags mean personal statement reviewers and interviewers take reduced access to coaching, work experience and extracurricular opportunities into account. |
| Travel costs to interview covered | WP+ and WP++ applicants have their travel costs to campus interviews covered — a small thing that removes a real barrier. |
See every UK medical and dental school's widening participation scheme to compare what each one actually gives you.
| Fee Status | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|
| Home (UK) students — A104 | Not published — the course is not listed for 2027 entry, so no 2027/28 fee exists for it |
| International students — A104 | Not applicable — the foundation year route was open to Home fee status applicants only |
Manchester's 2027-entry MBChB Medicine page states plainly: “Fees for 2027 entry have not yet been set.” It publishes 2026 entry fees for reference only.
| Fee Status | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|
| Home (UK) | 2027/28: TBC. Manchester notes the UK government fee cap has been announced as £10,050 for 2027/28, so expect the fee to be set at that level. The 2026/27 rate was £9,790 |
| International — pre-clinical (Years 1–2) | 2027/28: TBC. The 2026/27 rate was £39,900 per year |
| International — clinical (Years 3–5) | 2027/28: TBC. The 2026/27 rate was £60,900. Manchester sets the clinical rate at the level applicable when you enter Year 3, and reserves the right to increase it by up to 7% a year thereafter |
NHS bursary support is available from the final year of the MBChB onwards. Additional support may be available for students from low-income backgrounds.
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.
Manchester assesses eligibility based on widening participation criteria including family background, school performance, postcode data, and individual circumstances. If you're unsure, apply anyway and provide full details of your background - the admissions team will assess your eligibility.
The entry requirements are lower, but the programme itself is rigorous. The foundation year is intensive and prepares you for the same challenging medical degree. Once you join the main MBChB, you'll be assessed to exactly the same standard as all other medical students.
No. You graduate with exactly the same MBChB degree as students who entered through the standard A106 route. Your foundation year is not specified on your final qualification.
You can only apply to one Manchester Medicine programme per application cycle. If you meet the eligibility criteria for A104, consider whether the lower entry requirements and additional support would benefit you.
Get an in-depth look at what it's really like to study medicine at Manchester, including campus life and the clinical environment.
Watch on YouTube →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.
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Last updated: February 2026. Information verified against University of Manchester admissions guidance.
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