University of Leicester: UCAT and Medical Course Entry Requirements (2021 Update)

This article explains the requirements, clinical placement opportunities and rankings of the University of Leicester’s Medicine degree — find out what they have to offer and what you need in terms of academic achievements, UCAT results and work experience!

In this article on the University of Leicester,

• Overview of the University of Leicester
• University rankings
• University of Leicester courses requiring UCAT
  • Bachelor of Medicine
• Clinical placement
• Associate teaching hospitals

Overview of the University of Leicester

The University of Leicester was established in 1921 as a living memorial to people who made sacrifices during the First World War. Currently, there are over 20,000 students enrolled.

Leicester Medical School was established in 1975 and has a Stimulation Centre and Dissection Room.

Leicester accommodation is divided into two distinct groups, both of which offer a different range of features.

• The Village: The Village is popular with first-years and has eight halls of residence. It is located on campus. The various residence halls include:
  • Bowder Court: All meals are self-catered and it has an average cost of 155-177 Euros per week.
  • Lasdun: Includes a meal plan and has an average cost of 101-153 Euros per week.
  • Glebe Court: Shared bathroom and kitchen and single bedroom cost 128 Euros per week.
• The City: The City accommodation is a 10-minute walk from the campus and is close to the city centre. Most rooms are en-suites and all rooms are self-catered. The City accommodation includes:
  • Brookland Road: Close to Odeon Cinema and Claredon Park. The price of rooms ranges from 135- 177 Euros.
  • Nixon Court Blocks A-E: One bathroom and kitchen is shared between 6-10 people. The price of rooms ranges from 109-140 Euros per week.
  • Opal Court Blocks A-D: Each bedroom has an en-suite bathroom however kitchens are shared between 5-6 people. Rooms are either 145 or 152 Euros per week.

The University is a short walk from the city centre and has a range of facilities available for students on campus. There are over 200 clubs and societies (including political societies, faith groups, and performance societies), a range of music, art and culture facilities (Attenborough Arts Centre and O2 Academy), and sports facilities (including squash courts, a number of sports centres, and playing fields). The O2 Academy hosts a range of bands and live music on campus!

Rankings

Need a UCAT Cheatsheet?

Before you get into uni, you need to crush the UCAT. Downloading our FREE UCAT Cheatsheet is your first step to campus.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE CHEATSHEET

The Ultimate UCAT Reference to help you ace your UCAT!

• First Name*
• Last Name*
• Email*
• What is your grade in 2023*
  • Year 11
  • Year 12
  • 1st Year University
• Postcode*
• Country*
  AustraliaUnited KingdomNew ZealandCanadaOther

We take your privacy seriously. No spam. See our terms & privacy policy.

 

The University of Leicester Medical Courses offered that require UCAT

Bachelor of Medicine

Academic Requirements: 

ATAR:

• An ATAR between 98.5 and 99.5 is required.

IB (International Baccalaureate for International students):

• A minimum of 36 points overall (excluding core or bonus points).

A-Levels:

• Applicants must have achieved or are predicted to achieve grades of AAA.
• A-levels must be completed within two years of GCSE exams.

Scottish Qualifications:

• Scottish Advanced Highers will be considered either alone or in combination with A-Levels.
• Standard Offer is AAA grades.
• Leicester also accepts:
  • AA at Advanced Higher and AAB at Highers
• NOTE: Applicants who are only taking Scottish Highers will not be considered.

Prerequisites:

For ATAR:

• Chemistry or Biology
• One of Chemistry, Biology, Physics or Psychology

For IB:

• A minimum score of 6 in three Higher Levels including:
  • Chemistry or Biology; and
  • One of Chemistry, Biology, Physics or Psychology

For A-Levels:

• Grade A in:
  • Chemistry or Biology; and
  • One of Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Psychology; and
  • The third subject at A-Levels can be of your own choice
• NOTE: General Studies, Citizenship Studies, Critical Thinking or Global Perspectives are not considered in A-Levels. Only one of Mathematics and Further Mathematics will count towards A-Levels.
• A-Levels sat in Year 12 will not form part of the pre-interview selection process, nor will EPQs.
• Students must take 3 subjects in Year 13 to show they can cope with the depth of study required.
• A-Level Resits:
  • Applicants who attain AAB or ABB at their first A-Level attempt can apply with a resit in one subject.
  • Applicants with lower grades in their first A-Level attempt can apply with resits in two subjects IF there was significant mitigation that the admission tutors have accepted prior to application.

