Keele University School of Medicine runs the five-year MBChB (A100) alongside a health foundation year (A104), with a strong reputation for student support and community-based teaching in Staffordshire.
Keele is genuinely unusual in one respect that almost no other UK medical school shares: it scores your personal statement. Home applicants are ranked on a combination of UCAT quintile and personal statement score, producing a rank out of 25 — with the 2025 shortlisting threshold at 15/25. If you write well and reflect genuinely, Keele rewards that in a way no UCAT-only school does.
| UCATScore expertise — Keele Medicine Prepared by the UCATScore admissions team and verified against Keele University’s official admissions guidance and the Medical Schools Council for 2026/2027 entry. |
Keele Medicine Entry Requirements at a Glance (2026/2027)
| Course | MBChB Medicine (A100), 5 years · plus A104 health foundation year |
| Standard A-level offer | AAA — a first designated subject (Biology or Chemistry) + a second designated subject + a third academic subject |
| Second designated subjects | Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Maths/Further Maths/Statistics, Physics or Psychology |
| GCSEs | Five GCSEs at grade 7/A, PLUS minimum grade 6/B in English Language, Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics |
| The Physics rule | Biology and Chemistry WITHOUT Physics will NOT be accepted |
| International Baccalaureate | 37 points from six academic subjects with 766 at HL including Chemistry or Biology plus an additional science |
| Minimum UCAT (Home) | 1,700 total — below this you are not considered |
| Minimum UCAT (International) | 1,950 total |
| SJT | Bands 1–3 only — Band 4 is NOT considered |
| The distinctive bit | Personal statement is SCORED and combined with UCAT quintile into a rank out of 25 |
| 2025 shortlisting threshold | 15 / 25 |
| Excluded subjects | General Studies, Critical Thinking and Citizenship Studies |
| Graduate route | 2:1 in any subject + BBB A-levels + IB 30 + GCSE requirements; GAMSAT if science requirements not met |
| Resits | Keele will not normally consider resit applicants |
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Keele Medicine Entry Requirements: How Keele Selects Medicine Applicants
Keele’s model is the most personal-statement-friendly of any UK medical school, and that single fact should shape how you approach it.
Home applicants are ranked on a combination of UCAT and personal statement scores. Your UCAT converts to points by quintile (1st/top 20% = 5 points, 2nd = 4, 3rd = 3, 4th = 2, 5th = 1), your SJT band adds points (Band 1 = 2, Band 2 = 1, Band 3 = 0), and your personal statement is scored — combining into a rank out of 25. The 2025 shortlisting threshold was 15/25.
Two hard gates apply first: a total UCAT below 1,700 (Home) or 1,950 (International) is not considered, and an SJT in Band 4 ends the application regardless of your cognitive score.
International applicants are ranked by total UCAT score rather than the combined model — a meaningful difference worth knowing.
The practical takeaway: at Keele, time invested in a genuinely reflective personal statement converts directly into shortlisting points. At most schools that time is wasted; here it is not.
