Medical Schools in Scotland
2027 Entry · 5 schools
Scotland has five undergraduate medical schools — Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews — plus a graduate-entry route at Aberdeen. The selection algorithms in Scotland are distinctive: SAAS funding for Scottish-domiciled applicants creates a separate quota with markedly lower UCAT thresholds than the Rest-of-UK (RUK) cohort, and most Scottish schools weight UCAT more heavily than English schools at shortlisting.
Studying medicine in Scotland
Scottish medical degrees are publicly funded for Scottish-domiciled applicants through SAAS — tuition is effectively free. Rest-of-UK applicants pay £9,250/year for years 1-4 (year 5 is funded for everyone). International applicants pay overseas fees, typically £37,000-£62,000/year. Quotas are distinct: each Scottish school has separate Scottish, RUK and International thresholds, and competitive UCAT scores differ by 200-400 points between tiers. Most Scottish schools also use the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) for contextual offers — postcode-based widening-participation reductions of 100-200 UCAT points.
Fees + funding
Scottish-domiciled (SAAS): tuition free. Rest-of-UK: £9,250/year for years 1-4, year 5 funded by NHS bursary. International: £37,000-£62,000/year (varies by school).
Medical schools in Scotland
5 medical schools in Scotland for 2027 Entry. Click any school for the full how-to-get-in guide including UCAT cut-offs, NGMP TrueScore prediction, and Scotland-specific entry advice.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh · Established 1583
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
TrueScore1700+scottishGlasgow
Glasgow · Established 1451
MMI Format for Dentistry, Panel Interview for Medicine
TrueScore1850+scottishDundee
Dundee · Established 1967
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
TrueScore1700+scottishAberdeen
Aberdeen · Established 1495
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
TrueScore1700+scottishSt Andrews
St Andrews · Established 1413
Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
TrueScore1850+scottish
Frequently asked questions
- How many medical schools are there in Scotland?
- Five undergraduate (A100) routes: University of Aberdeen, University of Dundee, University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, and University of St Andrews. Aberdeen also offers a four-year graduate-entry route.
- Is medicine free in Scotland?
- For Scottish-domiciled applicants funded by SAAS, yes — tuition is free for the whole degree. Rest-of-UK applicants pay £9,250/year for years 1-4 and the NHS bursary covers year 5. International applicants pay overseas fees of £37,000-£62,000/year.
- What UCAT score do I need for medicine in Scotland?
- Thresholds vary widely by school AND by tier. As a rough guide for 2027 entry: Scottish-domiciled cut-offs are typically 1750-1900 (Glasgow ~1850), Rest-of-UK applicants need 1900-2050, and International applicants face 2000-2200. See each school's page for the NGMP TrueScore prediction.
- Are Rest-of-UK applicants disadvantaged at Scottish medical schools?
- Quotas are smaller for RUK candidates and the UCAT bar is materially higher — Glasgow accepted ~73 of 130 RUK applicants for interview in 2025, vs ~647 of 825 Scottish applicants. The competition ratio is real, but a strong UCAT (2050+) can offset the quota gap.
- Do Scottish medical schools weight personal statements?
- Mostly no. Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee do not score the personal statement at shortlisting (it may be discussed at interview). Aberdeen reviews it for fit. St Andrews uses it as a tiebreaker. Focus your prep on UCAT, GCSE attainment, and interview performance.
- What is the SIMD contextual policy?
- The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation flags postcodes in the most-deprived 20-40% of Scotland. Glasgow, Dundee and Edinburgh use SIMD to identify widening-participation applicants who get reduced UCAT thresholds (typically 100-200 points lower) and reserved interview slots.
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