Practical guidance from the Leading Tuition team
Book a Free ConsultationFor most university courses, A-Level subject choices open doors or close them gently. For medicine, they can determine whether your application is even read. UK medical schools are among the most prescriptive in the country when it comes to entry requirements, and getting your subject choices wrong at age 15 or 16 can have consequences that are genuinely difficult to reverse. Understanding exactly what is required — and what is merely helpful — is one of the most important steps any aspiring doctor can take.
A significant share of applicants to UK medical schools for 2026 entry hold the International Baccalaureate, US Advanced Placement exams, or another country's school-leaving qualification rather than A-Levels — and the subject-specific rules that govern A-Level applicants apply to them just as strictly, only translated into a different grading language. Generic "A-level choices for medicine" guides rarely address this in any depth, but the mapping matters enormously for anyone planning their Year 11 or Year 12 subject choices outside the English system.
International Baccalaureate (IB): a minimum of around 36 IB points, including Chemistry and Biology at Higher Level, is the most commonly cited floor across UK medical schools, but the real range runs from 34 points at Hull York, Nottingham, and the University of East Anglia at the lower end, to 41–42 points in practice at Cambridge. Grade equivalency is broadly: Higher Level 7 ≈ A*, HL 6 ≈ A, HL 5 ≈ B — so 38 points with 6,6,6 at Higher Level is loosely comparable to AAA at A-Level, while 40–42 points maps onto the A*A*A range that Oxford's and Cambridge's strongest applicants achieve. Individual published offers make this concrete: Oxford's Medicine offer for IB applicants is 39 points with 7,6,6 at Higher Level, including Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics, or Mathematics; Cambridge's is 41–42 points with 7,7,6 at Higher Level (in practice the majority of successful applicants present 7,7,7), including Chemistry and Biology. A critical distinction that catches many international applicants out: the overall points total and the individual Higher Level subject grades are two separate, simultaneous conditions of the offer — achieving 39 points overall with a 5 in HL Chemistry does not satisfy an offer that specifies a 6 in HL Chemistry, even though the points total is unchanged.
US Advanced Placement (AP): candidates schooled in the US system are assessed on AP exam scores rather than A-Level grades. An AP score of 5 is treated as broadly equivalent to an A-Level A or A*, and a 4 to a B. Because A-Levels are normally taken in only three subjects, UK medical schools that accept APs frequently ask for more exams than the A-Level norm — commonly three or more APs at grade 5, including Chemistry and usually Biology. Edinburgh's published standard, for example, is at least three APs at grade 5 including Chemistry. A US high school diploma or GPA on its own, without certified AP scores, is not accepted by any UK medical school as a substitute for A-Level-equivalent evidence — the transcript alone does not count.
Other national qualifications: Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers, and other countries' school-leaving qualifications such as the European Baccalaureate, are considered by most UK medical schools on a case-by-case basis, but Chemistry — and, at most schools, Biology — at the highest available level within that system remains the constant requirement, mirroring the A-Level rule that runs through the rest of this page. Because equivalency tables and specific point or score thresholds are reset by each medical school for every admissions cycle, international applicants should confirm their qualification's exact 2026-entry equivalency directly with each university's admissions office rather than relying on generic conversion charts.
Chemistry is required by virtually all UK medical schools. This is the one non-negotiable. Whether you are applying to Edinburgh, Birmingham, King's College London, or anywhere else on the UCAS medicine list, Chemistry at A-Level is expected. The subject underpins pharmacology, biochemistry, and much of the scientific reasoning that runs through the medical curriculum, so admissions teams treat its absence as a fundamental gap.
Biology is required or strongly preferred by the vast majority of medical schools. Most institutions list it as a second compulsory subject alongside Chemistry. A small number — including some graduate-entry programmes — will accept Biology at AS-Level or consider applicants without it if other science subjects are strong, but these are exceptions rather than the rule. If you are applying as a school leaver, you should treat Biology as essential.
Beyond Chemistry and Biology, a third science or Mathematics is broadly advantageous. Physics, Maths, and Further Maths all demonstrate quantitative reasoning and scientific rigour. Several medical schools, including those with integrated science years, look favourably on applicants who show breadth across the sciences. Psychology is increasingly offered at A-Level and is relevant to medicine, though it is not treated as a core science by most admissions teams.
Oxford and Cambridge have stricter requirements than most. Oxford requires Chemistry and either Biology, Physics, or Mathematics. Cambridge requires Chemistry and at least one of Biology, Physics, or Mathematics, and strongly encourages a third science or Maths. Both universities expect candidates to be sitting three or four A-Levels at the highest level, and their interview processes assume a depth of scientific knowledge that reflects this.
