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Medicine application confused???

Uh hold on so for my GCSEs I meet the entry requirements for most medical unis other than my English language which is a 5, I retook in November and still got a 5 and now obviously I’m retaking again in June. I’m in year 12 and I’ve been hearing abt how it’s early application for medicine. Does that mean applications are in year 12 or like what’s going on?? Cause ucas applications end in October and normally you would get your gcse results in November and I can’t just apply with a 5. Please tell me I’m just confused.
Original post
by Dain00000
Uh hold on so for my GCSEs I meet the entry requirements for most medical unis other than my English language which is a 5, I retook in November and still got a 5 and now obviously I’m retaking again in June. I’m in year 12 and I’ve been hearing abt how it’s early application for medicine. Does that mean applications are in year 12 or like what’s going on?? Cause ucas applications end in October and normally you would get your gcse results in November and I can’t just apply with a 5. Please tell me I’m just confused.

The thing which has confused you is your sentence which says, "Cause ucas applications end in October and normally you would get your gcse results in November and I can’t just apply with a 5." That's wrong in multiple ways.

UCAS applications open in the September which is a full year before you'd be starting - i.e. at the start of Year 13. Applicants who want to be given "equal consideration" need to apply by the following January (i.e. the January of the year you'd be starting). They apply after then too, but unis are allowed to say, "Too late - that course is full".

However, applications to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and for most courses in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine/science are different. They must be made by mid-October (i.e. a year before you'd start, and only six weeks after applications opened). Still at the start of Year 13 though. This is what you mean by "early application".

For any examinations where you have yet to obtain a grade (including resits), you leave the grade blank ("pending"), and your school / college makes a prediction. Note you need to enter any previously achieved grades in an exam, in addition to the "pending" one.

I haven't included exact dates above, as they change a little each year. I also haven't mentioned deferred applications, just to keep things simple.

You can see the dates for 2025 entry here. Your dates will be about a year later.

Oh, and the results from GCSEs taken in June come out in August. It's the certificates which don't arrive until November. You don't need the certificate to apply.

Reply 2

Original post
by DataVenia
The thing which has confused you is your sentence which says, "Cause ucas applications end in October and normally you would get your gcse results in November and I can’t just apply with a 5." That's wrong in multiple ways.
UCAS applications open in the September which is a full year before you'd be starting - i.e. at the start of Year 13. Applicants who want to be given "equal consideration" need to apply by the following January (i.e. the January of the year you'd be starting). They apply after then too, but unis are allowed to say, "Too late - that course is full".
However, applications to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and for most courses in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine/science are different. They must be made by mid-October (i.e. a year before you'd start, and only six weeks after applications opened). Still at the start of Year 13 though. This is what you mean by "early application".
For any examinations where you have yet to obtain a grade (including resits), you leave the grade blank ("pending"), and your school / college makes a prediction. Note you need to enter any previously achieved grades in an exam, in addition to the "pending" one.
I haven't included exact dates above, as they change a little each year. I also haven't mentioned deferred applications, just to keep things simple.
You can see the dates for 2025 entry here. Your dates will be about a year later.
Oh, and the results from GCSEs taken in June come out in August. It's the certificates which don't arrive until November. You don't need the certificate to apply.


Oh Thank you so much so I don’t need to worry about applications at all this year and just focus on my mock exams and ucat in the summer right?
this is basically the timeline/dates:

•17 June-19 June 2025: UCAT booking deadline (got off of UCAT website)
•June 2025: English Language exam (approximately 6th of June)
•August 2025: English language results (so I can put those results on my October application)
•By mid October 2025- Applications made

Is there any mistakes?
Original post
by Dain00000
Oh Thank you so much so I don’t need to worry about applications at all this year and just focus on my mock exams and ucat in the summer right?
this is basically the timeline/dates:

•17 June-19 June 2025: UCAT booking deadline (got off of UCAT website)
•June 2025: English Language exam (approximately 6th of June)
•August 2025: English language results (so I can put those results on my October application)
•By mid October 2025- Applications made

Is there any mistakes?

I believe that 17 June 2025 is when UCAT booking opens. The booking deadline appears to be 19 September 2025. See here.

