Medicine with a Foundation Year - U6UMEDCF2

Required subjects

• BBC: must include a B in both biology (or human biology) and chemistry
• A pass is required in science practical tests, where these are assessed separately

Excluded subjects

We do not accept citizenship studies, critical thinking, general studies, or global perspectives.

A level offer

A levels need to have been studied over a two year period and three A levels need to have been passed at the required grades in one sitting.

We do not accept A level resits for this course. 

Predicted A level grades, A levels, AS levels, or equivalent are not scored as part of our selection process. However, any offers made will be conditional on you meeting the A level grades or equivalent required to meet the academic conditions of any offers.

Please visit our undergraduate selection process page for full details.

GCSEs

A minimum of five GCSEs at Level 6 (B) including maths, English language, chemistry and biology (or double science).

• They need to have been studied over a two year period and the required grades normally achieved at one sitting
• We will consider one GCSE subject resit in maths, English language, biology, human biology, chemistry or double science qualifications
• The achieved overall resit grade must be a minimum of Level 6 (B) in maths, English language, biology, human biology, chemistry or double science (6,6) qualifications

IB score

26 points overall or 5,5,4 in three HL certificates

IB requirements

26 points overall including HL5 in biology, HL5 in chemistry or 5,5,4 in three Higher Level (HL) Certificates with HL 5 in biology, HL5 in chemistry and GCSE requirements (or equivalent).

We’ll accept either of the maths qualifications for the IB at standard level (SL) or higher level (HL).

We don’t score the IB and we don’t require predicted IB grades as part of the selection process. However, you’ll still need to achieve the IB grades required to meet your offer.

This course is only open to students who are living in the UK and have UK home status, indefinite leave to remain or refugee status (with a letter from the home office as evidence) at the time you make your application.

You must also meet the following criteria:

• The university's contextual admissions criteria - this means you will not receive a further reduced offer from the required A levels of BBC, or equivalent, as stated in the entrance requirements. The contextual offer has already been applied to the grade reductions and entrance requirements.
• You do not meet the standard or contextual entry requirement grades for our five-year medicine course.
• Have not previously studied at a university.

You cannot apply for this course and the five-year (A100) Medicine BMBS course.

You should apply for Medicine BMBS (A100) course if you:

• meet the entry requirements for the five-year course
• achieve ABB at A level, and choose to resit one or both of your B grades and then achieve all standard or contextual entry requirement grades for our five-year course

We do not usually accept applicants who have studied medicine before. 

UCAT

The UCAT test is normally required.

All applicants must sit the UCAT in the same year as the application is made for the course. Applicants who achieve a UCAT SJT grade of Band 4 will not be considered for this course.

Full details can be found on our undergraduate selection webpage.

We will consider applicants who have undertaken an Access to Medicine Diploma on an individual basis.

Applicants wishing to apply with the Access to Medicine Diploma for A108 Medicine with Foundation Year must achieve or have achieved:

• at least 15 credits at Distinction which must include biology or human biology and chemistry
• 24 credits at Merit and 6 credits at Pass, ie, total 45 graded credits at level 3
• an Access to HE Diploma (Medicine) complying with the QAA subject descriptor for medicine

And must also meet the GCSE requirements of the A108 course of a minimum of five GCSEs at Level 6 (B). This must include the following:

• Maths, English language, chemistry and biology or human biology, or double science (6,6)
• We will consider one GCSE Subject resit in maths, English language, biology, human biology, chemistry or double science qualifications
• The achieved overall resit grade must be a minimum of Level 6 (B) in maths, English language, biology, human biology, chemistry or double science qualifications (6,6)

Unfortunately, BTEC Nationals/Extended Diploma are not accepted for entry on to this course. 

If your home country is not the UK but you are now living in the UK (with indefinite leave to remain), and you moved here after the start of school year 10 from an international country where you did not study all your subjects in the English language:

And

If you have NOT achieved Level 6 (Grade B) GCSE English language, we will accept one of the following:  

• IELTS 7.5 (no less than 7.0 in any element)  
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) 79 (minimum 76)   
• Cambridge Proficiency/Advanced test (from January 2015) 191 with no element below 185 
• International Baccalaureate diploma: IB English A1 or A2 at grade 5, IB English B (standard level) at grade 6 or IB English B (higher level) at grade 5

Interview

Applicants must have an interview in the same year you apply before receiving an offer for the course.

Interviews are likely to be held online using Microsoft Teams. Further details can be found on our applying to Nottingham webpage

We do not usually accept applicants who have studied medicine before. 

