Admissions
Admissions: UCAS, the UCAT, interviews and how to apply to UK Medicine
The UK medicine admissions process for an applicant in Nigeria, in order: the UCAT in summer, UCAS by mid-October, interviews from December, offers, then deposit, CAS and visa.
For 2027 entry Last reviewed:
UCAS deadlines and timeline
Every date for 2027 entry and how to plan 2028.
UCAT for Nigerian students
Dates, structure, fees, test centres in Nigeria, which schools require it.
How to apply
UCAS as an individual, the four-choice rule, personal statement, references, direct-application schools.
- UCAT testing window (2027 entry)
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Being verified against the official source.
- UCAS medicine deadline (2027 entry)
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Being verified against the official source.
- Choices
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Being verified against the official source.
The process in order
- Choose the route first. If you are applying from Nigeria, the guide for Nigerian applicants sets out which routes are open on WAEC, NECO, A-levels or a degree. Standard entry (A100), graduate entry or a foundation or gateway year depends on your qualifications; read what schools require before anything else.
- Register for the admissions test in time. Most UK medical schools use the UCAT, sat in the summer before you apply, with registration closing weeks earlier. Missing the window closes those schools for the cycle.
- Shortlist schools that admit international applicants. Use the directory: international eligibility, test, fee and application route are listed per school with the source.
- Apply through UCAS by the medicine deadline (mid-October in the year before entry) with up to four medicine choices, a personal statement and a reference. A few schools take direct applications instead.
- Interviews run from December to March, often online for applicants abroad.
- Offer, deposit, CAS and visa. Offers arrive from January to May; after accepting, international students pay a deposit, receive the Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies and apply for the Student visa with the maintenance evidence the Home Office requires. The total cost page lists each of these amounts with its source.
What applicants from Nigeria most often miss
- English evidence: where a school accepts WAEC English and where it asks for IELTS, and by when (English requirements).
- Test centres and dates for the UCAT in Nigeria are limited; book as soon as registration opens.
- The four-choice rule for medicine: the fifth UCAS choice must be a different course.
- Short answers to the questions applicants ask most are on the questions page.
- Each dated fact on this site carries a last-verified chip; the 2027 timeline is the page to re-check before each deadline.
Where are you today? The next step for each position
The cycle is unforgiving but predictable. Find your row; the right-hand column is the one thing to do next.
| Your position | What it means | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Still choosing a route (WAEC/NECO, A-levels, degree) | Nothing in the calendar binds you yet; the route decides which test and which schools | Requirements hub: which route is yours |
| Route chosen, UCAT not yet registered, applying next cycle | Registration opens in May and booking in June; Nigerian slots go within days | UCAT: dates and booking from Nigeria |
| UCAT sat this summer, UCAS not yet submitted | You have until the mid-October medicine deadline; four medicine choices, a reference and the three-question statement | How to apply, step by step |
| No UCAT result and the deadline has passed | UCAT-requiring schools are closed for this cycle; direct-application schools and next year remain | Direct-application schools · Plan the next cycle |
| Submitted, waiting | Interviews December to March, mostly online for applicants abroad; offers by May | Each school's published interview format |
| Offer received | Conditions, deposit, CAS, then the Student visa with maintenance evidence and a TB test | Total cost and the visa sequence |
Interviews
Most schools interview between December and March, increasingly by multiple mini-interview (MMI) and often online for international applicants. We record each school's published format in the directory. We do not publish interview "cut-offs" we cannot source.
Questions about admissions
How do I study Medicine in the UK, step by step?
Get the right qualifications (A-levels/IB or an approved foundation), sit the UCAT in the summer before entry, apply through UCAS by 15 October with up to four medicine choices, interview between December and March, meet offer conditions, then pay the deposit, receive your CAS and apply for the Student visa. Our timeline page has the dates.
What UCAT score do I need?
Since 2025 the cognitive total is out of 2700 (three sections) plus a Situational Judgement band. Thresholds vary by school and year; many schools rank international applicants separately. We do not publish cut-offs we cannot source.
Can I get medical work experience in Nigeria that UK schools accept?
Yes. Medical schools value what you learned about care and about yourself, not the setting. Hospital, clinic, pharmacy, care-home, community and caring-for-family experience all count if you can reflect on it.
Ready to begin your application?