School of Medicine

Information for International and IMU Students

International Students

Keele receives between 800 and 1,000 international students each year, of around 100 different nationalities.  You can speak to an International Student Support Officer at any time if you need any help before or after you arrive.  A student mentor can be allocated to you before you get here, to help you settle in to Keele life, so try to make sure you request this as it usually turns out to be really helpful.  There’s an English Language Unit on campus to help you get the most from your studies if English isn’t your first language.  If you’re an international student on the medicine degree course you’ll be personally invited to a reception early in the course where you can meet the medical school student support team and other international students already studying in the School of Medicine.  

Keele University's main website also has an international section.  Here you’ll find plenty of information to help you, together with a movie to show you what the campus is like and interviews with international students.

We accept applications from students within the EU.  For the five-year medicine degree (A100) and the six-year medicine degree with Health Foundation Year for Medicine (A104) we also accept applications from non-EU students.

International Entry Requirements. If the qualifications you have are not listed, please contact our admissions team to tell us about them.

"My experience at Keele has been great so far. The curriculum is structured to be diverse (a mix of lectures and integrated learning approach e.g. living anatomy where we got to do physical examinations) and there has never been a day when it was only lectures. The course is very dynamic and my favorite part of the course is PBL as it allows me to share my knowledge and information with my cohorts. The tutors are very keen to answer any questions you may have and I always have sufficient exercise by going for a 10-minute stroll to the medical school from campus (not to forget the beautiful scenery we have at Keele)!"

Simon Mung, who came to Keele from Hong Kong

 

“It was such a great opportunity for me to get into Medicine in Keele. I am from Hong Kong and doing medicine is what I have been longing for. Keele is a very beautiful, safe campus and all the staff here are very helpful and nice. Joining medical school is an exciting experience for me, medicine is hard but interesting! Although sometimes I come across difficulties in communication as my mother language is not English, tutors are willing to help me and arrange extra English lessons for me. I live on campus and find it easy to socialise with the other students.  The teaching and research here are of a very high standard and the graduate employment rate is one of the highest among UK!”

Pannie Ng, who came to Keele from Hong Kong

 

IMU Students

IMU students arrive at Keele a week earlier than the rest of our students, to complete an ‘orientation week’.  During this week you and your tutors will work together on a range of topics, including the communication and clinical skills that you will need when you start Year 3 (year 3).  As an introduction to the NHS you will shadow members of staff in a variety of clinical areas.  You’ll then complete a pre-clinical week with all of the other Year 3 students before beginning your clinical studies.

Why not download our Keele curriculum document, so that you can see what we’ll have covered in years 1 and 2 before you arrive into Year 3?

If you have any other queries about being an IMU student at Keele, please contact us.

Listen to our student interview with Yieng (Aida) to hear about her experiences of England & Keele.
Download our IMU flyer (PDF) to read Aida's comments and to find out more information.


Yieng (Aida) Ching Lau, who came to Keele from IMU

International Entry Requirements

 

QUALIFICATIONS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES

 

All applicants to the 5-year medicine degree (A100) or the Health Foundation Year (A104) must sit the UKCAT test in the year of application.

Please also refer to our English Language Requirements.

Applicants will be expected to provide evidence of the equivalence of their qualifications; this should be sent directly to the Admissions Office after submitting a UCAS application.  Please give us as much detail as you can about exams that you have taken overseas.  The following is a guide to what we expect.  

 

Australia

Candidates must write directly to the Admissions Office, giving full details of all exams already taken and to be taken.  As the examination system varies from state to state, and universities in Australia set their own faculty and course entry requirements, it is difficult to equate this system with English A and A/S-levels.  Australian SSC qualifications are acceptable but candidate must offer a UAI of 90 or above to be eligible.  Graduates need to offer a Grade Point Average of 5 or above.

Canada

Candidates must write directly to the Admissions Office, giving full details of exams already taken and to be taken.  Generally we would only accept applications from candidates who have already undertaken a BSc in a science or medically related subject, with a Grade Point Average of 3 or more, together with the equivalent of Chemistry at A-level.  Our degree does not give any exemptions to those examinations required to practise medicine in Canada.

 

In the Ontario Secondary School Diploma at Advanced level, we require six grade 12 U subjects (including the sciences); 4 subjects should be achieved at 80% or better and 2 subjects at 70% or better.

Finland

Ylioppilastutkintotodistus/Studentexamensbetyg – acceptable at Laudatur – 7. 

 

France

An overall score of 15 is required in the French Baccalaureate, including Chemistry and Biology at 15.

 

Germany

Average grade of 13 in the German Abitur with a score of at least 13 in Biology and Chemistry.

 

Greece

Apolyterion of Unified Lykieon acceptable with an overall pass of 19, with high marks in Chemistry and other sciences.      

Hong Kong

We usually require Hong Kong A-levels at grades ABB.  Alternatively, see International Baccalaureate section.

