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Birmingham — Undergraduate medicine
Figures are on the current UCAT scale of 2700 unless a cell says otherwise.
Birmingham - Medicine
MBChB Medicine and Surgery (A100)
How this university scores applications, with the figures it publishes.
High level summary
Simple summary. Excruciating detail below.
| Question | Answer |
|---|
| Is there a score to clear? | No. The UCAT is folded into one overall score along with other things, so a lower UCAT can be offset by a stronger score elsewhere, and a high one can be dragged down the same way. |
| How to read the UCAT figures here | A lowest score and an average are both published. Judge yourself against the average. The lowest is one person. |
| What else counts | GCSEs are scored. Good grades earn points here.
The SJT band does not affect shortlisting. |
| The odds | Of every 100 who applied, about 71 were interviewed and about 56 were offered a place.
(September 2025 entry, UCAT scale 3600.) |
| Where it is decided | At interview. Almost everyone who qualifies is interviewed, so the score gets you into the room and then stops counting.
Of those interviewed, about 80 in 100 were offered a place. |
Pre-interview score weighting (total 10 points)
| Component | Weight |
|---|
| GCSE score (7 subjects, scaled to max 4.5) | 45% |
| UCAT decile score (max 4.0) | 40% |
| Contextual score (POLAR4, max 1.5) | 15% |
GCSE grade to score, for the five specified subjects
| Grade | Score |
|---|
| 8-9 / A* | 4 |
| 7 / A | 2 |
| 6 / B | 1 |
GCSE grade to score, for the two unspecified subjects
| Grade | Score |
|---|
| 8-9 / A* | 2 |
| 7 / A and below | 0 |
UCAT national decile to score (three cognitive subtests only, SJT excluded)
| Decile | Score |
|---|
| 10th (top 10%) | 4.000 |
| 9th | 3.556 |
| 8th | 3.111 |
| 7th | 2.667 |
| 6th | 2.222 |
| 5th | 1.778 |
| 4th | 1.333 |
| 3rd | 0.889 |
| 2nd | 0.444 |
| 1st | 0.000 |
POLAR4 quintile to contextual score
| POLAR4 quintile | Score |
|---|
| 1 | 1.5 |
| 2 | 1.5 |
| 3 | 1.2 |
| 4 | 0.9 |
| 5 | 0.6 |
2024-25 cycle outcomes, A100
| Group | Applications | Interviews | Offers | Enrolled |
|---|
| Home, all | 1503 | 1061 | 845 | 385 |
| Home standard (excluding graduates) | 578 | 400 | 315 | 127 |
| Home graduate | 84 | 28 | 24 | 14 |
| Home contextual | 596 | 395 | 322 | 143 |
| Widening participation | 245 | 238 | 184 | 101 |
| International | 438 | 117 | 79 | 16 |
2024-25 UCAT scores of interviewed candidates
| Group | Minimum | Median | Mean | Maximum |
|---|
| Home standard | 2680 | 2940 | 2958.8 | 3460 |
| Home contextual | 2430 | 2780 | 2804.3 | 3400 |
| International | 2920 | 3080 | 3097.1 | 3410 |
Historic UCAT medians
| Cycle | Home applications | Home offers | Standard median | Contextual median |
|---|
| 2023-24 | 1933 | 899 | 2950 | 2770 |
| 2022-23 | 2299 | 781 | 3000 | 2770 |
| 2021-22 | 2186 | 617 | 2980 | 2720 |
| 2020-21 | 2850 | 800 | 2960 | 2740 |
Summary of the selection model
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Scoring approach | Weighted 45 per cent academic, 40 per cent UCAT, 15 per cent contextual. UCAT converted by national decile into points on a 0 to 4.0 scale. Seven GCSEs scored, grade 8 or 9 or A-star = 4, grade 7 or A = 2, grade 6 or B = 1, with additional subjects scoring 2 only at grades 8 to 9, the total scaled to a maximum of 4.5. The SJT band is used at interview, not at shortlisting |
| UCAT - how it is used | Three cognitive subtests only (SJT excluded). Ranked by national decile and converted to a score out of 4.0, worth 40% of the application score |
| UCAT threshold | No fixed cut-off - ranked score |
| UCAT lowest accepted | 2024-25 interviewed, of 3600: 2680 home standard, 2430 home contextual, 2920 international. On the current scale that is about 1980 home standard, 1800 home contextual, and above the 9th decile for international |
| UCAT average accepted | 2024-25 interviewed, of 3600: median 2940 and mean 2958.8 home standard; median 2780 and mean 2804.3 home contextual; median 3080 international. These are on the old 3600 scale and must not be read against a score out of 2700 |
| Interview format | MMI |
| Interview to offer ratio | 2024-25 home: 1503 applications, 1061 interviews, 845 offers (80% of interviewees) |
| Contextual offer | AAA contextual offer. POLAR4 quintile scored 0.6 to 1.5 points within the application score |
| Resits | Three A levels normally taken in the final year |
| Data status | Complete |
Source
https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/medical-school/applying-to-medicine/selection-for-interview ; https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/documents/college-mds/medical-school/mbchb-admissions-statistics-sept-2025.pdf
A100 volumes, September 2025 entry (published statistics)
| Group | Applications | Invited to interview | Offers | Enrolled |
|---|
| Home, all | 1503 | 1061 | 845 | 385 |
| Home standard, excluding graduate | 578 | 400 | 315 | 127 |
| Home graduate | 84 | 28 | 24 | 14 |
| Home contextual | 596 | 395 | 322 | 143 |
| Widening participation | 245 | 238 | 184 | 101 |
| International | 438 | 117 | 79 | 16 |
A100 UCAT at interview, September 2025 entry (of 3600)
| Group | Minimum | Median | Mean | Maximum | Minimum on the current 2700 scale |
|---|
| Home standard | 2680 | 2940 | 2958.8 | 3460 | 2010 |
| Home contextual | 2430 | 2780 | 2804.3 | 3400 | 1810 |
| International | 2920 | 3080 | 3097.1 | 3410 | 2220 |
