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

Oxford is in Oxford, 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?

Oxford typically releases medicine decisions January. 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.

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Medical school comparison

Oxford vs Ulster University Medical School

Q: What UCAT score do I need for Oxford vs Ulster University Medical School?

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. Oxford guidance: ~2230+ /2700 for high interview chances; mean offer-holder ≈ 2348 (2025 entry). Ulster University Medical School guidance: GAMSAT is scored out of 100. Do not sit the UCAT for this course..

Q: How do interviews differ between Oxford and Ulster University Medical School?

Oxford uses Traditional interview: Traditional or Panel Interviews. Ulster University Medical School 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); December - March (Ulster University Medical School).

Q: What A-Level grades do Oxford and Ulster University Medical School require?

Oxford requires A*AA including Chemistry and Biology/Physics/Mathematics. 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: Oxford — Resits accepted in extenuating circumstances only - competitive applicants typically achieve A*AA in one sitting.. Ulster University Medical School — Resits accepted..

Q: How are GCSEs weighted at Oxford vs Ulster University Medical School?

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. Ulster University Medical School — Min 5 GCSEs at grade 6 (B) including Maths, English Language, dual-award Science.

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. 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.

Q: What curriculum style do Oxford and Ulster University Medical School use?

Oxford runs a Traditional curriculum. Ulster University Medical School runs a Integrated curriculum. The teaching philosophies differ — pick the style that matches how you learn best. Oxford specifics: Three years pre-clinical (Years 1-3 BMBCh first part) at Oxford, then three years clinical at Oxford-affiliated NHS hospitals. Tutorial system means small-group teaching alongside lectures throughout. Ulster University Medical School specifics: Four-year accelerated MBBS for graduates. Clinical placements across Northern Ireland NHS sites (Magee Campus, Western HSC, Northern HSC).

Q: Should I apply to both Oxford and Ulster University Medical School?

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

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 2021) has shaped its medical school around modern integrated-curriculum thinking.

Side-by-side comparison

Show only differences

Side-by-side comparison: Oxford and Ulster University Medical School.
Comparison field	OxfordOxford	Ulster University Medical SchoolLondonderry
Quick comparison
Location	Oxford, UK	Londonderry, UK
A-Level offer	AAA at A-level (and AAA predictions) including Chemistry plus one of Biology, Mathematics, Further Mathematics or Physics	Graduate entry - 2:1 or above in any honours degree
TrueScore	2230	-
UCAT home cut-off	~2230+ /2700 for high interview chances; mean offer-holder ≈ 2348 (2025 entry)	-
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.	-
Decision date	January	March onwards

A-Level offer	AAA at A-level (and AAA predictions) including Chemistry plus one of Biology, Mathematics, Further Mathematics or Physics	Graduate entry - 2:1 or above in any honours degree
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).	-
A-Level resit policy	Resits accepted with extenuating circumstances - must resit all 3 subjects in the same sitting	Resits accepted.
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.	-
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.	-
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	-
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.	2:1 (Upper-second-class Honours) or above in any honours degree (Arts, Science, Humanities all accepted)
Alternative qualifications	4 A-levels and/or EPQ are not beneficial in the shortlisting algorithm. Three A-levels is sufficient.	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	-	-
Scottish (where applicable)	-	-
Rest of UK (where applicable)	-	-
International cut-off	~2470+ /2700 (only ~33 international interviews per year)	-
Graduate cut-off	-	Not applicable - Ulster uses GAMSAT, not the UCAT. Recent thresholds have been around 61.
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.	-
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…	GAMSAT is scored out of 100. Do not sit the UCAT for this course.

Interview window	December	December - March
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 multiple stations. Focus on serving Northern Ireland's healthcare needs alongside standard motivation, ethics and communication content.

Specialities	Clinical Medicine, Biomedical Sciences, Medical Research	Medicine, Community Medicine
Established	1096	2021
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…	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.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses/course-listing/medicine	https://www.ulster.ac.uk/courses/202627/medicine-41407

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

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

Compare different schools

Oxford vs Ulster University Medical School - in detail

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.

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

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

Interview formats

Oxford uses Panel (Traditional or Panel Interviews); Ulster University Medical School 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, Ulster University Medical School is the better fit.

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

Curriculum and teaching style

Oxford runs a Traditional curriculum; Ulster University Medical School runs a Integrated curriculum. The teaching philosophies are different — Oxford delivers more didactic lectures with structured systems-based progression, while Ulster University Medical School uses a more traditional lecture-led structure.

Specifics: Three years pre-clinical (Years 1-3 BMBCh first part) at Oxford, then three years clinical at Oxford-affiliated NHS hospitals. Tutorial system means s Four-year accelerated MBBS for graduates. Clinical placements across Northern Ireland NHS sites (Magee Campus, Western HSC, Northern HSC).

Intake size: Oxford — Oxford publishes an actual intake of 155 for A100 Standard Entry Medicine (three-year average, 2023-25), alongside 29% of applicants interviewed and 11% successful.

Places advertised (~165 home + ~24 overseas) run above the realised intake, so quote 155 as the number of students who actually start.; 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

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.

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 — Oxford 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 Oxford; 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. Oxford guidance: ~2230+ /2700 for high interview chances; mean offer-holder ≈ 2348 (2025 entry). Ulster University Medical School guidance: GAMSAT is scored out of 100. Do not sit the UCAT for this course..

Oxford uses Traditional interview: Traditional or Panel Interviews. Ulster University Medical School 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); December - March (Ulster University Medical School).

Oxford requires A*AA including Chemistry and Biology/Physics/Mathematics. 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: Oxford — Resits accepted in extenuating circumstances only - competitive applicants typically achieve A*AA in one sitting.. Ulster University Medical School — Resits accepted..

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. Ulster University Medical School — Min 5 GCSEs at grade 6 (B) including Maths, English Language, dual-award Science.

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. 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.

Oxford runs a Traditional curriculum. Ulster University Medical School runs a Integrated curriculum. The teaching philosophies differ — pick the style that matches how you learn best. Oxford specifics: Three years pre-clinical (Years 1-3 BMBCh first part) at Oxford, then three years clinical at Oxford-affiliated NHS hospitals. Tutorial system means small-group teaching alongside lectures throughout. 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

OxfordEntry 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 7 September 2026.