Future Doc students achieve a 93% success rate. Our programme includes UCAT preparation, personal statement review, interview practice, and university selection guidance — all led by doctors who have been through the process themselves.
Learn About Our Programme See How We Can Support Your Application →6-year widening participation programme on the stunning Devon coast
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 If you spot something that looks out of date, tell us and we will check it.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 Plymouth 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 2027 entry.
Plymouth (Peninsula) Medical School's Foundation programme is a 6-year route into medicine for students from widening participation backgrounds. The foundation year prepares students for the rigours of medical school before they join the standard BMBS programme.
Plymouth is known for its innovative, case-based learning approach and strong community focus. The medical school has close links with Derriford Hospital and provides extensive clinical experience across Devon and Cornwall, including unique opportunities in rural and coastal healthcare.
Plymouth does not use a "meet one of these" list. It uses a points total: you need at least 5 points from any combination of the criteria below, in addition to meeting or exceeding the academic criteria.
Worth 2 points each:
Worth 1 point each:
Do the arithmetic before you apply. Two one-point criteria will not get you there. South West residence plus a POLAR4 quintile 1 postcode is 2 points, not 5. You need either a 2-pointer plus three 1-pointers, or two or three of the 2-point criteria.
And the entry gate works in reverse: Plymouth states that applicants for this course "must not meet the A level and GCSE grade requirements for the five-year BMBS Medicine (A100) course, including the re-sit policy." If you meet one but not the other, you are still considered. If you meet both, you are not eligible — apply to A100 instead. Plymouth will only consider one application per candidate across A102 and A100, and will not make offers for both.
| Route | UCAS Code | Length | Typical offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMBS Medicine with Foundation Year (the course this page covers) | A102 | 6 years (Foundation Year 0 + 5-year BMBS) | BBB with grade B in Biology and B in a second science; 5 GCSEs at grade C/4; at least 5 contextual points |
| BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (standard) | A100 | 5 years | A*AA–AAB with grade A in Biology and A in a second science; AAB for widening access applicants; ABB for UKWPMED participants |
| BDS Dental Surgery | A206 | 5 years | A*AA–AAB, or AAB for widening access applicants meeting three indicators. Separate page. |
| BDS Dental Surgery with Integrated Foundation Year | Code not verified | 6 years | BBB, with 5 contextual points on a different weighting from the medicine route. No UCAT required at all. |
A102 and A100 verified in Plymouth's own course text: "We will only consider an application from each candidate for either BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery with Foundation Year (A102) or BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (A100)." We did not verify the dental foundation-year code in Plymouth's own source, so we have not printed one.
| Qualification | Requirement |
|---|---|
| A-Level Grades | BBB |
| Required Subjects | Biology plus a second science from Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Psychology; the third A-Level can be any subject |
| Third A-Level | Any subject area; it does not need to be a science. Plymouth states it gives no preference to applicants with three science A-Levels. General Studies is not accepted. |
| Further contextual reduction below BBB | Not published. BBB is the contextual offer on this route — it is not reduced further. |
| International Baccalaureate | 28–32 points overall, with Higher Level 5 in Biology and Higher Level 5 in one further science from Chemistry, Physics, Maths or Psychology |
| BTEC National Extended Diploma | DDM in a relevant subject containing units covering sufficient Biology and another science |
| Access to HE Diploma | Accepted in a predominantly science subject area |
| Age of qualifications | Level 3 qualifications must have been completed within five years of the start of the application cycle |
| Existing degree | Ineligible. Plymouth states: "We are unable to consider any applicants who have already completed a first degree." |
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| UCAT Required | Yes |
| Published threshold, 2026 entry (Home) | 1400 — Plymouth publishes this figure on the course page. For context, its five-year A100 Home cut-offs have historically sat in the 2200–2680 range. This is the single biggest advantage of this route. |
| Threshold for 2027 entry | Not yet published. Plymouth states the threshold "can alter each year and is influenced by overall candidate performance in the UCAT and the number and quality of applications received", and that it cannot confirm the cut-off "until all applications have been received and assessed". |
| How UCAT is used | Alongside A-Levels and GCSEs to select for interview. The Admissions Advisory Panel reserves the right to consider all aspects of the UCAT when shortlisting. |
| Validity | The UCAT is valid for 12 months and must be sat in the year of application |
| SJT Band | Not published as a stated minimum for this course |
"Plymouth offers something different - the chance to train in a beautiful part of the country with a strong focus on community medicine. The Foundation programme has excellent support, and you'll gain experience in both urban and rural healthcare settings. If you want to escape the big city medical schools, this is a fantastic option."
