Where are Dundee and Pears Cumbria (GEM) located, and how does that affect cost?

Dundee is in Dundee, UK. Pears Cumbria (GEM) is in Carlisle, 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?

Dundee typically releases medicine decisions March onwards. Pears Cumbria (GEM) 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.

Medical school comparison

Dundee vs Pears Cumbria (GEM)

Q: How are GCSEs weighted at Dundee vs Pears Cumbria (GEM)?

Dundee — Biology, English and Mathematics at minimum grade 6/B if not studied at A-level. GCSEs feed the academic score (60% of pre-interview ranking for school leavers); higher grades are essential due to high weighting Pears Cumbria (GEM) — GCSE English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade 4/C - assessed alongside degree.

Dundee and Pears Cumbria (GEM) are both UK medical schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Dundee is based in Dundee (Scotland) while Pears Cumbria (GEM) sits in Carlisle (England), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination.

The interview formats diverge — Traditional vs MMI — and the prep approaches for the two are fundamentally different.

Side-by-side comparison

Show only differences

Side-by-side comparison: Dundee and Pears Cumbria (GEM).
Comparison field	DundeeDundee	Pears Cumbria (GEM)Carlisle
Quick comparison
Location	Dundee, UK	Carlisle, UK
A-Level offer	AAA at A-level (minimum) - AAA or AAA* recommended for non-contextual RUK due to use in shortlisting algorithm	Graduate entry - 2:1 or above in a biosciences or allied healthcare degree
TrueScore	Dundee TrueScore 1700	Pears Cumbria (GEM) TrueScore 1700GEM
UCAT home cut-off	No published threshold for the current scale. Dundee publishes admissions statistics by year of entry, but warns that because Abstract Reasoning was withdrawn in 2025 and the maximum moved from 3,600 to 2,700, the figures shown are not directly comparable with scores from 2025 onwards.	-
Interview format	Two-part selection (~1h40m): observed 30-minute group discussion, then a structured traditional one-to-one discussion with an assessor	Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance	RUK Non-Contextual (2025): 73/130 = 56%; Scottish: 647/825 = 78%; International: 86/156 = 55%	-
Decision date	March onwards	March onwards

A-Level offer	AAA at A-level (minimum) - AAA or AAA* recommended for non-contextual RUK due to use in shortlisting algorithm	Graduate entry - 2:1 or above in a biosciences or allied healthcare degree
Contextual A-Level offer	-	-
Required A-Level subjects	Chemistry plus another science from Biology, Physics or Mathematics	-
A-Level resit policy	Resits not accepted (exceptional circumstances only)	Not applicable to graduate entry - degree class is the academic measure.
GCSE requirements	Biology, English and Mathematics at minimum grade 6/B if not studied at A-level	GCSE English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade 4/C - assessed alongside degree
GCSE scoring methodology	GCSEs feed the academic score (60% of pre-interview ranking for school leavers); higher grades are essential due to high weighting	-
Scottish Highers	AAAAB at Higher in S5 with Chemistry plus another science from Biology, Physics or Mathematics	-
Scottish Advanced Highers	Recommended at AB or higher to be competitive for offer (used in academic ranking)	-
International Baccalaureate	37 points overall, 6,6,6 at Higher Level including Chemistry and a second science	-
Graduate-entry degree requirement	2:1 (Upper-second-class Honours) or above in any honours degree. Graduate academic score is based only on undergraduate performance - A-level predictions/achieved grades not used in graduate ranking. Pre-interview shortlisting weights 40% academic + 60% UCAT for graduates.	2:1 (Upper-second-class Honours) or above in a biosciences or allied healthcare degree — e.g. anatomy, biochemistry, biomedical science, biology, nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, paramedic science, pharmacy, dentistry or veterinary science. NOT open to any-discipline graduates.
Alternative qualifications	-	Graduate-entry only, home fee status required (international applicants are not eligible). UCAT or GAMSAT accepted — the applicant chooses one; MCAT is not accepted. MBBS awarded by Imperial College London and taught at the University of Cumbria Fusehill Street campus, Carlisle.

