Where are Aston University and Edinburgh located, and how does that affect cost?

Aston University is in Birmingham, UK. Edinburgh is in Edinburgh, UK. Scottish-domiciled applicants funded by SAAS pay no tuition fees at Scottish medical schools — a substantial funding advantage worth tens of thousands of pounds over the degree. Rest-of-UK applicants still pay £9,250/year.

When does each school release decisions?

Aston University typically releases medicine decisions March onwards. Edinburgh releases medicine decisions March onwards. If one is earlier than the other, you may need to hold a decision while waiting for the second school — be ready to compare in real time.

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Medical school comparison

Aston University vs Edinburgh

Aston University and Edinburgh are both UK medical schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Aston University is based in Birmingham (England) while Edinburgh sits in Edinburgh (Scotland), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination. Their A-Level requirements (A*AA vs AAA) place them in slightly different academic-strictness tiers.

The interview formats diverge — MMI vs Assessment day — and the prep approaches for the two are fundamentally different. Edinburgh is the older institution (founded 1583); the other (founded 2018) has shaped its medical school around modern integrated-curriculum thinking.

Side-by-side comparison

Show only differences

Side-by-side comparison: Aston University and Edinburgh.
Comparison field	Aston UniversityBirmingham	EdinburghEdinburgh
Quick comparison
Location	Birmingham, UK	Edinburgh, UK
A-Level offer	AAA at A-level (A must be in Chemistry or Biology)	AAA at A-level (theoretically minimum, but AAA* predictions ideal for RUK/English applicants to maximise post-interview chances) including Chemistry plus one of Biology, Mathematics or Physics
TrueScore	1950	1700
UCAT home cut-off	~1950+ /2700 (non-WP - 2024 lowest invited 2600/3600 ≈ 1950)	-
Interview format	Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)	Assessment day: three 12-minute individual stations plus a 45-minute group exercise (Edinburgh describes it as 'not a typical MMI format')
Post-interview chance	All Applicants: 306/363 = 84% (2025); Non-Contextual: 182/214 = 85%	RUK student: 166 offers from 300 interviewed (~55%); Scottish student: 424/432 = 98% (effectively not interviewed); Overseas student: 45/98 = 46%
Decision date	March onwards	March onwards

A-Level offer	AAA at A-level (A must be in Chemistry or Biology)	AAA at A-level (theoretically minimum, but AAA* predictions ideal for RUK/English applicants to maximise post-interview chances) including Chemistry plus one of Biology, Mathematics or Physics
Contextual A-Level offer	AAB at A-level for Aston Ready (WP) applicants, with AA in Chemistry + Biology	-
Required A-Level subjects	Chemistry + Biology compulsory, plus one other subject. If 4 A-levels taken, Chemistry, Biology and the next-best grade are considered.	Chemistry plus one of Biology / Mathematics / Physics
A-Level resit policy	Final qualification profile must normally be achieved in no more than three academic years - one resit attempt only	Resits considered with strong justification.
GCSE requirements	Minimum 6 GCSEs/IGCSEs at grade 6/B or above including English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology (or Double Science)	Minimum grade 7/A in Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and English. In practice, RUK applicants need top 8 GCSEs scored - 5 grade 8s + 3 grade 7s ideal.
GCSE scoring methodology	GCSEs scored /24 (or /12 if A-levels completed) as part of the academic score: 9/8/A* = 4 (or 2) pts, 7/A = 3 (or 2) pts, 6/B = 2 (or 1) pts, 5/4/C = 1 (or 0) pt	Top 8 GCSEs scored as part of pre-interview academic score (50% of pre-interview ranking). Must include Maths, Biology, Chemistry, English. AAA* predictions + 5+ grade 8s GCSE ideal for full points.
Scottish Highers	-	National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers all considered. Standard offer requires strong Higher and Advanced Higher performance - 4th decile (≈ 2040 /2700) UCAT minimum for Scottish applicants with B2+ SJT and good academics.
Scottish Advanced Highers	AAA at Advanced Higher including Chemistry and Biology	Strong Advanced Higher performance expected for full academic points
International Baccalaureate	37 points overall, 7,6,6 at Higher Level including Chemistry and Biology - one of Chem/Bio must be grade 7 HL	38 points overall, 6,6,6 at Higher Level including HL Chemistry plus one of Biology / Mathematics / Physics
Graduate-entry degree requirement	Upper-second-class (2:1) Honours degree in any discipline + ABB A-levels including Chemistry and Biology (one of which at grade A). Five-year programme - no accelerated graduate route.	2:1 (Upper-second-class Honours) or above. UCAT still required - graduate applicants ranked alongside undergraduate by total academic + UCAT score.
Alternative qualifications	-	-

