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Entry requirements for Medicine with a Gateway Year

Find out about our entry requirements and widening participation eligibility criteria which applicants need to meet to be considered for admission onto our Medicine with a Gateway Year programme.

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2027 entry

Contextual data eligibility

The Medicine with a Gateway Year programme is only open to applicants who meet the UK (Home) fee status and the contextual data eligibility criteria detailed below.

A levels: BBC-ABB

BBC, including Biology and second science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology, and any third subject (excluding General Studies, Critical Thinking, Citizenship, and Applied Science), with a minimum grade of B in Biology and second science subject. 

GCSEs: 5 GCSEs at level 9-4 or A*-C

5 GCSEs at level 9-4 / grade A*-C or equivalent, including English Language and Maths.

UCAT: SJT Band 1, 2 or 3

Situational Judgement Test band of 1, 2 or 3. The UCAT must be taken in the calendar year of application.

Eligibility criteria

Our six-year Medicine with a Gateway Year programme is a widening access initiative designed to facilitate entry to Medicine for applicants from under-represented backgrounds. Applicants must meet our eligibility criteria to apply for this programme.

Applicants are eligible for this programme if you meet two or more of the following:

  • In receipt of UCAT bursary
  • Resident in POLAR 4 Young Participation Area Quintile 1 or 2 (check your postcode here)
  • First in your family to attend university
  • Attended a school with a Progress 8 score below the national average for GCSE (or equivalent) study. (Please see the below section, Devolved Nations – Progress 8 equivalents, for equivalent information specific to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales).

OR, you meet one of the following:

  • Care experienced
  • Refugee status
  • From a military background
  • From a Gypsy, Roma or Traveller background

OR, you have completed one of the following widening participation programmes within the year of application:

  • York Experience Summer School

OR, you have completed one of the following widening participation programmes within two years of application:

  • University of York Black Access programme
  • University of York Next Step York programme
  • University of York Yorway programme

All applicants must also:

  • Be aged 18 or over on the 1 October in the year they enrol on to the programme. Applicants are welcome to apply for deferred entry to enable them to meet this requirement.
  • Be applying with no more than 5 academic years between completing compulsory pre-16 education and the start of the Medicine with a Gateway Year programme
  • Be classified as having UK (home fee) status according to UKCISA guidance and be domiciled in the UK. Applications for this programme from outside the UK are not accepted
  • Not currently be studying at an independent school, or have previously studied at an independent school
  • Must have achieved 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) in the grade range 9/A* - C/4 by the time of application*
  • Must have achieved, or be working towards, grade 4/C or better in GCSE English Language (or equivalent)**
  • Must have achieved, or be working towards, grade 4/C or better in GCSE Maths (or equivalent)**
  • Have achieved or be working towards three A Levels, studied and awarded concurrently, or an equivalent qualification
  • Have Biology and one additional science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology at A Level equivalent standard 
  • Sit the UCAT in the year of application, and achieve an SJT Band score of 1, 2, or 3
  • Meet the additional requirements for their entry qualification (see entry qualifications below)

*Applicants whose education system does not include an equivalent to GCSEs, or who have undertaken an approved Access programme, will be scored for interview selection according to an upscaled UCAT.

**GCSE resits to achieve the entry requirement are accepted

Regional prioritisation

Applications from anywhere within the UK are accepted

Applicants from within the Hull York Medical School region will receive priority at all stages of the application process

Applicants are considered to be within the Hull York Medical School region if their permanent address as stated on their UCAS application is in one of the following Local Education Authorities:

  • City of York
  • Darlington
  • East Riding of Yorkshire
  • Hartlepool
  • Hull
  • Middlesbrough
  • North East Lincolnshire
  • North Lincolnshire
  • North Yorkshire
  • Redcar & Cleveland
  • Stockton-On-Tees

Applicants applying from within these areas will be eligible for 2 additional points in the selection for interview process. These points are separate from the Contextual Admissions criteria, and applicants must meet all Contextual Admissions eligibility requirements in order to be eligible to apply to this intake point.

UCAT requirements (admissions test)

The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is used in the selection process by a number of UK medical schools. We believe that an admissions process based entirely on predicted A Level achievements doesn't necessarily serve your best interests as an applicant.

Our UCAT requirements are:

  • You are required to take the UCAT in the year of application
  • You will need to achieve Band 1, 2 or 3 in the Situational Judgement Test part of the UCAT

Entry requirements

A levels

Applicants must complete three A levels, studied and awarded concurrently, to include Biology and one additional science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology.

All third subjects are accepted, excluding General Studies, Applied Science, Citizenship, and Critical Thinking, but must be distinct. We do not consider Biology and Human Biology to be distinct subjects.

A minimum grade of B in Biology and the second science subject is required. Predicted or achieved grades should be no lower than BBC and no higher than ABB. 

A Levels must be achieved within a three-year period.

Applicants may repeat or restart Year 12 or Year 13 a single time with no restrictions.

Applicants who are repeating or who have repeated Year 13 must have achieved a minimum score of CCD in their A Levels, with C in Biology and one additional science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology. We are unable to accept equivalence; the minimum score must have been achieved in all subjects

Applicants applying with predicted grades should have a prediction of no lower than BBC, with B predicted in Biology and one additional science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology, and no higher than ABB.

Applicants predicted below BBC, or predicted a C in Biology and one additional science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology, will be rejected.

Applicants predicted AAB or above will not be considered for this intake point, but are welcome to apply to our 5 year MB BS Medicine programme.

