Academic entry and widening participation eligibility requirements for 2027 entry
Applicants must meet BOTH the academic entry AND widening participation eligibility requirements to be considered.
Academic entry requirements
SQA Highers:
- AABB Highers in one academic year in S5 OR S6.
- To include Higher Biology and any two of Chemistry, Physics or Maths. Achieving minimum of grades ABB in the three sciences.
- Higher English/ESOL at grade C OR Nat 5 English/ESOL at grade B.
- Interview
SWAP Access to Medical Sciences:
- Overall Merit and AAA in graded profiles.
- Higher English/ESOL at grade C OR Nat 5 English/ESOL at grade B OR IELTS 6.5, with no sub-test under 6.0.
- Interview
Applicants whose first language is not English, may be required to show English language proficiency. More information can be found here.
Widening participation eligibility requirements
As the programme is funded by the Scottish Government as part of the national widening participation directive, applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Applicants must have been resident in Scotland for a minimum of three years prior to application. The only exception is for candidates who are Asylum Seekers or have Refugee status with the right to remain and study in the UK.
- Applicants must be in S6 or SWAP. Individual consideration for S5 entry may be given only if a school does not offer Advanced Higher subjects in S6.
AND meet ONE of the following:
- Lives in a SIMD1 postcode. Click here for our postcode checker
- Care experienced.
- Estranged from family.
- Holds refugee status with the right to remain and study.
- Holds asylum seeker status with the right to study.
OR meets TWO of the following:
- Registered with OR eligible for REACH.
- Completed or participating in SWAP Access to Medical Studies.
- Student carer.
- Attends a Remote and Rural target school OR if you attend a different school but are resident on the Island Cluster.
Please check your eligibility carefully before applying. Further details can be found in the Important Information section below. Whilst you may be eligible for a contextual offer for other programmes, you may not be eligible for the Gateway to Medicine programme. We are unable to consider any other widening participation criteria or extenuating circumstances that are not outlined above for this programme.
Important information about applying
Academic entry requirements
- A ‘Pass’ grade is required for any additional Highers or Advanced Highers taken out with the mandatory four required.
- Re-sits are permitted so long as the required grades are achieved in one academic year.
- We do not accept a mix of qualifications undertaken at the same level.
- Higher Application of Maths cannot be considered in lieu of having Higher Mathematics or Physics.
- Highers taken in S4 will not be considered towards meeting the Higher S5 or S6 grade requirements.
Widening participation eligibility requirements
- Applicants who have commenced further or higher education courses are not eligible to apply.
- Asylum Seekers: We welcome applications from asylum seekers with the right to remain and study, subject to verification by the University of Glasgow prior to application submission. As those seeking asylum would not have access to SAAS funding, they would need to apply for tuition fee funding from alternative sources prior to acceptance on the programme. One such source in previous years has been the Carnegie Trust; if you would like further information on this, please contact the Sanctuary team on sanctuary@glasgow.ac.uk who can discuss this process with you in more detail.
- Verification: If your eligibility for Gateway to Medical Studies is not based on your postcode (i.e. SIMD 1-20), but on one of the other relevant Widening Participation criteria (i.e. care-experience, estrangement, caring responsibilities, refugee or asylum seeker status), then you must get in touch before submitting your application so that this eligibility can be verified.
The University of Glasgow has dedicated named points of contact for each of the student groups who will carry out the verification in strictest confidence, making sure you are eligible for the programme before you apply. The relevant named points of contact will also be able to advise on the further support the University offers. Please click here. Applicants may need to provide confirmation of their eligibility during the application process.
Verification must be completed directly through our Widening Participation team. The Admissions Team will not review or follow up on any documentation related to WP eligibility submitted by applicants, care services, schools, or other third parties.
We understand that some applicants may be unsure whether they meet the eligibility criteria. However, it is the applicant’s responsibility to confirm this before submitting their application. The Admissions Team will not consider any WP eligibility evidence submitted after the January deadline, whether retrospective or not, unless it has been verified by the Widening Participation team.
- Permission to study: Candidates must have permission to study in the UK and may be asked to provide documentary evidence of UK immigration status. Should eligibility not be confirmed by the deadline requested, an application, interview or offer will be withdrawn.
- Postcode: Changes to postcode after your application is submitted to suit eligibility criteria will not be considered. All decisions based on the postcode submitted at point of application.
Application and UCAS FAQs
How do I apply?
