Leeds medicine interview and selection guide
Leeds shortlists by combining an academic score with your UCAT score, so a strong academic record can offset a lower UCAT and the other way round. Once you are interviewed, the offer depends entirely on the MMI: grades and UCAT no longer count. The interview is an eight-station circuit on campus, with reading time before each station. This guide covers both stages and the requirements.
Facts checked against Leeds' official pages on .
Independent service: Key2MD is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the University of Leeds. 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 Leeds' official pages.
Read facts and coaching advice separately. Facts on this page are taken from Leeds' 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 Leeds takes precedence over anything here.
On this page
Published selection and interview guidance
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Shortlisting
Academic score plus UCAT, combined into one total.
- The academic score uses achieved and predicted grades, with eight GCSEs scored. Applicants who only meet the GCSE minimum are unlikely to be shortlisted.
- A high academic score can compensate for a lower UCAT, and vice versa. There is no pre-set UCAT cut-off.
- The EPQ and Level 3 Core Maths are not scored. A fourth A-level gives no advantage.
- Mitigating circumstances must be in your personal statement and reference when you apply.
-
The MMI
Eight stations, face to face. For 2026 entry, 5 to 7 January 2026.
- Overseas applicants interview online.
- You sign a non-disclosure agreement before the interview. Sharing station content is treated as a breach of professionalism.
-
Offers
Entirely on interview performance.
- Predicted or achieved grades and UCAT scores play no part in the offer decision.
- Leeds usually runs a waitlist for those who narrowly missed an offer, contacted after the UCAS decision deadline in June.
- If you apply to more than one School of Medicine vocational course, you are considered for one only. Showing motivation for a different vocational course (such as nursing or dentistry) leads to rejection.
- Pathway covered
- Five-year MBChB Medicine and Surgery (A100); Gateway Year to Medicine noted separately
- Entry cycle / source status
- 2027 entry
- Published format
- Multiple Mini Interview: eight stations, each with 2 minutes of reading outside and 6 minutes inside with one interviewer; face to face on campus (online for overseas applicants)
- Shortlisting
- Academic score (achieved and predicted grades, eight GCSEs scored) combined with UCAT into a total score; no pre-set cut-off
- Offers
- Entirely on interview performance, not grades or UCAT
Official sources: University of Leeds: preparing for your MMI; University of Leeds: Medicine and Surgery MBChB.
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.
The MMI format
| Stations | Eight, each designed to assess specific attributes, for both Medicine and Gateway to Medicine. |
|---|---|
| Timing | 2 minutes outside each station to read and make brief notes, then 6 minutes inside with one interviewer. |
| Instructions | The station outline and questions are available to read outside and inside the station, the interviewer reads them out, and you can ask for questions to be rephrased. |
| What is assessed | Your values and attributes, marked against standardised scoring scales. Examples include communication skills, ethical reasoning and problem solving. No clinical or scientific knowledge is tested. |
| On the day | At The Edge on campus. Bring a valid passport or driving licence (photos of documents are not accepted). Pens, paper and clipboards are provided. A wheelchair-accessible circuit is available. |
| Illness | By checking in, you declare yourself fit to interview. No extra marks are given for circumstances on the day; use the absence form instead. |
Leeds suggests preparing by knowing your personal statement, researching what makes a good healthcare professional using Medical Schools Council resources, following health and social care news, and learning basic healthcare ethics.
