Where are Peninsula (Plymouth) and Sheffield located, and how does that affect cost?

Peninsula (Plymouth) is in Plymouth, UK. Sheffield is in Sheffield, 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?

Peninsula (Plymouth) typically releases medicine decisions Not available. Sheffield 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

Peninsula (Plymouth) vs Sheffield

Peninsula (Plymouth) and Sheffield are both UK medical schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Both sit in England, so location and clinical-placement breadth are similar — the differentiation comes from selection methodology, interview style and curriculum philosophy. Their A-Level requirements (A*AA vs AAA) place them in slightly different academic-strictness tiers.

Sheffield is the older institution (founded 1828); the other (founded 2000) has shaped its medical school around modern integrated-curriculum thinking.

Side-by-side comparison

Show only differences

Side-by-side comparison: Peninsula (Plymouth) and Sheffield.
Comparison field	Peninsula (Plymouth)Plymouth	SheffieldSheffield
Quick comparison
Location	Plymouth, UK	Sheffield, UK
A-Level offer	A*AA or AAA at A-level (offer depends on strength of applicant pool - historically usually AAA prediction required) including A in Biology and A in a second science from Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Psychology	AAA at A-level including Chemistry or Biology, plus a second science. A pass in the practical element is required for science A-levels.
TrueScore	Peninsula (Plymouth) TrueScore 1900	Sheffield TrueScore 2150
UCAT home cut-off	Not published in advance. Peninsula states the threshold alters each year with the number and quality of applications, and that it cannot confirm the cut-off until all applications have been received and assessed.	1800+ /2700 is the published minimum for 2027 entry; the actual cut-off runs well above it (2120 for 2026 entry) because applicants above the minimum are then ranked by UCAT.
Interview format	Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)	Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance	All Applicants: 434/761 = 57% (2025)	All Students (2024): 722/1029 = 70%; International: 55/104 = 53%
Decision date	Not available	March onwards

A-Level offer	A*AA or AAA at A-level (offer depends on strength of applicant pool - historically usually AAA prediction required) including A in Biology and A in a second science from Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Psychology	AAA at A-level including Chemistry or Biology, plus a second science. A pass in the practical element is required for science A-levels.
Contextual A-Level offer	AAB at A-level for UKWPMED widening-access applicants	AAB for Access Sheffield (widening-access) applicants, including Chemistry or Biology at grade A plus a second science. AAB with an EPQ at grade A is also accepted.
Required A-Level subjects	Biology required at grade A, plus a second science from Chemistry / Physics / Mathematics / Psychology at grade A	Chemistry or Biology required, plus a second science
A-Level resit policy	Resits accepted with ABB at first attempt (ABC for widening access). If achieved A-level resit grades held, first-sitting requirements waived.	Resit accepted with achieved BBB at first sitting; otherwise apply with achieved results.
GCSE requirements	Seven GCSEs at grade 4/C or above, including English Language, Mathematics and two science subjects (or Dual Award)	Minimum five GCSEs at grade 7/A, plus grade 6/B or above in Mathematics, English Language and at least one science subject.
GCSE scoring methodology	Used only as minimum threshold - wholly UCAT-based shortlisting once academic minimums met. Personal statement and work experience explicitly NOT considered.	Used as a minimum threshold only - once met, shortlisting is by UCAT rank.
Scottish Highers	-	-
Scottish Advanced Highers	-	-
International Baccalaureate	36 points overall, 6,6,6 at Higher Level - including Biology and a second science / Maths / Psychology	36 points overall with 6 in three Higher Level subjects including Chemistry or Biology and a second science, and no less than 4 in any Standard Level subject.
Graduate-entry degree requirement	-	-
Alternative qualifications	-	-

Contextual cut-off	-	1800+ /2700 - Access to Sheffield (Medicine) and university pathway students who clear the minimum go straight to interview.
Scottish (where applicable)	-	-
Rest of UK (where applicable)	-	-
International cut-off	-	2070+ /2700 (2026 entry)
Graduate cut-off	-	1800+ /2700 (A101, contextual only)
SJT band	No use of SJT	Band 1/2 appropriate, band 3 may consider, band 4 deprioritised
UCAT notes	Shortlisting is UCAT-led once the academic minimum is met, and the Admissions Advisory Panel reserves the right to consider any aspect of the UCAT when shortlisting. The personal statement and work ex…	Two numbers matter and they are not the same: the published MINIMUM (1800 for 2027) only makes you eligible, after which shortlisting is wholly by UCAT rank. Large year-on-year variation.

