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Cardiff — Undergraduate medicine
Figures are on the current UCAT scale of 2700 unless a cell says otherwise.
Cardiff - Medicine
MBBCh Medicine (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 personal statement is not used to shortlist.
The SJT band does not affect shortlisting. |
| The odds | Of every 100 who applied, about 41 were interviewed and about 31 were offered a place.
(All applicants, 2026 entry (FOI26-279).) |
| Where it is decided | Before interview. Most applicants never get one, so the score does most of the work here.
Of those interviewed, about 76 in 100 were offered a place. |
GCSE points, awarded across eight subjects (must include Biology, Chemistry or Double Science, English Language, Maths)
| Grade | Points |
|---|
| 9 / 8 / A* | 3 |
| 7 / A | 2 |
| 6 / B | 1 |
UCAT points, awarded by national decile
| Decile | Points |
|---|
| 9th to 7th | 3 |
| 6th to 4th | 2 |
| 3rd to 1st | 1 |
How the totals combine
| Step | Detail |
|---|
| 1 | GCSE points and UCAT decile points are added together |
| 2 | One additional point is awarded for achievement at further or higher education level |
| 3 | A UCAT cut-off may then be applied to shortlist further |
| 4 | Cut-offs are set annually and may differ between applicant groups to ensure representation |
Application volumes, 2026 entry (see the FOI table below for the full five-year run)
| Stage | Number |
|---|
| Applications received | 2596 |
| Applicants interviewed | 1071 |
| Offers made | 816 |
| Year 1 places (280 home, 25 international) | 305 |
How much the UCAT actually counts - DERIVED from Cardiff's published points tables, not a Cardiff statement
| Component | Maximum points | Share of the shortlisting score |
|---|
| GCSE, 8 subjects at up to 3 points each | 24 | 86% |
| UCAT decile | 3 | 11% |
| Further or higher education achievement | 1 | 3% |
| Total | 28 | 100% |
| Spread the UCAT can create between two candidates | 2 points (3 down to 1) | About 7% of the total |
| Spread the GCSE score can create | Up to 16 points (24 down to 8) | About 57% of the total |
What this means in practice
| Point | Detail |
|---|
| The decile points are always applied | UCAT is not held in reserve. Every applicant's decile is converted to points and added to the GCSE score |
| What IS conditional is the cut-off | Cardiff told the ICO-facing FOI that a cut-off is applied only when too many applicants sit on excellent academic scores. That is a separate, later step |
| Banding is coarse | Deciles 9, 8 and 7 are all worth the same 3 points, so above roughly the 70th percentile extra UCAT marks buy nothing at Cardiff |
| But a weak UCAT is still risky | In a competitive year the conditional cut-off is a hard gate, so a low score can still end the application despite the low weighting |
| Net advice | For Cardiff specifically, GCSEs carry far more weight than the UCAT - but do not read that as the UCAT being ignored |
Confirmed by FOI response FOI26-279, August 2026
| Question | Cardiff's answer |
|---|
| Is a fixed UCAT threshold used? | No. A cut-off is applied only if there are too many applicants sitting on excellent academic scores |
| Is the SJT used? | No. Cardiff does not look at the SJT for A100 or A101 |
| UCAT decile distribution of those interviewed | Not recorded - Cardiff does not hold this information |
| SJT band counts | Not recorded |
| Contextual places | No fixed number of places allocated to the contextual route |
| Weighting and scoring matrix | Withheld under section 21 as reasonably accessible - Cardiff points to its published course pages and School of Medicine admissions policy |
Applications, interviews and offers, A100, released under FOI26-279
| Entry year | Applications | Interviews offered | Offers made | Offers accepted | Home places | International places |
|---|
| 2022 | 4554 | 974 | 412 | 307 | 280 | 25 |
| 2023 | 4424 | 1312 | 512 | 389 | 280 | 25 |
| 2024 | 3911 | 801 | 639 | 454 | 280 | 25 |
| 2025 | 2717 | 1105 | 660 | 551 | 280 | 25 |
| 2026 | 2596 | 1071 | 816 | 407 | 280 | 25 |
UCAT of those interviewed and those offered a place, all applicant groups (average / lowest / highest)
| Entry year | Interviewed - average | Interviewed - lowest | Interviewed - highest | Offered - average | Offered - lowest | Offered - highest |
|---|
| 2022 (of 3600) | 2644 | 1670 | 3420 | 2705 | 2230 | 3280 |
| 2023 (of 3600) | 2695 | 1980 | 3460 | 2730 | 2110 | 3460 |
| 2024 (of 3600) | 2702 | 1970 | 3370 | 2710 | 1970 | 3370 |
| 2025 (of 3600) | 2690 | 2030 | 3430 | 2715 | 2140 | 3400 |
| 2026 (of 2700) | 2019 | 1400 | 2630 | 2035 | 1570 | 2630 |
Academic profile of applicants and offer-holders
| Entry year | Average GCSE grades 8/9/A* per applicant | Average GCSE grades 8/9/A* per offer | Average A/A* per applicant | Average A/A* per offer |
|---|
| 2022 | 5.2 | 5.9 | 2.4 | 3.2 |
| 2023 | 5.6 | 6.7 | 2.2 | 3.4 |