Contextual cut-off	-	-
Scottish (where applicable)	-	-
Rest of UK (where applicable)	-	-
International cut-off	-	-
Graduate cut-off	-	1960+ /2700 for 2026 entry (1910+ contextual). GAMSAT alternative: 59 overall (53 contextual).
SJT band	No use of SJT	-
UCAT notes	Pre-interview shortlisting weights academic score 60% and UCAT 40% for school leavers, and 40%/60% for graduates. The SJT is not used. Scottish, RUK and international applicants are considered against…	UCAT or GAMSAT — the applicant chooses one; MCAT is NOT accepted. Both are minimum-threshold hurdles rather than ranked scores. The UCAT must be sat in the same year as the UCAS submission; the GAMSAT…

Degree awarded	MBChB	MBBS (awarded by Imperial College London)
Course length	5 years	4 years (graduate entry)
Teaching style	Spiral	Integrated
Anatomy teaching	Full-body dissection	-
First patient contact	Year 1	Year 1
Placement geography	Dundee and across Scotland	North and south Cumbria
Named placement sites	Ninewells Hospital, Dundee	-
Intercalation	Optional in year 3, leading to a BMSc.	-
Course highlight	Anatomy is taught on Thiel-embalmed cadavers, which retain life-like flexibility and joint mobility.	The MBBS is awarded by Imperial College London, delivered in partnership with the University of Cumbria.

Interview window	December - February	December - March
Interview details	Dundee runs a two-part process (latest published: 2026 entry): a 30-minute group discussion with five other applicants observed by a silent assessor, followed by a structured one-to-one discussion led…	Graduate-entry MMI format with stations focused on clinical reasoning, ethics, communication and motivation for rural and community healthcare.

Specialities	Medicine, Dentistry, Life Sciences	Medicine, Rural Healthcare, Community Medicine
Established	1967	2023
Course type	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
What makes it different	Scottish medical school renowned for anatomy teaching and medical research. Shortlisting weights 60% academic / 40% UCAT for school leavers (40/60 for graduates). Both A-level predictions and GCSEs fe…	The only medicine route in Carlisle, and graduate-entry only — there is no school-leaver course here. Restricted to home-fee applicants holding a 2:1 in biosciences or allied healthcare, with the MBBS…
Official course page	https://www.dundee.ac.uk/undergraduate/medicine	https://cumbriamed.ac.uk/study/

Dundee

Quick comparison

Location: Dundee, UK
A-Level offer: AAA at A-level (minimum) - A*A*A or A*A*A* recommended for non-contextual RUK due to use in shortlisting algorithm
TrueScore: Dundee TrueScore 1700
UCAT home cut-off: No published threshold for the current scale. Dundee publishes admissions statistics by year of entry, but warns that because Abstract Reasoning was withdrawn in 2025 and the maximum moved from 3,600 to 2,700, the figures shown are not directly comparable with scores from 2025 onwards.
Interview format: Two-part selection (~1h40m): observed 30-minute group discussion, then a structured traditional one-to-one discussion with an assessor
Post-interview chance: RUK Non-Contextual (2025): 73/130 = 56%; Scottish: 647/825 = 78%; International: 86/156 = 55%
Decision date: March onwards

Pears Cumbria (GEM)

Carlisle

Quick comparison

Location: Carlisle, UK
A-Level offer: Graduate entry - 2:1 or above in a biosciences or allied healthcare degree
TrueScore: Pears Cumbria (GEM) TrueScore 1700GEM
UCAT home cut-off: -
Interview format: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance: -
Decision date: March onwards

Dundee vs Pears Cumbria (GEM) - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Dundee requires AAA at A-level (minimum) - A*A*A or A*A*A* recommended for non-contextual RUK due to use in shortlisting algorithm.

Pears Cumbria (GEM) requires Graduate entry - 2:1 or above in a biosciences or allied healthcare degree.

GCSE profile matters at both schools — Dundee: Biology, English and Mathematics at minimum grade 6/B if not studied at A-level. GCSEs feed the academic score (60% of pre-interview ranking for school leavers); higher grades are essential due to… Pears Cumbria (GEM): GCSE English Language and Mathematics at minimum grade 4/C - assessed alongside degree.

Interview formats

Dundee uses Traditional (Two-part selection (~1h40m): observed 30-minute group discussion, then a structured traditional one-to-one discussion with an assessor); Pears Cumbria (GEM) uses MMI (Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)). These two formats reward different skills — Traditional emphasises academic reasoning and thinking aloud through unfamiliar problems, while MMI rewards breadth and quick recovery.

If your strengths lie in conversational depth, either may suit you more. If you prefer discrete capsule answers under time pressure, Pears Cumbria (GEM) is the better fit.

Interview windows: Dundee interviews in December - February; Pears Cumbria (GEM) in December - March.

Curriculum and teaching style

Dundee runs a Spiral curriculum; Pears Cumbria (GEM) runs a PBL curriculum. The teaching philosophies are different — Dundee delivers more didactic lectures with structured systems-based progression, while Pears Cumbria (GEM) centres learning around clinical cases.

