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New UK medical schools: first intakes and who can apply (2027 entry)

10 UK medical schools in our catalogue record a first intake between 2018 and 2026, and 3 more are described as new without a stated first year. The newest, Hertfordshire and St Mary's Twickenham, took their first students in 2026, open to international applicants only. 3 of these schools were recorded as taking international applicants only when last checked — a restriction that can change for 2027 entry.

New UK medical schools and their first intakes

13 UK medical schools whose records state a first intake from 2018 or describe them as new, newest first, with course length, intake and fee-status restriction for 2027 entry.
SchoolFirst intakeCourseWho can applyIntakeWhat the record saysLast checked
HertfordshireHatfield20265 yearsInternational onlyHome places are expected from 2027 entry, subject to government approval — verify before spending a UCAS choice.~50-100 places per year (newer cohort).New five-year MBBS at the University of Hertfordshire, first cohort September 2026, delivered with support from City St George's, University of London and open initially to international applicants only.Checked 14 Aug 2026
St Mary's TwickenhamTwickenham, London20265 yearsInternational onlyHome applicants are withdrawn under current policy; the school expects to open to home students in a future cycle but has given no date.Not publishedNew international-only MBBS at St Mary's University Twickenham, first cohort September 2026, taken by direct application rather than through UCAS.Checked 14 Aug 2026
Chester Medical School (GEM)Chester20254 years (graduate entry)No fee-status restriction recorded~30-50 places per year (small newer cohort).Brand-new programme (2025 first cohort).Checked 14 Aug 2026
Brunel Medical SchoolUxbridge20225 yearsNo fee-status restriction recorded~95 places per year (small newer cohort).New programme (first cohort 2022).Checked 14 Aug 2026
Edge HillOrmskirk20205 yearsNo fee-status restriction recorded63 places per year, up from 50 in 2024 and 30 in 2023.Newer programme (first cohort 2020).Checked 14 Aug 2026
North Wales (Bangor)Bangor20205 yearsNo fee-status restriction recorded~30 places per year (small cohort, designed for local retention).New medical school (first cohort 2020)Checked 14 Aug 2026
Lincoln Medical SchoolLincoln20195 yearsNo fee-status restriction recorded~80 places per year (small cohort, focused on Lincolnshire placements).New programme (first cohort 2019).Checked 14 Aug 2026
SunderlandSunderland20195 yearsNo fee-status restriction recorded~100 places per year (smaller cohort).Newer programme (intake from 2019)Checked 14 Aug 2026
Anglia Ruskin (ARU)Chelmsford20185 yearsNo fee-status restriction recorded~100 home places per year (predominantly UK applicants).Newer programme (first cohort 2018).Checked 14 Aug 2026
Aston UniversityBirmingham20185 yearsNo fee-status restriction recorded~110 places per year.Newer programme (first cohort 2018).Checked 14 Aug 2026
Kent and Medway (KMMS)Canterbury/MedwayNot published5 yearsNo fee-status restriction recorded~125 home + ~25 international places per year.New medical school partnership between Kent and Medway.Checked 14 Aug 2026
Ulster University Medical SchoolLondonderryNot published4 years (graduate entry)No fee-status restriction recorded~70 places per year (small cohort, NI-focused).New medical school serving Northern Ireland.Checked 14 Aug 2026
University of Greater ManchesterBoltonNot published5 yearsInternational onlyNo DHSC/NHS England home allocation yet — the school says it will post an update on its website if that changes.Not published by the school.New medical school at the University of Greater Manchester (formerly the University of Bolton), based at the Royal Bolton Hospital and recruiting international students for 2026-27 entry.Checked (date not recorded)

How to read this table

  • Which schools are listed. A school appears only where its own record states a first intake from 2015 onwards (“first cohort 2019”) or describes it as a new medical school. The sentence that qualified it is quoted in the last column. The founding year of the parent university is not used.
  • First intake is shown exactly as the record states it; “Not published” means the record calls the school new without giving the year.
  • Who can apply reflects the fee-status restriction recorded for the school. New schools often open to international applicants first while awaiting government-funded home places, and these restrictions change between cycles.
  • Not published means the school’s record in our catalogue holds no figure or statement for that cell. We leave the gap visible rather than estimate it; check the school’s own admissions page.
  • Last checked reports what our verification ledger records for that school: the date its record was checked against the school’s own page, a partial check, or that no check has been completed. Policies change between cycles, so the school’s own page is always the final word.

Frequently asked questions

What are the newest medical schools in the UK?
Hertfordshire and St Mary's Twickenham (first intake 2026), then Chester Medical School (GEM) (2025), Brunel Medical School (2022), Edge Hill (2020) and North Wales (Bangor) (2020). The table lists all 13.
Can UK students apply to the new medical schools?
At most of them, yes. 3 were recorded as taking international applicants only: Hertfordshire, St Mary's Twickenham and University of Greater Manchester. Hertfordshire: Home places are expected from 2027 entry, subject to government approval — verify before spending a UCAS choice. St Mary's Twickenham: Home applicants are withdrawn under current policy; the school expects to open to home students in a future cycle but has given no date. University of Greater Manchester: No DHSC/NHS England home allocation yet — the school says it will post an update on its website if that changes.
Are any of the new medical schools graduate entry?
Yes: Chester Medical School (GEM) and Ulster University Medical School run four-year graduate-entry courses.
Are new medical schools easier to get into?
Not reliably. A first cohort has no historic UCAT threshold to compare against, and small intakes can make competition per place high. Compare each school's requirements and predicted cut-off before applying.