Where are Oxford and Queen's University Belfast (QUB) located, and how does that affect cost?

Oxford is in Oxford, UK. Queen's University Belfast (QUB) is in Belfast, 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?

Oxford typically releases medicine decisions January. Queen's University Belfast (QUB) releases medicine decisions April 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.

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Medical school comparison

Oxford vs Queen's University Belfast (QUB)

Q: What UCAT score do I need for Oxford vs Queen's University Belfast (QUB)?

Oxford's typical home cut-off is around 2230, while Queen's University Belfast (QUB) sits at approximately 1700 — a 530-point spread. That's a meaningful gap; Queen's University Belfast (QUB) is materially more accessible for an average-to-good UCAT, while Oxford expects performance closer to the top 17% of test-takers. Cut-offs change year on year and vary by tier — check each school's latest published threshold before submitting your UCAS form.

Q: How do interviews differ between Oxford and Queen's University Belfast (QUB)?

Oxford uses Traditional interview: Traditional or Panel Interviews. Queen's University Belfast (QUB) 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 (Oxford); January - February (Queen's University Belfast (QUB)).

Q: What A-Level grades do Oxford and Queen's University Belfast (QUB) require?

Oxford requires A*AA including Chemistry and Biology/Physics/Mathematics. Queen's University Belfast (QUB) requires A*AA including Chemistry and Biology (or Maths/Physics - see subject rules). Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school.

Q: How are GCSEs weighted at Oxford vs Queen's University Belfast (QUB)?

Oxford — Mean offer-holder GCSE: 10.1 grade A*/9 with ~96% of grades at A*/9. <8 grade 8s makes interview particularly tricky. GCSE performance contextualised to school average. GCSE 50% of pre-interview score: 25% = % grade A*/8/9 at GCSE, 25% = absolute number of A*. Grades 8 and 9 not scored differently. Contextualised to school performance. Queen's University Belfast (QUB) — Minimum grade C/4 in GCSE Mathematics, English and Physics (or 4-4 in Double Science) if not offered at AS-level or A-level. Top 9 GCSEs scored /36: A*/9 = 4 pts, A/7-8 = 3 pts, B/6 = 2 pts, C/4-5 = 1 pt. GCSEs are 80% of pre-interview score under the 2026 system (UCAT 20%).

Q: How does each school actually shortlist applicants?

Oxford's selection methodology: 50% GCSE + 50% UCAT for shortlisting top 340 home applicants (out of ~1100). 80 borderline cases reviewed by Shortlisting Committee. Fully contextualised to applicant's school. Queen's University Belfast (QUB)'s selection methodology: shortlisting weight not fully disclosed; check the official admissions page. 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.

Q: Which has a higher post-interview offer rate, Oxford or Queen's University Belfast (QUB)?

Oxford: Home student: 165/393 = 42% (2025); International: 8/33 = 24%. ~425 total home + international shortlisted each year.. Queen's University Belfast (QUB): Home: 332/778 = 43%; International: 51/214 = 24%. 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%.

Q: Should I apply to both Oxford and Queen's University Belfast (QUB)?

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.

Oxford and Queen's University Belfast (QUB) are both UK medical schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Oxford is based in Oxford (England) while Queen's University Belfast (QUB) sits in Belfast (Northern Ireland), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination.

On UCAT alone there is roughly a 530-point gap between them — a substantial difference that should shape which you list as firm choice vs. insurance. The interview formats diverge — Panel vs MMI — and the prep approaches for the two are fundamentally different.

Oxford is the older institution (founded 1096); the other (founded 1849) has shaped its medical school around modern integrated-curriculum thinking.

Side-by-side comparison

Show only differences

Side-by-side comparison: Oxford and Queen's University Belfast (QUB).
Comparison field	OxfordOxford	Queen's University Belfast (QUB)Belfast
Quick comparison
Location	Oxford, UK	Belfast, UK
A-Level offer	AAA at A-level (and AAA predictions) including Chemistry plus one of Biology, Mathematics, Further Mathematics or Physics	A*AA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology (or Maths/Physics - see subject rules)
TrueScore	2230	1700
UCAT home cut-off	~2230+ /2700 for high interview chances; mean offer-holder ≈ 2348 (2025 entry)	~1700+ /2700 with 9× grade 9s GCSE (~35/45 target). Lower UCAT viable with stronger GCSE.
Interview format	Traditional or Panel Interviews	Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance	Home student: 165/393 = 42% (2025); International: 8/33 = 24%. ~425 total home + international shortlisted each year.	Home: 332/778 = 43%; International: 51/214 = 24%
Decision date	January	April onwards

