Where are Manchester and Ulster University Medical School located, and how does that affect cost?

Manchester is in Manchester, UK. Ulster University Medical School is in Londonderry, 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?

Manchester 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.

Medical school comparison

Manchester vs Ulster University Medical School

Manchester and Ulster University Medical School are both UK medical schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Manchester is based in Manchester (England) while Ulster University Medical School sits in Londonderry (London), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination.

Manchester is the older institution (founded 1824); the other (founded 2021) has shaped its medical school around modern integrated-curriculum thinking.

Side-by-side comparison

Show only differences

Side-by-side comparison: Manchester and Ulster University Medical School.
Comparison field	ManchesterManchester	Ulster University Medical SchoolLondonderry
Quick comparison
Location	Manchester, UK	Londonderry, UK
A-Level offer	AAA at A-level including Chemistry or Biology, plus one of Biology / Chemistry / Maths / Further Maths / Physics / Psychology. No use of predicted grades.	Graduate entry - 2:1 or above in any honours degree
TrueScore	Manchester TrueScore 2060	-
UCAT home cut-off	2060+ /2700 with Band 1 or 2 SJT (2026 entry threshold, A106)	-
Interview format	Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)	Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance	2026 entry: home 985 offers from 1,667 interviews (59%); overseas 40 from 191 (21%); A101 home 91 from 157 (58%) and A101 overseas 6 from 10. Overseas applicants face a far harder run at both stages than home applicants.	-
Decision date	March onwards	March onwards

A-Level offer	AAA at A-level including Chemistry or Biology, plus one of Biology / Chemistry / Maths / Further Maths / Physics / Psychology. No use of predicted grades.	Graduate entry - 2:1 or above in any honours degree
Contextual A-Level offer	AAB at A-level for WP+ contextual applicants. ABB for refugee or care-experienced (WP++) applicants.	-
Required A-Level subjects	Chemistry or Biology required, plus one of Biology / Chemistry / Mathematics / Further Mathematics / Physics / Psychology	-
A-Level resit policy	Resits accepted, but only one of Year 12 or Year 13 may be resat, a minimum of ABB at the first Year 13 sitting is required for resit grades to count, and the resit offer is AAA	Resits accepted.
GCSE requirements	At least 7 GCSEs at grade 7, 8 or 9. English Language or Literature, Mathematics, and 2 Science subjects must be at grade 6 or above. WP+/WP++: 6 GCSEs at grade 7+ accepted. GCSE resits permitted; up to one Level 2 BTEC may be counted.	-
GCSE scoring methodology	Used only as minimum eligibility threshold - no further use of GCSEs in shortlisting beyond the floor	-
Scottish Highers	-	-
Scottish Advanced Highers	-	-
International Baccalaureate	36 points overall, 6,6,6 at Higher Level including HL Chemistry or Biology plus another science from Chemistry / Biology / Physics / Psychology / Mathematics	-
Graduate-entry degree requirement	A 2:1 honours degree or above, plus a minimum of BBB at A-level at the first sitting. Applicants with a relevant science degree are exempt from the A-level subject specification but must still meet BBB. The accelerated four-year A101 Graduate Entry programme runs a separate UCAT threshold (2,080 home, 2,310 overseas for 2026 entry).	2:1 (Upper-second-class Honours) or above in any honours degree (Arts, Science, Humanities all accepted)
Alternative qualifications	-	Graduate-entry only. UCAT NOT used - Ulster uses GAMSAT (Graduate Medical School Admissions Test). Recent GAMSAT thresholds have been ~61. Plus 2:1 honours degree and MMI interview. Strong Northern Ireland regional focus.

Contextual cut-off	1960+ /2700 (WP+, 2026 entry threshold)	-
Scottish (where applicable)	-	-
Rest of UK (where applicable)	-	-
International cut-off	2250+ /2700 (2026 entry threshold) - 190 points ABOVE the home bar, not level with it	-
Graduate cut-off	2080+ /2700 for home A101, or 2310+ for overseas A101 (2026 entry)	Not applicable - Ulster uses GAMSAT, not the UCAT. Recent thresholds have been around 61.
SJT band	Band 1 or 2 - do not currently consider B3/4	-
UCAT notes	Met-or-not thresholds, set each November once results are in, so Manchester cannot confirm them in advance and they move year to year. Clear the threshold with an SJT of Band 1 or 2 and you are very l…	GAMSAT is scored out of 100. Do not sit the UCAT for this course.

Degree awarded	MBChB	MBBS
Course length	5 years	4 years (graduate entry)
Teaching style	Case-based learning + Team-based learning	Integrated
Anatomy teaching	Dissection	Imaging and models
First patient contact	Year 3	-
Placement geography	Greater Manchester and the north west	Across Northern Ireland
Named placement sites	Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (Oxford Road), Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (Wythenshawe), Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (formerly Salford Royal), Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust	-
Intercalation	Intercalate for a year to complete a BSc, a master’s degree or an MB-PhD.	-
Course highlight	The UK’s largest medical school, with over 2,200 undergraduate medical students.	Based at the Magee campus in Derry~Londonderry, alongside other healthcare programmes.

Interview window	December - early March	December - March
Interview details	Five-station MMI including a role-play that assesses verbal and non-verbal communication and empathy, plus typical MMI questions on motivation, ethics and teamwork. One station may ask you to elaborat…	MMI format with multiple stations. Focus on serving Northern Ireland's healthcare needs alongside standard motivation, ethics and communication content.

