Entry requirements and how to apply

Please read these guidelines carefully.

Applications for the September 2026 intake have now closed.

Applications for the September 2027 intake will open on 1 September 2026 and close on 15 October 2026.

HCP-Med applications will be processed directly by the University of Edinburgh and not through UCAS. Applicants must apply for the programme using our online application form.

 

Entry requirements

The entry requirements listed below are for the 2027/28 academic year. Please note that requirements for future academic years may differ, and we will publish updated requirements in March 2027.

To be eligible for the programme, applicants must meet all of the entry requirements, including taking the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT).

Entry requirements

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a science or healthcare subject. We will also consider non-science based degrees supplemented with SQA Higher/GCE A level Chemistry at C or above.

We will also consider a UK 2:2 honours degree or an Ordinary degree, or their international equivalents, providing they are in a science or healthcare subject.

Applicants who are on, or have been on, a medicine degree course will not be considered.

You must be able to demonstrate recent engagement with academic study and a grounding in science subjects within the three years prior to the programme start date. This could include, for example:

  • a second degree
  • SQA Higher(s) at grade C or above in Chemistry, Biology, Physics, or Human Biology, or Open University modules in a science subject (pending approval by the admissions and recruitment team) at 60% or above (minimum 20 credits)
  • academic studies at SCQF Level 9, 10, or 11, such as MSc modules, PGCert, or PGDip (minimum 20 credits)

Applicants must be currently practising in Scotland as a qualified healthcare professional, clinical scientist, or veterinary surgeon, and must have practised continuously for at least two years immediately before the start of the programme, with registration throughout this period with one of the following regulatory bodies:

  • Academy for Healthcare Science (Clinical Physiologists, Audiologists)
  • Association of Physician Assistants (anaesthesia)
  • Faculty of Intensive Care
  • General Medical Council (for Physician Associates)
  • General Dental Council
  • General Optical Council
  • General Pharmaceutical Council
  • Health and Care Professions Council
  • Nursing and Midwifery Council
  • Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists
  • Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

Applicants who have experienced an interruption to their practice during this period should contact the admissions team in advance to discuss whether their circumstances can be considered.

You must be able to provide evidence of working effectively as a healthcare professional, clinical scientist, or veterinary surgeon, such as:

  • performance in current role
  • teamwork and professionalism
  • effective relationships with patients (some applicants may have limited experience working with patients; evidence of any patient contact will strengthen the application)

If successful, you will also need to provide evidence of support from your current employer as a condition of the offer.

 

English language requirements

You must prove that you can read, write, listen and speak in the English language at a level that will allow you to succeed in your studies.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals. You can meet our English language requirements with qualifications from school or an English language test.

School qualifications we accept
We accept any of the following, at the specified grade or higher:

  • SQA National 5 English at B
  • GCSE English at B or 6
  • Level 2 Certificate English at B
  • International Baccalaureate (IB) Standard Level English at 5 (English ab initio is not accepted for entry)

We also accept other qualifications from around the world - English language qualifications and tests we accept.

English language tests we accept
If you don’t have school qualifications that meet our requirements, we accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.5 with at least 7.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition) before 21 January 2026: total 110 with at least 25 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition) from 21 January 2026: total 5.5 with at least 5.5 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 191 with at least 191 in each component.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 9 with at least 9 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 165 with at least 165 in each component.

We also accept other types of English language tests - English language qualifications and tests we accept.

How old your English language qualifications can be
Qualifications from the following English language tests must be no more than two years old from the start date of this programme, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced

All other types of English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of this programme.

If you are a national of a majority English-speaking country or region, there is no time limit on how old these other types of English language qualifications can be.

Check the UKVI list of majority English-speaking countries and territories

 

UCAT requirements

As part of the application process, you will need to have sat the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT). Your UCAT score will contribute to the assessment process. We consider the Situational Judgement section of the UCAT test separately. Applicants who score a Band 4 in the Situational Judgement Test will not be considered further.

We accept all UCAT scores and have no minimum requirement. Tests taken between July 2024 and September 2026 will be accepted for consideration.

