Apply to Medicine

If you are applying for undergraduate study with the School of Medicine, please ensure that you understand the application process and associated factors prior to application.

Application process

1. Entry requirements

Ensure you meet the entry requirements.

2. UCAT

Ensure you have sat the UCAT.

3. Check the campus code details: 

• A100: Scotland 'S', England 'R', or No Preference 'N'. See course pathways for more details.
• A990: no campus code required.

4. Write a personal statement.

Further information about personal statements is given within the 'qualities and experience' section on the entry requirements page. Guidance on how to write a personal statement can be found on UCAS.

5. Arrange a referee's report.

If you are at school, your Principal or Head of Year will generally write your referee’s report. If you are on a gap year following achievement of your school leaving qualifications, the referee’s report should also be provided by your school.

If you are studying in a university, the School of Medicine will require a reference from your academic tutor or advisor of studies.

References from family members or close friends are not acceptable.

Your referee should comment on your academic performance, your attitude to study and your approach to working with others, including communication skills. They should comment on your contribution to your school or university and any other skills or attributes you have that make you a suitable candidate for medicine.

If you are applying with qualifications not yet achieved, your referee's report must contain predicted grades for your expected performance in future examinations.

6. Fill out an application form.

You will either submit a UCAS application or a direct application.

• Qualifications
  All qualifications taken (regardless of grades obtained) must be included on the application form. Please indicate grades already obtained even if you are re-taking examinations. All qualifications you are taking in the future must be included (predictions for those examinations to be included in your referee’s statement). Ensure that intermediate-level qualifications such as GCSEs and Standard Grades (or equivalent) are included.
  
  
• Gaps in schooling or employment
  If you did not follow the normal pattern of schooling and there are ‘gaps’ between one set of examinations and the next, your referee should offer an explanation or other evidence should be provided. If there is no explanation, the School of Medicine might assume that you had re-taken examinations. If you are not applying directly from school, please explain on your application how you have spent your time since leaving school, indicating periods of employment or unemployment. Supplementary information may be sent at the time of application if necessary.

7. Submit your application by the deadline.

For 2021 entry, the deadline for all students, including those who are overseas for fee purposes, will be 15 October 2020. 

The School does not consider late applications after the official closing date, and the School does not enter UCAS Extra or Clearing. To find out more about selection procedures after you have applied, see how are students selected.

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Fraudulent or plagiarised applications

The University of St Andrews will not admit students based on fraudulent or plagiarised applications or documents. Please see the University’s admissions policy for more information.

Please note, if a student is found to have deliberately failed to disclose information that could have made him or her ineligible to study medicine, or given false information, the course provider can consider removing them from training on grounds of dishonesty.