Keele Medicine Entry Requirements: Selection weighting
| Component | Weighting |
| UCAT quintile | 1st (top 20%) = 5 points · 2nd = 4 · 3rd = 3 · 4th = 2 · 5th = 1 |
| SJT band | Band 1 = 2 points · Band 2 = 1 · Band 3 = 0 · Band 4 = rejected |
| Personal statement | Scored and combined into the total |
| Combined rank | Out of 25 — the 2025 threshold was 15/25 |
| International applicants | Ranked by total UCAT score instead |
Keele Medicine A-Level Requirements
Keele uses a ‘designated subject’ structure that is more flexible than most on the second science:
- Standard offer: AAA, comprising a first designated subject (Biology or Chemistry), a second designated subject, and a third academic subject
- Second designated subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Maths/Further Maths/Statistics, Physics or Psychology — notably broader than most schools
- Only one subject from the Maths/Further Maths/Statistics combination will be counted
- Not accepted: General Studies, Critical Thinking and Citizenship Studies
- A pass in any science practical endorsement is required
- Applicants may apply with achieved grades of A*AA with only one first or second designated subject if they are currently taking further A-levels to complete the subject requirements
- Resits: Keele will not normally consider applications from resit applicants
Keele Medicine GCSE Requirements
Keele’s GCSE requirement contains a Physics rule that catches out many strong applicants:
- Five GCSEs at grade 7/A
- PLUS a minimum of grade 6/B in English Language, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry AND Physics
- Biology and Chemistry without Physics will NOT be accepted — this is the rule that most commonly disqualifies otherwise-strong Keele applicants
- GCSE combined science (6/6) and IGCSE co-ordinated sciences (double award, 66 or BB) are accepted in place of the three separate sciences
- English Language and Maths GCSEs at 6/B are essential and cannot be substituted
- GCSEs are not scored — they function as a gate, with ranking done on UCAT quintile plus personal statement
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Keele Medicine Entry Requirements: Other Accepted Qualifications & What Keele Doesn’t Accept
| Qualification | Requirement |
| International Baccalaureate | 37 points from six academic subjects, with 766 at Higher Level including Chemistry or Biology, an additional science (Chemistry, Biology, Physics or Mathematics) and a third subject. Three Standard Level subjects each at grade 5. English Language (Language A) at SL grade 6 is acceptable in lieu of GCSE English, but all other GCSE requirements must be met. |
| Scottish qualifications | Advanced Highers: two sciences sat in S6 including Chemistry or Biology. Highers: AB from two sciences including Chemistry or Biology. National 5s: minimum grade B in Maths, English Language, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. |
| A104 Health Foundation Year | GCSE: five at grade B/6 including double/triple-award science or three separate sciences (with a pass in practical endorsement). A-levels: BBC including Chemistry or Biology. UCAT required — scores below 2,280 or SJT Band 4 are rejected. Essential criteria include being ordinarily resident in the UK and attending a non-selective maintained school. |
| Graduate route (A100) | Upper second-class (2:1) Honours degree or better in any subject, plus A-levels at BBB, IB 30 points, and GCSE grade 6/B in English Language, Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics (unless these sciences are passed at A-level at grade B or better). |
| GAMSAT | Graduate applicants who do NOT meet the A-level (or Level 3 equivalent) or science GCSE requirements must take the GAMSAT as well as the UCAT. |
Keele Medicine Entry Requirements: Graduate & Mature Applicants
Keele welcomes graduates onto the standard five-year A100. You need an upper second-class (2:1) Honours degree or better in any subject, plus A-levels at BBB (or IB 30 points) and the GCSE requirements — grade 6/B in English Language, Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics, unless those sciences are passed at A-level at grade B or better.
Keele has a genuinely useful concession here: graduate applicants who do not meet the A-level (or Level 3 equivalent) or science GCSE requirements must take the GAMSAT as well as the UCAT. In other words, the GAMSAT can open Keele to graduates whose school qualifications fall short — a route few schools offer.
Graduates must still clear the UCAT minimum of 1,700 and avoid an SJT Band 4.
Keele does not run a separate accelerated four-year graduate programme; graduates complete the standard five years.
Entry Requirements Database (Med & Dent)
Entry Requirements Database (Med & Dent): Search every UK medical and dental school’s entry requirements in one place – A-levels, GCSEs, UCAT, contextual offers and more, all kept up to date for 2027 entry.
Keele Medicine Entry Requirements: Widening Participation & the A104 Foundation Year
Keele’s principal widening-access route is the A104 Health Foundation Year, a full foundation year leading into the MBChB.
A104 requirements are lower on grades but stricter on the UCAT: BBC at A-level including Chemistry or Biology, five GCSEs at grade B/6 including double/triple-award science, and a UCAT of at least 2,280 with no SJT Band 4.