Applicants applying with achieved grades must have either met the offer requirement, or be resitting to achieve the offer requirement.

A levels and Welsh Baccalaureate

We accept the Welsh Baccalaureate as equivalent to a third A Level.

Applicants must complete three A Levels, or two A Levels plus the Welsh Baccalaureate, studied concurrently, to include Biology and one additional science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology at A Level.

All third subjects are accepted, excluding General Studies, Applied Science, Citizenship, and Critical Thinking, but must be distinct. We do not consider Biology and Human Biology to be distinct subjects.

Applicants may repeat or restart Year 12 or Year 13 a single time with no restrictions.

Applicants who are repeating or who have repeated Year 13 must have achieved a minimum score of CCD in their A Levels, with C in Biology and one additional science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology at A Level in their initial sitting. We are unable to accept equivalence; the minimum score must have been achieved in all subjects. 

Applicants applying with predicted grades should have a prediction of no lower than BBC, with B predicted in Biology and one additional science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology, and no higher than ABB.

Applicants applying with achieved grades must have either met the offer requirement, or be resitting to achieve the offer requirement.

International Baccalaureate

Applicants must complete the International Baccalaureate with Biology and one additional science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology at higher level. All third subjects are accepted.

Applicants who did not complete a GCSE equivalent will be required to achieve Grade 5 in English Language A or English Lang/Lit A, and Maths at either Standard or Higher Level.

The International Baccalaureate must be completed within a three-year period. There is no resit threshold.

Applicants may repeat or restart Year 12 a single time with no restrictions.

Applicants who are repeating or who have repeated Year 13 must have achieved a minimum score of 27 points overall in their International Baccalaureate, with 4 in Biology and one additional science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology at higher level. in their initial sitting. We are unable to accept equivalence; the minimum score must have been achieved in all subjects.

Applicants applying with predicted grades should have a prediction of no lower than 30 points overall (with 14 predicted at higher level, including 5 in both Biology and one additional science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology) and no higher than 34 points overall.

Applicants applying with achieved grades must have either met the offer requirement or be resitting to achieve the offer requirement.

Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers Entry

Applicants must study Biology and one additional science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology at Advanced Higher Level.

Applicants must have achieved BBBCC at Higher Level if studying three Advanced Higher Levels, or BBBBC at Higher Level if studying two Advanced Higher Levels.

Highers and Advanced Highers must be completed within a three-year period.

Applicants may repeat or restart S5 a single time with no restrictions.

Applicants applying with predicted grades in their Advanced Highers should have a prediction of no lower than CC in Advanced Higher Biology and one additional science subject from Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology.

Applicants applying with achieved grades must have either met the offer requirement, or be resitting to achieve the offer requirement.

BTEC National Extended Diploma

Applicants must be studying the BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma in Applied Science (Biomedical Science) pathway. We are unable to accept any other BTEC pathway.

Applicants applying with predicted grades should have a prediction of no lower than Distinction, Distinction, Distinction (DDD).

Applicants may repeat or restart Year 12 a single time with no restrictions.

Applicants who are repeating or who have repeated Year 13 must have achieved a minimum score of DMM in their BTEC Extended National Diploma in their initial sitting. We are unable to accept equivalence; the minimum score must have been achieved in all subjects. 

Applicants applying with achieved grades must have either met the offer requirement, or be resitting to achieve the offer requirement.

English language requirements

Applicants must meet one of the following English language requirements:

  • GCSE or iGCSE English Language Grade C/4 or above, provided this has been studied as a first language
  • AS-level English Language Grade C or above, or A-level English Language or Literature Grade C or above
  • International Baccalaureate score of 4 (SL or HL) in English Language A or English Lang-Lit A
  • IELTS score of 7.5 with a minimum of 7.0 in every component, obtained within the last two years
  • Pearson Test of English (Academic): Total score of 73 with a minimum of 65 in every component obtained in the last two years
  • Cambridge C1 Advanced (formerly Cambridge Assessment of English): Score of 195 with a minimum of 190 in every component obtained in the last two years
  • TOEFL: Total score of 105 with minimum 24 in writing, 26 in speaking and 22 in both listening and reading, obtained in the last two years

We are unable to accept English Language qualifications where English has been studied as a second Language.

At interview, if we have any concerns about your English language capability, regardless of your origin, country of upbringing or existing qualifications, we may require you to take an additional English Language test as a condition of any offer we make to you.

Previous study

We do not accept applications to this programme if you have previously enrolled on another foundation or degree programme.

Selection for interview

Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and qualifications for entry requirements will be scored for selection for interview.

For more information please see our selection procedure.

Devolved Nations – Progress 8 equivalents

Applicants from the devolved nations will be considered to have the same eligibility as applicants who attended a school with a Progress 8 score below the national average for GCSE (or equivalent) study, should they meet one of the following comparable markers:

Northern Ireland: We will use the Annual School Performance Data measure of % year 12 pupils achieving 5+ GCSEs grades A*-C (including equivalents) including GCSE English and GCSE Mathematics to measure individual schools against the national average. Those achieving below the national average will be eligible for contextual data points comparable to Progress 8.

Scotland: We will use the Attainment for All data set calculating an average tariff score using a virtual comparator to measure individual schools against the national average. Those achieving below the national average will be eligible for contextual data points comparable to Progress 8.

Wales: We will use the Capped 9 indicator to measure individual schools against the national average. Those achieving below the national average will be eligible for contextual data points comparable to Progress 8.

Data to enable us to assess each of these measures will be collected via questionnaire following October application deadline.