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Medical school comparison

St Mary's Twickenham vs University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)

St Mary's Twickenham and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) are both UK medical schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. St Mary's Twickenham is based in Twickenham, London (London) while University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) sits in Preston (England), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination. Their A-Level requirements (AAA vs AAB) place them in slightly different academic-strictness tiers.

Side-by-side comparison

St Mary's Twickenham

Twickenham, London

University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)

Preston

Location
Twickenham, London, UK
Preston, UK
A-Level offer
AAA at A-level (offer and prediction) including Chemistry or Biology and one of Biology / Chemistry / Physics / Mathematics
AAB at A-level including Biology and Chemistry (home applicants)
TrueScore
1700intl
-
UCAT home cut-off
-
UCAT used for home applicant shortlisting; no published cut-off
Interview format
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance
-
-
Decision date
March onwards
March - April
Compare different schools

St Mary's Twickenham vs University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

St Mary's Twickenham requires AAA prediction and offer requirements, must include chemistry or biology as well as one of biology/chemistry/physics/maths. Resits only considered in exceptional circumstances. GCSEs: grade 6 minimum in maths, English language, biology and chemistry (or dual award science).. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) requires AAB at A-level including Biology and Chemistry (home applicants). St Mary's Twickenham is the stricter A-Level offer; University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview.

Interview formats

Both St Mary's Twickenham and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) 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: St Mary's Twickenham interviews in December - March; University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in December - February.

What makes each distinctive

St Mary's Twickenham: For international students only and new this year - apply directly in addition to your 4 UCAS medical choices, so no harm in giving it a try. The medical school is actively seeking links with international applicants. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan): One of the first UK universities to run a privately-funded medical school open to international students; substantial international cohort blended with a smaller home intake. Strong Lancashire regional placement network.

Which is right for you?

For applicants with predicted A-Level grades at the lower end of the AAA-A*AA range, University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is the lower-risk academic option. Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — St Mary's Twickenham feeds into the London foundation programme network; University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) 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

What UCAT score do I need for St Mary's Twickenham vs University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)?+
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. St Mary's Twickenham guidance: International students only - first cohort 2026 entry. UCAT contributes to shortlisting rank. No SJT use stated.. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) guidance: UCAT used for home applicant shortlisting; no published cut-off.
How do interviews differ between St Mary's Twickenham and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)?+
St Mary's Twickenham uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) 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: December - March (St Mary's Twickenham); December - February (University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)).
What A-Level grades do St Mary's Twickenham and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) require?+
St Mary's Twickenham requires AAA prediction and offer requirements, must include chemistry or biology as well as one of biology/chemistry/physics/maths. Resits only considered in exceptional circumstances. GCSEs: grade 6 minimum in maths, English language, biology and chemistry (or dual award science).. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) requires AAB at A-level including Biology and Chemistry (home applicants). Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school.
Where are St Mary's Twickenham and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) located, and how does that affect cost?+
St Mary's Twickenham is in Twickenham, London, UK. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is in Preston, 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?+
St Mary's Twickenham typically releases medicine decisions March onwards. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) releases medicine decisions March - April. 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.
Should I apply to both St Mary's Twickenham and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)?+
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.