Degree awarded	BMBS	MBChB
Course length	5 years	5 years
Teaching style	Case-based learning	Integrated
Anatomy teaching	-	Imaging and models
First patient contact	Year 1	Year 1
Placement geography	The south west of England	South Yorkshire and north Derbyshire
Named placement sites	-	-
Intercalation	-	An intercalated year is available.
Course highlight	Plymouth graduates consistently report the highest measures of feeling prepared for professional practice in GMC Foundation doctor surveys.	The Patients as Educators programme is the largest of its kind.

Interview window	Not available	November - February
Interview details	Five stations of around 5 minutes each, with a single assessor at each station. Total interview lasts about 50 minutes. Stations cover communication, ethical reasoning, GMC-aligned values and motivati…	An MMI of eight stations, each typically 8 minutes, covering communication, breadth of interests, empathy, knowledge of and interest in studying at Sheffield, work experience, motivation, numeracy, cr…

Specialities	Medicine, Dentistry, Community Medicine	Medicine, Dentistry, Biomedical Sciences
Established	2000	1828
Course type	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
What makes it different	Plymouth publishes the qualities they assess: communication, decision making, reflection and self-insight, motivation and commitment, integrity and inclusivity, resilience and adaptability, and teamwo…	SJT used post-interview as a virtual MMI station rather than in shortlisting. Sheffield prioritises balanced performance - applicants achieving 3/5 or more in every section are favoured over those who…
Official course page	https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/bmbs-bachelor-of-medicine-bachelor-of-surgery	https://sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/2027/medicine-mbchb

Peninsula (Plymouth)

Plymouth

Quick comparison

Location: Plymouth, UK
A-Level offer: A*AA or AAA at A-level (offer depends on strength of applicant pool - historically usually AAA prediction required) including A in Biology and A in a second science from Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Psychology
TrueScore: Peninsula (Plymouth) TrueScore 1900
UCAT home cut-off: Not published in advance. Peninsula states the threshold alters each year with the number and quality of applications, and that it cannot confirm the cut-off until all applications have been received and assessed.
Interview format: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance: All Applicants: 434/761 = 57% (2025)
Decision date: Not available

Sheffield

Quick comparison

Location: Sheffield, UK
A-Level offer: AAA at A-level including Chemistry or Biology, plus a second science. A pass in the practical element is required for science A-levels.
TrueScore: Sheffield TrueScore 2150
UCAT home cut-off: 1800+ /2700 is the published minimum for 2027 entry; the actual cut-off runs well above it (2120 for 2026 entry) because applicants above the minimum are then ranked by UCAT.
Interview format: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance: All Students (2024): 722/1029 = 70%; International: 55/104 = 53%
Decision date: March onwards

Peninsula (Plymouth) vs Sheffield - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Peninsula (Plymouth) requires A*AA or AAA at A-level (offer depends on strength of applicant pool - historically usually AAA prediction required) including A in Biology and A in a second science from Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Psychology.

Sheffield requires AAA at A-level including Chemistry or Biology, plus a second science. A pass in the practical element is required for science A-levels.

Peninsula (Plymouth) is the stricter A-Level offer; Sheffield is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, Sheffield carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview.

GCSE profile matters at both schools — Peninsula (Plymouth): Seven GCSEs at grade 4/C or above, including English Language, Mathematics and two science subjects (or Dual Award). Used only as minimum threshold - wholly UCAT-based shortlisting once academic… Sheffield: Minimum five GCSEs at grade 7/A, plus grade 6/B or above in Mathematics, English Language and at least one science subject.

Used as a minimum threshold only - once met, shortlisting is by UCAT rank.

Interview formats

Both Peninsula (Plymouth) and Sheffield 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: Peninsula (Plymouth) interviews in Not available; Sheffield in November - February.

Curriculum and teaching style

Both schools deliver a PBL-style curriculum, so day-to-day study habits will feel similar across years 1-3.

Specifics: Five-year MBBS with PBL and case-based learning. Distinctive rural/coastal placement strand across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset. Five-year MBChB with problem-based learning core. Clinical placements across Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Yorkshire region.

Intake size: Peninsula (Plymouth) — ~140 home + ~25 international places per year (Plymouth University Peninsula MBChB).; Sheffield — Plans to invite ~1,150 home + ~100 international applicants for 2026 entry. ~250 places.. A larger cohort means more peer breadth; a smaller cohort means more tutor contact.

Post-interview offer rate

Peninsula (Plymouth): All Applicants: 434/761 = 57% (2025). Sheffield: All Students (2024): 722/1029 = 70%; International: 55/104 = 53%.