The UCAS deadline for applications for the Gateway to Medicine (A900) 2027 entry is Wednesday 13 January 2027 at 18.00pm (UK time). Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. This includes UCAS substitutions. For any admissions queries, please contact: med-sch-gatewayadmissions@glasgow.ac.uk.
How many places are available each year?
We usually have 40 places for this programme.
What counts as an academic year?
An academic year runs from August/September – June/July. For example, August 2026 - June 2027
Can I apply if I'm under 18 years old?
An applicant is welcome to apply at any age providing they meet our minimum entry requirements. Given the rigourous nature of the programme and the application process we would advise any applicant to consider their experience and maturity prior to applying.
Can I apply as an international student?
No, all applicants must have been resident in Scotland for a minimum of three years prior to application. The only exception is for candidates who are Asylum Seekers or have Refugee status with the right to remain and study in the UK.
Can I apply as a graduate student?
No, this programme is not available to graduate applicants. Graduate applicants must apply to the MBChB programme via our graduate entry route.
Do I need to sit the UCAT?
No. Applicants aren’t required to sit any medicine entry examinations.
How will my application be assessed?
- First Stage – UCAS application and WP eligibility: Our team look at the UCAS application holistically, considering academic grades, personal statement and references. We do not weight/score sections. We also check to make sure applicants meet the specified widening participation criteria. Applicants who meet both the UCAS and WP eligibility criteria will be offered an interview. Applicants who don’t meet the above criteria will be rejected.
- Second Stage – Interview: Candidates who are being considered further are interviewed between February and March. For further information, please visit our interview section.
- Third Stage – Decision: Applicant scores are ranked and those that meet the score threshold will be given an offer. Those that don’t, will be rejected. The range of interview scores varies each year depending on the performance of each admissions cohort. The Medical School aims to process interview decisions on UCAS Track by the end of March. However, this can sometimes extend to the end of April.
Does the Undergraduate Medical School take extenuating circumstances into consideration?
The Medical School's extenuating circumstances policy differs from the wider university.
We appreciate that a candidate's exam sitting could have been adversely affected by extenuating circumstances, but any special consideration must be applied by the relevant Examination Board, via the candidate’s school or university. Mitigating factors should be taken into account at the time of the exams rather than retrospectively by the Medical School. We will honour grades obtained from successful appeal/re-mark procedures by the applicant’s school (subject to them meeting our minimum entry requirements).
Applicants should notify the Admissions Team by email of their intention to appeal their exam grades.
Applicants should also notify the Admissions Team of the outcome of their appeal as soon as possible. If the appeal has not taken place in time for the appropriate administration to take place before the start of the academic year, a deferred offer may be granted for the following year providing the conditions set are achieved.
Please note that submitting evidence does not automatically guarantee extenuating circumstances will be granted.
Can I defer my application?
No, we do not allow deferrals for this programme. All applicants must apply in the year they intend to start the course.
Any application that is submitted for a different year of entry on UCAS will automatically be rejected. This will count as asking for a deferral. We will not change this retrospectively.
Any deferral requests made after an offer is made will not be allowed.
Can I take a gap year?
Gap years are only considered, if taken directly after completion of S5, S6 or SWAP. Please note only 1 year gap years will be considered. Additionally we will not be able to consider an application if you go on to do a further education or higher education course in your gap year.
Can I apply and then make changes to my UCAS application afterwards?
You can make some changes (e.g. add/remove overall qualifications, change qualifications titles etc) after you've applied to your application yourself via UCAS.
Any other changes will need to be approved by the MBChB Admissions Team. To ensure fairness, any application that has missing information or has not been completed in full at point of submission will automatically be rejected. It is up to the applicant to ensure that all information is correct at point of submission.
To ensure fairness, we do not allow applicants to provide additional references or personal statements. We will only consider the one reference that has been submitted as part of your UCAS application.
I didn’t submit a personal statement, reference or my predicted grades in my application. Can I send them separately?
No. To ensure fairness, we do not allow applicants to provide personal statements, references or predicted grades separately.
It is up to the applicant to ensure that all information is correct at point of submission. Additionally, we will not chase up any applicant who has not applied in full or directly contact a referee for a reference or predicted grades. Any application that has missing information or has not been completed in full at point of submission will automatically be rejected.
Can I apply for both the MBCB and Gateway to Medicine?