Published by Leeds
- Station number and timings
- Example attributes assessed
- That offers rest only on the interview
- How shortlisting combines academics and UCAT
Not published in text
- The academic scoring scale
- The UCAT shortlisting guide figures (shown as an image on Leeds' UCAT page)
- 2027 interview dates (2026 entry ran 5 to 7 January)
Entry requirements
| A-levels | AAA including Chemistry and Biology. An A* cannot compensate for a lower grade elsewhere (A*A*B is not accepted). |
|---|---|
| GCSE | At least six at grade 6 or above, including Maths, English Language, and Biology and Chemistry or double science. Eight GCSEs are scored. All must be achieved by the time you apply. |
| IB | 36 points with 6 in three Higher Level subjects including Chemistry and Biology. |
| Scottish | AAAAB at Higher and AA at Advanced Higher in Chemistry and Biology. |
| Resits | From 2026 entry, one resit per A-level and per GCSE is accepted without mitigating circumstances. |
| Graduates | A 2:1 in any discipline awarded within the last three years, plus ABB at A-level including Chemistry and Biology (one at A), and six GCSEs at grade 5 or above. |
| Recent study | Evidence of full-time education in the last five years. |
| UCAT | Required in the year of application. BMAT and GAMSAT are not accepted. |
Access to Leeds and the Gateway Year
| Access to Leeds | A contextual admissions scheme for applicants from low-income households, the first generation to go to university, or with disrupted studies. Submit the Access to Leeds application at the same time as your UCAS application. Typical offer includes six GCSEs at grade 4 and IB 34 with HL 555 including Chemistry and Biology. |
|---|---|
| Gateway Year to Medicine | A foundation year (MBChB Year 0) for students from widening participation backgrounds, assessed through the same eight-station MMI. |
| Interview bursary | Up to £100 towards travel and accommodation for widening participation students attending interview. |
Dan's preparation advice for Leeds
The following is independent coaching advice, not Leeds' rubric.
- Use the 2 minutes and the notes. Leeds gives you paper. Jot two or three points and a first sentence before you enter each station.
- Ask for a rephrase if you need it. Leeds explicitly allows it. Clarifying a question is better than answering the wrong one.
- Learn basic ethics vocabulary. Leeds names ethical reasoning and suggests learning key healthcare ethics concepts. Know consent, confidentiality, capacity and fairness well enough to apply them.
- Commit to medicine in your application. Leeds rejects applicants who show motivation for a different vocational course.
Fees and funding
| UK students | £10,050 a year for students starting in 2027/28. |
|---|---|
| International students | £50,500 a year (2027/28). |
| Other costs Leeds lists | UCAT (£70, with a full widening participation bursary available), DBS checks, a stethoscope (free to eligible students through the Stethoscopes for Students scheme) and interview travel. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Leeds medicine interview like?
An eight-station MMI on campus. At each station you have 2 minutes to read and make notes outside, then 6 minutes with one interviewer. Overseas applicants interview online.
How does Leeds decide medicine offers?
Entirely on interview performance. Predicted or achieved grades and UCAT scores are not used at the offer stage.
How does Leeds shortlist for interview?
It combines an academic score (achieved and predicted grades, with eight GCSEs scored) with UCAT into a total score. A strong academic score can offset a lower UCAT and vice versa.
Does Leeds have a UCAT cut-off?
There is no pre-set cut-off. The threshold varies each year with the scores achieved.
What A-levels do I need for Leeds medicine?
AAA including Chemistry and Biology. A* grades cannot make up for a B.
When are Leeds medicine interviews?
In January. For 2026 entry, face-to-face interviews ran on 5, 6 and 7 January 2026. Check your invitation for 2027 dates.
What are Leeds medicine fees for 2027?
£10,050 a year for UK students and £50,500 for international students.
How Key2MD fits
Key2MD is independent practice for the skills an interview rewards, not a copy of Leeds' interview.
- 255 MMI stations and 100 CASPer scenarios across ethics, teamwork, communication, professionalism and current health topics.
- Timed stations with reading time matching Leeds' 2 plus 6 minute format.
- Ethics and problem-solving stations for the attributes Leeds names.
- 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 Leeds: preparing for your MMI: stations, timing, attributes, preparation
- University of Leeds: MMI FAQs: venue, ID, absence, accessibility
- University of Leeds: understanding UCAT: how UCAT is combined with academic score
- University of Leeds: Medicine and Surgery MBChB (2027): entry requirements, fees, Access to Leeds
- University of Leeds: Medicine and Surgery MBChB (2026 entry): 2026 interview dates, offers
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