Aston University vs Brunel Medical School

Aston University requires A*AA including Chemistry and Biology (A* in Chemistry or Biology).

Brunel Medical School requires AAA including Chemistry and Biology.

Aston University is the stricter A-Level offer; Brunel Medical School is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, Brunel Medical School carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview.

GCSE profile matters at both schools — Aston University: Min 5 GCSEs at grade 6 (B) including Maths, English Language, dual-award Science. Brunel Medical School: Min 5 GCSEs at grade 6 including Maths, English Language, dual-award Science.

Both Aston University and Brunel Medical School use MMI interviews, so the underlying prep approach is the same — practise ethics frameworks, NHS hot-topic answers and (for MMI) structured station responses against a timer.

Interview windows: Aston University interviews in December - March; Brunel Medical School in December - March.

Aston University runs a PBL curriculum; Brunel Medical School runs a Integrated curriculum. The teaching philosophies are different — Aston University leans on small-group case-based learning from year 1, while Brunel Medical School uses a more traditional lecture-led structure.

Specifics: Five-year MBChB with PBL. Clinical placements across Birmingham NHS sites (UHB, Sandwell, Walsall, Heart of England). Five-year MBBS with integrated theory and early clinical practice. Brunel partners with NHS West London for clinical placements (Hillingdon, Northwick

Intake size: Aston University — ~110 places per year.; Brunel Medical School — ~95 places per year (small newer cohort).. A larger cohort means more peer breadth; a smaller cohort means more tutor contact.

Aston University: All Applicants: 306/363 = 84% (2025); Non-Contextual: 182/214 = 85%. Brunel Medical School: International: 240/540 = 44%. UK estimated >30%, likely less than other London universities.

Post-interview odds give you the clearest signal of how competitive each school is at the final stage — a school with a 60% post-interview success rate is structurally easier to convert than one at 25%, even if the interview thresholds look identical on paper.

Aston University: UCAT and GCSE used heavily post-interview (academic:UCAT:interview ratio = 2:1:1). Interview is just 25% of final scoring, so post-interview chances are excellent for high-stat applicants. SJT not used - band 4 is fine.

Brunel Medical School: New medical school still under GMC accreditation (Buckingham acts as contingency). Refused to publish UCAT cut-offs - anecdotally low. International offers are notably high in volume relative to home places.