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Medical school comparison

Buckingham vs University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)

Buckingham and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) are both UK medical schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Both sit in England, so location and clinical-placement breadth are similar — the differentiation comes from selection methodology, interview style and curriculum philosophy. Their A-Level requirements (AAA vs AAB) place them in slightly different academic-strictness tiers. The interview formats diverge — Panel vs MMI — and the prep approaches for the two are fundamentally different.

Side-by-side comparison

Buckingham

Buckingham

Quick comparison

Location
Buckingham, UK
A-Level offer
AAB at A-level including Chemistry and Biology (4.5-year MBChB)
TrueScore
-
UCAT home cut-off
-
Interview format
Traditional Panel Interview
Post-interview chance
Refused to state
Decision date
March onwards

University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)

Preston

Quick comparison

Location
Preston, UK
A-Level offer
AAB at A-level including Biology and Chemistry (home applicants)
TrueScore
-
UCAT home cut-off
UCAT used for home applicant shortlisting; no published cut-off
Interview format
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance
-
Decision date
March - April
Compare different schools

Buckingham vs University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Buckingham requires AAA including Chemistry and Biology. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) requires AAB at A-level including Biology and Chemistry (home applicants). Buckingham is the stricter A-Level offer; University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview.

Interview formats

Buckingham uses Panel (Traditional Panel Interview); University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) 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, Buckingham may suit you more. If you prefer discrete capsule answers under time pressure, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is the better fit. Interview windows: Buckingham interviews in December - March; University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in December - February.

What makes each distinctive

Buckingham: UCAT not used in selection - the MMA computer-based test replaces it. Private university with £40k tuition fees. Apply directly outside UCAS rather than via the standard route. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan): One of the first UK universities to run a privately-funded medical school open to international students; substantial international cohort blended with a smaller home intake. Strong Lancashire regional placement network.

Which is right for you?

For applicants with predicted A-Level grades at the lower end of the AAA-A*AA range, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is the lower-risk academic option. Both schools sit in the same England foundation-programme catchment, so post-graduation training paths overlap heavily. 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

School data reviewed by the NextGen MedPrep editorial team — last reviewed 3 July 2026.