Aberdeen medicine interview and selection guide
Aberdeen scores every medicine application on academic attainment and UCAT, interviews those who rank highly, and then lets the interview count for half of the final decision. Its interview is a modified Multiple Mini Interview with two selectors at each station and no reading time. This guide covers how the scoring works, what each station assesses, Aberdeen's published admissions data and its entry requirements.
Facts checked against Aberdeen's official pages on .
Independent service: Key2MD is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the University of Aberdeen. Everything below is general guidance drawn from publicly available information, may change between cycles, and is not official advice. Always confirm current requirements, fees and program details on Aberdeen's official pages.
Read facts and coaching advice separately. Facts on this page are taken from Aberdeen's published pages and linked in the sources list. Preparation advice is Dan's independent guidance. This page does not reproduce confidential interview questions, and your invitation from Aberdeen takes precedence over anything here.
On this page
Published selection and interview guidance
Aberdeen ranks each application against all the others received that year. Those who score well enough are interviewed, and the interview then makes up half of the final assessment.
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Application scoring
Academic attainment or predictions 30%, UCAT 20%.
- Academic score is based on achieved and predicted grades. For A-levels it uses predicted or achieved A2 grades.
- Aberdeen does not use a minimum UCAT cut-off. Your UCAT total (Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning) is scored relative to everyone who applied to Aberdeen that year.
- Widening access applicants receive adjusted grade requirements and UCAT uplifts (see below).
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The interview
Modified MMI, December to March. In person in Aberdeen.
- You rotate around stations. At each one, two selectors explore one domain for five minutes and score you against set criteria. Communication and interpersonal skills are scored separately at every station.
- The whole MMI takes about an hour. There is no reading at the stations.
- For 2026 entry, MBChB interviews ran from 15 to 19 December 2025 at the Suttie Centre, Foresterhill. Aberdeen says there are no extra dates beyond those published, and missed invitation emails do not earn a new slot.
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Offers
Interview 50%, added to the 30% academic and 20% UCAT scores.
- Invitations come by email to the address on your UCAS form, with a link to book a slot. Check your spam folder.
- Reasonable adjustments must be requested through the form in your confirmation email at least five days before the interview.
- Pathway covered
- Standard entry MBChB (A100), including school leavers, graduates and international applicants; Gateway2Medicine noted separately
- Entry cycle / source status
- 2027 entry; interview dates on the official page were still those for 2026 entry when checked
- Published format
- Modified Multiple Mini Interview, in person at the Suttie Centre, Foresterhill: five-minute stations with two selectors, about an hour in total
- Pre-interview ranking
- Academic attainment or predictions (30%) and UCAT (20%), scored against all applicants that year
- Final ranking
- Adds interview performance (50%)
Official sources: University of Aberdeen: medicine interview; University of Aberdeen: admissions data.
Selection facts checked: . This check covers the pathway and interview summary above. Fees, eligibility exceptions and course details must be checked separately. Your university invitation takes precedence for your assessment.
What the stations assess
Aberdeen publishes the domains in advance because there is no reading time. For the MBChB they are:
| Motivation to study medicine | Why medicine, and what you understand about the course, postgraduate training and the realities of a medical career. |
|---|---|
| Core qualities | The personal qualities a doctor needs, shown through your own experiences. |
| Critical thinking and problem solving | Working through an unfamiliar situation, weighing advantages and disadvantages, and reaching a reasoned view. |
| Teamwork | Aberdeen's published example asks two teamwork questions within a five-minute station. |
| Professionalism | Ethical and professional judgement. |
Aberdeen scores how coherently you express ideas, how you use what you know to tackle the unknown, whether you can follow and build a reasoned argument, how prepared you are, whether you can discuss different sides of a problem, and the motivation, commitment, reflection and sensitivity you show. It says the interview does not test academic knowledge, and that every candidate is assessed on the same domains though not always with identical questions.
Published by Aberdeen
- The station domains for each course
- Five minutes per station, two selectors, about an hour in total
- The scoring areas
- The 30:20:50 weighting
- Admissions statistics by applicant group
Not published
- The questions themselves
- How many stations the MBChB circuit has (Aberdeen links to its interview-day page for this)
- The interview score needed for an offer
Aberdeen admissions data, 2026 entry
| Applicant group | Applications | Interviews | Offers | Lowest UCAT interviewed | Average UCAT interviewed | Entrants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish | 955 | 839 | 643 | 1700 | 1960 | 228 |
| Rest of UK | 222 | 164 | 133 | 1720 | 1990 | 45 |
| International | 455 | 149 | 90 | 1730 | 2010 | 35 |
Aberdeen had 268 places for Scottish and rest-of-UK students and 30 for international students. Offer-holders' average UCAT was 1990 (Scottish), 2000 (rest of UK) and 2120 (international). Most home applicants were interviewed: the selection pressure falls on the interview itself.
For context, the 2026 UCAT national mean was 1918 across 42,359 tests, and the 9th decile was 2250.