Everything else is right. :smile:

Reply 4

Original post
by DataVenia
I believe that 17 June 2025 is when UCAT booking opens. The booking deadline appears to be 19 September 2025. See here.
Everything else is right. :smile:


Ohh I see thank you so much saved me from stressing all week😭❤️❤️
Original post
by Dain00000
Ohh I see thank you so much saved me from stressing all week😭❤️❤️

You're welcome. (Top tip: don't wait until the deadline before booking your UCAT - just in case something goes wrong! :wink:)

Reply 6

Original post
by DataVenia
You're welcome. (Top tip: don't wait until the deadline before booking your UCAT - just in case something goes wrong! :wink:)


Didn’t know you could thanks for that too :smile:

Reply 7

You only get one shot at the UCAT each cycle and by taking it you are stating you are fit and well - if you are ill on the day you can cancel and rebook (and pay the fee again). So another reason not to leave it too late - so you have time to rebook if something prevents you taking it when you intended.

Reply 8

Original post
by FiBox
You only get one shot at the UCAT each cycle and by taking it you are stating you are fit and well - if you are ill on the day you can cancel and rebook (and pay the fee again). So another reason not to leave it too late - so you have time to rebook if something prevents you taking it when you intended.


What time would you recommend booking?

Reply 9

I would say the end of the summer before school starts back - gives you time to study and before you get caught up in school work again, but some contingency should you be ill and need to rebook. But if you are organised with study you might want to do it earlier so you don’t have to spend the whole summer worrying about it.

Reply 10

Original post
by FiBox
I would say the end of the summer before school starts back - gives you time to study and before you get caught up in school work again, but some contingency should you be ill and need to rebook. But if you are organised with study you might want to do it earlier so you don’t have to spend the whole summer worrying about it.


I see. Thank you so much for the advice :smile:

Reply 11

Original post
by Dain00000
Oh Thank you so much so I don’t need to worry about applications at all this year and just focus on my mock exams and ucat in the summer right?
this is basically the timeline/dates:
•17 June-19 June 2025: UCAT booking deadline (got off of UCAT website)
•June 2025: English Language exam (approximately 6th of June)
•August 2025: English language results (so I can put those results on my October application)
•By mid October 2025- Applications made
Is there any mistakes?

You have to put all your GCSE resuts on UCAS not just your June result.

Reply 12

Original post
by Muttley79
You have to put all your GCSE resuts on UCAS not just your June result.


Yes so all my GCSEs including my English before resit and then my resit results too?

Reply 13

Original post
by Dain00000
Yes so all my GCSEs including my English before resit and then my resit results too?

Yes every result.

Reply 14

Original post
by Muttley79
Yes every result.


Great then retakes put me at a disadvantage

Reply 15

Original post
by Dain00000
Great then retakes put me at a disadvantage

I wouldn't say so- for most unis they dont really care if you've resat a gcse. I would email the universities individually to see if it would put you at any disadvantage if you're at all concerned. I do just want to note though that even if you have a 5 in english language there are a small handful of medical schools that will still accept you.
I have recently saw a similar thread where someone was asking about this and the medical schools which currently accept a grade 5 in english language (please double check these before you apply!) are St Andrews, Plymouth, Brunel, and there may be a few more. Queen's Belfast may also however since they score gcses its probably unlikely unless the rest of your gcse's are really good. Additionally BSMS do as long as you have a 6 in english lit.
(edited 9 months ago)

Reply 16

Original post
by Piginthepuddle
I wouldn't say so- for most unis they dont really care if you've resat a gcse. I would email the universities individually to see if it would put you at any disadvantage if you're at all concerned. I do just want to note though that even if you have a 5 in english language there are a small handful of medical schools that will still accept you.


Really?? I can’t for the life of me find universities that would, would you mind naming some please and thank you. I’m not very good at English and don’t know how to improve I’m really struggling.

Reply 17

Original post
by Dain00000
Really?? I can’t for the life of me find universities that would, would you mind naming some please and thank you. I’m not very good at English and don’t know how to improve I’m really struggling.

just edited it above for you

Reply 18

Original post
by Piginthepuddle
just edited it above for you


Ah i see thanks so much! Although i have already paid my school to resit so I guess I’ll be resitting anyway and hope for a better grade.

Reply 19

Original post
by Dain00000
Ah i see thanks so much! Although i have already paid my school to resit so I guess I’ll be resitting anyway and hope for a better grade.

fair enough- it does definitely open up your options. Just thought it might be useful to have another option.

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