 

 

Kenya

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education, acceptable at grade C or better in lieu of GCSE on a subject for subject basis.  Would need to be supplemented by GCE A-levels or International Baccalureate.

India

We consider the Higher Secondary School Certificate standard XII from the metro boards (Central Board of Secondary Education, Council for Indian Secondary Certificate Examinations or National Open School). In the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) we require the Higher Secondary Certificate including biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics, with a minimum of one grade A1 subject and three subjects at A2 or better or at least 70% in three subjects and 80% in one subject.

Italy

Diploma Conseguito Con L’Esame di Stato (formerly Diploma di Maturita) acceptable with overall score of at least 90.

Malaysia

Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM/Certificate of Education) acceptable at grades 1 – 6 in lieu of GCSE on a subject for subject basis.

Certificate of the Unified Examination of the Independent Chinese Secondary Schools (MICSS) is acceptable at grades 1 – 6 in lieu of GCSE on a subject for subject basis, except English Language.

Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM/Advanced Certificate of Education) is acceptable in lieu of GCE A Levels on a subject for subject basis.

The Netherlands

Diploma Hoger Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs (HAVO) acceptable at grade 6 or better in lieu of GCSE on a subject for subject basis (excluding English Language).  Diploma Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO) acceptable with overall mark of 10.

New Zealand

Candidates must write to the Admissions Office giving full details of all exams taken and to be taken.  Applicants may satisfy general entrance requirements (ie matriculation) by achieving an appropriate standard in the University Entrance Bursaries and Scholarships exams.

Nigeria

Senior School Certificate Examination (SSC) and West African Senior School Certificate (WASSC) acceptable at grades 1-6 in lieu of GCSE on a subject for subject basis, would need to be supplemented by GCE A Levels.

Norway

Vitnemål Grunnskolen – acceptable in lieu of GCSE on a subject for subject basis (except English Language).

Vitnemål Videregaende Opplaering. Must be endorsed ‘generell Studiekompetanse’. Overall average of 5 with marks of 6 in Chemistry plus two other subjects.

Pakistan

Intermediate/Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC), acceptable at 50% or better in lieu of GCSE on a subject for subject basis (except English Language).  Would need to be supplemented by GCE A Levels or degree.

Portugal

Certificado de fim de Estudos Secundarios acceptable with an overall grade of 19.  Sciences, including Chemistry, must be offered, plus equivalent of GCSE English grade B. 
Singapore

Singapore/Cambridge GCE 'A' Levels grades AAB, including Biology or Chemistry plus another science subject and a third rigorous subject.

At least 4 Singapore/Cambridge GCE 'O' Levels at grade A, with Maths and English Language at grade B or above.  Any science not taken at 'A' Level must be passed at 'O' Level grade B or above.  Students are normally expected to have a minimum of 7 GCE 'O' Levels.

Students with a Bachelors degree from a Singapore University are expected to have achieved a PGA of at least 4.0.

South Africa

Senior Certificates/Matriculation Endorsement;

Standard grade acceptable in lieu of GCSE on a subject for subject basis (grades A – C)

Higher grade acceptable on a subject for subject basis, grades of at least AAAAB, including Chemistry and 2 from Biology, Maths, and Physics.

Spain

Bachillerate Unificado y Polivalente (BUP) and Graduado en Educacion Secundaries (GES) accepted in lieu of GCSE on a subject fo subject basis (except English Language).

COU – Curso de Orientacion Univeritaria, acceptable with overall pass of 10.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Ordinary Level, acceptable at credit and distinction levels in lieu of GCSE on a subject for subject basis (except English Language).

Sri Lanka Advanced Level, acceptable at grades AAB as GCE A-level requirements.

Sweden

Slutbetyg Fran Grudskola acceptable at grade 3 or better in lieu of GCSE on a subject for subject basis (except English Language).

Fullstandigt Slutbetyg Fran Gymnasieskolan acceptable in lieu of A-levels with overall mark of MVG.

Trinidad & Tobago

Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) in six CAPE units, including two double unit courses, with high grades.  Candidates from Trinidad & Tobago are exempt from the UKCAT test.

USA

We require a good high school transcript, SAT I & II of at least 550 in each exam, and 3 Advanced Placement Tests, one of which must be Chemistry, with grades of 4 or above.  For candidates offering a degree (this must be in a science or medically related subject), we would be looking for a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.  Our degree does not give any exemptions to those examinations required to practise medicine in the USA.

English Language Requirements

EU and non-EU applicants not offering GCSE English Language grade B, are required to have one of the following

 

• Grade B or above in the Certificate of Proficiency or Advanced Certificate in English offered by the Cambridge Syndicate

 

• International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) with a score of 7 or more in all units, taken within the last two years.

 

• Grade B or above in International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE).

 

We do not normally accept Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) qualification, except in very unusual circumstances.