Medical school comparison

King's College London (KCL) vs University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)

King's College London (KCL) and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) are both UK medical schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. King's College London (KCL) is based in London (London) while University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) sits in Preston (England), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination. Their A-Level requirements (A*AA vs AAB) place them in slightly different academic-strictness tiers. King's College London (KCL) is the older institution (founded 1829); the other (founded 2014) has shaped its medical school around modern integrated-curriculum thinking.

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King's College London (KCL)

London

University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)

Preston

Location

London, UK

Preston, UK

A-Level offer

A*AA at A-level including A in Biology and Chemistry

AAB at A-level including Biology and Chemistry (home applicants)

TrueScore

2150

UCAT home cut-off

~2130+ /2700 (non-contextual) with B1 SJT and 8× grade 8s at GCSE; mean offer holder ≈ 2250

UCAT used for home applicant shortlisting; no published cut-off

Interview format

Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)

Post-interview chance

All Students: 760/981 = 77% (2024); Overall undergraduate (2023): 645/1115 = 58%

Decision date

March onwards

March - April

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King's College London (KCL) vs University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

King's College London (KCL) requires A*AA including Chemistry and Biology. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) requires AAB at A-level including Biology and Chemistry (home applicants). King's College London (KCL) is the stricter A-Level offer; University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview.

Interview formats

Both King's College London (KCL) and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) 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: King's College London (KCL) interviews in December - February; University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in December - February.

What makes each distinctive

King's College London (KCL): Strong clinical focus with emphasis on London healthcare system. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan): One of the first UK universities to run a privately-funded medical school open to international students; substantial international cohort blended with a smaller home intake. Strong Lancashire regional placement network.

Which is right for you?

For applicants with predicted A-Level grades at the lower end of the AAA-A*AA range, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is the lower-risk academic option. Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — King's College London (KCL) feeds into the London foundation programme network; University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) into the England network. 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

What UCAT score do I need for King's College London (KCL) vs University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)?+

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. King's College London (KCL) guidance: ~2130+ /2700 (non-contextual) with B1 SJT and 8× grade 8s at GCSE; mean offer holder ≈ 2250. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) guidance: UCAT used for home applicant shortlisting; no published cut-off.

How do interviews differ between King's College London (KCL) and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)?+

King's College London (KCL) uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). The format is the same, so the same prep approach applies — practise ethics frameworks, NHS hot topics, and (for MMI) structured 5-7 minute station answers. Interview windows: December - February (King's College London (KCL)); December - February (University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)).

What A-Level grades do King's College London (KCL) and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) require?+

Where are King's College London (KCL) and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) located, and how does that affect cost?+

King's College London (KCL) is in London, UK. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is in Preston, 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).

When does each school release decisions?+

King's College London (KCL) typically releases medicine decisions March onwards. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) releases medicine decisions March - April. 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.

Should I apply to both King's College London (KCL) and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)?+

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.