Health Foundation Year for Medicine
We are now offering an exciting gateway route into medicine for students from some under-represented groups. This course offers standard medical training with the addition of a foundation year (a total of six years).
The foundation year for medicine is a gateway route into medicine for students from some under-represented groups. This course offers standard medical training with the addition of a foundation year (a total of six years). Students entering the foundation year will undertake a range of modules to bring your academic level up to an equivalent standard to that of direct entrants to year 1 of the MBChB programme.
Applicants who meet the social and educational criteria for the health foundation year but meet the academic criteria for A100, are strongly advised to apply for A100 as these candidates are unlikely to benefit from the additional year of study. If successful at interview, they should qualify for a reduced offer. See our widening participation information section for more details about applying for A100.
Note: This programme is intended for school-leavers. It is not open to graduates, students who have already commenced or completed another HE programme or overseas applicants.
A "school-leaver" refers a student applying with A level or equivalent qualifications who has not undertaken any higher-level qualifications.
Applicants must meet the following Essential Criteria from Group 1 and 2 to be considered for this route. Applicants must provide evidence of meeting the essential criteria at the point of application. We will send you an email to request this information.
Re-application for 2022
Students who were unsuccessful at interview or failed to get the required grades for 2021 may re-apply for 2022. See also the reapplication section in Admissions Overview
Group 1: Essential criteria
- Ordinarily resident in the UK
- Attended a non-selective maintained school for GCSEs and A levels
- Attended a school with an attainment 8 score below national average (level set on an annual basis). For schools without an attainment 8 score only, we will consider schools where the % of students on free school meals is above the national average OR if this is not available, we will consider POLAR 4 data, quintile 1 of the school.
Group 2: Any one of the following
- Parent(s) or guardian in receipt of means-tested benefit(s)
- Time spent in local authority care (more than three months) within the last five years (i.e. in Years 9–13)
- Eligibility for free school meals at any point in Years 9–13
- Receipt of 16–19 bursary for purpose other than meals
- Receipt of UCAT bursary. Bursaries are available to cover the test fee for applicants from less well-off families. We strongly advise applicants to apply for the UCAT Bursary if they are eligible. Please check the UCAT web site for details.
In addition:
- Students on the Keele Steps2Medicine scheme or those leaving local authority care will be eligible for consideration for this route and should include this information in their UCAS application.
- Applicants from military families will be considered if they have attended a non-selective school and meet the academic criteria.
We advise applicants to read these pages in conjunction with our Medicine admissions pages as applicants will also be required to submit a Roles + Responsibilities form after application.
| Qualification | Requirement |
| GCSEs | 5 GCSEs at grade B/6, including double/triple-award science or three separate sciences (including a pass in practical endorsement) minimum of C/5 in maths and english language (including a pass in speaking and listening) |
| A levels | BBC from three A levels including chemistry or biology |
| BTECs | DDM in BTEC Extended Diploma in Applied Science, Health & Social Care, or Sport & Exercise Science or DM in BTEC Diploma plus B in A level (chemistry or biology) or D in BTEC Extended Certificate with BB at A level (including chemistry or biology |
| Scottish Highers | Advanced Higher: minimum of BB from two subjects (including biology or chemistry) Higher: minimum of BBBBB and National 5s: 5 x B including sciences; minimum of C in maths and english language |
| Access to HE |
Only the following Access to HE Diploma (Medicine) courses are considered:
As the course is intended for school-leavers, we strongly advise Access to HE Diploma (Medicine) students to consider applying for the A100 Medicine course. |
All home applicants for courses A100 and A104 must take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) in the year of application (i.e. in 2021 for entry in 2022 or deferred entry in 2023). Details of the test, along with fully timed practice tests, are available on the UCAT website. Please note the test dates and ensure that you can complete the test within the range of dates. Allowances will not normally be made for inability to take the test (or poor performance) owing to illness, family circumstances, etc., if it would have been possible for you to take the test on an alternative date. Please note that you cannot take the test more than once in a single calendar year.
Bursaries are available to cover the test fee for applicants from less well-off families. We strongly advise applicants to apply for the UCAT Bursary if they are eligible. Please check the UCAT website for details.
Applicants with a total UCAT score lower than 2280 or a situational judgement test (SJT) result in band 4 will not be considered.
Applications must be made through UCAS by the deadline of 15 October.
All applicants must complete and submit the Roles and Responsibilities Form by the deadline.
A104 applicants who meet all of the eligibility criteria will normally be selected for an MMI interview.
In order to progress onto the five year MBChB students need to achieve:
Semester 1 modules - 40% pass (45 credits)
Semester 2 modules - 70% progression mark (75 credits)
"The Foundation Year gave me the scientific (Chemistry) basis I needed to progress onto the principle course. It also had optional modules such as Active Anatomy which are beneficial when going on to study Medicine."
Read more about Rachel Jolley
"I think it made my progress to medicine quite smooth because I gained relevant knowledge and felt more confident about myself."
Read more about Barbara Studzinska
"The Health Foundation Year gave me the opportunity to study Medicine from a totally non-science background and I fully enjoyed the course."
Read more about Yan-Ling Wong
"Foundation Year offered us the chance to choose to study 'Active Anatomy,' a module which really gave us a good grounding in anatomy and proved its worth in the first year of Medicine"
Read more about Victoria Twigg
"During the year I enjoyed the wide range of subjects including Chemistry and Biology, whilst also gaining valuable experience of the more personal modules."
Read more about Laura Lambert