Contextual cut-off	~1800+ /2700 (UK WP - AAB contextual offer via Aston Ready)	~1500+ /2700 with WP uplift (SIMD40: 10% uplift; SIMD Plus / UCAT bursary: no min requirement)
Scottish (where applicable)	-	~1700+ /2700 (2024 entry lowest invited ≈ 1584; mean ≈ 2087)
Rest of UK (where applicable)	-	~1900+ /2700 (2024 lowest invited ≈ 1724; mean ≈ 2263); 2240+ safer with B1 SJT and AAA* predictions
International cut-off	~2050+ /2700	~2100+ /2700 (2024 entry lowest invited ≈ 1931; mean ≈ 2330)
Graduate cut-off	-	-
SJT band	Not scored - good for band 4	B1/B2 consider; B3 unlikely for English RUK; international B1 safer; Band 4 automatically rejected
UCAT notes	No fixed UCAT cut-off. Aston ranks applicants on combined academic (24 pts) + UCAT (12 pts) score. From 2026 entry, UCAT scored /2700 (VR+DM+QR only); SJT band not used in ranking. 2024 entry lowest U…	1650 /2700 is the absolute minimum (necessary not sufficient). Decile-based UCAT scoring within the 35% UCAT pre-interview weight.

Interview window	December - March	December - February
Interview details	MMI format with 7-10 stations of around 7 minutes each, plus 2 minutes' reading time. There are typically 2 acting/role-play stations testing how you handle difficult situations.	Multi-panel format that sits between MMI and a traditional panel - applicants face a series of panels with deeper follow-up questioning than a typical MMI. Includes a collaborative group task. Expect…

Specialities	Medicine, Community Medicine	Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Biomedical Sciences
Established	2018	1583
Course type	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
What makes it different	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 use…	Around 50% academic, 35% UCAT and 15% SJT in shortlisting; SJT band 4 is rejected outright. Scottish applicants face a much lower bar than RUK and are effectively guaranteed an interview if they meet…
Official course page	https://www.aston.ac.uk/study/courses/medicine-mbchb	https://study.ed.ac.uk/programmes/undergraduate/354-mbchb-medicine-6-year-programme

Aston University

Birmingham

Quick comparison

Location: Birmingham, UK
A-Level offer: A*AA at A-level (A* must be in Chemistry or Biology)
TrueScore: 1950
UCAT home cut-off: ~1950+ /2700 (non-WP - 2024 lowest invited 2600/3600 ≈ 1950)
Interview format: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance: All Applicants: 306/363 = 84% (2025); Non-Contextual: 182/214 = 85%
Decision date: March onwards

Edinburgh

Quick comparison

Location: Edinburgh, UK
A-Level offer: AAA at A-level (theoretically minimum, but A*A*A* predictions ideal for RUK/English applicants to maximise post-interview chances) including Chemistry plus one of Biology, Mathematics or Physics
TrueScore: 1700
UCAT home cut-off: -
Interview format: Assessment day: three 12-minute individual stations plus a 45-minute group exercise (Edinburgh describes it as 'not a typical MMI format')
Post-interview chance: RUK student: 166 offers from 300 interviewed (~55%); Scottish student: 424/432 = 98% (effectively not interviewed); Overseas student: 45/98 = 46%
Decision date: March onwards

Compare different schools

Aston University vs Edinburgh - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Aston University requires A*AA at A-level (A* must be in Chemistry or Biology).

Edinburgh requires AAA at A-level (theoretically minimum, but A*A*A* predictions ideal for RUK/English applicants to maximise post-interview chances) including Chemistry plus one of Biology, Mathematics or Physics.

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

GCSE profile matters at both schools — Aston University: Minimum 6 GCSEs/IGCSEs at grade 6/B or above including English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology (or Double Science). GCSEs scored /24 (or /12 if A-levels completed) as part of the academic… Edinburgh: Minimum grade 7/A in Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and English.

In practice, RUK applicants need top 8 GCSEs scored - 5 grade 8s + 3 grade 7s ideal. Top 8 GCSEs scored as part of pre-interview…

Interview formats

Aston University uses MMI (Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)); Edinburgh uses Assessment day (Assessment day: three 12-minute individual stations plus a 45-minute group exercise (Edinburgh describes it as 'not a typical MMI format')). These two formats reward different skills — MMI emphasises breadth, station-recovery and structured answers under time pressure, while Assessment day rewards malleability and intellectual honesty.

If your strengths lie in conversational depth, either may suit you more. If you prefer discrete capsule answers under time pressure, Aston University is the better fit.

Interview windows: Aston University interviews in December - March; Edinburgh in December - February.

Curriculum and teaching style

Aston University runs a PBL curriculum; Edinburgh runs a Integrated curriculum. The teaching philosophies are different — Aston University leans on small-group case-based learning from year 1, while Edinburgh 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). Six-year MBChB — the only six-year MBChB in Scotland — with a compulsory intercalated honours year in Year 3 (one of the largest intercalated cohorts

Intake size: Aston University — ~110 places per year.; Edinburgh — ~210 Scottish + RUK + ~22 international places per year.. A larger cohort means more peer breadth; a smaller cohort means more tutor contact.

Post-interview offer rate

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.

What makes each distinctive

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.

Edinburgh: Around 50% academic, 35% UCAT and 15% SJT in shortlisting; SJT band 4 is rejected outright. Scottish applicants face a much lower bar than RUK and are effectively guaranteed an interview if they meet minimums. Strong research focus and international reputation.

Which is right for you?