| 2024 | 6.2 | 7.3 | 2.6 | 3.0 |
| 2025 | 7.2 | 8.4 | 2.6 | 2.9 |
Waiting list, A100
| Entry year | Number on waiting list | Number of waiting-list offers |
|---|
| 2022 | 212 | 87 |
| 2023 | 195 | 38 |
| 2024 | 389 | 31 |
| 2025 | 292 | 19 |
Summary of the selection model
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Scoring approach | Combined GCSE points (8 subjects, 3/2/1 per grade) plus UCAT decile points (3/2/1), plus one extra point for FE/HE achievement. A UCAT cut-off may then be applied. Personal statement screened, not scored |
| UCAT - how it is used | Scored by decile: deciles 9-7 = 3 points, 6-4 = 2 points, 3-1 = 1 point, combined with the GCSE score. Cardiff confirmed under FOI (August 2026) that it does NOT look at the SJT at all for A100 or A101, and that a cut-off is used only when too many applicants hold excellent academic scores |
| UCAT threshold | No fixed threshold. Cardiff confirmed under FOI that a UCAT cut-off is applied only if too many applicants are sitting on excellent academic scores |
| UCAT lowest accepted | 2026 entry, offer holders, all groups (of 2700): lowest 1570, highest 2630. FOI26-279 |
| UCAT average accepted | 2026 entry, offer holders, all groups: 2035 (of 2700). 2025: 2715, 2024: 2710, 2023: 2730, 2022: 2705 (of 3600). FOI26-279 |
| Interview format | MMI, themed stations. In person for home, online for overseas. Welsh/bilingual option |
| Interview to offer ratio | 2026 entry (FOI26-279): 2596 applications, 1071 interviewed, 816 offers made, 407 accepted, 305 places (280 home, 25 international) |
| Contextual offer | Welsh-domiciled treated as contextual. Guaranteed interview for Step-Up, Doctoriaid Yfory or Sutton Trust participants |
| Resits | GCSE resits within 12 months (English Language anytime). A level resits not accepted |
| Data status | Complete - FOI response received August 2026, including five years of numeric UCAT and application data |
Source
FOI: Cardiff University FOI response FOI26-279, 18 August 2026 (direct to requester) (application, interview, offer and UCAT tables) | Web: https://www.medschools.ac.uk/courses/mbchb-medicine-a100-9 ; https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/course/medicine-mbbch ; https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/public-information/students-applicants/admissions-policies
Entry requirements
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Country | Wales |
| Course (UCAS code) | MBBCh Medicine (A100) |
| GCSE | English Language 6, Double Science 77 (or Biology and Chemistry 7 each), Maths 6, plus four further GCSEs at 6. Eight GCSEs scored: 9/8/A*=3, 7/A=2, 6/B=1 |
| A level | AAA including Biology or Chemistry plus a second science, practicals passed. Critical Thinking, General Studies, Citizenship Studies not accepted |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | Highers AAAAB including Biology and Chemistry; Advanced Highers BB in Biology/Chemistry plus a further science |
| IB | 36 overall (excluding TOK/EE) with 18 at HL; HL6 in Biology or Chemistry plus a second HL science |
| English language | GCSE English Language grade 6; UKVI requirements for visa applicants |
| Resits accepted? | No for A level (GCSE resits allowed within 12 months) |
Volumes, places and competition
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Figures cover | All applicants, 2026 entry (FOI26-279) |
| Places | 305 |
| Applications | 2596 |
| Interviewed | 1071 |
| Offers | 816 |
| Interviews per place | 3.51 |
| Offers per interview | 0.76 |
| Previous years - application year and UCAT figure | Average UCAT of offer holders, all applicant groups combined, released under FOI26-279. 2022 (of 3600): 2705. 2023: 2730. 2024: 2710. 2025: 2715. 2026 (of 2700): 2035. Range of offer holders in 2026: 1570 to 2630 (of 2700). For applicants who were only interviewed (not offered), the 2026 average was 2019, range 1400 to 2630 |
How the UCAT is turned into a score
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Is a UCAT points conversion published? | Yes. The points table is set out on this tab above. |
| How the UCAT is used, in the University’s own words | Scored by decile: deciles 9-7 = 3 points, 6-4 = 2 points, 3-1 = 1 point, combined with the GCSE score. Cardiff confirmed under FOI (August 2026) that it does NOT look at the SJT at all for A100 or A101, and that a cut-off is used only when too many applicants hold excellent academic scores Combined GCSE points (8 subjects, 3/2/1 per grade) plus UCAT decile points (3/2/1), plus one extra point for FE/HE achievement. A UCAT cut-off may then be applied. Personal statement screened, not scored |
Entry requirements and places, as shown on the comparison table
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| SJT - how the band is used | Not looked at at all. Cardiff confirmed this under FOI in August 2026 for both A100 and A101. |
Other undergraduate medicine pages