A100 GCSE score at interview, September 2025 entry (scaled, maximum 4.5)
| Group | Minimum | Median | Mean | Maximum |
|---|
| Home standard | 3.38 | 4.5 | 4.36 | 4.5 |
| Home contextual | 2.62 | 4.12 | 4.18 | 4.5 |
A100 earlier cycles, minimum UCAT invited to interview (all of 3600)
| Entry year | Home standard | Home contextual | International | Places home / international |
|---|
| 2025 entry | 2680 | 2430 | 2920 | 380 / 28, of which 6 reserved for IMU Malaysia |
| 2024 entry | 2700 | 2450 | 2860 | 372 / 28 |
| 2023 entry | 2880 | 2500 | 2960 | 372 / 28 |
| 2022 entry | 2850 | 2360 | 2870 | 342 / 28 |
| 2021 entry | 2830 | 2260 | 2820 | 340 / 28 |
| 2020 entry | See note | See note | 2640 | 332 / 28 |
How Birmingham scores A100 applications
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Weighting at shortlisting | 45 per cent academic, 40 per cent UCAT, 15 per cent contextual |
| UCAT conversion | Total UCAT converted by national decile into points on a 0 to 4.0 scale, top decile 4.000, bottom 0.000 |
| GCSE conversion | Seven subjects scored. Grade 8 or 9 or A-star = 4, grade 7 or A = 2, grade 6 or B = 1. Additional subjects score 2 only at grades 8 to 9. Total scaled to a maximum of 4.5 |
| SJT | Used at the interview stage, not at shortlisting |
| Scale of interviewing | Birmingham states it expects to interview over 1,100 standard applicants |
| Source | Published selection for interview page, cited by Birmingham under section 21 |
What section 21 does not reach
| Element requested | Position |
|---|
| September 2026 entry, all questions | Unknown. The MBChB statistics document runs to September 2025 entry only. Birmingham has published September 2026 entry figures for dentistry, so this is not a case of the cycle being unavailable |
| Decile or quartile distribution of applicants | Unknown. Birmingham publishes a decile to points conversion, which is a different thing from the distribution of applicants across deciles |
| SJT band counts | Unknown, although Birmingham confirms it uses the SJT band at interview and therefore holds it |
| UCAT at offer stage | Unknown for medicine. Only interview stage statistics appear. Birmingham does publish offer stage figures for dentistry |
| Number of places on the contextual route | Unknown. The pages give total places but no split by route |
| Scale maximum | Never stated in the medicine statistics document, despite the request asking for it. The dentistry document does flag the change |
Source
University of Birmingham FOI response 2026.08.2429, 15 September 2026, which refused all seven questions under section 21 and directed to the published MBChB and BDS admissions statistics and the selection for interview pages
Entry requirements
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Country | England |
| Course (UCAS code) | MBChB Medicine and Surgery (A100) |
| GCSE | Seven GCSEs. English Language 6, Maths 6, Biology and Chemistry (or dual award) 6. GCSEs scored and weighted at 45% of the pre-interview score |
| A level | A*AA including Chemistry plus a second science (Biology/Human Biology/Physics/Maths). Three subjects normally in the final year. General Studies, Critical Thinking, EPQ not accepted |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | Contact admissions |
| IB | 32 points minimum; HL 7,6,6 including Chemistry and a second science. SL must include English, Biology and Maths if not at HL |
| English language | IELTS 7.0 overall with 7.0 in all bands; TOEFL 95 (23 each); PTE 67; Cambridge English 185+ |
| Resits accepted? | Not stated - A levels normally taken in the final year |
Volumes, places and competition
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Figures cover | September 2025 entry, UCAT scale 3600 |
| Places | 380 |
| Applications | 1503 |
| Interviewed | 1061 |
| Offers | 845 |
| Interviews per place | 2.79 |
| Offers per interview | 0.8 |
| Previous years - application year and UCAT figure | Minimum UCAT invited to interview, home standard then contextual then international, all of 3600: 2025 entry 2680 / 2430 / 2920; 2024 entry 2700 / 2450 / 2860; 2023 entry 2880 / 2500 / 2960; 2022 entry 2850 / 2360 / 2870; 2021 entry 2830 / 2260 / 2820. Home places 380, 372, 372, 342, 340 across the same years |
How the UCAT is turned into a score
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Is a UCAT points conversion published? | Yes. UCAT converted by national decile into a score out of 4.0, weighted 40 per cent against 45 per cent academic and 15 per cent contextual |
| How the UCAT is used, in the University’s own words | Three cognitive subtests only (SJT excluded). Ranked by national decile and converted to a score out of 4.0, worth 40% of the application score Weighted 45 per cent academic, 40 per cent UCAT, 15 per cent contextual. UCAT converted by national decile into points on a 0 to 4.0 scale. Seven GCSEs scored, grade 8 or 9 or A-star = 4, grade 7 or A = 2, grade 6 or B = 1, with additional subjects scoring 2 only at grades 8 to 9, the total scaled to a maximum of 4.5. The SJT band is used at interview, not at shortlisting |
Entry requirements and places, as shown on the comparison table
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| SJT - how the band is used | Excluded from the UCAT score, which uses the three cognitive subtests only. The band is used at interview, not at shortlisting. |
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