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Medical School A Level Requirements
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Common Questions
This information has been verified and is correct as of 19/07/2012.
Please always check your eligibility before applying.

Medical School Typical Offer A2 Chemistry A2 Biology Other Not Acceptable?
Aberdeen AAA Yes (to grade B minimum) 1 of Bio/Maths/Physics No preference for third subject. Combinations of Chemistry, Biology and a non-science subject are as acceptable as all-science combinations. Check with Medical Admissions Office if in doubt about suitability of a subject. General Studies.
Barts and The London AAAb AS/A2 AS/A2 Two sciences at A2 - one must be Biology or Chemistry (if one of these is dropped before A2, a B grade must be attained in that subject). Third A2 can be science or non-science. AS can be in any academic subject. General Studies, Critical Thinking, Further Maths (not considered as a separate A2 but acceptable as an additional AS level only).
Birmingham A*AA Yes Yes Zoology or Human Biology are acceptable substitutes for Biology. "Preference will be given to those applicants who offer AAAA, achieved by the end of the first year of A level study" General Studies, Critical Thinking.
Brighton and Sussex AAA Yes (grade A) Yes (grade A) Do not specify the nature of the third A level subject. General Studies, Critical Thinking.
Bristol AAAc Yes (grade A) No One other laboratory based science subject. General Studies, Critical Thinking. The choice of subjects should avoid undue overlap of content. For example Biology and Physical Education; Biology and Sports Science; Maths and Further Maths.
Cambridge* A*AA Highly desirable (at A2) AS One non-science subject is acceptable at most colleges. Must have passes in three of Bio/Chem/Maths/Phys with at least one of these at A2. Cambridge special note: Christ’s, Downing, Jesus, Magdalene, Newnham, Peterhouse, St John’s, and Trinity prefer applicants to have 3 science/maths subjects to full A Level. Chemistry at A2 is essential for St Johns. Mathematics at A2 is essential for Magdalene.
Cardiff AAAc AS/A2 AS/A2 At least two science subjects (one must be Bio/Chem) and an AS level in a fourth subject with at least a C grade. Offer includes A grade in either A2 Chem or Bio. If Chem/Bio not offered at A2, the AS must have a grade of at least B. General Studies (neither AS/A2), Critical Thinking (considered at AS but not A2). For applicants taking two or more Maths/Statistics subjects (eg Further Maths), only one will count towards an offer.
Dundee AAA Yes No One other science at A2, third of your choice (plus at least GCSE Biology or Dual Science if individual sciences not taken). Human Biology accepted instead of Biology A level. These results should be obtained at one sitting and at the first attempt at A level examinations, two years after GCSE. General Studies.
Durham AAA AS/A2 AS/A2 Chemistry and/or Biology at A or AS level. If only one is offered, the other should be offered at GCSE (or Dual Science) grade A . General Studies, Critical Thinking.
East Anglia AAAb No Yes General Studies, Critical Thinking.
Edinburgh AAAb Yes 1 of Bio/Maths/Physics Biology must be taken to at least AS. Human Biology may replace Biology. General Studies. Only one of Maths and Further Maths is considered.
Exeter A*AA-AAA Yes Bio/Physics General Studies.
Glasgow AAA Yes 1 of Bio/Maths/Physics If Biology is not offered at A2 it must be offered at AS or GCSE (minimum grade B). Human Biology is an acceptable alternative to Biology. General Studies not acceptable as a third subject at A2. Maths and Further Maths are not considered as separate subjects.
Hull York AAAb (typical offer but will accept applications from those predicted AAB) Yes Yes Extended Project won't be part of offer but is respected. All other subjects considered of equal merit as third A2. Maths and Further Maths can be taken together, but will need Chemistry and Biology at A2 as well. General Studies, Applied Science, Critical Thinking.
Imperial AAAb/AAAC AS/A2 AS/A2 Chemistry and/or Biology at A or AS level (B at AS-level if one is dropped), plus one other science/maths subject. Vocational Subjects, General Studies.
Keele AAAb/A*ABb Chemistry AS (at grade B at least) if not offered at A2Chemistry or Biology is essential plus one subject from Chem/Bio/Maths/Physics. One further rigorous academic subject. EPQ can be taken instead of 4th AS level. General Studies, Key Skills, Critical Thinking and Applied Subjects (e.g. Applied Business).
King's College London AAAb/AAaabAS/A2 AS/A2 Chemistry or Biology required at A2 - if one is not offered at A2 is must be offered at AS. Applicants who offer non-science subjects (humanities, languages, social sciences) welcomed. General Studies, Critical Thinking. Further Maths at A2.
