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Medical school comparison

Glasgow vs Ulster University Medical School

Glasgow and Ulster University Medical School are both UK medical schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Glasgow is based in Glasgow (Scotland) while Ulster University Medical School sits in Londonderry (London), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination. Glasgow is the older institution (founded 1451); the other (founded 2022) has shaped its medical school around modern integrated-curriculum thinking.

Side-by-side comparison

Glasgow

Glasgow

Quick comparison

Location
Glasgow, UK
A-Level offer
AAA at A-level including Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics or Mathematics
TrueScore
1850
UCAT home cut-off
-
Interview format
MMI Format for Dentistry, Panel Interview for Medicine
Post-interview chance
Scottish: 473/565 = 84% (2025); RUK: 128/216 = 59%; International: 114/161 = 71%
Decision date
March onwards

Ulster University Medical School

Londonderry

Quick comparison

Location
Londonderry, UK
A-Level offer
AAA including Chemistry and Biology
TrueScore
-
UCAT home cut-off
-
Interview format
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance
-
Decision date
March onwards
Compare different schools

Glasgow vs Ulster University Medical School - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Glasgow requires AAA including Chemistry and Biology. Ulster University Medical School requires AAA including Chemistry and Biology. Both demand the same A-Level grade band, so academic prediction is unlikely to differentiate your application between them — provided you meet the required subject combination at each. GCSE profile matters at both schools — Glasgow: GCSE English at grade 6/B; Biology at grade 6/B if not studied at A-Level. GCSE retakes accepted. Ulster University Medical School: Min 5 GCSEs at grade 6 (B) including Maths, English Language, dual-award Science.

Interview formats

Both Glasgow and Ulster University Medical School use MMI interviews, so the underlying prep approach is the same — practise ethics frameworks, NHS hot-topic answers and (for MMI) structured station responses against a timer. That said, the specifics differ slightly: Glasgow runs mmi format for dentistry, panel interview for medicine; Ulster University Medical School runs multiple mini interviews (mmi). Mock practice tailored to each school's exact format is the highest-leverage prep. Interview windows: Glasgow interviews in December - February; Ulster University Medical School in December - March.

Curriculum and teaching style

Glasgow runs a PBL curriculum; Ulster University Medical School runs a Integrated curriculum. The teaching philosophies are different — Glasgow leans on small-group case-based learning from year 1, while Ulster University Medical School uses a more traditional lecture-led structure. Specifics: Five-year MBChB built around problem-based learning groups, with early clinical exposure from Year 1. Four-year accelerated MBBS for graduates. Clinical placements across Northern Ireland NHS sites (Magee Campus, Western HSC, Northern HSC). Intake size: Glasgow — ~40-50 RUK + ~22 international + ~190 Scottish places per year (A100).; Ulster University Medical School — ~70 places per year (small cohort, NI-focused).. A larger cohort means more peer breadth; a smaller cohort means more tutor contact.

What makes each distinctive

Glasgow: One of the oldest medical schools in the English-speaking world. Personal statement and reference must meet minimum requirements but shortlisting is then driven by UCAT alone. Personal statement reviewed post-interview before offers. Ulster University Medical School: New medical school serving Northern Ireland. Strong regional focus, with the course oriented around local workforce needs. Cut-offs have not yet stabilised.

Which is right for you?

Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — Glasgow feeds into the Scotland foundation programme network; Ulster University Medical School into the London network. If you learn best in small-group case discussion, prefer Glasgow; 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. 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.. Ulster University Medical School guidance: UCAT required - specific thresholds to be announced..

Glasgow uses Panel interview: MMI Format for Dentistry, Panel Interview for Medicine. Ulster University Medical School 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 (Glasgow); December - March (Ulster University Medical School).

Glasgow requires AAA including Chemistry and Biology. Ulster University Medical School 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: Glasgow — Resits permitted only with exceptional circumstances; standard expectation is one-sitting AAA.. Ulster University Medical School — Resits accepted..

Glasgow — GCSE English at grade 6/B; Biology at grade 6/B if not studied at A-Level. GCSE retakes accepted. Ulster University Medical School — Min 5 GCSEs at grade 6 (B) including Maths, English Language, dual-award Science.

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. Ulster University Medical School's selection methodology: Newer Northern Ireland medical school (first cohort 2021). UCAT + academic + interview. Designed to address NI workforce needs. 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.

Glasgow is in Glasgow, UK. Ulster University Medical School is in Londonderry, 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.

Glasgow typically releases medicine decisions March onwards. Ulster University Medical School 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.

Glasgow runs a PBL curriculum. Ulster University Medical School runs a Integrated curriculum. The teaching philosophies differ — pick the style that matches how you learn best. Glasgow specifics: Five-year MBChB built around problem-based learning groups, with early clinical exposure from Year 1. Ulster University Medical School specifics: Four-year accelerated MBBS for graduates. Clinical placements across Northern Ireland NHS sites (Magee Campus, Western HSC, Northern HSC).

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.

School data reviewed by the NextGen MedPrep editorial team — last reviewed 20 June 2026.