Entry requirements
| Scottish Highers | AAAAB in S5, including Chemistry (at least B) and two of Biology or Human Biology, Maths and Physics. In S6, three full subjects with at least two at Advanced Higher; a typical offer is BBB. |
|---|---|
| A-levels | AAA at one sitting, including Chemistry and one of Biology, Maths or Physics. General Studies and Global Perspectives are not accepted. |
| IB | 36 points (excluding core) with HL 666 including Chemistry and one of Maths, Biology or Physics, and SL subjects averaging 6. |
| GCSE | English and Maths at grade 5 or above, with a mix of grades 6 to 9 expected, especially in sciences. |
| UCAT | Required, in the year you apply. No minimum score. |
| Graduates | At least a 2:1 Honours degree (or in the final year of one), obtained at first sitting within the last six years, plus Chemistry at Higher or A-level grade B. Graduates enter Year 1 of the five-year course with no exemptions. |
| Deadline | Supporting documents sent directly to Aberdeen are only considered if received by the UCAS deadline (15 October 2026 for 2027 entry). |
Widening access and Gateway2Medicine
| Reduced requirements | Highers AAAB in S5 (including Chemistry and two of Biology, Physics or Maths); A-levels AAB (including Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics or Maths). |
|---|---|
| Guaranteed interview | Scottish-domiciled widening access applicants who meet the minimum academic requirements and have a UCAT in the top 75% of Aberdeen applicants. |
| UCAT uplift | 10% for SIMD20 and care-experienced school leavers; 5% for SIMD40 school leavers. |
| Who qualifies | SIMD20 or SIMD40 postcodes, POLAR4 quintile 1, care-experienced applicants, young carers (with evidence) and students registered with the Reach programme. |
| Gateway2Medicine | A separate pre-medical route with its own interview (7 April 2026 for the last cycle). See Aberdeen's Gateway2Medicine pages. |
Dan's preparation advice for Aberdeen
The following is independent coaching advice, not Aberdeen's rubric.
- Prepare for the five domains, not for a reading task. Aberdeen tells you the domains in advance. Build two or three real experiences you can draw on for each one, especially teamwork and core qualities.
- Expect two questions in five minutes. Aberdeen's published example packs two teamwork questions into one station. Answer each in about two minutes, with one specific example, and leave room for a follow-up.
- Show both sides. Selectors score whether you can discuss advantages and disadvantages. In problem-solving stations, name the trade-off before you give your view.
- Know the course and the career. Aberdeen lists research into the curriculum and postgraduate training as preparation for the motivation domain.
- Communication is scored at every station. A calm, structured answer at each station adds up across the circuit.
Fees and funding
| Scottish students | Tuition for eligible Scottish-domiciled students is normally funded through the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). Check your eligibility with SAAS. |
|---|---|
| Rest of UK students | Check Aberdeen's tuition fees page for the current rest-of-UK fee. |
| International students | International fees include the Scottish Government's clinical teaching levy, which was £10,000 a year for 2026 entry. The 2027 levy had not been agreed when checked. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Aberdeen medicine interview like?
A modified MMI in person at the Suttie Centre. At each station two selectors explore one domain for five minutes, and the whole circuit takes about an hour. There is no reading at the stations.
What does the Aberdeen MMI assess?
For the MBChB: motivation to study medicine, core qualities, critical thinking and problem solving, teamwork and professionalism. Communication is scored at every station.
What UCAT do I need for Aberdeen?
Aberdeen has no UCAT cut-off. For 2026 entry the lowest UCAT interviewed was 1700 for Scottish applicants, 1720 for the rest of the UK and 1730 for international applicants.
How are Aberdeen medicine offers decided?
Academic attainment counts for 30%, UCAT for 20% and the interview for 50%.
What grades do I need for Aberdeen medicine?
AAAAB in S5 Highers or AAA at A-level, including Chemistry and at least one other science or Maths. Widening access applicants can apply with AAAB or AAB.
Can graduates apply to Aberdeen medicine?
Yes, with at least a 2:1 Honours degree from the last six years and Chemistry at grade B. Graduates join Year 1 of the five-year course.
When are Aberdeen medicine interviews?
Between December and March. For 2026 entry, MBChB interviews ran from 15 to 19 December 2025. Check your invitation for 2027 dates.
How Key2MD fits
Key2MD is independent practice for the skills an interview rewards, not a copy of Aberdeen's interview.
- 255 MMI stations and 100 CASPer scenarios across ethics, teamwork, communication, professionalism and current health topics.
- Short, timed stations for Aberdeen's five-minute format.
- Teamwork, motivation and professionalism stations matching Aberdeen's published domains.
- Feedback on six criteria, including communication, reasoning and empathy, with your progress tracked over time. Your first AI-marked review is free.
Sources
Facts on this page come from the sources below, checked on .
- University of Aberdeen: medicine interview: weighting, MMI format, scoring, dates
- University of Aberdeen: coming to interview: station domains, adjustments
- University of Aberdeen: admissions data: 2026 entry statistics
- University of Aberdeen: UCAT: how UCAT is scored
- University of Aberdeen: academic requirements: Highers, A-levels, IB, GCSE
- University of Aberdeen: graduate requirements: degree and timing rules
- University of Aberdeen: widening access: 2027 entry adjustments
- University of Aberdeen: tuition fees: international clinical levy
- Student Awards Agency Scotland: tuition funding for Scottish students
- UCAT: test statistics: 2026 national mean and deciles
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