St Andrews offers a distinctive route into medicine: you study the pre-clinical years at one of the UK's most prestigious universities, then transfer to a partner medical school for clinical training. Selection is UCAT-driven — once you meet the bar, your score alone decides interviews.
St Andrews doesn't publish a cut-off, but it allocates interviews on UCAT score alone once you've met the academic requirements and have a satisfactory statement and reference — roughly the top 500–650 candidates by score are invited each year, with separate thresholds for English and Scottish applicants. So a high UCAT is close to essential here.
St Andrews is strongly UCAT-driven for interview, so it rewards a high score. If your UCAT is a real strength, the route (pre-clinical here, clinical at a partner school) is well worth considering. If your score is average, it's a tougher gamble. Check your percentile.
Check your percentile →AAA including Chemistry (AAB considered only for eligible widening-access applicants).
At least five GCSEs at grade 7 (A), with grade 5 (B) in Biology, Maths and English if not taken at A-level.
Work experience in a caring or healthcare setting is required.
MMI. Short 4–6 minute MMI stations, which may include a role-play with an actor.
Paraphrased themes from student discussion: impressions, not facts. Visit and judge for yourself.
There's no published cut-off, but St Andrews allocates interviews on UCAT alone (after academics, statement and reference), inviting roughly the top 500–650 by score — so a high UCAT is close to essential. Thresholds differ for English and Scottish applicants.
No — St Andrews teaches the pre-clinical years, after which you transfer to a partner medical school to complete your clinical training.
Yes — work experience in a caring or healthcare setting is required.
See where your UCAT lands in percentiles, then build the score St Andrews is looking for, or talk it through with a 98th-percentile tutor, free.