For applicants with predicted A-Level grades at the lower end of the AAA-A*AA range, Edinburgh is the lower-risk academic option. Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — Aston University feeds into the England foundation programme network; Edinburgh into the Scotland network.

If you learn best in small-group case discussion, prefer Aston University; if you prefer lecture-led foundations, the other suits better. Your firm/insurance choice should ultimately weight: where your UCAT and predicted grades sit relative to each school's threshold, which interview format you can prepare for most credibly, and where you'd actually want to live for five or six years.

Common questions

Neither school publishes a single fixed UCAT cut-off; both use UCAT as part of a composite shortlisting score alongside GCSE and personal-statement weighting. Aston University guidance: ~1950+ /2700 (non-WP - 2024 lowest invited 2600/3600 ≈ 1950). Edinburgh guidance: 1650 /2700 is the absolute minimum (necessary not sufficient). Decile-based UCAT scoring within the 35% UCAT pre-interview weight..

Aston University uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). Edinburgh uses Assessment day: Assessment day: three 12-minute individual stations plus a 45-minute group exercise (Edinburgh describes it as 'not a typical MMI format'). The two formats reward different skill sets. Plan separate prep streams for each, with at least 3 full mock interviews per format before sitting either. Interview windows: December - March (Aston University); December - February (Edinburgh).

Aston University requires A*AA including Chemistry and Biology (A* in Chemistry or Biology). Edinburgh requires AAA including Chemistry plus one of Biology, Mathematics or Physics. Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school. Resit policies differ: Aston University — Resits accepted.. Edinburgh — Resits considered with strong justification..

Aston University — Minimum 6 GCSEs/IGCSEs at grade 6/B or above including English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology (or Double Science). GCSEs scored /24 (or /12 if A-levels completed) as part of the academic score: 9/8/A* = 4 (or 2) pts, 7/A = 3 (or 2) pts, 6/B = 2 (or 1) pts, 5/4/C = 1 (or 0) pt Edinburgh — Minimum grade 7/A in Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and English. In practice, RUK applicants need top 8 GCSEs scored - 5 grade 8s + 3 grade 7s ideal. Top 8 GCSEs scored as part of pre-interview academic score (50% of pre-interview ranking). Must include Maths, Biology, Chemistry, English. A*A*A* predictions + 5+ grade 8s GCSE ideal for full points.

Aston University's selection methodology: Newer programme (first cohort 2018). UCAT + academic + MMI. Birmingham-based with strong widening-participation focus. Edinburgh's selection methodology: UCAT, academic record (including GCSEs/Highers), and personal statement combined. Edinburgh does not use traditional interviews - replaces with multiple-mini-interview-style admissions tasks. Understanding each school's exact algorithm is the single highest-leverage piece of pre-application research — it tells you whether your profile is competitive before you spend an application choice.

Aston University: All Applicants: 306/363 = 84% (2025); Non-Contextual: 182/214 = 85%. Edinburgh: RUK student: 166 offers from 300 interviewed (~55%); Scottish student: 424/432 = 98% (effectively not interviewed); Overseas student: 45/98 = 46%. Post-interview odds tell you how competitive each school is at the final stage. Two schools with similar UCAT thresholds can have very different post-interview rates — a school with a 60% post-interview success rate is structurally easier to convert than one at 25%.

Aston University runs a PBL curriculum. Edinburgh runs a Integrated curriculum. The teaching philosophies differ — pick the style that matches how you learn best. Aston University specifics: Five-year MBChB with PBL. Clinical placements across Birmingham NHS sites (UHB, Sandwell, Walsall, Heart of England). Edinburgh specifics: Six-year MBChB — the only six-year MBChB in Scotland — with a compulsory intercalated honours year in Year 3 (one of the largest intercalated cohorts in the UK). Graduates leave with TWO qualification

You can — UCAS allows 4 medicine/dentistry choices in total, so listing both is feasible if your profile fits each school's selection algorithm. Apply to both only if your UCAT, GCSE and predicted-grade profile is competitive against each school's published weighting. A common mistake is using two of your four slots on similar schools when a more spread-out portfolio (one safe + one stretch) would maximise overall offer probability.

Where to go next

Aston UniversityEntry requirements, interview format and key dates in full EdinburghEntry requirements, interview format and key dates in full

Other medical school comparisons

School data reviewed by the NextGen MedPrep editorial team — last reviewed 7 September 2026.

Aston University vs Edinburgh

Side-by-side comparison

Aston University vs Edinburgh - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Interview formats

Curriculum and teaching style

Post-interview offer rate

What makes each distinctive

Which is right for you?

Common questions

What UCAT score do I need for Aston University vs Edinburgh?

How do interviews differ between Aston University and Edinburgh?

What A-Level grades do Aston University and Edinburgh require?

How are GCSEs weighted at Aston University vs Edinburgh?

How does each school actually shortlist applicants?

Which has a higher post-interview offer rate, Aston University or Edinburgh?

Where are Aston University and Edinburgh located, and how does that affect cost?

When does each school release decisions?

What curriculum style do Aston University and Edinburgh use?

Should I apply to both Aston University and Edinburgh?

Where to go next

Other medical school comparisons