— 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.
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) |
| Number of Stations | Not published by Plymouth for this course |
| Duration per station | Not published |
| Interview Period | Not published as fixed dates. Confirm with Plymouth admissions. |
| Personal statement and work experience | Not used when selecting for interview — Plymouth does not consider either at that stage, for any applicant |
Plymouth publishes less about its interview mechanics than most schools. Rather than invent a station count, we have marked what it does not publish. Ask the admissions team directly: admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.
The foundation year covers essential sciences and academic skills. You'll study biology, chemistry, and introductory medical sciences alongside developing study skills and early clinical exposure.
After the foundation year, you join Plymouth's innovative case-based learning curriculum. Clinical placements span Devon and Cornwall, with significant time in community and primary care settings.
Not Accepted
Plymouth states that it is unable to accept international applicants for this programme. The one exception is applicants who are currently seeking asylum in the UK, who are eligible to apply. Otherwise the Foundation programme is only available to UK students meeting the widening participation criteria.
May Be Considered
A-Level resits may be considered with documented mitigating circumstances.
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.
Plymouth gives you several of those at once on this route, and it is unusually open about the numbers. It is also the only school in this batch that publishes a points-weighted eligibility test rather than a checklist — see the criteria above.
If you meet those conditions, the University of Plymouth will lower the grades it asks of you, cut its GCSE requirement, drop its UCAT threshold sharply, and guarantee your progression into the five-year degree. This is one of the more generous packages in England — and one of the more tightly gated.
| How it helps | What that means for you |
|---|---|
| A much lower UCAT bar | The published threshold for 2026 entry (Home) was 1400, against historic A100 Home cut-offs in the 2200–2680 range. If your UCAT is the thing holding your application back, nothing else on this page matters as much. |
| A lower grade offer | BBB with grade B in Biology and grade B in a second science, against A*AA–AAB for the five-year A100. IB 28–32 points against 36–38. |
| A lower GCSE requirement | 5 GCSE passes at grade C/4 including English Language, Maths and two sciences, against seven GCSE passes for A100. |
| Guaranteed progression, with no reapplication | Completing the Foundation Year "does guarantee progression to stage 1" of the five-year BMBS, provided you meet the end-of-year requirements. You are enrolled directly onto Stage 1 without any further assessment — no second UCAS round, no second interview. |
| Alternative qualifications accepted | BTEC National Extended Diploma at DDM, BTEC National Diploma at DM plus A-Level Biology at B, or an Access to HE Diploma in a predominantly science area. The third A-Level can be any subject, and Plymouth gives no preference to three sciences. |
| Bursaries attached to the route | All students on the BMBS with integrated Foundation Year receive £500 from the James Johnston Bursary Fund during the Foundation Year, plus £1,000 from the University in stage 4 towards the costs of being away from Plymouth. |
One honest tension worth knowing: on the five-year BMBS and BDS, Plymouth states that "UCAT and GCSE requirements remain the same for all applicants" — yet the same pages list a separate, lower UKWPMED UCAT cut-off (2330 against 2680 for 2023 entry). So the blanket statement is not strictly true for UKWPMED participants. If you came through a UKWPMED programme, ask about it explicitly.
For how every other school handles this, see see every UK medical and dental school's widening participation scheme.
| Fee Status | Annual Tuition |
|---|---|
| Home (UK) — Foundation Year and Years 1–5 | £10,050 per year for new full-time UK students starting in the 2027–2028 academic year |
| International | Not applicable. Plymouth states: "We are unable to accept international applicants for this programme." |
Source: Plymouth's own course page, which lists £9,790 for 2026–2027 and £10,050 for 2027–2028. Plymouth notes that from 2028–29 onwards tuition fees will be subject to automatic annual inflationary increases, so expect the figure to rise in later years of the course. On the funding side, all students enrolled on the BMBS with integrated Foundation Year receive a £500 bursary from the James Johnston Bursary Fund during the Foundation Year, and a further £1,000 from the University in stage 4 to help with the costs of being away from Plymouth that year.
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.
Plymouth uses case-based learning (CBL), which means you learn through clinical scenarios rather than traditional lectures. Students work in small groups to explore cases, developing problem-solving and teamwork skills from day one.
Some placements are in rural Devon and Cornwall, which may require travel or temporary relocation. Many students see this as a positive - you gain experience in underserved areas and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Admissions email | admissions@plymouth.ac.uk — the address Plymouth publishes on the course page for qualification and resit queries |
| Course page | plymouth.ac.uk — BMBS with Foundation Year |
| Address | University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA |
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
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