FAQs

Are members of Europe considered as internationals when it comes to admissions?

If you are not considered a Home student for tuition fee purposes, then you will be charged International fees. Please have a look at the International student support page on the website, as well as our tuition fees page for more information.

How many places are there for international students?

We have approximately 74 places per cohort. This is around 20% of our intake. The department of health applies a cap on medical school places for overseas students.

If four A levels are taken, would an offer be made incorporating all four subjects or just the usual three? And what about EPQ?

Our standard offer is not adjusted where an applicant is taking 4 A levels, and there is no advantage to being predicted grades beyond our typical offer. You can view our current entry requirements on the MBBS course page.

EPQs, A Level General Studies, and A level Critical Thinking are not included in decision making or offers.

What do you look for in a personal statement?

Your personal statement is your chance to tell us about yourself. Remember that we only know what you tell us, so make sure you include the things that make you stand out. We are interested in your qualities, skills and interests and why you would be a good doctor. Think about the qualities that make a good doctor and show us how you reflect upon them. 

Our main advice is to be honest, specific and concise - exaggerating your work experience or achievements will not necessarily put you ahead of other students. Describe and reflect upon the real experiences you have had, even if things did not go to plan. Give specific examples related to a career in medicine, and make sure you always show how you meet the non-academic criteria of the medical school you are applying to.

Listen to Dr Heather Lewis' advice on writing a personal statement for Medicine.

What are the main aspects of an application that differentiates successful medicine applicants from the rest?

Provided an applicant meets the minimum predicted grade requirement of AAA and the UCAT threshold, then their success or otherwise would depend on their performance at interview. Read more about our interview process and how to prepare.

How can we prepare for UCAT?

The best way to prepare for UCAT is to look at the UCAT website and understand the format of the test and any important deadlines. You can also consult our own guide to the UCAT.

Is there a cut off score for the UCAT?

Threshold scores will vary year to year depending on the distribution of scores in each cohort of applicants and the ratio of applicants to places. You can view the most recent cutoff scores on the MBBS course page, under the entry requirements section, but please remember that these will be different every year.

Can volunteering act as work experience?

Yes, volunteering can be looked at instead of work experience. Your volunteering and/or work experience should be something you can talk about and reflect on regardless of how recent the experience took place. The key is to be able to talk about what you learnt, what skills you took away from it, how it helped make your decision to choose a medical career path. 

If you have any other questions which have not been answered here, please email the Admissions Team at feo-admissions-interviews@imperial.ac.uk.

When do you start clinical skills?

You will start learning clinical skills from the first term at medical school. You will learn clinical communication skills early on in the course through interactions with patients in the community. To find out more about the MBBS programme, visit our prospectus page.

Are there opportunities to engage in research throughout the degree?

Yes there are. During the first three years of the MBBS/BSc programme, we teach an integrated model of biomedical science and clinical medicine, with a strong scientific focus underpinned by our world-class research. Your education will be based on local and national health needs, addressing our social responsibility, and preparing you to meet global health challenges. During Year Two, you will work towards your BSc by completing a series of modules and a supervised research project in a scientific/medical subject of your choice. This gives you the chance to develop your scientific knowledge and research skills, as well as expose you to research and researchers at the cutting edge of the field.

What are the options for the intercalated BSc?

You have the following options for the intercalated BSc within Imperial College:
• Anaesthesia and Critical Care
• Biomedical Engineering
• Cancer Frontiers
• Cardiovascular Sciences
• Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology and Hepatology
• Global Health
• Molecular and Translational Haematology
• Humanities, Philosophy and Law
• Immunity and Infection
• Management
• Neuroscience and Mental Health
• Pharmacology
• Remote Medicine
• Reproductive and Developmental Sciences
• Surgical Design, Technology, and Innovation
• Translational Respiratory Medicine

Is there any small group or one-to-one teaching?

You will see a mixture of teaching styles at Imperial - you can find out more on our prospectus page. You will see small group teaching at many points and you will have one-to-one support from Academic Tutors. 

What is it like in London? Is it true that it is really expensive?

Studying in London can be expensive however Imperial has one of the best bursaries offers for home students– which is up to £5,000 a year. Also, for students on the A100 course, the NHS Bursary activates from Year 5 of the course. For home students your tuition fees are paid for by the NHS. Here you can find further financial information.  

Do most students stay in university accommodation after their first year or do they go for private accommodation? 

We have limited University accommodation, so we can only offer this to first-year students. Second-year students will be expected to move to private accommodation

Is it reasonable to commute 1-2 hours each day?

Commuting distances vary depending on clinical placements. Students will alternate having nearby and further away placements so it's fair for everyone. It's important to factor in enough time into your day for private study as well as relaxing and socialising - as well as getting enough sleep, so these are important points to take into account if you're looking to commute more than one hour.

Why did you chose Imperial over other universities?

(Answered by current student)

I really loved the course that Imperial offered and thought it was a great mixture of clinical and academic medicine. There are opportunities for research too if it's something you're interested in. I wanted to live in a city, and it's really fun being a student in London! Everyone was really friendly at the open day, and I'm so happy to be at Imperial now! I've never looked back or wished I applied elsewhere.

What do you wish you knew before joining Imperial?

(Answered by current student)

Imperial had a reputation when I applied of being very work-intense, and people would tell me I'd just be in the library all day! It's totally different to this - yes, the work is challenging and you need to dedicate time to studying like anywhere else, but there's so much else to get involved in and the people here are really fun! There's a great mixture of people and we're not always in the library!

How do you revise efficiently? Do you have any tips?

(Answered by current student)

You will find a way that works for you in the first year of your study with lots of trial and error. However, as a general rule it may be a good idea to flick through the slides before the lecture and make some notes after the lecture whilst it is still fresh in your mind. Spaced repetition learning accompanied with lots of practice questions worked well for people.