A-Level offer	AAA at A-level (and AAA predictions) including Chemistry plus one of Biology, Mathematics, Further Mathematics or Physics	A*AA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology (or Maths/Physics - see subject rules)
Contextual A-Level offer	-	-
Required A-Level subjects	Chemistry plus one of Biology / Mathematics / Further Mathematics / Physics. Combinations like Chemistry + Biology + Psychology are acceptable - Maths/Physics is not a barrier. Students can in theory be selected without Biology (interview prep would be more challenging).	Standard offer: A*AA inc Chemistry and Biology, OR Chemistry and Maths/Physics with grade B in AS Biology. Alternative: AAA + grade A in 4th AS-level/EPQ (Chemistry + one of Biology/Maths/Physics; if Maths or Physics chosen, AS Biology grade A required).
A-Level resit policy	Resits accepted with extenuating circumstances - must resit all 3 subjects in the same sitting	Resits accepted only for previous Belfast applicants who held a conditional firm offer and must have achieved AAA or A*AB on first attempt
GCSE requirements	Mean offer-holder GCSE: 10.1 grade A/9 with ~96% of grades at A/9. <8 grade 8s makes interview particularly tricky. GCSE performance contextualised to school average.	Minimum grade C/4 in GCSE Mathematics, English and Physics (or 4-4 in Double Science) if not offered at AS-level or A-level
GCSE scoring methodology	GCSE 50% of pre-interview score: 25% = % grade A/8/9 at GCSE, 25% = absolute number of A. Grades 8 and 9 not scored differently. Contextualised to school performance.	Top 9 GCSEs scored /36: A*/9 = 4 pts, A/7-8 = 3 pts, B/6 = 2 pts, C/4-5 = 1 pt. GCSEs are 80% of pre-interview score under the 2026 system (UCAT 20%).
Scottish Highers	-	-
Scottish Advanced Highers	-	-
International Baccalaureate	39 points overall, 7,6,6 at Higher Level including HL Chemistry plus one of Biology / Mathematics / Physics	36 points overall, 6,6,6 at Higher Level including Chemistry and Biology (or Chemistry plus Maths/Physics)
Graduate-entry degree requirement	Graduate applicants accepted on the standard 6-year A100 - typically 2:1 or above with required A-level Chemistry. No accelerated graduate route at Oxford.	-
Alternative qualifications	4 A-levels and/or EPQ are not beneficial in the shortlisting algorithm. Three A-levels is sufficient.	-

Contextual cut-off	-	~1500+ /2700 (with strong GCSE)
Scottish (where applicable)	-	-
Rest of UK (where applicable)	-	-
International cut-off	~2470+ /2700 (only ~33 international interviews per year)	~1700+ /2700 (2023 entry lowest invited ≈ 1620)
Graduate cut-off	-	-
SJT band	Not used for shortlisting. Theoretically post-interview alongside other factors. Bands 1, 2, 3 no cause for concern; band 4 also selected last year.	May be used if borderline before/after interview. 2025: anyone with 30/42 received interview, didn't matter. 2024: 38/42 cut off, or 37/42 with B1 or B2.
UCAT notes	Pre-interview: 50% UCAT + 50% GCSE (contextualised to school). Top 340 ranked applicants automatically shortlisted; ~80 borderline reviewed individually with extenuating circumstances. SJT not used in…	NEW scoring system 2026 entry: UCAT /9 decile-based + GCSE /36 (top 9) = /45. 2025 entry cut-off was 30/45.

Interview window	December	January - February
Interview details	Two college-based panel interviews held in December, each typically 20-30 minutes. Tutors push you on scientific reasoning rather than rehearsed answers - expect questions that build on what you say a…	MMI format with stations centred around the qualities of a good doctor - for example, "describe a time you have shown resilience" rather than NHS-policy or current-affairs questions.

Specialities	Clinical Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Medical Research	Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy
Established	1096	1849
Course type	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
What makes it different	Pooling system means each applicant is assessed at two colleges, with a centralised shortlist - applying to a "less competitive" college gives no real advantage. GCSE performance is contextualised to…	Less weight on NHS hot topics than most schools. Stronger emphasis on reflective examples of personal qualities. SJT may be used if borderline before or after interview, but in 2025 anyone with 30/42…
Official course page	https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/course-listing/medicine	https://www.qub.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/medicine-mb-a100/

Oxford

Quick comparison

Location: Oxford, UK
A-Level offer: A*AA at A-level (and A*AA predictions) including Chemistry plus one of Biology, Mathematics, Further Mathematics or Physics
TrueScore: 2230
UCAT home cut-off: ~2230+ /2700 for high interview chances; mean offer-holder ≈ 2348 (2025 entry)
Interview format: Traditional or Panel Interviews
Post-interview chance: Home student: 165/393 = 42% (2025); International: 8/33 = 24%. ~425 total home + international shortlisted each year.
Decision date: January

Queen's University Belfast (QUB)

Belfast

Quick comparison

Location: Belfast, UK
A-Level offer: A*AA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology (or Maths/Physics - see subject rules)
TrueScore: 1700
UCAT home cut-off: ~1700+ /2700 with 9× grade 9s GCSE (~35/45 target). Lower UCAT viable with stronger GCSE.
Interview format: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance: Home: 332/778 = 43%; International: 51/214 = 24%
Decision date: April onwards

Compare different schools

Oxford vs Queen's University Belfast (QUB) - in detail

UCAT thresholds compared

Oxford's published UCAT threshold for home applicants is around 2230, while Queen's University Belfast (QUB) sits at approximately 1700.