The "Chemistry is essential, Biology is strongly preferred" summary above is true on average, but it hides real variation between individual schools. The table below compares the published 2026-entry A-Level offer and science subject rules at 21 UK medical schools — enough to plan around, whatever your current subject set looks like.
| Medical School | Standard A-Level Offer | Chemistry | Biology |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | A*AA | Required | One of Biology/Physics/Maths/Further Maths |
| Cambridge | A*AA (see clarification below) | Required | Strongly preferred (or Physics/Maths) |
| Imperial College London | A*AA | Required | Required |
| UCL | A*AA | Required | Required |
| King's College London | A*AA | Required | Required |
| Queen's University Belfast | A*AA | Required | Biology or another science |
| Keele | A*AA | Required | Biology or another science |
| Leicester | A*AA | Chemistry or Biology (with practical) | Or Physics/Maths/Psychology alternative |
| Edinburgh | AAA | Required | One of Biology/Physics/Maths |
| Bristol | AAA standard / ABB contextual | Required | One of Biology/Physics/Maths/Further Maths |
| Birmingham | AAA | Required | Required |
| Leeds | AAA | Required | Required |
| Manchester | AAA | Required | Required |
| Glasgow | AAA | Required | One of Biology/Physics/Maths |
| Newcastle | AAA | No named science requirement | No named science requirement (most successful applicants hold both anyway) |
| Southampton | AAA | Not compulsory | Required, plus one of Chemistry/Physics/Psychology/Sociology/Environmental Studies/Geography |
| Nottingham | AAA | Required | Required (Human Biology accepted) |
| Sheffield | AAA | Chemistry or Biology required | Plus a second science |
| Liverpool | AAA | Required | One of Biology/Physics/Maths, plus a third academic subject |
| Dundee | AAA | Required | Another science, achieved in one sitting |
| Buckingham | ABB (lowest published standard offer in the UK) | Required | Biology or another science |
Two patterns are worth acting on. First, Chemistry plus Biology together keeps the largest number of medical schools open — of the schools compared here, 13 name both subjects as an explicit, non-substitutable requirement (Imperial, UCL, King's, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, and Nottingham among them). Second, a handful of schools are genuinely more flexible than the average guide suggests: Southampton does not require Chemistry at all provided Biology is held alongside one of five listed alternative sciences, and Newcastle names no compulsory science subject whatsoever, though the overwhelming majority of its successful applicants still present both Chemistry and Biology. Always verify current-cycle detail directly against each school's own admissions page before finalising your UCAS choices, since these requirements are reviewed every year.
If you have already secured Chemistry and Biology, your third A-Level gives you some flexibility. The following subjects are well-regarded by medical schools as third choices:
Humanities and social sciences are acceptable as a third choice at most medical schools, provided Chemistry and Biology are already in place. What matters is that you can articulate how your third subject has developed skills relevant to medicine — critical thinking, communication, or an understanding of human behaviour.
Critical Thinking and General Studies are not counted by most medical schools. If either of these appears on your predicted grades list, admissions tutors will typically disregard them entirely. Taking one of these subjects instead of a substantive third A-Level is a significant mistake that is easy to avoid with early planning.
Media Studies, Film Studies, and similar creative or vocational qualifications are not penalised outright, but they offer little advantage in a medicine application and may raise questions if they replace a more rigorous academic subject. Extended Project Qualifications (EPQs) are viewed positively by some medical schools — particularly if the topic is medically relevant — but they do not substitute for a full A-Level.
The sections above cover the general picture. Named, school-specific policy is more useful, because it shows exactly how much variation sits underneath the generic "acceptable third subject" advice.
Valued as a third or additional subject: Mathematics and Further Mathematics are consistently well-regarded for the analytical and quantitative reasoning they demonstrate. Physics supports understanding of imaging, physiology, and medical technology. Psychology is explicitly listed as an acceptable alternative science at several schools — Southampton accepts it as one of five named options alongside Chemistry, Physics, Sociology, Environmental Studies, or Geography, and Leicester lists it as an alternative to Physics or Mathematics for its second science requirement. An EPQ, while not a substitute for a full A-Level anywhere (see Bristol's policy below), is genuinely useful as supporting evidence in a personal statement or at MMI interview when the project topic is medically relevant — Oxford's own Medical Sciences Division guidance confirms it is not used as an entry condition but does not discourage students from completing one.
Genuinely risky as a third A-Level: Critical Thinking and General Studies are the two most consistently rejected subjects in UK medicine admissions, and several schools name them explicitly rather than leaving it implied. Oxford's excluded list names Thinking Skills, Critical Thinking, and General Studies specifically. Imperial College London and UCL both exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking by name. King's College London excludes Critical Thinking, General Studies, Global Perspectives, and Thinking Skills. Cardiff excludes Critical Thinking, General Studies, and Citizenship Studies. Lancaster excludes General Studies, Critical Thinking, and — a detail few generic guides mention — candidates' own native or heritage languages when offered as a fourth subject. Birmingham goes a step further and excludes not only General Studies and Critical Thinking but also the EPQ itself as one of the three counted A-Levels (though it remains useful supporting evidence, as above). If any of these subjects appears on your predicted grades instead of a substantive academic A-Level, treat it as a gap to close, not a subject to defend.