Yes. We will consider an application for both programmes so long as you meet the entry requirements for both programmes.
If candidates are eligible for medicine and the Gateway to Medical Studies Programme and wish to be considered for the Gateway programme, they must apply to the programme on UCAS.
Will being predicted better grades than the minimum entry requirements give me an advantage?
No, we only look for applicants to be predicted the minimum entry requirements. Whilst achieving better predicted grades is always a bonus, no advantage is given in the admissions process.
Will taking more Highers and Advanced Highers etc than specified give me an advantage?
We only look for the specified number of qualifications in our entry requirements to be taken. Taking more qualifications than needed will not give an applicant an advantage. We do not encourage applicants to take too many additional qualifications beyond what is required due to the increase in workload.
Please note, candidates are not expected to take more qualifications than our minimum. However, we do ask for a 'Pass' in any additional Highers/Advanced Highers taken to show that an applicant can still maintain good grades if studying multiple subjects together.
Do you prioritise subjects or are there subjects that you won't accept?
Apart from the required subjects we ask for, we have no preference over other subject choices. All are considered equal (except where specified).
There are some subjects that are too similar for us to be able to count as separate qualifications. For example:
- Human Biology and Biology
- Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Pure Mathematics and Application of Maths
- English and ESOL
If multiple of these are taken at the same time, then we would only count them as one qualification.
Higher Application of Maths cannot be considered in lieu of having Higher Mathematics or Physics.
Is Higher Human Biology accepted?
Yes, we consider applicants who have taken either Higher Human Biology OR Biology.
I’ve taken a Foundation Apprenticeship or Science Baccalaureate. Will this count as a Higher or Advanced Higher?
Unfortunately, we do not consider foundation apprenticeships or the Scottish science baccalaureate as counting towards or in lieu of meeting the required numbers of Highers taken in S5 or Advanced Highers in S6.
I’ve done an access or foundation course at a different institution or online, can I apply?
No, I’m afraid we do not consider applications from applicants who have studied an access or foundation course at a different institution or online. To be considered, you would need to meet the Gateway to Medicine entry requirements.
Interview information and FAQS
For 2027 entry, interviews will be conducted online. Interviews will take place in February and March 2027 unless otherwise stated.
The interview
The Gateway to Medicine interview follows the same format as our standard MBChB interviews. All necessary instructions will be given to applicants prior to their interview.
Applicants will be interviewed by two interviewers, who cover both Panel A and Panel B.
The interview session will last 30 minutes in total and is divided into two sections - panel A and panel B:
- Panel A: explore motivation to becoming a doctor, teamwork and related topics around this.
- Panel B: focus on communication and will include discussion of an ethical scenario. Applicants choose one from two given scenarios.
The interviews are conversational, with no writing required at any stage of the process. The only part of the interview that requires reading is the panel B section, where the applicant reads two ethical scenarios and chooses one for discussion. We have included additional time in the time allocated for this task to be inclusive of applicants who have additional needs. The scenarios are also very brief, only two or three sentences.
Applicants are declaring themselves ‘fit to sit’ when undertaking their interview.
How do I prepare for the interview?
- Refer to our undergraduate medical curriculum
- Revisit your personal statement (interviewers have no knowledge about you other than your name)
- Think of examples of your achievements and skills
- Consider your personal characteristics
- Reflect on previous interactions or experiences
- Be aware of current issues/challenges within the NHS
What are the rules regarding interview confidentiality?
Your online interview will be subject to similar expectations regarding confidentiality as a face-to-face interview. You should not:
- discuss questions you were asked or scenarios in your interview with others, either online or in person, following your interview
- use any AI software, smartphone, electronic device, or written resource during your interview
- record your interview in any way
The University does not record interviews, and we do not give permission for any part of your interview to be electronically recorded. We will hold no record of your interview performance other than interviewers’ score sheets.
Remember that integrity is an important aspect of good medical practice. We would view any failure to respond to the guidance in this section as an issue of fitness to practise which could jeopardise any offer you are made.
When will I get an interview invite?
An interview is not guaranteed.
If an applicant is invited to interview, they will be notified by email only. Invites will be sent to the email address provided on your UCAS application. Please remember to check your spam inbox just in case.
Where possible, we aim to provide applicants a minimum of 10 days’ notice of an interview invite.
Applicants will be provided a specific interview date and time on their invite. Should this date or time not be appropriate, please see information on rescheduling interviews.