Essential eligibility criteria include being ordinarily resident in the UK and having attended a non-selective maintained school for both GCSEs and A-levels.
One important warning Keele gives directly: if you are made a foundation-year offer because your A100 shortlisting score or GCSE grades were too low, Keele will not normally reconsider you for an A100 place even if you go on to achieve A*AA or better. The foundation offer is the offer.
Confirm current eligibility criteria and evidence deadlines on Keele’s medicine admissions pages.
Keele Medicine Entry Requirements: How Keele Uses the UCAT
Keele applies two hard UCAT gates before any ranking happens: a total UCAT below 1,700 (Home) or 1,950 (International) is not considered, and an SJT in Band 4 ends the application outright.
Above those gates, Home applicants are ranked on a combination of UCAT quintile and personal statement score. The UCAT converts by quintile: 1st (top 20%) = 5 points, 2nd = 4, 3rd = 3, 4th = 2, 5th = 1 (where the 5th quintile covers scores between 1,700 and the 20th percentile). The SJT adds points too: Band 1 = 2, Band 2 = 1, Band 3 = 0.
These combine with your personal statement score into a rank out of 25, and the 2025 shortlisting threshold was 15/25.
International applicants are ranked by total UCAT score, not the combined model.
What this means in practice: because the UCAT contributes via quintile bands rather than raw score, moving up a quintile is worth far more than gaining a few marks within one. And because the personal statement is scored, Keele is the one school where writing quality genuinely converts into shortlisting points. Aim for a strong quintile position and invest properly in the statement.
| Full detail: the Keele UCAT cut-off This page covers how the UCAT fits into Keele’s overall requirements. For the deep dive — published thresholds, deciles, uplifts and current-scale benchmarking — see our dedicated Keele UCAT cut-off guide at /keele-ucat-cut-off. |
Entry Requirements Database (Med & Dent)
Entry Requirements Database (Med & Dent): Search every UK medical and dental school’s entry requirements in one place – A-levels, GCSEs, UCAT, contextual offers and more, all kept up to date for 2027 entry.
Keele Medicine Entry Requirements: Keele Medicine Interview Format
Keele uses a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) of around 10 short stations, alongside a distinctive additional element.
Keele includes a separate clinical maths test (approximately 30 minutes) as part of its selection — a feature few other medical schools use, and one worth practising for specifically.
MMI stations assess communication, motivation, ethics, empathy, teamwork and reflection. Because your personal statement has already been scored, expect interviewers to have engaged with your written application.
Keele also asks applicants to complete a Roles & Responsibilities form as part of the application process — confirm the current requirement and deadline on Keele’s pages.
Interviews are held in person in recent cycles; confirm your format in your invitation.
| Turn Keele’s requirements into a plan UCATScore helps you turn Keele’s published requirements into a practical, step-by-step application strategy — a GCSE and UCAT target, a shortlist that fits your profile, and interview preparation matched to Keele’s format. Explore our UCAT course, question bank and Medicine Interview Course to build a realistic, competitive application. |
Keele Medicine Entry Requirements: Keele Medicine Acceptance Rate & Competition
Keele publishes its scoring mechanics more openly than most, which makes self-assessment straightforward:
| Minimum UCAT (Home) | 1,700 total — below this, not considered |
| Minimum UCAT (International) | 1,950 total |
| SJT | Bands 1–3 only; Band 4 rejected |
| Shortlisting model (Home) | UCAT quintile + SJT band + personal statement = rank /25 |
| 2025 shortlisting threshold | 15 / 25 |
| International shortlisting | Ranked by total UCAT score |
| A104 foundation UCAT minimum | 2,280 |
Keele’s shortlisting threshold moves each cycle with the applicant pool, and the personal statement scoring rubric is not published in detail. Because the UCAT contributes by quintile rather than raw score, quintile position matters more than marginal marks. Always confirm current requirements on Keele’s medicine admissions pages.