Cambridge's published standard offer for Medicine (A100) for 2026 entry is A*AA — Chemistry required, plus one of Biology, Physics, or Mathematics. Yet many guides, and even some Cambridge colleges, quote A*A*A instead. This is not a contradiction between sources; both figures are accurate, describing different things. A*AA is the minimum grade condition formally attached to an offer. In practice, of Medicine students who took A-Levels and matriculated at Cambridge in 2018, 2019, and 2023, 82% had achieved at least A*A*A — meaning the large majority of successful applicants exceed the university's own stated minimum by a full grade. Individual colleges are also free to publish their own standard offer within the university's framework: Downing College, for example, states A*A*A as its standard Medicine offer rather than the university-wide A*AA. The practical takeaway: treat A*AA as the legal floor for your UCAS application and A*A*A as the realistic target grade, and check your chosen college's individual published offer, since college-level variation on this point is real.
Bristol Medical School's standard A-Level offer for the A100 course is AAA, including an A in Chemistry and a further A in one of Biology, Physics, Mathematics, or Further Mathematics. Eligible Home applicants from a widening-participation background can instead receive Bristol's contextual offer of ABB with the same subject combination — a two-grade reduction from the standard offer, and one of the more substantial contextual reductions among Russell Group medical schools. On the EPQ specifically: Bristol accepts the Extended Project Qualification to satisfy its standard Literacy condition across its courses generally, but — in line with the wider policy most medical schools apply, including Oxford, whose Medical Sciences Division states plainly that the EPQ "would not be used as a condition of entry, nor as an extra criterion during the shortlisting process" — Bristol does not accept the EPQ in place of a third A-Level for Medicine. An EPQ can still strengthen a Bristol application indirectly, through the personal statement or at MMI interview, particularly where the project topic connects to medicine or healthcare, but it will not reduce the AAA (or contextual ABB) grade requirement itself.
The impact of your A-Level choices extends well beyond the initial eligibility check. Admissions teams at competitive medical schools use subject combinations as a proxy for academic seriousness. An applicant with Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics signals a different profile from one with Chemistry, Biology, and Performing Arts — even if both meet the minimum requirements.
Your subjects also shape your personal statement. If you have studied Psychology or Sociology, you have a natural route into discussing the social determinants of health or the psychological dimensions of patient care. If you have studied Maths or Physics, you can reference your comfort with data and evidence-based reasoning. Admissions tutors read personal statements alongside predicted grades, and coherence between the two strengthens an application.
Our A-level and admissions specialists help medical applicants choose the strongest subject combinations for their target universities, and ensure those subjects are taught to the standard medical schools expect. We're rated 4.8/5 on Trustpilot. Book a free consultation to discuss your application strategy.
At interview — whether MMI or panel format — your scientific knowledge will be tested. Schools using the UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) as part of their selection process do not directly test A-Level content, but the verbal reasoning and scientific thinking skills developed through rigorous A-Level study are genuinely useful preparation. Oxford and Cambridge use their own admissions assessments, and both reward the kind of deep scientific engagement that comes from studying demanding subjects well.
Subject choice is the foundation, but it is not the whole building. Medical school applications are assessed holistically, and several other factors carry significant weight.
Grades matter enormously. Most UK medical schools require AAA at A-Level as a minimum, with many competitive programmes expecting this alongside strong GCSE profiles — typically at least seven or eight GCSEs at grade 7 or above, including English and Mathematics. A strong subject combination with disappointing grades will not compensate for each other.
Work experience is expected. Most medical schools want to see evidence of clinical or healthcare exposure — shadowing a GP, volunteering in a care home, or working in a pharmacy. This does not need to be extensive, but it must be reflective. You should be able to discuss what you observed and what it taught you about the realities of medicine.
The UCAT is sat in the summer before Year 13 applications and is used by the majority of UK medical schools to rank candidates. A high UCAT score can offset a slightly weaker predicted grade profile at some institutions, while a low score can exclude strong academic candidates from shortlisting. Preparation for the UCAT should begin well before the test window opens.
Choosing the right A-Level subjects for medicine is not complicated once you understand the rules — but the consequences of getting it wrong are significant enough to warrant careful thought early in Year 10 or 11. If your subject set is already fixed and not quite ideal, it is worth researching which medical schools are most flexible before finalising your UCAS choices.
For more information, see the Medical Schools Council application guidance.
