The University of Nottingham is a Russell Group institution renowned for its research excellence, with campuses in the UK, China, and Malaysia. It is particularly well regarded for its School of Medicine and Nottingham University Business School, and is also recognised internationally for its research in environmental science and sustainability.
As a result, the Nottingham medicine entry requirements maintain rigorous academic standards. In this guide, we break down everything you need to know about applying to Nottingham’s Medicine BMBS (A100) course – from GCSEs and A-levels to the UCAT, interviews, and beyond.
What Is Nottingham’s School of Medicine Scoring System?
Before exploring the entry requirements, it’s important to understand how Nottingham and its School of Medicine assess applications.
The Medicine BMBS (A100) application process at the University of Nottingham uses a scoring system to shortlist candidates for interview. This system is based on GCSE and UCAT performance.
While A-levels (or equivalent qualifications), personal statements, and references are not scored at this stage, they must still meet the course’s minimum entry requirements for an applicant to be considered for an offer.
For applicants who are applying with a degree and do not hold GCSEs, Nottingham will use their UCAT performance alone to decide whether they are invited to interview.
Early, effective preparation is the key to a successful Nottingham Medicine application.
Scoring highly on the UCAT and interviewing like an expert is how you will get your dream Nottingham Medicine offer. You can easily achieve all of this with support from UniAdmissions!
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Nottingham Medicine Entry Requirements
Below are all the minimum entry requirements for Medicine BMBS (UCAS code: A100) at the University of Nottingham as of January 2026.
GCSEs
GCSEs play a key role in Nottingham’s School of Medicine selection process, as they are converted to points based on an internal scoring system (alongside your UCAT grades) that the university uses to shortlist applicants for interviews.
The university scores eight GCSE subjects. These include:
- Biology or Human Biology
- Chemistry or Double Science
- Maths
- English Language
The remaining four GCSEs will be your highest-scoring subjects.
Minimum GCSE Requirements
To reach the scoring stage, you must have at least six GCSEs at Level 7 (A) or above, including Biology and Chemistry (or Double Science if you haven’t taken the individual science subjects). In addition, Maths and English Language must be passed with a minimum of Level 6 (B).
These GCSEs should normally be completed over a two-year period and achieved in a single sitting, rather than spread across multiple exam sessions.
Nottingham allows very limited GCSE resits. You may resit no more than one GCSE, and only in the following subjects:
- Maths
- English Language
- Biology / Human Biology
- Chemistry
- Double Science
If you do resit a GCSE, you must still meet the minimum grade requirements:
- Level 6 (B) in Maths or English Language
- Level 7 (A) in Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, or 7-7 in Double Science
GCSE Conversion Table
The table below shows how the University of Nottingham converts your GCSE grades to points during the scoring process.
| GCSE Grade | Points |
|---|---|
| 9 (A*) | 4 |
| 8 | 3 |
| 7 (A) | 2 |
| 6 (B) | 1 |
For example, if you achieved five 8s and two 7s with a 6 in English Language in your GCSEs, your total points will be 20.
A-Levels
The typical minimum A-level offer for Medicine at the University of Nottingham is AAA.
To be eligible to apply, applicants must have AA in Biology or Human Biology and Chemistry and an A in another subject. Citizenship Studies, Critical Thinking, General Studies, or Global Perspectives will not be accepted.
Typical A-Level Offer
AAA: must include Biology or Human Biology and Chemistry
The third subject cannot be one of the following:
- Citizenship Studies
- Critical Thinking
- General Studies, or
- Global Perspectives
- A-levels must have been studied over a two-year period
The three A-levels (at AAA) must have been passed in one sitting
Alternative Qualifications
The University of Nottingham clarifies that it considers candidates on an individual basis and that it accepts a range of qualifications, including the IB. BTEC Nationals and the Access to HE Diploma are not among the accepted qualifications for entry to its Medicine course.
If you’re applying from outside the UK, you should consult the country-specific information page of the university for accepted international high school qualifications.