Fitness to practice 

We must be confident in your conduct, health and ability to be professional and interact safely with patients. 

As part of your application, you'll be required to have an occupational health assessment and a disclosure and barring service (DBS) check. 

We cannot accept pre-existing DBS checks. More information about this will be sent to you closer to your start date. 

If we have any serious concerns we will not offer you a place, and reserve the right to revoke offers should serious concerns arise before starting the course. 

Find out more about fitness to practise. 

Excluded students database 

When offering places to students we check the MSC Excluded Students Database as part of our commitment to professionalism and fitness to practice.  

Non-academic conditions of offer 

All applicants are required to have an occupational health assessment and a disclosure and barring service (DBS) check. 

All offers are subject to satisfactory occupational health clearance. 

Where criminal convictions or professional misconduct are revealed at any point during the selection process, any offer will be subject to review by the Fitness to Practise and Professionalism Leads in the School of Medicine and may be withdrawn.

Full details can be found on our Fitness to Study webpage.

Work experience

Applicants are usually expected to complete regular work experience when applying for medicine. We are not expecting any in person NHS work experience to have taken place.

Your work experience can be:

• volunteering in a care related setting
• volunteering with disadvantaged groups
• paid employment in a job working with the general public

Your application for 2026 entry will not be negatively affected if you’ve been unable to complete any in person NHS work experience.

We will be looking for knowledge of the profession and an understanding of the scope of the role of a doctor and we may ask about this during your interview.

If possible we'd advise that you speak to someone working in the NHS to ensure you are making an informed choice about your career in medicine.

We expect you to demonstrate a commitment to caring for people and a realistic idea of what working as a doctor entails.

Any students considering a gap year should use their time constructively either by working or further preparing yourself for a future career in medicine.

Deferred applications 

Deferred applications will be considered for the following year of entry onto the course. If you did not apply for deferred entry initially via UCAS, but subsequently wish to defer after receiving an offer, you must request deferral by 1st May in the year of application.  

Under 18 policy  

We accept students who are 17 years old or above onto the course. 

If an applicant will be under the age of 18 when they register with the university, a parent or legal guardian must complete an under 18 consent form and the University of Nottingham Under 18 guidance will be followed.

UCAS personal statement and reference  

All applicants are required to apply via UCAS by 15 October. The UCAS personal statement and reference are not used as part of the selection process for interview. The personal statement and reference will be reviewed after interview before offers are made.  

You're given a five-week elective placement at the end of your final year which you may choose to spend abroad. 

Elective placement destinations will depend on location restrictions (such as Covid-19, climate-related disasters, etc).

The course includes 15 main placements over the clinical phase, with each lasting up four to six weeks.

You will experience a range of settings including medical, surgical, specialty skills, mental health and community-based medicine. 

During placements, you will be supported by experienced clinical mentors.

Placements can take place in:

• Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham City Hospital, and Highbury Hospital
• Royal Derby Hospital
• King's Mill Hospital
• Chesterfield Royal Hospital
• GP practices across the region

Elective period of study

You're given a six-week elective placement at the end of your final year which you can usually spend abroad. Elective placement destinations will depend on location restrictions (such as Covid-19, climate-related disasters, etc).

2026/27 (UK undergraduate students)

This is the UK undergraduate tuition fee for the academic year 25/26. It may increase for the academic year 26/27 and we will update our information once we have received confirmation of the fee from the UK Government.

For full details including fees for part-time students and reduced fees during your time studying abroad or on placement (where applicable), see our fees page.

As a student on this course, you should factor some additional costs into your budget, alongside your tuition fees and living expenses such as travel and accommodation.

Approximately £50 for an enhanced DBS check (payable by the student). It is recommended to register the DBS with the government update service as soon as you receive it. The update service costs £16 per year.

You should be able to access the books and resources you need for the course through our libraries, however you may wish to purchase your own copies or get specific books which may cost up to £80 each.

The University of Nottingham offers a wide range of bursaries and scholarships. These funds can provide you with an additional source of non-repayable financial help. For up to date information regarding tuition fees, visit our fees and finance pages.

Home students

Over one third of our UK students receive our means-tested core bursary. Full details can be found on our financial support pages.

A 'home' student is one who meets certain UK residence criteria. These are the same criteria as apply to eligibility for home funding from Student Finance.

In the final year of your course, students who live in the UK are eligible for NHS bursary funding (with some exceptions) which can help cover living costs and tuition fees.

Find out more about the NHS Bursary.