Hull York (HYMS) vs Leicester

Hull York (HYMS)'s published UCAT threshold for home applicants is around 2010, while Leicester sits at approximately 1750.

The 260-point spread matters: Leicester offers slightly more headroom for an average-strong UCAT, while Hull York (HYMS) expects performance closer to the national 75th-90th percentile.

Contextual / widening-participation cut-offs differ — Hull York (HYMS): ~1700+ /2700 with WP eligibility (4th decile minimum + minimum entry requirements); Leicester: ~1725+ /2700 (UKWPMed; 2024 contextual cut-off ≈ 1763). Eligible applicants should weight this heavily when choosing.

Hull York (HYMS) requires AAA including Chemistry and Biology.

Leicester 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 — Hull York (HYMS): Min 6 GCSEs at grade 6 including Maths, English Language, dual-award Science. Leicester: Min 5 GCSEs at grade 7+ (A/A*) including Maths, English Language, dual-award Science.

Both Hull York (HYMS) and Leicester 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.

Interview windows: Hull York (HYMS) interviews in December - March; Leicester in December - March.

Both schools deliver a PBL-style curriculum, so day-to-day study habits will feel similar across years 1-3.

Specifics: Five-year MBBS jointly run by Hull and York universities. Clinical placements across Hull, York, Scarborough, and Yorkshire NHS sites. Five-year MBChB with problem-based learning. Clinical placements across Leicestershire NHS hospitals (Leicester Royal Infirmary, Glenfield, Kettering,

Intake size: Hull York (HYMS) — ~165 home + ~25 international places per year.; Leicester — ~270 home + ~30 international places per year (A100 standard 5-year programme).. A larger cohort means more peer breadth; a smaller cohort means more tutor contact.

Hull York (HYMS): All (2024): 678/750 = 90%; Home: 655/695 = 94%; Overseas: 20/55 = 36%. Leicester: UK Undergraduate: 797/1351 = 59% (2025); UK Graduate: 19/32 = 59%; Overseas Undergraduate: 57/199 = 29%.

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.

Hull York (HYMS): Points-based shortlisting: UCAT decile (/35) + SJT (/15) + GCSE top 6 subjects (/35) + contextual data (/15). The PBL group exercise is unusual among UK medical schools and reflects HYMS's problem-based curriculum.

Leicester: Combined UCAT + GCSE scoring out of 96. Predicted A-level applicants only need AAB UKWPMed; achieved-grade applicants assessed in top 5 deciles UCAT instead. Personal statement is not routinely used.