Study Pre-Med in the UK: Top Courses, Universities, Cost, and Eligibility for International Students
Overview
The United Kingdom is one of the pioneering countries when it comes to modern medicine. Naturally, the country offers one of the meat medical education in the world. International students interested in studying MBBS/medicine in the United Kingdom can do a pre-med course in the UK before being accepted into an undergraduate medical program.
Medical science and practice involve complex relationships between biological, physical, psychological, and environmental aspects of human behavior. In the preparation for medical school, this foundation course in pre-med will give the students a strong base to lay upon their knowledge during the undergraduate program
Students will generally focus on biology, chemistry, mathematics, and English during their one-year foundation programs in medicine. Universities like Brunel Medical School, OnCAMPUS UK North Campus, St. George’s University of London, etc provide stellar programs in medicine.
| Programs offered | Foundation Program, Medicine with Foundation Year |
| Duration | 9-18 months |
| Basic Eligibility Criteria | High School Diploma |
| Average Annual Cost | USD 22,000 to 30,000 |
Popular pre-med programs in the UK
Pre-med courses are foundation courses that allow international students to pursue undergraduate medicine programs at universities in the UK. Standalone pre-med programs are usually offered for the duration of 9 – 18 months.
Some universities like the University of Manchester, Norwich Medical School, University of Nottingham, University of Sheffield, etc offer Medicine programs inclusive of the foundation year.
Medicine with a Foundation Year is a 6-year course that normally begins with one year of science-based teaching (foundation or pre-clinical course), after which the students can join the standard 5-year medical program.
Some popular ore-med courses in the UK are
- Foundation in Clinical Sciences/Medicine;
- Health Foundation Year for Medicine;
- Extended Medical Degree Programme;
- Foundation to Health and Veterinary Studies (Year 0) Program;
- Medicine with a Foundation Year;
MBBS pathway programs for international students
A pathway program is a one-year program that prepares students for their future medical courses. It guarantees entrance to one of the medical universities in the UK.
For example, the OnCampus program for UCLan is a brilliant opportunity to secure admissions at the University of Central Lancashire. The university ranks among the first 1000 in the world, per QS Rankings and Times Higher Education Ranking. After the pathway program, the students can continue their undergraduate course at the University of Central Lancashire.
Best universities in the UK for pre-med programs
| QS Ranking | THE Ranking | University |
| 205 | 158 | University of Aberdeen |
| 62 | 92 | University of Bristol |
| 151 | 189 | Cardiff University |
| 322 | 201-250 | University of Dundee |
| NA | 801-1000 | Edge Hill University |
| NA | NA | Hull York Medical School |
| 751-800 | 501-600 | Keele University |
| 35 | 35 | King’s College London |
| 132 | 122 | Lancaster University |
| 92 | 127 | University of Leeds |
| 236 | 185 | University of Leicester |
| 189 | 178 | University of Liverpool |
| 27 | 50 | University of Manchester |
| 103 | 141 | University of Nottingham |
| 307 | 182 | Norwich Medical School (University of East Anglia) |
| 601-650 | 401-500 | University of Plymouth |
| 77 | 124 | University of Southampton |
| 91 | 201-250 | University of St Andrews |
| 801-1000 | 801-1000 | University of Central Lancashire |
Admission requirements for international students
Most universities in the UK accept at least a high school diploma for pre-med programs. Some universities require candidates to have studied English, mathematics, and other subjects in science like Physics, chemistry, and biology.
Most universities expect students to take English language proficiency tests like IELTS or TOEFL.
- High School Degree, Transcript.
- Required high school courses- English and Mathematics. Some universities require some combination of biology, physics, and chemistry too.
- Age must be minimum of 16 years.
- Must have achieved an overall 75-80%
- IELTS score of no less than 6.5 across all four categories – reading, writing, speaking, and listening – with an overall 7.0
- Personal Statement
Cost of pre-med courses for international students
Pre-med courses are usually about one-year foundation course program for students wishing to pursue undergraduate degrees in the medical field in the UK. The cost of pre-med courses in the UK usually ranges from USD 22,000 to 30,000 annually.
The cost of living in the UK makes up for a big part of the cost of education in the UK. The average cost of living comes to about USD 950 to 1400 per month. The average annual cost of living is about USD 11,400 to 16,800 in the UK.
| Factors | Average Cost Per Month | in USD |
| Accommodation | £500 – £700 | $535-750 |
| Food & Groceries | £100 – £200 | $107-214 |
| Transportation | £30- £40 | $32-43 |
| Household Bills | £40 – £50 | $43-53 |
| Entertainment | £40- £50 | $43-53 |
| Miscellaneous | £200 -£300 | $214-321 |
Future prospects after PreMed for international students
Undergraduate
Once the students are done with the premed courses, they can apply for bachelor programs in the UK. The basic admission criteria for undergraduate medical studies in the UK is taking the UCAT. Undergraduate courses are usually 4-5 years in duration and 6 years for medicine programs with a Foundation year. Interviews and prior experience in the medical field are a big part of the selection process in medical schools.
While studying or after the undergraduate medical program, the students can start working in hospitals or care homes. The more experience they gain, the better chances they have of securing a good postgraduate program in the university of their choice.
After completion of undergraduate degrees in medicine, the students can go on to work as junior doctors or trainees too. They can then progress to postgraduate studies for higher career prospects.
Postgraduate
Postgraduate degrees in the UK are usually 1-2 years in duration. The students can choose to do masters in the course of their choice or continue with the same course they chose for their undergraduate. Admissions to MBBS programs are based on academic merit and scores on entrance exams. Medical universities in the UK require either test results: the UCAT or BMAT.
Most universities generally require certain experience in the candidates in the selection criteria for postgraduate degrees in medicine. Some common postgraduate programs in medicine are
- Master of Medicine (MMed)
- MSc in Biomedical Sciences
- MSc Physiotherapy
- MSc in Veterinary Biosciences
- MSc in Clinical Pharmacology
- MSc in Radiotherapy and Oncology