Specifics: Five-year MBChB spiral curriculum - concepts revisited with increasing complexity. Clinical placements across NHS Tayside, NHS Fife, NHS Highland, and Four-year accelerated graduate-entry programme. Imperial College London partner. Clinical placements across Cumbria NHS sites (UHMBT, North Cumbria In

Intake size: Dundee — Home (Scottish + Contextual) ~825 places; RUK ~130; International ~156 (2025 entry).; Pears Cumbria (GEM) — ~58 places per year. Imperial reported an 11:1 applications-to-places ratio for 2025.. A larger cohort means more peer breadth; a smaller cohort means more tutor contact.

What makes each distinctive

Dundee: Scottish medical school renowned for anatomy teaching and medical research. Shortlisting weights 60% academic / 40% UCAT for school leavers (40/60 for graduates). Both A-level predictions and GCSEs feed the academic score.

Pears Cumbria (GEM): The only medicine route in Carlisle, and graduate-entry only — there is no school-leaver course here. Restricted to home-fee applicants holding a 2:1 in biosciences or allied healthcare, with the MBBS awarded by Imperial College London.

Which is right for you?

Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — Dundee feeds into the Scotland foundation programme network; Pears Cumbria (GEM) into the England network. If you learn best in small-group case discussion, prefer Pears Cumbria (GEM); 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. Dundee guidance: No published threshold for the current scale. Dundee publishes admissions statistics by year of entry, but warns that because Abstract Reasoning was withdrawn in 2025 and the maximum moved from 3,600 to 2,700, the figures shown are not directly comparable with scores from 2025 onwards.. Pears Cumbria (GEM) guidance: UCAT or GAMSAT — the applicant chooses one; MCAT is NOT accepted. Both are minimum-threshold hurdles rather than ranked scores. The UCAT must be sat in the same year as the UCAS submission; the GAMSAT within the two years before it..

Dundee uses Assessment day: Two-part selection (~1h40m): observed 30-minute group discussion, then a structured traditional one-to-one discussion with an assessor. Pears Cumbria (GEM) 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 - February (Dundee); December - March (Pears Cumbria (GEM)).

Dundee requires AAA (minimum) - A*A*A or A*A*A* recommended for non-contextual RUK due to use in shortlisting algorithm. Pears Cumbria (GEM) requires Graduate entry - 2:1 or above in a biosciences or allied healthcare degree. Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school. Resit policies differ: Dundee — Resits not accepted (one-sitting expectation for standard applicants).. Pears Cumbria (GEM) — Not applicable to graduate entry - degree class is the academic measure..

Dundee's selection methodology: 60% academic score (GCSE + predicted A-Level) + 40% UCAT for shortlisting. Personal statement not scored - may be discussed at interview. SJT not used. Pears Cumbria (GEM)'s selection methodology: Degree subject and class hurdle (2:1 in biosciences or allied healthcare), then a UCAT or GAMSAT threshold, then MMI. Home fee status is an eligibility requirement, not a preference. MBBS awarded by Imperial College London. 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.

Dundee runs a Spiral curriculum. Pears Cumbria (GEM) runs a PBL curriculum. The teaching philosophies differ — pick the style that matches how you learn best. Dundee specifics: Five-year MBChB spiral curriculum - concepts revisited with increasing complexity. Clinical placements across NHS Tayside, NHS Fife, NHS Highland, and remote/rural Scottish sites. Pears Cumbria (GEM) specifics: Four-year accelerated graduate-entry programme. Imperial College London partner. Clinical placements across Cumbria NHS sites (UHMBT, North Cumbria Integrated Care).

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

DundeeEntry requirements, interview format and key dates in full

Pears Cumbria (GEM)Entry requirements, interview format and key dates in full

Other medical school comparisons

School data reviewed by the NextGen MedPrep editorial team — last reviewed 19 September 2026.

Dundee vs Pears Cumbria (GEM)

Side-by-side comparison

Dundee vs Pears Cumbria (GEM) - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Interview formats

Curriculum and teaching style

What makes each distinctive

Which is right for you?

Common questions

What UCAT score do I need for Dundee vs Pears Cumbria (GEM)?

How do interviews differ between Dundee and Pears Cumbria (GEM)?

What A-Level grades do Dundee and Pears Cumbria (GEM) require?

How are GCSEs weighted at Dundee vs Pears Cumbria (GEM)?

How does each school actually shortlist applicants?

Where are Dundee and Pears Cumbria (GEM) located, and how does that affect cost?

When does each school release decisions?

What curriculum style do Dundee and Pears Cumbria (GEM) use?

Should I apply to both Dundee and Pears Cumbria (GEM)?

Where to go next

Other medical school comparisons