That's a 530-point gap — large enough to put the two schools in completely different competitiveness tiers. An applicant scoring in the 1900-2100 band would be competitive at Queen's University Belfast (QUB) but borderline at Oxford.

Contextual / widening-participation cut-offs differ — Oxford: not separately disclosed; Queen's University Belfast (QUB): ~1500+ /2700 (with strong GCSE). Eligible applicants should weight this heavily when choosing.

A-Level and academic profile

Oxford requires A*AA at A-level (and A*AA predictions) including Chemistry plus one of Biology, Mathematics, Further Mathematics or Physics.

Queen's University Belfast (QUB) requires A*AA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology (or Maths/Physics - see subject rules).

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 — Oxford: Mean offer-holder GCSE: 10.1 grade A*/9 with ~96% of grades at A*/9. <8 grade 8s makes interview particularly tricky. GCSE performance contextualised to school average.

GCSE 50% of pre-interview… Queen's University Belfast (QUB): Minimum grade C/4 in GCSE Mathematics, English and Physics (or 4-4 in Double Science) if not offered at AS-level or A-level. Top 9 GCSEs scored /36: A*/9 = 4 pts, A/7-8 = 3 pts, B/6 = 2 pts, C/4-5 =…

Interview formats

Oxford uses Panel (Traditional or Panel Interviews); Queen's University Belfast (QUB) uses MMI (Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)). These two formats reward different skills — Panel emphasises narrative coherence and the ability to develop a thread under follow-up questioning, while MMI rewards breadth and quick recovery.

If your strengths lie in conversational depth, Oxford may suit you more. If you prefer discrete capsule answers under time pressure, Queen's University Belfast (QUB) is the better fit.

Interview windows: Oxford interviews in December; Queen's University Belfast (QUB) in January - February.

Post-interview offer rate

Oxford: Home student: 165/393 = 42% (2025); International: 8/33 = 24%. ~425 total home + international shortlisted each year. Queen's University Belfast (QUB): Home: 332/778 = 43%; International: 51/214 = 24%.

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.

What makes each distinctive

Oxford: Pooling system means each applicant is assessed at two colleges, with a centralised shortlist - applying to a "less competitive" college gives no real advantage. GCSE performance is contextualised to your school. Tutors prize lateral reasoning and willingness to engage with the unfamiliar.

Queen's University Belfast (QUB): Less weight on NHS hot topics than most schools. Stronger emphasis on reflective examples of personal qualities. SJT may be used if borderline before or after interview, but in 2025 anyone with 30/42 received an interview regardless.

Which is right for you?

If your UCAT lands below the UK median (~1880/2700), Queen's University Belfast (QUB) is the more realistic firm-choice option. Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — Oxford feeds into the England foundation programme network; Queen's University Belfast (QUB) into the Northern Ireland 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

Oxford's typical home cut-off is around 2230, while Queen's University Belfast (QUB) sits at approximately 1700 — a 530-point spread. That's a meaningful gap; Queen's University Belfast (QUB) is materially more accessible for an average-to-good UCAT, while Oxford expects performance closer to the top 17% of test-takers. Cut-offs change year on year and vary by tier — check each school's latest published threshold before submitting your UCAS form.

Oxford uses Traditional interview: Traditional or Panel Interviews. Queen's University Belfast (QUB) 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 (Oxford); January - February (Queen's University Belfast (QUB)).

Oxford — Mean offer-holder GCSE: 10.1 grade A*/9 with ~96% of grades at A*/9. <8 grade 8s makes interview particularly tricky. GCSE performance contextualised to school average. GCSE 50% of pre-interview score: 25% = % grade A*/8/9 at GCSE, 25% = absolute number of A*. Grades 8 and 9 not scored differently. Contextualised to school performance. Queen's University Belfast (QUB) — Minimum grade C/4 in GCSE Mathematics, English and Physics (or 4-4 in Double Science) if not offered at AS-level or A-level. Top 9 GCSEs scored /36: A*/9 = 4 pts, A/7-8 = 3 pts, B/6 = 2 pts, C/4-5 = 1 pt. GCSEs are 80% of pre-interview score under the 2026 system (UCAT 20%).

Oxford's selection methodology: 50% GCSE + 50% UCAT for shortlisting top 340 home applicants (out of ~1100). 80 borderline cases reviewed by Shortlisting Committee. Fully contextualised to applicant's school. Queen's University Belfast (QUB)'s selection methodology: shortlisting weight not fully disclosed; check the official admissions page. 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.

Oxford: Home student: 165/393 = 42% (2025); International: 8/33 = 24%. ~425 total home + international shortlisted each year.. Queen's University Belfast (QUB): Home: 332/778 = 43%; International: 51/214 = 24%. 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%.

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

OxfordEntry requirements, interview format and key dates in full Queen's University Belfast (QUB)Entry requirements, interview format and key dates in full

Other medical school comparisons

School data reviewed by the NextGen MedPrep editorial team — last reviewed 7 September 2026.