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

Peninsula (Plymouth): Plymouth publishes the qualities they assess: communication, decision making, reflection and self-insight, motivation and commitment, integrity and inclusivity, resilience and adaptability, and teamwork. Personal statement and work experience are NOT considered in interview selection.

Sheffield: SJT used post-interview as a virtual MMI station rather than in shortlisting. Sheffield prioritises balanced performance - applicants achieving 3/5 or more in every section are favoured over those who peak in some and dip in others.

Which is right for you?

For applicants with predicted A-Level grades at the lower end of the AAA-A*AA range, Sheffield is the lower-risk academic option. Both schools sit in the same England foundation-programme catchment, so post-graduation training paths overlap heavily.

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. Peninsula (Plymouth) guidance: Not published in advance. Peninsula states the threshold alters each year with the number and quality of applications, and that it cannot confirm the cut-off until all applications have been received and assessed.. Sheffield guidance: 1800+ /2700 is the published minimum for 2027 entry; the actual cut-off runs well above it (2120 for 2026 entry) because applicants above the minimum are then ranked by UCAT..

Peninsula (Plymouth) uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). Sheffield 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: Not available (Peninsula (Plymouth)); November - February (Sheffield).

Peninsula (Plymouth) requires A*AA or AAA including Biology and a second science from Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics or Psychology. Sheffield requires AAA including Chemistry or Biology, plus one of Biology / Chemistry / Mathematics / Physics / Psychology. Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school. Resit policies differ: Peninsula (Plymouth) — Resits accepted.. Sheffield — Resits accepted: only subjects that don't meet requirements may be re-sat, only one resit, all in same sitting..

Peninsula (Plymouth) — Seven GCSEs at grade 4/C or above, including English Language, Mathematics and two science subjects (or Dual Award). Used only as minimum threshold - wholly UCAT-based shortlisting once academic minimums met. Personal statement and work experience explicitly NOT considered. Sheffield — Minimum five GCSEs at grade 7/A, plus grade 6/B or above in Mathematics, English Language and at least one science subject. Used as a minimum threshold only - once met, shortlisting is by UCAT rank.

Peninsula (Plymouth)'s selection methodology: UCAT + academic + Multiple Mini Interview. Strong South-West focus with rural/community placement strand. Sheffield's selection methodology: Three consecutive stages. Stage 1 checks that you meet BOTH the academic and the UCAT threshold - miss either and the application ends there. Stage 2 ranks everyone who cleared both by UCAT score, with Home/EU and Overseas ranked in separate pools, and only the highest scorers go through. Stage 3 is the MMI. Sheffield typically interviews around 1,150 Home/EU and 150 Overseas applicants, and warns that clearing the minimum threshold is not an assurance of an interview. Access Sheffield (Medicine) participants and Sheffield biosciences students are exempt from the UCAT ranking and progress straight to interview once they meet both thresholds. 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.

Peninsula (Plymouth): All Applicants: 434/761 = 57% (2025). Sheffield: All Students (2024): 722/1029 = 70%; International: 55/104 = 53%. 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%.

Peninsula (Plymouth) runs a PBL curriculum. Sheffield runs a PBL curriculum. Both schools deliver teaching in the same broad style, so day-to-day study habits will feel similar. Peninsula (Plymouth) specifics: Five-year MBBS with PBL and case-based learning. Distinctive rural/coastal placement strand across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset. Sheffield specifics: Five-year MBChB with problem-based learning core. Clinical placements across Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Yorkshire region.

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

Peninsula (Plymouth)Entry requirements, interview format and key dates in full

SheffieldEntry 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.

Peninsula (Plymouth) vs Sheffield

Side-by-side comparison

Peninsula (Plymouth) vs Sheffield - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Interview formats

Curriculum and teaching style

Post-interview offer rate

What makes each distinctive

Which is right for you?

Common questions

What UCAT score do I need for Peninsula (Plymouth) vs Sheffield?

How do interviews differ between Peninsula (Plymouth) and Sheffield?

What A-Level grades do Peninsula (Plymouth) and Sheffield require?

How are GCSEs weighted at Peninsula (Plymouth) vs Sheffield?

How does each school actually shortlist applicants?

Which has a higher post-interview offer rate, Peninsula (Plymouth) or Sheffield?

Where are Peninsula (Plymouth) and Sheffield located, and how does that affect cost?

When does each school release decisions?

What curriculum style do Peninsula (Plymouth) and Sheffield use?

Should I apply to both Peninsula (Plymouth) and Sheffield?

Where to go next

Other medical school comparisons