Question 1

What UCAT score do I need for Cambridge vs St George's?

Accepted Answer

Cambridge's typical home cut-off is around 2150, while St George's sits at approximately 1950 — a 200-point spread. That's a meaningful gap; St George's is materially more accessible for an average-to-good UCAT, while Cambridge expects performance closer to the top 20% of test-takers. Cut-offs change year on year and vary by tier — check each school's latest published threshold before submitting your UCAS form.

Question 2

How do interviews differ between Cambridge and St George's?

Accepted Answer

Cambridge uses Traditional interview: Traditional panel interviews with academic focus. St George's uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). 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 (Cambridge); November - February (St George's).

Question 3

What A-Level grades do Cambridge and St George's require?

Accepted Answer

Cambridge requires A*A*A including Chemistry and Biology.

St George's requires AAA including Chemistry and Biology.

Cambridge is the stricter A-Level offer; St George's is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, St George's carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview.

Question 4

How are GCSEs weighted at Cambridge vs St George's?

Accepted Answer

Cambridge — Strong GCSE profile expected (typically 9-10 A*/8-9 grades) but used holistically, not algorithmically. St George's — GCSE performance considered as part of the broader academic profile; specific scoring not published.

Question 5

How does each school actually shortlist applicants?

Accepted Answer

Cambridge's selection methodology: Holistic shortlisting that varies by college. UCAT is the primary objective factor. Cambridge interviews 75-80% of applicants and makes many post-interview rejections. St George's's selection methodology: shortlisting weight not fully disclosed; check the official admissions page. 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.

Question 6

Which has a higher post-interview offer rate, Cambridge or St George's?

Accepted Answer

Cambridge: Home (predicted grades): 253/979 = 26% (2025); International (predicted): 8/58 = 14%. ~30 more offers to those with achieved grades. St George's: Home Undergrad (2024): 247/677 = 36% (or 423/686 = 62% inc. deferred); Overseas Undergrad: 25/146 = 17% (or 58/152 = 38% inc. deferred).

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.

Question 7

Where are Cambridge and St George's located, and how does that affect cost?

Accepted Answer

Cambridge is in Cambridge, UK. St George's is in London, UK. Tuition is £9,250/year at both for UK home applicants; the main cost difference is accommodation (London accommodation typically runs 30-50% above the national average).

Question 8

When does each school release decisions?

Accepted Answer

Cambridge typically releases medicine decisions January. St George's releases medicine decisions Rolling-basis after Interviews have finished. 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.

Question 9

Should I apply to both Cambridge and St George's?

Accepted Answer

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.

Comparison field	CambridgeCambridge	St George'sLondon
Quick comparison
Location	Cambridge, UK	London, UK
A-Level offer	AAA at A-level (typical offer; 92–95% of recent offer-holders predicted AAA*) including Chemistry and Biology / Mathematics / Physics	A*AA or AAA at A-level (offer depends on cohort strength). Predicted AAA required including Chemistry and Biology / Human Biology.
TrueScore	2150	1950
UCAT home cut-off	~2150+ /2700 safer; mean offer holder ≈ 2310 /2700 (2025 entry, first UCAT cycle)	~1950+ /2700 (2025 entry cut-off ≈ 1950; 2024 entry was 2018)
Interview format	Traditional panel interviews with academic focus	Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance	Home (predicted grades): 253/979 = 26% (2025); International (predicted): 8/58 = 14%. ~30 more offers to those with achieved grades.	Home Undergrad (2024): 247/677 = 36% (or 423/686 = 62% inc. deferred); Overseas Undergrad: 25/146 = 17% (or 58/152 = 38% inc. deferred)
Decision date	January	Rolling-basis after Interviews have finished

Cambridge vs St George's

Side-by-side comparison

Cambridge

St George's

Cambridge vs St George's - in detail

UCAT thresholds compared

A-Level and academic profile

Interview formats

Post-interview offer rate

What makes each distinctive

Which is right for you?

Common questions

Where to go next

Other medical school comparisons