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Study Medicine UK Nigeria

Requirements hub

What do I need to study Medicine in the UK?

Ten things every UK medical school looks at. Requirements vary by school, so each section links to what individual schools publish and to the directory where you can compare them.

For 2027 entry Last reviewed:

  1. 01

    Academic qualifications

    A-levels or IB for standard entry; a degree for graduate entry. WASSCE and NECO are treated as the GCSE layer, not the entry qualification.

    A-levels and IB
  2. 02

    Subject requirements

    Chemistry and Biology (or another science) in almost every offer; some schools add Mathematics or Physics rules.

    Subject rules by school
  3. 03

    Nigerian school-leaving results

    What each school says about WAEC and NECO, and the grades they ask for in English and Mathematics.

    WAEC and NECO statements
  4. 04

    English language

    IELTS 7.0–7.5 overall is typical for Medicine; a few schools accept WAEC or NECO English for specific courses.

    English requirements
  5. 05

    Admissions tests

    The UCAT for most schools, GAMSAT for some graduate programmes, none at a small number of direct-application schools.

    UCAT from Nigeria
  6. 06

    Personal statement and application

    Three structured questions on UCAS (4,000 characters). Direct-application schools have their own forms.

    How to apply
  7. 07

    References

    One academic reference from a teacher or lecturer who knows your recent study.

    What UCAS asks
  8. 08

    Passport and identity

    Your name must match your passport exactly across UCAS, the university and the visa.

    Our document checklist
  9. 09

    Financial planning

    Fees, visa, health surcharge, maintenance funds and living costs; universities and UKVI both check this.

    Fee guide
  10. 10

    Deadlines and timing

    UCAS medicine deadline in mid-October; UCAT before that; interviews December–March.

    Timeline

Which route is yours? Start from what you hold today

UK medical schools treat Nigerian school-leaving results as the GCSE layer. The entry qualification is one of the rows below; each links to the page that shows what individual schools publish, with sources. 25 schools in our directory admit international undergraduate applicants.

You holdPublished route to MedicineWhat to check firstRead
WAEC (WASSCE) or NECO onlyA-levels or IB first, or a foundation year that publishes Medicine as a destination; no school in our review publishes direct entry on WASSCE or NECO aloneWhich schools accept WAEC or NECO English; the GCSE-level grades schools ask forWAEC · NECO · Foundation routes
A-levels (Cambridge International) or IB, achieved or predictedStandard entry (A100) with the UCATChemistry and Biology in your subjects; the A* placement; the UCAT windowA-levels and IB · UCAT
A foundation or pathway year, current or completedProgression only where the provider publishes it to named medical schoolsThe written progression conditions; whether the foundation is open on a Student visaFoundation routes
A Nigerian bachelor's degreeGraduate entry (A101/A102) where open to international applicants, or standard entry as a graduateDegree class comparability; GAMSAT or UCAT; healthcare experience hoursGraduate entry
Any of the above, without an IELTS resultUnchanged, but the offer will be conditional on English evidenceWhether the school accepts WAEC or NECO English for Medicine; IELTS component minimums; result validityEnglish requirements

Seven questions in the eligibility check apply this table to your own results and show the routes that appear open.

Requirements vary by medical school

New to all of this? Start with the guide for applicants from Nigeria, which puts these ten requirements in order for a WAEC, NECO, A-level or degree holder, then come back here for the detail. The Medicine pillar explains how the standard, graduate and foundation routes differ, and the questions page gives short answers with links back here.

Two schools can ask for the same A-level grades and yet treat WASSCE English, the UCAT or a Nigerian degree differently. That is why we never write "UK medical schools accept X". Each page in this hub shows what individual schools publish, with the source and the date we last checked it, and the directory lets you compare them side by side.

UCAS medicine deadline, 2027 entry

Being verified against the official source.

Verification pending Official source ↗
UCAT structure

Being verified against the official source.

Verification pending Official source ↗

Questions about requirements

Can I study Medicine in the UK with WAEC?
Not directly onto the standard five-year degree at any medical school we reviewed. UK universities that publish a Nigeria page treat WASSCE as the equivalent of GCSEs and ask for A-levels, the IB or a recognised foundation year before Medicine. See what each school says on our WAEC page.
Is WAEC accepted as a GCSE equivalent?
Several universities publish exactly that: WASSCE with strong grades (often C6 or above, with B grades in English and Mathematics for some schools) covers the GCSE layer of a Medicine offer, while the main offer is made on A-levels or IB. Each school's wording is on our WAEC page.
Do JAMB, JUPEB, IJMB, OND or HND count for UK Medicine?
No UK medical school we reviewed lists JAMB/UTME as an entry qualification, and we have not found one that publishes JUPEB, IJMB, OND or HND as an entry qualification for Medicine. They are routes into Nigerian universities. UK schools assess A-levels, the IB or a foundation programme they name, plus the UCAT, your statement and reference; a completed degree matters only for graduate entry, where the school sets its own rules (see graduate entry with a Nigerian degree). Be cautious of anyone who says an OND or HND gives direct entry to Medicine; ask them for the school's published statement.
Do I need IELTS as a Nigerian applicant?
For most medical schools, yes: published requirements are typically IELTS 7.0 to 7.5 overall. A few schools accept WAEC or NECO English for specific courses. Our English page lists what each school publishes, and the visa rule.