Reapplying to MedicineWhat UCAS tests and medical schools publish about reapplicants
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You can reapply to medicine, but you will need a new UCAT — the UCAT Consortium says a result is valid for one UCAS cycle only — and some schools cap attempts: Manchester and UEA consider no more than two consecutive applications, while Glasgow says it welcomes reapplications that meet its entry requirements. GAMSAT results, by contrast, can be used for two years in the UK.
For 2027 entry, a reapplication is a fresh UCAS application with the usual 15 October 18:00 deadline.
Do I need to resit the admissions test when I reapply?
It depends on the test. The UCAT Consortium also says returning candidates must create a new UCAT account and reapply for any bursary or access arrangements each year.
| Test | Validity | What it means for a reapplicant |
|---|---|---|
| UCAT | One UCAS cycle — UCAT 2026 results are valid for 2027 entry or deferred 2028 entry | Sit the test again in the summer before the new application; one sitting per cycle |
| GAMSAT | Up to two consecutive years for UK and Irish schools (four at Ulster) | A recent score may still be usable; schools use your best current score set by default |
Which medical schools publish a reapplicant policy?
Most course pages say nothing specific about reapplicants. These are the published statements we found on official pages; if your school is not here, ask its admissions team rather than assuming either way.
| School | What the school says |
|---|---|
| University of Manchester | Accepts a maximum of two consecutive applications; after two unsuccessful consecutive applications, future ones are not considered. Re-applicants must retake UCAT, continue work experience and show “a material difference” from the previous year. Applicants interviewed but unsuccessful can usually re-apply (contact the school). |
| University of East Anglia | Applicants to Medicine are only considered for two consecutive years; successful academic study must be within the past five years; UCAT must be retaken. |
| University of Glasgow | “Provided entry requirements are met, we welcome reapplications to undergraduate medicine at Glasgow.” Unsuccessful applicants receive the reason via UCAS. |
| St Mary's University, Twickenham | Welcomes applications from those who previously applied to St Mary’s, but does not accept reapplications within the same application cycle. |
What if I also need to resit A levels?
A reapplication often comes with resat qualifications, and several schools limit attempts. Examples from school pages:
| School | Policy |
|---|---|
| University of Leeds | Applications are only considered from those on a third attempt at an academic entry qualification if they can evidence mitigating circumstances that prevented them achieving the grades on the second attempt. |
| St Mary's University, Twickenham | Resit applicants only in exceptional circumstances; third attempts not normally considered. |
| University of Plymouth | Resit applicants considered if they achieved at least ABB at first sitting (when applying with predicted grades) and achieve a suitable profile on the first resit attempt, within three years of study. |
Reapplying to medicine — FAQs
Sources (accessed 19 September 2026)
Every fact on this page comes from one of these documents, each opened on the date above. Where a source did not state something, this page does not state it either. Admissions rules change between cycles — check the source before you act on it.



