I Didn’t Get a ‘Good Enough’ UCAT Score – What Should I Do?

So you’ve sat UCAT and feel that you didn’t get a good enough UCAT score. What should you do now?

Firstly, it’s important to note that the UCAT is not the be all and end all in medicine admissions as there are many routes into medicine. It is possible to secure an offer to study medicine even with a low UCAT score.

Options for getting into medicine with a low UCAT score

Although it may feel like the end of the world if your UCAT score is not what you expected, there are several other pathways open to you and getting into medicine is certainly possible. To list them out:

1. Apply as a school leaver to universities which place a lower emphasis on UCAT, outlined in this blog

2. Undertake a Foundation/Gateway year (if you meet specific Widening Participation criteria)

3. Take a gap year after the completion of your A levels, resit the UCAT and then reapply to medicine

4. Apply to an undergraduate degree with an option to transfer into medicine

5. Apply to study medicine abroad

6. Apply for an undergraduate degree to then pursue Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) or graduate entry onto an undergraduate medical course

Foundation/Gateway Year

Foundation/Gateway years are a good option for some students. They involve completing a year-long course before your first year of medical school. They allow you to gain skills, learn basic science and develop yourself as a person.

Foundation/Gateway years are a good option if:

• You did not take the right subjects after your GCSEs (e.g. not science at A-Level or BTECs; some universities will exclude you if you do have one or more science A levels)

• You have not obtained AAA, predicted/achieved

• You are part of a Widening Participation scheme

These courses often still require you to sit the UCAT, but the cut off scores required are generally lower.

Note that to apply to these courses you often have to reside within the local area of the specific medical school to which you are applying.

Here is a list of Foundation/Gateway Courses offered in the UK:

Taking a Gap Year

If you achieve, at minimum, AAA in your A levels (in Chemistry and/or Biology), you can re-sit your UCAT in the summer of receiving your A level results and reapply for medicine. When reapplying it’s important to note that some schools do not allow you to apply again if you did so the year before. Note that Queen’s Belfast is the opposite, only accepting re-applications from those who applied there in their first admissions cycle, thus demonstrating commitment to the university.

Taking a gap year will allow you to prepare for the UCAT over a longer period of time, which is a more effective method of preparation.

A gap year is also a great opportunity to develop yourself as a person by undertaking voluntary or paid work, travelling and learning new skills. This will also be beneficial for your personal statement, interview preparation, and in deciding whether medicine is the right career for you. Having a wider range of experiences as well as more time to devote to your UCAT and interview preparation will increase your chances of success, making a gap year a great option for those who do not secure a place as a school leaver.

If you didn’t achieve AAA in your A levels, it is also possible to re-sit some or all of them the following year. However, please note that some medical schools do not accept resits unless there are extenuating circumstances while others require a minimum of ABB at first sitting.

Transfer into Medicine

If you have/wish to commence an undergraduate degree, some universities will allow you to transfer into Medicine during your degree. This normally takes place after one year of study. The process often requires you to sit the UCAT again, go through an application process and attend an interview.

Examples of medical schools offering a transfer to medicine include:

• Anglia Ruskin University

• University of Leicester

• Newcastle University

There are a few advantages to this option. It offers another chance to apply to medicine without having to complete a whole undergraduate degree (as for graduate entry medicine), you do not have to take a gap year, and if you are unsuccessful then you are still part way through completing an undergraduate degree. Admission requirements vary across universities. They often require you to achieve a 1^st in the first year of study and provide evidence of motivation to study medicine (such as additional work experience and voluntary work) while at university.

However, these schemes are notoriously competitive and you are limited to that one medical school (rather than having four options if you were to take a gap year) as other universities generally will not accept an application from a candidate who is not in the final year of their degree. There are also tuition and living costs to consider.

Studying outside the UK

It is possible to study medicine outside the UK at an international medical school taught in English. There are many advantages to studying medicine abroad: tuition fees and living costs are often lower, there are often lower entry requirements and there can be more places available for students.

If you wish to study medicine in the Republic of Ireland, you will need to sit the HPAT. MedEntry offers HPAT preparation courses.

Studying abroad in some countries can make it more difficult to transition back into practicing in the UK, however some courses enable students to move back without taking the PLAB exam (an exam to allow international medical graduates to practice in the UK). Students may also be required to learn the native language of the country they are studying at because, although the course is taught in English, the patients in the hospitals may not speak English. Studying abroad is not easy and moving away from home can be stressful so make sure you do some research before pursuing this path.

Graduate Entry

Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) requires you to first complete an undergraduate degree before applying for medicine again. There are two types of medicine courses to which you can apply as a graduate:

• Standard entry medicine as a graduate (5-year course). This is where medical schools allow non-medicine graduates onto the undergraduate programme.

• GEM (4-year course). This is an accelerated programme for students who have first completed an undergraduate degree. Some universities require you to sit the GAMSAT while others, require the UCAT.

If you are considering applying for an undergraduate degree with the aim of then applying for graduate medicine, it is worthwhile noting that the following medical schools look favourably upon their own graduates:

If applying for Graduate Entry Medicine, it is advised that you sit both the UCAT and the GAMSAT, to increase your chances of being offered a place. Furthermore, UCAT is a shorter exam (2 hours as opposed to 5.25-hours for the GAMSAT) and is generally considered to be the easier of the two to prepare for.

At most universities, the undergraduate degree you choose to study when applying for Graduate Entry Medicine must be science/health related. However, there are some schools such as Newcastle University that will allow entry with any undergraduate degree, given a 1^st or 2:1 is achieved so be sure to do your research before you apply.

A Final Word

There are advantages and disadvantages to each pathway into Medicine and with so many different options that it can feel like an impossible task. However, all you need to succeed is hard work, dedication and good organisational skills.

Note that the most common pathways into medicine require you to sit UCAT. Therefore, you should consider commencing (or re-commencing) quality UCAT preparation as early as possible, to give yourself the best chance of success.

Last updated July 2025. Updated by Laura Snell

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