Find out more about the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

 

Who can apply

To be eligible to apply, you must have lived in the UK for three years prior to the start of the programme and have been ordinarily resident in Scotland from 1 August 2026.  

EU nationals living in the UK need to have settled or pre-settled status through the EU settlement scheme to be eligible for the Scotland tuition fee rate.

As this programme is funded, there is no option to self-fund if you do not fall into these categories.

For overseas nationals living in the UK, funding is not likely to be available, unless you meet the following conditions:

  • You have been ordinarily resident in Scotland from 1 August 2026 and lived in the UK for three years prior to the start of the programme.
  • You have held leave to remain/enter the UK (excluding student visas) for the three years prior to the start of the programme. Your leave to remain must not have expired.
  • You have leave to remain/enter the UK as a spouse/relevant family member of someone with the right to live in the UK (holding Indefinite leave to remain/leave to remain) and you meet the residency requirements above
  • Residence in the UK must not be solely attributable to the purpose of receiving education.

For more details on fee status, see our information for Overseas nationals living in the UK.

 

What you need to apply

As part of your application, you will need:  

  • your academic qualifications
  • a personal statement
  • evidence of your English language skills (with relevant qualifications)  
  • a reference from your current employer confirming your current role and the capacity in which you are employed, duration of employment, and your performance during this period

Personal statement and reference

After submitting the application form, applicants will receive an email to confirm receipt of their application and instructions about how to submit a personal statement and reference.

Personal statement guidance

Using a maximum of 500 words, give examples - from your current or previous roles - of where you have achieved effective teamwork, professionalism and, where applicable, positive interactions with patients, which you think are relevant to becoming a doctor. 

 

How we select

In addition to assessing your performance in your first degree and UCAT, you will be assessed and scored on two broad criteria.

1: Evidence of recent engagement with academic study and grounding in science subjects in the three years prior to the start of the programme.

2: Evidence of working effectively as a healthcare professional, clinical scientist, or veterinary surgeon.

Half of the total assessment is made up of:

  • first degree and any further academic study (15%)
  • UCAT score (17.5%) and situational judgement test banding (7.5%)
  • personal statement (10%)

The remaining 50% is attached to the interview.

 

Interviews

We invite selected applicants to an assessment day, which will involve an interview comprising four stations.  

If you are invited to an interview, your invitation will provide more information about the structure of the day.  

 

Criminal convictions

You must complete the criminal convictions declaration on the application form. 

The College may reject an application on the basis of certain criminal convictions, may require a search of police records and may require subsequent declarations of criminal convictions.

Successful applicants will be required to complete a criminal record check. You will be contacted with further information should you reach this stage of the application process.

Criminal record check

 

Standards of Fitness to Train

Higher Education Occupational Physicians/Practitioners (HEOPS) have produced a document outlining the fitness standards expected of students. You can read this below:

HEOPS Students Fitness Standards

You should notify us of any condition at application stage. However, if a condition develops or is diagnosed after this point, even when you become a student, you should notify us so we can look into support arrangements for you.

 

Extenuating circumstances

If you have extenuating circumstances of which you wish to advise us, please forward supporting documents to hcp-med@ed.ac.uk with your name, and further details by the applications' closing date to have them considered.

 

Requests for deferred entry

As this programme has a restricted number of places, we are only able to consider deferrals over a limited time for the limited places we have available. Each deferral granted takes a place away from the following year's cohort. Therefore, we limit this to a maximum of 2 places in specific cases but aim to not allow more than 1 deferral per year where the circumstances are appropriate and a deferral is warranted. Requests to defer are open to those holding an offer to begin their studies with us and must be submitted between February and June. Each request will be reviewed individually with final decisions made at the end of this time. Please note that there is no guarantee that any deferral request will be successful. 

If your request for deferred entry is unsuccessful your current offer will still stand, however, if you are unable to take up your place and must withdraw please note that you are still welcome to submit a new application for the programme when you are ready.

 

Tuition fees

This programme is funded by the Scottish Funding Council for candidates who meet the entry and residency requirements.

 

Get in touch

For any queries about HCP-Med, please email Johana Russotto Ramirez, our Senior Admissions Officer, HCP-Med.

Email: HCP-Med@ed.ac.uk

This article was published on