IB
- 34 points overall including HL6 in Biology, HL6 in Chemistry or
- 6,6,6 in 3 HL Certificates with HL 6 in Biology, HL6 in Chemistry
UCAT
As part of your application, you will need to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT). This should be done in the same year as your application for the course.
Nottingham will use each of your UCAT score components in its scoring process (alongside your GCSEs), to decide whether it will select you for an interview. For those not familiar with UCAT’s format, it scores you on four different tests:
- Verbal Reasoning
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Decision Making, and
- Situational Judgement Test.
The first three sections of the UCAT are scored and graded in the same way, resulting in an average score being calculated. The fourth section uses another scoring system. Your raw score for each of the first four sections is converted to a score ranging from 300 to 900. For the final, overall UCAT score, these four scores are added together to make a score between 1200 and 2700. This score will sometimes be converted back into an average score within the 300 to 900 scale. Bear in mind that Nottingham does not accept applicants who have scored a Band 4 on the Situational Judgement test. More on this will be explained below.
UCAT Conversion Tables
Cognitive Skills Scoring
| UCAT Grade | Points |
|---|---|
| 801 to 900 | 10 |
| 701 to 800 | 8 |
| 601 to 700 | 6 |
| 501 to 600 | 4 |
| 401 to 500 | 2 |
| <400 | 0 |
Situational Judgement Test Scoring
| Band | Points |
|---|---|
| 1 | 10 |
| 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 2 |
| 4 | 0 |
Additionally, Nottingham doubles the Verbal Reasoning points (post conversion). For example, let’s assume that someone’s scores are as follows:
- 700 at Verbal Reasoning
- 500 at Quantitative Reasoning
- 520 at Decision Making, and
- Band 2 at SJT
Their points in this case will be:
- Verbal Reasoning: 6×2=12 points
- Quantitative Reasoning: 2 points
- Decision Making: 4 points
- SJT: 6 points
There is no fixed threshold score for interview shortlisting at the university but, as we mentioned earlier, you will need to score at least Band 3 at the Situational Judgement Test in order to be considered for the next stage.
Personal Statement
Although personal statements for medicine at Nottingham are not officially part of the selection process, during your UCAS application, you will need to submit a personal statement. Your personal statement and reference will be reviewed after the interview and before the offers are made to ensure they follow a good standard. Personal statements can be up to 4,000 characters long, split across three questions.
You will be expected to demonstrate evidence on why you want to study medicine, your strengths and weaknesses, and what you’ve learned about yourself and about studying medicine.
Remember, the deadline for medicine courses is October 15th, which is much earlier than other courses at non-Oxbridge universities.
Interviews
Your grades and UCAT scores will be reviewed by the admissions team at the university, who will then shortlist applicants to invite to interviews. Interviews at Nottingham have been held online during the last few years and are expected to continue this way. That means you will need access to IT equipment (laptop/desktop, web camera, and microphone), a reliable internet connection, and a quiet space where you will be alone and not interrupted.
During these interviews – which are officially known as MMIs – applicants are presented with six scenarios, which will include at least one role-play.
Our dedicated Common Medical School Interview Questions Guide explores a range of common questions asked during Medical School interviews, so be sure to check it out as part of your interview preparation.
English Language Requirements
Applicants whose first language is not English will also need to prove their English fluency. This can be done through English Language Proficiency Tests, such as:
- IELTS 7.5 (no less than 7.0 in any element)
- Pearson Test of English (Academic) 79 (minimum 76)
- Cambridge Proficiency/Advanced test (from January 2015) 191 with no element below 185
- International Baccalaureate diploma: IB English A1 or A2 at grade 5, IB English B (standard level) at grade 6 or IB English B (higher level) at grade 5
- Additional English language qualifications: TOEFL iBT, Pearson PTE, GCSE, IB and O level English
Our expert tutors will guide you to Nottingham Medicine success
Applying to Nottingham is competitive, so give yourself the best chance of success with expert support from UniAdmissions. We will help you craft the perfect Personal Statement, achieve a highly competitive UCAT score and Interview effectively – covering all areas of your application.
