Entrance Requirements

The competition for places to study Medicine each year is extremely high and there are many more highly qualified applicants than our 165 places. 

It is important to understand that there are Academic Requirements (ie, the minimum achievements required in examinations) as well as Non-Academic Requirements for Medicine.  In addition, all applicants must take the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT).

Additional documentation that is sent directly to the Medical Admissions Office in support of an application can only be considered if it is received by the UCAS deadline of 15 October

Academic performance and non-academic attainment are only two of the selection criteria considered by the Admissions Committee. No guarantee of an interview or a place can be made either on examination results or indeed upon non-academic attainment alone.

Applicants should be aware when writing the Personal Statement, that UCAS use software to detect any evidence of plagiarism.  Should evidence of plagiarism be detected, the application will be withdrawn from the selection process

Minimum Academic Requirements

The majority of successful candidates achieve the minimum academic requirements at the first sitting. 

We do not normally consider applicants who have achieved less than our minimum academic requirements or who are re-sitting their examinations to upgrade results unless very serious personal difficulties at the time of the first sitting can be demonstrated. Appropriate supporting documentation therefore must be supplied from:

  • Academic tutors to verify very exceptional extenuating circumstances that have been declared at the time of the first sitting leading to this underachievement, plus 
  • Other professional bodies that have had appropriate involvement with the applicant's difficulties (e.g. hospital/GP certification)

To be considered, any serious personal difficulties experienced at the time of undertaking an examination must be declared at the time and validated immediately.  This will allow for support for an academic appeal for a lower than expected result.  Retrospective claims for extenuating circumstances will not be considered after receipt of a low result

This verification will only be considered following receipt by Medical Admissions Office no later than the UCAS deadline of 15 October

Should the Admissions Committee agree that the circumstances warrant consideration once the whole of the UCAS form and supporting documentation have been reviewed, the application will enter the selection process.  The subsequent assessment of such applications will be undertaken on a case-by-case basis.

The UKCAT

UKCAT - General Overview

There has been a widespread feeling for some time amongst those involved in admissions to medical and dental schools that A-levels were failing to discriminate between candidates at the upper end of the scale of academic ability.  The UKCAT was conceived to improve the fairness and objectivity of the admissions process for medicine and dentistry.  The test offers Universities the ability to select students on the basis of characteristics relevant to success in their chosen profession.  The test also offers the significant advantage of helping widen access by identifying academic potential in applicants from less-advantaged educational backgrounds.

The test when considered alongside other factors will help Universities select candidates who have the best combination of mental abilities, attitudes and professional behaviours required for doctors in their clinical careers.  Further details regarding the test are available from the UKCAT website www.ukcat.ac.uk

Test preparation

The medical and dental schools participating in UKCAT do not endorse any commercially available preparatory course or material for the UKCAT. The test is designed to be a test of aptitude rather than academic achievement and does not draw on any particular body of knowledge or curriculum that you can learn in advance. We would however encourage candidates to practise answering the types of questions that will be presented in the UKCAT and to familiarise themselves with the test format so that they know how to navigate through the test.  In taking this approach candidates will become familiar with the different types of questions and in particular understand the time restrictions imposed within the test.

There are practice questions (including a fully timed test) available for free on the UKCAT website www.ukcat.ac.uk.

How we use UKCAT scores

Candidates' UKCAT scores are considered in our selection for interview but are not the sole indicator for selection. In particular they are considered alongside actual and predicted academic achievement and the objective scoring of information supplied on the UCAS application form (the Personal Statement and Reference).  All indicators are considered together in deciding who will be selected for interview.  A minimum UKCAT cut-off score is NOT used. 

Applicants to Aberdeen offer a broad range of UKCAT scores. For 2012 entry:

  • Applicants:     the lowest total score for an applicant was 1570 and the highest 3250
  • Offers made:  the lowest total score for successful applicants who were made offers was 2280 and the highest 3180

Admissions Requirements

As the UKCAT is an entry requirement for Medicine at Aberdeen, all applicants to Aberdeen must complete the UK CAT by the appropriate closing date for that year's entry. 

Applicants for deferred entry must complete UKCAT in the summer of the year of application. 

Candidates who reapply must undertake the UKCAT in the summer of each individual year of application.

Applicants should ensure that they register early for a test as being unable to gain a test sitting will not be accepted as an extenuating circumstance for non-completion of the test.

Information about the key dates for taking the test can be seen online

Information about provision of evidence of entitlement to take the extended test (UKCATSEN) can be seen online