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

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

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

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

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

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Medical school comparison

Queen's University Belfast (QUB) vs Sheffield

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

Their A-Level requirements (A*AA vs AAA) place them in slightly different academic-strictness tiers.

Side-by-side comparison

Show only differences

Side-by-side comparison: Queen's University Belfast (QUB) and Sheffield.
Comparison field	Queen's University Belfast (QUB)Belfast	SheffieldSheffield
Quick comparison
Location	Belfast, UK	Sheffield, UK
A-Level offer	A*AA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology (or Maths/Physics - see subject rules)	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	1700	2150
UCAT home cut-off	~1700+ /2700 with 9× grade 9s GCSE (~35/45 target). Lower UCAT viable with stronger GCSE.	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	Home: 332/778 = 43%; International: 51/214 = 24%	All Students (2024): 722/1029 = 70%; International: 55/104 = 53%
Decision date	April onwards	March onwards

A-Level offer	A*AA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology (or Maths/Physics - see subject rules)	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 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	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).	Chemistry or Biology required, plus a second science
A-Level resit policy	Resits accepted only for previous Belfast applicants who held a conditional firm offer and must have achieved AAA or A*AB on first attempt	Resit accepted with achieved BBB at first sitting; otherwise apply with achieved results.
GCSE requirements	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	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	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%).	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 Chemistry and Biology (or Chemistry plus Maths/Physics)	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	~1500+ /2700 (with strong GCSE)	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	~1700+ /2700 (2023 entry lowest invited ≈ 1620)	2070+ /2700 (2026 entry)
Graduate cut-off	-	1800+ /2700 (A101, contextual only)
SJT band	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.	Band 1/2 appropriate, band 3 may consider, band 4 deprioritised
UCAT notes	NEW scoring system 2026 entry: UCAT /9 decile-based + GCSE /36 (top 9) = /45. 2025 entry cut-off was 30/45.	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.

Interview window	January - February	November - February
Interview details	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.	Standard MMI with 8 scored stations plus a 9th SJT score station. Topics for each station are released on the admissions website ahead of time, so check the current version. Each station tested indepe…

Specialities	Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy	Medicine, Dentistry, Biomedical Sciences
Established	1849	1828
Course type	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
What makes it different	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…	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.qub.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/medicine-mb-a100/	https://sheffield.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/2027/medicine-mbchb

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

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: 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

Compare different schools

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

UCAT thresholds compared

Queen's University Belfast (QUB)'s published UCAT threshold for home applicants is around 1700, while Sheffield sits at approximately 1800.

The 100-point spread is within year-on-year noise — for most applicants the two thresholds are effectively interchangeable, and other selection factors (GCSE weighting, interview score) will dominate.

Contextual / widening-participation cut-offs differ — Queen's University Belfast (QUB): ~1500+ /2700 (with strong GCSE); Sheffield: 1800+ /2700 - Access to Sheffield (Medicine) and university pathway students who clear the minimum go straight to interview.. Eligible applicants should weight this heavily when choosing.

A-Level and academic profile

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

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.

Queen's University Belfast (QUB) 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 — 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 =… 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 Queen's University Belfast (QUB) 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: Queen's University Belfast (QUB) interviews in January - February; Sheffield in November - February.

Post-interview offer rate

Queen's University Belfast (QUB): Home: 332/778 = 43%; International: 51/214 = 24%. 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

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.

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. Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — Queen's University Belfast (QUB) feeds into the Northern Ireland foundation programme network; Sheffield into the England 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

Queen's University Belfast (QUB)'s typical home cut-off is around 1700, while Sheffield sits at approximately 1800 — a 100-point spread. The spread is small enough that other factors (GCSE weighting, interview score, contextual flags) usually dominate the firm/insurance decision. Cut-offs change year on year and vary by tier — check each school's latest published threshold before submitting your UCAS form.

Queen's University Belfast (QUB) 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: January - February (Queen's University Belfast (QUB)); November - February (Sheffield).

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%). 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.

Queen's University Belfast (QUB)'s selection methodology: shortlisting weight not fully disclosed; check the official admissions page. Sheffield's selection methodology: Once GCSE minimums are met, shortlisting is solely by UCAT (1800/2700 minimum threshold for consideration - 2120+ in 2026). SJT used post-interview as a 9th 'virtual' MMI station. 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.

Queen's University Belfast (QUB): Home: 332/778 = 43%; International: 51/214 = 24%. 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%.

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

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

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