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Acceptance rates for medicine in the UK are generally extremely competitive. For 2023 entry, the most competitive medical school – according to offer rate – was Cardiff at 9.10%. Cardiff also had the second highest number of applications (3,120), suggesting it was both one of the most popular and most competitive medical schools in the UK.
The Oxford medicine acceptance rate was the second most competitive at 9.60%, followed by Aberdeen (9.80%), Leeds (15.80%) and Cambridge (16.80%).
The highest medicine offer rate in the UK for 2023 entry was 47.70% for Barts, followed by Sheffield (44.60%), St Andrews (44.20%), Queen’s Belfast (42.70%) and Leicester (40.10%).
Of these, Leicester had the highest number of applicants at 2,065, meaning that they receive many applications and offer places to a relatively high proportion of these. On the other hand, Queen’s Belfast and St Andrews had the lowest number of applicants at 1,019 and 652 respectively. This suggests that while their offer rates may be high, this may also be due to the relatively low number of applications when compared to other schools.
The number of applications to each medical school can give you an indication of how popular the school is. The Imperial medicine acceptance rate for 2023 entry was 21.80%, and they had the highest number of applications at 3,365. Cardiff had the 2nd highest number of applications (3,120), followed by UCL (3,064), Bristol (2,945) and King’s College (2,881).
The Medic Portal has compiled a list of the latest Medical School Rankings for 2025 to help inform your choices.
Below is a list of application data for all medical schools in the UK, with number of applications, number of offers and offer rate for each (in ascending order):
| Medical School | Number of Applicants | Number of Offers | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | 3120 | 284 | 9.10% |
| Oxford | 1766 | 170 | 9.60% |
| Aberdeen | 1769 | 174 | 9.80% |
| Leeds | 2486 | 394 | 15.80% |
| Cambridge | 1817 | 306 | 16.80% |
| Central Lancashire | 1634 | 312 | 19.10% |
| Edinburgh | 2163 | 469 | 21.70% |
| Imperial | 3365 | 733 | 21.80% |
| Sunderland | 709 | 155 | 21.90% |
| Bristol | 2945 | 650 | 22.10% |
| Keele | 1825 | 412 | 22.60% |
| UCL | 3064 | 709 | 23.10% |
| Dundee | 1486 | 354 | 23.80% |
| Brighton & Sussex | 1533 | 375 | 24.50% |
| Aston | 1066 | 263 | 24.70% |
| King’s College | 2881 | 739 | 25.70% |
| St George’s | 1358 | 353 | 26.00% |
| Exeter | 2105 | 590 | 28.00% |
| Lancaster | 986 | 286 | 29.00% |
| Anglia Ruskin | 1185 | 348 | 29.40% |
| Glasgow | 1932 | 569 | 29.50% |
| Nottingham | 1686 | 547 | 32.40% |
| Birmingham | 2827 | 923 | 32.60% |
| Southampton | 1491 | 502 | 33.70% |
| Newcastle | 1948 | 679 | 34.90% |
| Plymouth | 1238 | 447 | 36.10% |
| Liverpool | 2788 | 1046 | 37.50% |
| Hull York | 1350 | 530 | 39.30% |
| Manchester | 2469 | 979 | 39.70% |
| UEA | 1155 | 460 | 39.80% |
| Leicester | 2065 | 828 | 40.10% |
| Queen’s Belfast | 1019 | 435 | 42.70% |
| St Andrews | 652 | 288 | 44.20% |
| Sheffield | 1726 | 770 | 44.60% |
| Barts | 1748 | 834 | 47.70% |
Applying to medicine in the UK requires a certain level of strategy – it is important to play to your strengths. For example, if you have exceptional GCSEs, apply to medical schools that put a lot of weight on GCSE results when considering their offers.
You may have your heart set on specific medical schools, whether it is due to location, the prestige, or any other reason. However, due to the competitive nature of application, to ensure the highest probability of being accepted, it can be more beneficial to have a tactical approach, such as applying to medical schools with both a higher offer rate, and a high number of applicants.
It is also important to look at the entry requirements of each school, and consider applying to those that place more importance on your own personal strengths. This could be UCAT score, GCSEs, predicted or achieved A Level grades, personal statement and extracurricular activities.
The Medic Portal has plenty of information to help you choose which medical schools you’d like to apply for. Click here for more detailed advice on applying.
Finally, it is important to note that applying to medical school can be very overwhelming and stressful – you are not the only one who may be feeling like this! Make sure you reach out to those around you for support if you need it.
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