Barts and The London (Queen Mary) vs University of Greater Manchester

Barts and The London (Queen Mary) requires A*AA including Chemistry and Biology/Physics/Mathematics.

University of Greater Manchester requires Minimum AAB offer/prediction, must include chemistry or biology and one further subject from biology/chemistry/physics/maths. Completed in one sitting across a maximum of two years. May consider resits. GCSEs: 5 subjects at grade 6, must include maths, English language and two sciences; will consider resits in GCSE English language or maths.

GCSE profile matters at both schools — Barts and The London (Queen Mary): Min 6 GCSEs at grade 6 (B) including Maths, English Language, dual-award Science. University of Greater Manchester: Min 7 GCSEs at grade 7+ including Maths, English Language, dual-award Science (similar to main Manchester programme).

Barts and The London (Queen Mary) uses Panel (Panel interview with two senior academic or clinical staff, sometimes a lay selector (online)); University of Greater Manchester uses MMI (Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)). These two formats reward different skills — Panel emphasises narrative coherence and the ability to develop a thread under follow-up questioning, while MMI rewards breadth and quick recovery.

If your strengths lie in conversational depth, Barts and The London (Queen Mary) may suit you more. If you prefer discrete capsule answers under time pressure, University of Greater Manchester is the better fit.

Interview windows: Barts and The London (Queen Mary) interviews in December - February; University of Greater Manchester in December - March.

Barts and The London (Queen Mary) runs a Integrated curriculum; University of Greater Manchester runs a PBL curriculum. The teaching philosophies are different — Barts and The London (Queen Mary) delivers more didactic lectures with structured systems-based progression, while University of Greater Manchester centres learning around clinical cases.

Specifics: Five-year MBBS with integrated theory and clinical practice. Strong East London NHS placement network (Royal London, Whipps Cross, Newham, Mile End). Five-year MBChB built around problem-based learning. Manchester-affiliated with Greater Manchester NHS placements.

Intake size: Barts and The London (Queen Mary) — ~290 home + ~30 international places per year (one of the larger UK medical schools).; University of Greater Manchester — ~50 places per year (smaller satellite cohort).. A larger cohort means more peer breadth; a smaller cohort means more tutor contact.

Barts and The London (Queen Mary): No longer 50:50 weighted on A-level predictions and UCAT - anyone who exceeds the UCAT cut-off generally gets an interview regardless of predictions. SJT band adds bonus points to interview score post-interview (Band 1 = +2, Band 2 = +1, Band 3 = 0).

University of Greater Manchester: Potentially open to UK applicants this year - enquire for more details. International students can apply directly in addition to their 4 UCAS medical choices.