Edinburgh vs Glasgow

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. Edinburgh guidance: 1650 /2700 is the absolute minimum (necessary not sufficient). Decile-based UCAT scoring within the 35% UCAT pre-interview weight.. Glasgow guidance: No SJT used. Personal statement and reference checked for minimums then shortlisting is wholly UCAT-based. Personal statement reviewed post-interview before offers..

Edinburgh uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). Glasgow uses Panel interview: MMI Format for Dentistry, Panel Interview for Medicine. 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 (Edinburgh); December - February (Glasgow).

Edinburgh requires AAA including Chemistry and Biology/Physics/Mathematics. Glasgow requires AAA including Chemistry and Biology. Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school. Resit policies differ: Edinburgh — Resits considered with strong justification.. Glasgow — Resits permitted only with exceptional circumstances; standard expectation is one-sitting AAA..

Edinburgh — Strong GCSE/National 5 profile expected; not algorithmically scored. Glasgow — GCSE English at grade 6/B; Biology at grade 6/B if not studied at A-Level. GCSE retakes accepted.

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. Glasgow's selection methodology: Shortlisting is UCAT-only after minimum academic, personal statement and reference checks. Personal statement reviewed post-interview, before offers, but not scored. 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.

Edinburgh: RUK student: 166/300 = 68%; Scottish student: 424/432 = 98% (effectively not interviewed); Overseas student: 45/98 = 46%. Glasgow: Scottish: 473/565 = 84% (2025); RUK: 128/216 = 59%; International: 114/161 = 71%. 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%.

Edinburgh is in Edinburgh, UK. Glasgow is in Glasgow, 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.

Edinburgh typically releases medicine decisions March onwards. Glasgow 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.

Edinburgh runs a Integrated curriculum. Glasgow runs a PBL curriculum. The teaching philosophies differ — pick the style that matches how you learn best. Edinburgh specifics: Six-year MBChB with compulsory intercalated honours degree in Year 3 (one of the largest intercalated cohorts in the UK). Glasgow specifics: Five-year MBChB built around problem-based learning groups, with early clinical exposure from Year 1.

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.