Keele Medicine Entry Requirements: Keele Medicine for International Students
International applicants face a higher UCAT minimum of 1,950 (versus 1,700 for Home) and — importantly — are ranked by total UCAT score rather than by the combined UCAT-plus-personal-statement model used for Home applicants.
That means the personal statement advantage that makes Keele distinctive for Home applicants does not apply internationally: your UCAT is what determines your position.
International applicants must meet the same academic standards (AAA with the designated subject structure, or IB 37 with 766 at HL) plus Keele’s English language requirement.
Confirm the current international fee, place allocation and English-language level on Keele’s official course page.
Keele Medicine Entry Requirements: Keele Medicine Fees & Funding
Confirm current Home and Overseas tuition fees on Keele’s official course page. Budget separately for placement travel across Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire, equipment, DBS and occupational health clearance, and any intercalation.
Entry Requirements Database (Med & Dent)
Entry Requirements Database (Med & Dent): Search every UK medical and dental school’s entry requirements in one place – A-levels, GCSEs, UCAT, contextual offers and more, all kept up to date for 2027 entry.
Keele Medicine Entry Requirements — FAQs
What are the entry requirements for Keele Medicine?
AAA at A-level comprising a first designated subject (Biology or Chemistry), a second designated subject (Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Maths/Further Maths/Statistics, Physics or Psychology) and a third academic subject. At GCSE: five at grade 7/A plus minimum grade 6/B in English Language, Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Home applicants need a UCAT of at least 1,700 with an SJT in Bands 1–3.
Does Keele score the personal statement?
Yes — and this is what makes Keele distinctive. Home applicants are ranked on a combination of UCAT quintile, SJT band and personal statement score, producing a rank out of 25. The 2025 shortlisting threshold was 15/25. Almost no other UK medical school scores the statement this directly.
What UCAT score do you need for Keele Medicine?
Home applicants need a minimum total of 1,700 (International: 1,950), with an SJT in Bands 1–3 — Band 4 is not considered. Above the minimum, your UCAT converts to points by quintile (top 20% = 5 points down to 1), so quintile position matters more than marginal marks. See our Keele UCAT cut-off page.
Do I need GCSE Physics for Keele Medicine?
Yes — Keele requires minimum grade 6/B in Physics alongside English Language, Maths, Biology and Chemistry. Biology and Chemistry without Physics will not be accepted. GCSE combined science (6/6) or IGCSE co-ordinated sciences (double award, 66 or BB) are accepted alternatives.
Does Keele accept A-level resits?
Keele will not normally consider applications from resit applicants for the standard A100. Plan around this, as it is a firmer position than many schools take.
Can graduates apply to Keele Medicine?
Yes — you need a 2:1 Honours degree or better in any subject, plus A-levels at BBB (or IB 30) and the GCSE requirements. Usefully, graduates who don’t meet the A-level or science GCSE requirements must take the GAMSAT alongside the UCAT, which can open Keele to graduates whose school qualifications fall short.
What is the Keele A104 foundation year?
A health foundation year leading into the MBChB, requiring BBC at A-level including Chemistry or Biology, five GCSEs at B/6, and a UCAT of at least 2,280 with no SJT Band 4. You must be ordinarily resident in the UK and have attended a non-selective maintained school. Note that a foundation-year offer will not normally be converted to an A100 place even if you exceed the grades.
Is there a maths test at Keele Medicine?
Yes — Keele includes a separate clinical maths test of around 30 minutes as part of its selection, alongside an MMI of approximately 10 stations. Few other medical schools use this, so it’s worth preparing for specifically.
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Prepared by the UCATScore admissions team. Verified against Keele University’s official admissions guidance, published admissions data and the Medical Schools Council for 2026/2027 entry. Entry requirements, cut-offs, fees and statistics are reviewed annually and can change — always confirm the latest details on the official Keele University website and UCAS before applying.