Newcastle medicine interview and scoring guide
Newcastle publishes its points system in full. Home applicants are ranked for interview on an "academic screen" score built from achieved grades and UCAT, and the final ranking weights that score equally with the interview, which itself includes your UCAT SJT band as one station. Selectors never see your personal statement. This guide covers each table, the MMI and the offer formula.
Facts checked against Newcastle's official pages on .
Independent service: Key2MD is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Newcastle University. 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 Newcastle's official pages.
Read facts and coaching advice separately. Facts on this page are taken from Newcastle'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 Newcastle takes precedence over anything here.
On this page
Published selection and interview guidance
-
Academic screen
Minimum requirements, then points for achieved results and UCAT.
- Applicants who do not meet the minimum predicted or achieved requirements are rejected.
- Home A100 applicants receive academic points for their most recent achieved grades (for school leavers, normally GCSEs) plus UCAT points. Standard and contextual applicants are ranked in separate streams.
- International and A101 applicants are ranked on UCAT total alone.
- SJT Band 4 is not considered. There is no pre-set threshold: applicants are ranked and the top scorers invited.
-
Interview
December to February. MMI on campus for home applicants.
- International applicants are interviewed by a panel of two, on campus or remotely. Both formats ask a comparable set of questions.
- Selectors do not see your personal statement or reference before or during the interview.
- Your SJT band is added to the interview score with the weight of one MMI station: Band 1 = 5, Band 2 = 3, Band 3 = 1.
-
Offers
Academic screen 50%, interview 50%.
- Applicants are ranked on the combined score and offers made to the highest. Typical offer AAA (ABB for contextual or supported entry routes).
- Pathway covered
- Five-year MBBS (A100), home and international; accelerated A101 noted separately
- Entry cycle / source status
- 2027 entry (School of Medicine MBBS Admissions Policy 2027)
- Published format
- Home applicants: Multiple Mini Interview on campus. International applicants: panel of two interviewers, on campus or remotely
- Academic screen (home A100)
- Achieved academic results (GCSE, A-level or degree points) plus UCAT points; standard and contextual applicants ranked separately
- Final ranking
- Academic screen 50%, interview score 50%; the SJT band counts as one interview station
Official sources: Newcastle University: MBBS Admissions Policy, 2027 entry; Newcastle University: apply to Medicine.
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 points tables
GCSEs: best eight achieved grades (up to 40)
| Grade | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 5 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
A-levels: best three achieved grades (up to 40)
| Grade | A* | A | B |
|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 16 | 12 | 8 |
Degrees: a first scores 40 and a 2:1 scores 36. Master's and PhDs are not scored.
UCAT total (up to 60)
| UCAT total | Points |
|---|---|
| 2400 and above | 60 |
| 2300 | 50 |
| 2200 | 40 |
| 2100 | 30 |
| 2000 | 20 |
| 1900 | 10 |
| 1810 and below | 1 |
Each 10 UCAT points is worth one point between 1820 and 2400 (for example 2190 scores 39 and 1970 scores 17).
UCAT carries up to 60 points against 40 for GCSEs. Moving from a 6 to a 7 in one GCSE is worth 2 points, the same as 20 UCAT points.
The MMI
Newcastle's 2026 interview guide described the home format as follows. Check your invitation for 2027 details.
| Structure | Seven stations of seven minutes, with two minutes between them for movement and preparation. About 65 minutes in total. |
|---|---|
| Warm-up | The first question is "why do you want to be a doctor?", with two minutes to answer. It is not marked. |
| Question style | Open questions such as "Can you tell me about a time when you...?", followed by probing questions about your thoughts and what you learned. Some stations involve scenarios with an actor. |
| Selectors | NHS doctors, university staff, researchers, intercalating medical students and lay people, each scoring their own station. |
| International panel | About 25 minutes with two selectors on Microsoft Teams, assessing the same competencies. |
Interview criteria
- Communication, empathy and self-awareness
- Compatibility with the Newcastle MBBS programme
- Motivation and commitment to be a doctor
- Team working, including leadership
- Personal organisation
- Persistence and resilience
- Integrity
Published by Newcastle
- All points tables
- SJT scoring at interview
- The 50:50 final weighting
- Interview criteria and format
Not published
- The academic screen score needed for interview this cycle
- How each station is scored
- The final score needed for an offer
Entry requirements
| A-levels | Typical offer AAA, including Biology or Chemistry plus one of Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics or Physics. Science practicals must be passed. Contextual and supported entry: ABB. |
|---|---|
| Graduates | A first or 2:1 Honours degree. Graduates whose degree is more than five years old must show continued education, such as postgraduate study. |
| Access to HE | For applicants out of formal education for at least three years, with Distinctions in all graded credits (lower requirements through PARTNERS or contextual routes). |
| UCAT | A current score from the year of application. SJT Band 4 is not considered. UCAT ANZ is accepted from international applicants. |
Dan's preparation advice for Newcastle
The following is independent coaching advice, not Newcastle's rubric.
- Know the Newcastle MBBS. "Compatibility with the programme" is a scored criterion. Learn its structure, teaching methods and ethos.
- Prepare "tell me about a time" stories. Newcastle's questions start from your experiences and then probe. Have a story for each criterion, including organisation and resilience.
- Use the warm-up to settle. The first question is unmarked, so use it to find your pace.
- Remember half your final score is already set. The academic screen counts for 50%, so the interview needs to be strong across every station.
Fees and funding
| Home students | The government maximum tuition fee in England is £10,050 for 2027/28 (for universities with a TEF award and access plan). Check Newcastle's course page for its fee. |
|---|
Frequently asked questions
How does Newcastle score medicine applications?
Home A100 applicants get points for achieved results (up to 40 for the best eight GCSEs) plus up to 60 for UCAT. This academic screen score is used to rank applicants for interview.
What UCAT do I need for Newcastle?
There is no fixed threshold. UCAT points range from 1 (1810 or below) to 60 (2400 or above), and SJT Band 4 is not considered.
How are Newcastle medicine offers decided?
On a 50:50 combination of the academic screen score and the interview score. The SJT band counts as one interview station.
What is the Newcastle medicine interview like?
For home applicants, an MMI on campus. The 2026 guide described seven 7-minute stations with an unmarked warm-up question. International applicants have a 25-minute panel interview.
Do Newcastle interviewers see my personal statement?
No. Selectors do not see your personal statement or reference before or during the interview.
What A-levels does Newcastle need for medicine?
Typically AAA including Biology or Chemistry and another science or Maths. ABB for contextual and supported entry.
How Key2MD fits
Key2MD is independent practice for the skills an interview rewards, not a copy of Newcastle's interview.
- 255 MMI stations and 100 CASPer scenarios across ethics, teamwork, communication, professionalism and current health topics.
- "Tell me about a time" practice for Newcastle's experience-led questions.
- Timed MMI stations close to Newcastle's seven-minute format.
- 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 .
- Newcastle University: MBBS Admissions Policy, 2027 entry: points tables, academic screen, interview, SJT, offers
- Newcastle University: interview information for Medicine applicants (2026): MMI structure and criteria
- Newcastle University: Medicine and Surgery MBBS: course and requirements
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