Almost without exception, yes. Chemistry is listed as a required A-Level by virtually every UK medical school, including all Russell Group institutions. There are a very small number of graduate-entry programmes that may consider applicants with a relevant degree in lieu of specific A-Levels, but for school leavers applying through UCAS, Chemistry is non-negotiable. If you are in Year 10 and considering medicine, Chemistry must be one of your A-Level choices.
For most UK medical schools, Biology is either explicitly required or so strongly preferred that not having it makes an application uncompetitive. Schools such as Manchester, Leeds, and Bristol list both Chemistry and Biology as required subjects. A handful of institutions will accept applicants with Chemistry plus one other science in place of Biology, but these are a minority. Treating Biology as compulsory is the safest approach for anyone applying as a school leaver.
Since the decoupling of AS and A-Level qualifications in England from 2015 onwards, AS-Level results no longer contribute to A-Level grades and carry less weight than they once did. Most medical schools focus on full A-Level predicted and achieved grades rather than AS results. Retaking an AS-Level is unlikely to significantly improve your application. If you are concerned about a weak grade, the more effective route is to focus on your full A-Level performance and, where possible, address any gaps through your personal statement or interview preparation.
First, check each medical school's entry requirements individually — there is more variation than many applicants realise. If you have Chemistry and Biology but a non-science third subject, you are eligible for most UK medical schools and should focus on achieving the highest possible grades. If you are missing Chemistry or Biology, your options are more limited: some students take an additional A-Level over a third year, while others consider graduate-entry medicine after completing a relevant undergraduate degree. Speaking to a specialist admissions adviser early gives you the clearest picture of which routes remain open to you.
At least 13 of the UK's medical schools name both Chemistry and Biology as compulsory, non-substitutable A-Level requirements for 2026 entry, including Imperial College London, UCL, King's College London, Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester, and Nottingham. Others, such as Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Bristol, and Glasgow, require Chemistry plus one of Biology, Physics, or Mathematics rather than both sciences outright. A smaller group is more flexible still: Southampton requires Biology but not Chemistry, and Newcastle names no compulsory science subject at all, though most of its successful applicants hold both anyway.
Cambridge's official standard offer for Medicine is A*AA, including Chemistry. However, 82% of Medicine students who took A-Levels and matriculated in 2018, 2019, and 2023 had achieved at least A*A*A, meaning most successful applicants exceed the stated minimum by a full grade. Some colleges, such as Downing, publish A*A*A as their own standard offer. Treat A*AA as the formal floor and A*A*A as the realistic target grade, and check your chosen college's individual offer before applying.
No. Bristol's standard offer for Medicine is AAA (contextual offer ABB), including Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics, Mathematics, or Further Mathematics, and the Extended Project Qualification does not substitute for any of these three A-Levels. Bristol accepts the EPQ only to satisfy its general Literacy condition across courses. An EPQ with a medically relevant topic can still support a personal statement or MMI interview, but it will not reduce the AAA or ABB grade requirement itself.
Most UK medical schools set a floor of around 36 IB points including Chemistry and Biology at Higher Level, though the range runs from 34 points at Hull York, Nottingham, and UEA up to 41–42 points in practice at Cambridge. Oxford's published IB offer is 39 points with 7,6,6 at Higher Level, including Chemistry and one of Biology, Physics, or Mathematics. Both the total points score and the individual Higher Level subject grades are separate conditions of any offer, so a matching points total with a lower HL Chemistry grade will not satisfy the offer.
Critical Thinking and General Studies are excluded by name at most UK medical schools. Oxford's excluded list names Thinking Skills, Critical Thinking, and General Studies; Imperial and UCL exclude General Studies and Critical Thinking; King's College London excludes Critical Thinking, General Studies, Global Perspectives, and Thinking Skills; Cardiff excludes Critical Thinking, General Studies, and Citizenship Studies; and Birmingham excludes General Studies, Critical Thinking, and the EPQ as one of the three counted A-Levels. If one of these appears on your predicted grades in place of a substantive subject, treat it as a gap to close before applying.
If you are preparing for a medicine application, you may find these resources helpful. Our Medicine Preparation hub covers every stage of the process, from subject choices through to interview technique. For students who need support with their science A-Levels, we offer A-Level tuition with Leading Tuition across Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, and more. If you are approaching the UCAT test window, our dedicated UCAT preparation page explains how we help students build the skills and speed the test demands.
The number of sessions needed depends on your starting level, target grade, and time remaining before exams. Most students benefit from one to two sessions per week during the academic year, increasing to three or four weekly sessions during intensive revision periods. For students significantly behind their target grade or tackling highly competitive universities, more frequent sessions combined with structured independent revision between lessons produces the best outcomes. Our tutors assess your current level at the first session and recommend a suitable frequency.
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