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: 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).

Q: 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.

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.

Question 1

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

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

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)).

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

Oxford requires A*AA including Chemistry and Biology/Physics/Mathematics.

Queen's University Belfast (QUB) requires AAA including Chemistry and Biology.

Oxford is the stricter A-Level offer; Queen's University Belfast (QUB) is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, Queen's University Belfast (QUB) carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview.

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

Oxford — Mean 10 A* (96% A* proportion) at GCSE for interviewees, contextualised to school performance. <90% A* still possible (~30 interviewed) where school performance is weaker. Queen's University Belfast (QUB) — GCSE performance considered as part of the broader academic profile; specific scoring not published.

Question 5

How does each school actually shortlist applicants?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

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).

Question 8

When does each school release decisions?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

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.

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

Oxford vs Queen's University Belfast (QUB)

Side-by-side comparison

Oxford

Queen's University Belfast (QUB)

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

UCAT thresholds compared

A-Level and academic profile

Interview formats

Post-interview offer rate

What makes each distinctive

Which is right for you?

Common questions

Where to go next

Other medical school comparisons