Scottish Qualifications:

• AAA
  • Chemistry or Biology; and
  • Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Psychology
• Advanced Higher (AA) and 3 Highers (AAB):
  • 2 Sciences at Advanced Higher

Entry Requirement: 

Applicants must achieve the minimum entry requirements to be able to proceed to the next stage. These include the minimum academic scores and UCAT. These marks will then be scored for an interview.

Applicants are ranked based on the amount of points they achieved in their:

• Academic results (50%)
• UCAT results (50%)

In 2019, the minimum score which was invited for an interview was 54.5 out of 64.

Now, let’s break down their scoring system, so you get a better understanding of how points are allocated.

Academic Requirement – GCSE::

• Scoring: Academic results make up 50% of the score in the pre-interview process. A maximum score of 32 is possible. The following GCSE results are given the following points:
  • A* or 8/9: 4 points
  • A or 7: 3 points
  • B or 6: 1 point
• You also need to achieve 8 GCSE results including the following mandatory subjects:
  • English Language (B/6);
  • Mathematics (B/6); and
  • Chemistry and Biology, or Double Science (B/6)
  • NOTE: Students undertaking Methods and Applications in Mathematics must score a minimum of Grade B or 6 in both. However, only Methods in Mathematics will be scored.
• GCSE Resits:
  • GCSE resits in English Language and Maths will be considered.
  • GCSE resits in any other subjects will only be considered IF there are significant mitigating circumstances that have been previously agreed to by admission tutors.

UCAT:

• UCAT is 50% of the pre-interview selection process. A maximum score of 32 is possible. The UCAT mark is scored as the following:
  • >3200: 32 points
  • 3150-3199: 31.5 points
  • 3100-3149: 31 points
  • 3050-3099: 30.5 points
  • 3000-3049: 30 points
  • 2950-2999: 29.5 points
  • 2900-2949: 29 points
  • Less than or equal to 2280: 16 points
• Applicants with a Band 4 in the Situational Judgement Test will automatically be rejected pre-interview.
• Applicants in the bottom 2 deciles of the year will be automatically rejected (in 2021/2 this is <2370)

Personal Statement:

• The personal statement and reference are not scored accept for borderline candidates or tie-break sections. A maximum score of 10 is given for Personal qualities. The attributes which will be considered are:
  • Motivation
  • Commitment
  • Appreciation of challenges of a medical career
  • Work experience
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Contribution to school/college life
  • Contribution to the wider community
  • Written communication skills
  • Support from teachers/ staff
  • Confirmation of some aspects of the personal statement in reference

Application Process:

• After the minimum entry requirements are met candidates will be ranked into 4 groups based on their scores. The highest-ranking candidates will be invited for an interview.
• The four categories are:
  • Predicted A-levels (or equivalent grades)
  • Achieved A-levels (or equivalent grades)
  • Graduates (predicted and achieved)
  • Access to medicine
• The pre-interview international candidates are ranked against other international candidates.

Re-applying criteria:

Applicants are able to reapply if they meet one of the following criteria.

• Achieved required grades, have applied once, but have not been interviewed, will be considered and scored as per normal.
• Invited to an interview but did not attend and submit a valid reason will not be invited for an interview again.
• Applicants who have been rejected following an interview will only be considered again if their interview score was no more than 10% below the level required for an offer.

Interview Criteria and structure:

Approximately 1200 EU applicants are interviewed and 100 international applicants are interviewed. In 2019, 676 offers to Non-Graduate applicants who reside in the EU were made. 33 non-graduate international applicants were also made an offer.

Note: Due to COVID-19, interviews are being held online as opposed to face-to-face.

Current online structure:

• Structure:
  • 5 multiple mini stations

Previously, interviews used to be held in this way, face-to-face:

• Structure
  • 8-9 multiple mini stations.

The criteria for the interview is still consistent:

• Criteria: The interview assesses:
  • Verbal communication
  • Written communication
  • Listening
  • Problem-solving
  • Personal qualities and values
  • Motivation and suitability
  • Teamwork skills

Alternate Entry Pathway:

• Students who have studied an approved Access to medicine course and meet the minimum GCSE requirements can apply through an alternate pathway.
• Students whose background makes it less likely for them to meet entry requirements can apply to the Medicine with a Foundation Year program.

Clinical placement information

Medical students begin clinical placement from the first year and will have the opportunity to become qualified as Health Care Assistants (HCAs) so that they can gain employment and clinical experience within the NHS.

Associate teaching hospitals

• Chesterfield Royal Hospital
• Derby Teaching Hospitals
• University Hospitals Leicester
• Pilgrim Hospital
• Grantham and District Hospital
• Northampton General Hospital
• Kettering General Hospital
• Nottingham General Hospital