Lancaster AAAb Yes Yes On other academic subject at A2. EPQ may be acceptable as 4th AS Further Maths, General Studies + Critical Thinking (only as 4th AS).
Leeds AAA Yes (A grade) No Those with 4th A2 at no advantage. General Studies, Critical Thinking.
Leicester AAA Yes AS Should have taken 4 AS levels. General Studies, Further Maths.
Liverpool AAAb Yes (A grade) Yes (A grade) AAAC at A-Level will not meet the requirements of the standard offer, unless the C has previously been certificated at AS Level at grade B or above. EPQ may count as 4th AS. General Studies and Critical Thinking only considered as 4th subject. Only one of Maths or Further Maths will be considered.
Manchester AAA Yes 1 of Bio/Maths/Physics Including unit grade information is encouraged. If Biology or Physics are not offered at AS, must be offered at GCSE. Critical Thinking and General Studies cannot be 3rd A2.
Newcastle AAA AS/A2 AS/A2 Chemistry and/or biology at A or AS level. If only one of Chemistry/Biology is offered at AS/A2, the other should be offered at grade A in GCSE (Dual Science is also acceptable). General Studies, Critical Thinking.
Nottingham AAA Yes (grade A) Yes (grade A) Third A level can be any academic subject. Human Biology is accepted instead of Biology. General Studies and Critical Thinking.
Oxford A*AA Yes 1 of Bio/Maths/Physics Critical Thinking, General Studies.
Peninsula A*AAc - AAAc Yes AS/A2 Chemistry and either Biology or Physics at A2. One non-science preferred. General Studies. No AS/A2 below a C grade is considered. Subjects should not overlap e.g. Maths and Further Maths.
Plymouth A*AAc - AAAc Yes Yes Biology or Physics at A2. General Studies.
Queen's Belfast AAAa Yes 1 of Bio/Maths/Physics If not offered at A2, AS Biology must be at least grade B. General Studies. Maximum of one GCE Applied A level will be considered.
Sheffield AAA Yes No Two sciences must be offered at A2 (one must be Chemistry). Third A2 of your choice. General Studies.
Southampton AAA AS (see "Other") No AAA, including chemistry (alternativley, AS level chemistry and biology/human biology can be offered at grade A in addition to grades AAA at Alevel). General studies is not accepted. General Studies. Overlapping subjects e.g. Maths and Further Maths, Biology and Sports Studies may not be offered in combination at A2 level.
St Andrews AAA Yes (A grade) 1 of Bio/Maths/Physics If Biology and Mathematics are not offered at A2 or AS Level, each must have been passed at least GCSE grade B. Dual award Science is not acceptable in lieu of GCSE Biology. General Studies, Critical Thinking.
St Georges AAAb AS/A2 Chemistry and/or Biology at A2. The other must be at AS. If attending a low performing school (lower than 517.7 average where A=270 B=240 C=210 D=180 at A2, and half at AS) then an offer as low as BBCb may be given. General Studies, Key Skills.
UCL AAAe Yes Yes Some preference given to those with a contrasting subject. Maths and Further Maths would only be considered as one A level. It is preferred that applicants take 3 full A levels in one sitting, so applicants who have taken A levels early will still be expected to take 3 full A levels at the end of the second sixth form year. References must include both the A2 and AS level predictions/grades achieved to be considered.

Common Questions

Do I need Maths at A level for medicine?

Absolutely not. This is a very common misconception given either by poorly informed lay people or careers advice staff. There is no medical school in the UK that explicitly states it is essential to have Maths at AS or A2 level to be eligible for medicine. Much confusion arises out of when some medical schools list acceptable combinations of science subjects by starting of with chemistry and then saying "and biology and/or maths and/or physics". This means one of the three subjects must be studied alongside Chemistry A-Level.

For the select for Cambridge colleges that do require "3 sciences", this could very well be Biology, Chemistry and Physics instead of the usual Biology, Chemistry and Maths. Studying Maths/Physics for any other medical school will confer you no advantage or disadvantage as your 3rd A2 subject.

What is a classed as a "science subject"

Typically medical schools are talking about Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths (and Further Maths) when they talk about "science subjects". These can be further narrowed down to the "laboratory" or "experimental" sciences which are Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

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