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Do I Need To Have Work Experience For Nottingham Medicine?
Although the University of Nottingham does not necessarily expect applicants to have in-person experience at the NHS, all applicants are usually expected to have some sort of relevant experience.
This could include speaking to a doctor or other healthcare professionals to gain foundational knowledge on the good and bad things about being a doctor in the NHS and ongoing voluntary work experience in a care-related setting in their home country, or to have ongoing volunteering experience helping disadvantaged groups, or paid employment in a job working with the general public. Self-boosting skills such as public speaking are also highly valued by Nottingham’s School of Medicine.
Conclusion
Applying to Medicine at the University of Nottingham requires careful planning, strong academic performance, and a clear understanding of how the university’s scoring system works.
By reading this guide, you’ve already taken the first step and you should now be much more confident in what is expected and what you should be focusing on from now on, if you are planning to apply for Medicine at the University of Nottingham.
If you’re still deciding where to apply, it can also help to understand how Nottingham compares within the wider UK medical school landscape. You may find it useful to explore our breakdown of G5 medical school acceptance rates, as well as our guide to Russell Group acceptance rates, to put your chances into a broader context before finalising your choices.
UniAdmissions’ Standard Medicine Programme is designed to support applicants throughout every stage of the application process, including UCAT preparation and interview technique for competitive universities like Nottingham. If you feel like you need an extra push, feel free to book a free consultation to learn how this programme can maximise your chances of securing an offer to study medicine at Nottingham.
FAQs
When is the deadline for Medicine applications at the University of Nottingham?
Applications for Medicine at the University of Nottingham must be submitted by 15 October, which is earlier than the deadline for most other non-Oxbridge courses.
How Important Are Personal Statements and References for a Nottingham Medicine Application?
The University of Nottingham does not use the UCAS personal statement or academic references when shortlisting applicants for interview. Instead, interview selection is based on GCSE performance and UCAT scores.
However, both the personal statement and reference are reviewed after the interview stage, before final offers are made. This means they won’t help you secure an interview, but they can still play a role in the final decision-making process.
Can I apply to Nottingham Medicine with resat GCSEs?
Yes, but Nottingham allows only one GCSE resit, and only in specific subjects such as Maths, English Language, Biology, Chemistry, or Double Science. You must still meet the minimum grade requirements after resitting.
Does the University of Nottingham prefer GCSEs or UCAT more?
Both are important. Nottingham uses GCSEs and UCAT together in its scoring system to shortlist applicants for interview. A strong UCAT score can help offset slightly weaker GCSE performance, and vice versa, but competitive applicants usually perform well in both.
How can I improve my chances of getting an interview at Nottingham?
The most effective way to improve your chances is to maximise your UCAT score, ensure you meet all minimum academic requirements, and prepare thoroughly for the online MMI interview format. Structured support, targeted UCAT practice, and interview coaching can make a significant difference.
Can I Apply to Nottingham Medicine if I’m Under 18?
Yes. The university may accept applicants who are 17 years old or above at the start of the course. If you will be under 18 when registering, a parent or legal guardian must complete an under-18 consent form, and the University’s Under 18 guidance will be followed.
Can I Apply to Nottingham Medicine if I’ve Previously Studied Medicine?
1. Can I apply if I started a Medicine degree at another UK university but didn’t complete it?
No. Nottingham does not accept applications from students who have begun a Medicine degree in the UK and failed to complete it.
2. Can I apply if I studied Medicine abroad but had to interrupt my course?
Yes, if your course was interrupted for non-academic reasons (for example, war). You can apply through the normal UCAS process, but you must still meet all standard academic entry requirements.
Get an offer to study Medicine at the University of Nottingham
Applying to Nottingham and other Russell Group universities for medicine is complex and competitive. Give yourself the best chance of success with expert support from UniAdmissions. We will help you craft the perfect Personal Statement, achieve a highly competitive UCAT score and Interview effectively – covering all areas of your application.
Discover our Standard Medicine Full-Blue Programme for comprehensive admissions support by clicking the button below to enrol and maximise your chances of success.