Specialities	Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy	Medicine, Community Medicine
Established	1824	2021
Course type	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
What makes it different	The UK's largest medical school, with over 2,200 undergraduate medical students and strong research links. Thresholds are met-or-not rather than ranked, so clearing the UCAT bar with an SJT of Band 1…	New medical school serving Northern Ireland. Strong regional focus, with the course oriented around local workforce needs. Cut-offs have not yet stabilised.
Official course page	https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2026/01428/mbchb-medicine/	https://www.ulster.ac.uk/courses/202627/medicine-41407

Manchester

Quick comparison

Location: Manchester, UK
A-Level offer: AAA at A-level including Chemistry or Biology, plus one of Biology / Chemistry / Maths / Further Maths / Physics / Psychology. No use of predicted grades.
TrueScore: Manchester TrueScore 2060
UCAT home cut-off: 2060+ /2700 with Band 1 or 2 SJT (2026 entry threshold, A106)
Interview format: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance: 2026 entry: home 985 offers from 1,667 interviews (59%); overseas 40 from 191 (21%); A101 home 91 from 157 (58%) and A101 overseas 6 from 10. Overseas applicants face a far harder run at both stages than home applicants.
Decision date: March onwards

Ulster University Medical School

Londonderry

Quick comparison

Location: Londonderry, UK
A-Level offer: Graduate entry - 2:1 or above in any honours degree
TrueScore: -
UCAT home cut-off: -
Interview format: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance: -
Decision date: March onwards

Manchester vs Ulster University Medical School - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Manchester requires AAA at A-level including Chemistry or Biology, plus one of Biology / Chemistry / Maths / Further Maths / Physics / Psychology. No use of predicted grades.

Ulster University Medical School requires Graduate entry - 2:1 or above in any honours degree.

GCSE profile matters at both schools — Manchester: At least 7 GCSEs at grade 7, 8 or 9. English Language or Literature, Mathematics, and 2 Science subjects must be at grade 6 or above. WP+/WP++: 6 GCSEs at grade 7+ accepted.

GCSE resits permitted; up… Ulster University Medical School: Min 5 GCSEs at grade 6 (B) including Maths, English Language, dual-award Science.

Interview formats

Both Manchester 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.

Interview windows: Manchester interviews in December - early March; Ulster University Medical School in December - March.

Curriculum and teaching style

Manchester runs a PBL curriculum; Ulster University Medical School runs a Integrated curriculum. The teaching philosophies are different — Manchester 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. Clinical placements distributed across Greater Manchester NHS sector hospitals from Year 3. Four-year accelerated MBBS for graduates. Clinical placements across Northern Ireland NHS sites (Magee Campus, Western HSC, Northern HSC).

Intake size: Manchester — Manchester publishes 401 funded places across its medicine courses - the majority for home students and 28 for international students - plus a small number of additional self-funded or government-sponsored places on the graduate-entry programme.; 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

Manchester: The UK's largest medical school, with over 2,200 undergraduate medical students and strong research links. Thresholds are met-or-not rather than ranked, so clearing the UCAT bar with an SJT of Band 1 or 2 usually earns an interview; Bands 3 and 4 are not currently considered.

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 — Manchester feeds into the England foundation programme network; Ulster University Medical School into the London network. If you learn best in small-group case discussion, prefer Manchester; 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. Manchester guidance: 2060+ /2700 with Band 1 or 2 SJT (2026 entry threshold, A106). Ulster University Medical School guidance: GAMSAT is scored out of 100. Do not sit the UCAT for this course..

Manchester uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). Ulster University Medical School 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 - early March (Manchester); December - March (Ulster University Medical School).

Manchester requires AAA including Chemistry or Biology, plus one of Biology / Chemistry / Maths / Further Maths / Physics / Psychology. Ulster University Medical School requires Graduate entry - 2:1 or above in any honours degree. Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school. Resit policies differ: Manchester — Accepted, but strictly conditioned. You may resit only one of Year 12 or Year 13. If A-levels were attempted in Year 13, you must have achie. Ulster University Medical School — Resits accepted..

Manchester — At least 7 GCSEs at grade 7, 8 or 9. English Language or Literature, Mathematics, and 2 Science subjects must be at grade 6 or above. WP+/WP++: 6 GCSEs at grade 7+ accepted. GCSE resits permitted; up to one Level 2 BTEC may be counted. Used only as minimum eligibility threshold - no further use of GCSEs in shortlisting beyond the floor Ulster University Medical School — Min 5 GCSEs at grade 6 (B) including Maths, English Language, dual-award Science.

Manchester's selection methodology: Academic minimums first, then UCAT must exceed cut-off. Historically, all applicants beyond the cut-off interviewed. SJT band 1 or 2 expected. Ulster University Medical School's selection methodology: Graduate-entry only: a 2:1 honours degree in any discipline plus GAMSAT (recent threshold ~61 out of 100), then MMI. Strong Northern Ireland regional focus. 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.

Manchester 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. Manchester specifics: Five-year MBChB built around problem-based learning. Clinical placements distributed across Greater Manchester NHS sector hospitals from Year 3. 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.

Where to go next

ManchesterEntry requirements, interview format and key dates in full

Ulster University Medical SchoolEntry 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.

Manchester vs Ulster University Medical School

Side-by-side comparison

Manchester vs Ulster University Medical School - 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 Manchester vs Ulster University Medical School?

How do interviews differ between Manchester and Ulster University Medical School?

What A-Level grades do Manchester and Ulster University Medical School require?

How are GCSEs weighted at Manchester vs Ulster University Medical School?

How does each school actually shortlist applicants?

Where are Manchester and Ulster University Medical School located, and how does that affect cost?

When does each school release decisions?

What curriculum style do Manchester and Ulster University Medical School use?

Should I apply to both Manchester and Ulster University Medical School?

Where to go next

Other medical school comparisons