Interview invites will be sent anytime between February and March. We cannot provide a specific date you will hear from us regarding an interview invite. Invites are sent on a rolling basis and in no specific order.
If an applicant has interviewed for our A100 MBChB programme but has also applied for the A900 Gateway to Medicine programme, only one interview will be conducted. This is because the interview format and questions are the same. The same interview score will be used for both programmes.
Can I reschedule my interview?
We interview a considerable number of applicants within a constrained timetable. As such, we can only reschedule for the following reasons:
- Conflicting interview at a different university
- Conflicting school/university exam
- Illness
- Significant technical issues
Should there be another reason that a reschedule is required, applicants should contact the Admissions Team immediately to discuss alternative arrangements: med-sch-gatewayadmissions@glasgow.ac.uk. We will do our best to accommodate but a reschedule may not always be possible.
Applicants will be offered the next available interview slot. Please note that this may mean a wait between the original date and the rescheduled one.
Occasionally the Admissions Team has to cancel an interview due to unforeseen circumstances. We aim to give as much notice as possible to those affected and will offer the next available interview slot.
I can't attend my interview, what should I do?
An applicant must advise the Admissions Team directly: med-sch-gatewayadmissions@glasgow.ac.uk, if they will not be attending a scheduled interview. For example, if they no longer wish to be considered, or if they are requesting an alternative date. If appropriate, an alternative date will be rescheduled.
Applicants who do not attend their interview without being in touch with the admissions team beforehand, will not be considered further.
I have a health condition/disability, do I need to inform you?
Applicants to the Gateway to Medicine programme are encouraged to disclose any current or previous health conditions and/or disabilities, so that advice and support can be offered where necessary. Applicants who declare any health issues are considered on the same criteria and principles as all other applicants.
Regarding arrangements for interview, should you have a visual or hearing impairment, mental health difficulty, physical, mobility or other disability that we need to know about prior to your interview, please email med-sch-gatewayadmissions@glasgow.ac.uk as soon as possible so that any necessary modifications/support can be arranged.
My interview didn't go very well. Can I ask for a repeat interview?
Applicants will only be offered a repeat interview if serious issues have been noted regarding your interview by our interviewers. For example, severe technical difficulties. Applicants who have been identified as needing a repeat interview will be contacted directly to arrange a new date.
We are unable to offer repeat interviews to applicants who may have felt they didn’t perform their best or were ill at time of sitting their interview. Applicants are declaring themselves ‘fit to sit’ when undertaking their interview.
When will I hear back about the final decision?
An offer is not guaranteed.
An applicant’s final decision will be made solely on interview performance. No interview score adjustments are made for any applicants, including widening participation candidates or those with extenuating circumstances on day of interview, including illness.
Final decisions will be made on a rolling basis. We aim to process application outcomes on UCAS Track by 31 March. However, this can sometimes extend to the end of April. We are unable to provide a specific date you will hear from us.
Can I request feedback?
Detailed interview feedback will not be provided. We are only able to provide a general overview of your performance. Due to number of interviews, any feedback requests will not be dealt with until April.
I have concerns regarding my interview or decision. Can I appeal?
Any concerns arising from your interview must be sent in writing via email to the Admissions Team within 10 working days of the issue arising, med-sch-gatewayadmissions@glasgow.ac.uk.
In the event an applicant wishes to appeal their interview outcome, please see our MBChB Admissions Appeals and Complaints procedure.
I've not been given an offer. Will there be a waitlist for the programme? Can I reapply?
If applicants are not made an offer, applicants may be placed on a waiting list and will be updated on the status of their offer in the following months. Please note, a space is not guaranteed, and availability of spaces will vary each year.
If a candidate is unsuccessful after interview, this outcome does not preclude them from re-applying in the next session. If an applicant is unsuccessful on grounds of eligibility; unless their eligibility criteria alter in the following sessions, we would not recommend re-applying.
Visit us
We encourage applicants to visit on one of our Open Days.
- June Open Day - Thursday 18 June 2026
- September Open Day - Wednesday 2 September 2026
- October Open Day - Saturday 24 October 2026
You will be able to meet with current students and staff from the Gateway to Medicine programme at these events.
Applicants who are successful following interview are invited to attend our Offer Holders' Day usually held in March/April.
Please note we do not arrange individual visits to the Medical School at other times, out with Open Days.
If you cannot make one of our Open Days then please feel free to book a campus tour.