Medical school comparison

UCL vs University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)

UCL and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) are both UK medical schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. UCL is based in 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 (A*AA vs AAB) place them in slightly different academic-strictness tiers. UCL is the older institution (founded 1826); the other (founded 2014) has shaped its medical school around modern integrated-curriculum thinking.

Side-by-side comparison

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UCL

London

University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)

Preston

Location

London, UK

Preston, UK

A-Level offer

A*AA at A-level (offer and prediction) with the A* in Chemistry or Biology

AAB at A-level including Biology and Chemistry (home applicants)

TrueScore

2120

UCAT home cut-off

~2100+ /2700 (2025 entry cut-off ≈ 2100, first UCAT cycle replacing BMAT)

UCAT used for home applicant shortlisting; no published cut-off

Interview format

MMI (Home), Traditional (International)

Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)

Post-interview chance

Home Fee Status (2024): 562/1032 = 54%; Contextual (2025): 58%; International (2023): 55/131 = 42%

Decision date

Decisions are made after all the Interviews have been completed

March - April

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UCL vs University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

UCL requires A*AA including Chemistry and Biology. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) requires AAB at A-level including Biology and Chemistry (home applicants). UCL 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 UCL 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. That said, the specifics differ slightly: UCL runs mmi (home), traditional (international); University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) runs multiple mini interviews (mmi). Mock practice tailored to each school's exact format is the highest-leverage prep. Interview windows: UCL interviews in December - March; University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in December - February.

What makes each distinctive

UCL: Cut-offs differ from Imperial - UCL's home threshold is lower while its international threshold is higher, partly because UCL holds more interviews relative to offers. SJT is only used as a tie-breaker between equally scored candidates. 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 — UCL 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 UCL 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. UCL guidance: ~2100+ /2700 (2025 entry cut-off ≈ 2100, first UCAT cycle replacing BMAT). University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) guidance: UCAT used for home applicant shortlisting; no published cut-off.

How do interviews differ between UCL and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)?+

UCL uses Multiple Mini Interviews: MMI (Home), Traditional (International). 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 (UCL); December - February (University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)).

What A-Level grades do UCL and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) require?+

UCL requires A*AA including Chemistry and Biology. 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.

How are GCSEs weighted at UCL vs University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)?+

UCL — Minimum English Language and Mathematics at grade 6. GCSE resits accepted. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) — GCSE performance considered as part of the broader academic profile; specific scoring not published.

How does each school actually shortlist applicants?+

UCL's selection methodology: Beyond minimum academic requirements, shortlisting is wholly by UCAT total score. Higher post-interview offer rate (more interviews relative to offers) than Imperial. University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)'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.

Where are UCL and University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) located, and how does that affect cost?+

UCL is in 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?+

UCL typically releases medicine decisions Decisions are made after all the Interviews have been completed. 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 UCL 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.