The University of Sheffield Medical School is a large, research-intensive medical school with early GP placements and a strong social accountability strand, taking around 315 new medical students a year across its two courses. Sheffield is ranked 20th in the UK for Medicine in the Complete University Guide 2027, up four places from 24th in 2026, and 38th out of 40 in the Guardian University Guide 2027 – a low Guardian position, but one paired with a career prospects score of 99 out of 100, so Sheffield graduates go on to work or further study at almost exactly the same rate as those from the top-ranked schools.
Sheffield medical school adopts a predominantly systems-based approach, using a range of teaching methods throughout the programme, including:
There is also a focus on a 'patient-centred approach'. Learning and teaching is thought of from the perspective of patients, whilst skills and understanding are developed to enable you to respond to problems presented by patients.
Sheffield is currently redeveloping its MBChB curriculum, with the new first and third years due to start in September 2028. If you start the five-year course in 2027, your first two years will follow the current curriculum and you’ll move onto the new curriculum from Year 3, which is expected to bring better-balanced semesters, more simulation, an operative care placement, longitudinal GP placements through the clinical years and more choice over your career exploration placements.
Throughout the programme, you’ll undertake the following clinical placements:
You’ll be assessed through written exams, coursework, practical tests and your performance in real and simulated clinical situations, and you’ll sit the national Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) as part of your degree.
Anatomy at Sheffield is taught in dedicated labs through prosection- and specimen-led learning, using real human von Hagens plastinated specimens alongside 22 Anatomage tables – the University says this makes it number one in the world for Anatomage content delivery.
You can find more information about the course structure and content here.
Your placements will take you to hospitals and GP practices across South Yorkshire, North Derbyshire and the surrounding areas. Key sites include:
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At different phases in the programme, you’ll undertake student selected components, which give you the opportunity to study areas of interest, including electives, community-based options and medical audit. You’ll also complete a research project.
In addition to this, Sheffield Medical School also offers the option of an intercalated degree, which allows you to take one year out of your medical course to study for an additional qualification. Medical students can choose a BSc Medical Sciences (Research) or an intercalated master’s degree; you can find out more about the intercalated programme here.
Away from the curriculum, the Medical Society (MedSoc) is the largest society in the Students’ Union, with over 1,800 members, and runs socials, the Medics’ Family scheme, guest lectures and welfare support, alongside a range of sub-societies. If research appeals to you, the Sheffield Academic Medicine Society exists to promote student involvement in medical research.
There is also the option to study the accelerated four-year course, the Graduate Entry Medicine MBChB, if you already have, or are expecting to obtain, a Bachelor’s degree in an appropriate life sciences subject, with a minimum 2:1 grade. For 2027 entry there are 24 places, all for home students who meet Sheffield’s widening participation criteria.
Other selling points you could mention at interview include:
The typical entry requirements for 2027 entry are:
You must be 18 before the first day of the course – if you won’t be, you’ll need to defer. There are 273 home places and 18 international places on the A100 course, and 24 home places on A101. BTEC Diplomas and T Levels aren’t accepted, but a QAA-approved Access to HE Diploma (Medicine) is, with all 45 Level 3 credits at Distinction, provided it isn’t taught by distance learning and you haven’t studied Biology or Chemistry A Level or a relevant science degree in the previous three years. Full details are on the course page, and you can compare schools in our guide to medicine entry requirements.
Widening access: eligible home applicants can receive a contextual offer through Access Sheffield of AAB (IB 34), along with extra consideration when results are released and support through the Access+ scheme. Students on the Access to Sheffield (Medicine) programme have lower GCSE requirements (five at grades 9-6/A*-B with 4/C in Science, Maths and English Language) and, crucially, progress straight to interview if they meet the UCAT threshold, without their score being ranked. Applicants who have completed the first year of a recognised University of Bradford or Sheffield Hallam University pathway can also progress straight to interview.
Sheffield Medical School uses the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format for home applicants, who attend in person. International applicants are invited to an online panel interview instead. The MMI is typically divided into eight sections, covering:
Each section is scored out of five, and your UCAT Situational Judgement Test result is converted into a score out of five based on your quartile, giving a total out of 45. Applicants who score three or better in every MMI section and in the SJT are prioritised in the ranking process. Panels include doctors, nurses, pharmacists, biomedical scientists, medical students and lay people.
For 2027 entry, multiple mini-interviews and online panel interviews will take place between December 2026 and January 2027, with online panel interviews for international applicants in January 2027 and decisions shared in February/March 2027. Sheffield expects to invite approximately 1,100 home and 100 international applicants for A100, and 40-60 applicants for A101. More information about the interview format used can be found here.
Most medical schools require you to pass an admissions exam before you’ll be invited for interview.
Admissions exam for Sheffield: University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)
The UCAT assesses your characteristics, attitudes and professional behaviours against those required for medical school. The exam is divided into 4 sections: Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning and Situational Judgement (SJT). Abstract Reasoning has been removed from the test.
For 2027 entry, the UCAT is being held between 13 July and 24 September 2026. Sheffield Med School specifies that applicants have to meet or exceed their minimum UCAT score threshold, which is 1800/2700 for 2027 entry. This threshold has been determined by calculating the 40th centile score attained by everyone who took the test for 2024, 2025 and 2026 entry. Everyone who clears the threshold – apart from Access to Sheffield (Medicine) participants and recognised Bradford/Sheffield Hallam pathway applicants, who go straight through – is then ranked on their total cognitive UCAT score, with home A100, international A100 and A101 applicants ranked separately. Your SJT band is only looked at once you’re invited to interview, when it’s converted into a score out of five.
The score needed to be invited to interview changes every year. Recent cut-offs were:
| Admissions cycle | Minimum UCAT threshold | A100 home cut-off | A100 overseas cut-off | A101 home cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 2440/3600 | 2440/3600 | 2870/3600 | 2640/3600 |
| 2024-25 | 2430/3600 | 2760/3600 | 2590/3600 | 2430/3600 |
| 2025-26 | 1800/2700 | 2120/2700 | 2070/2700 | 1800/2700 |
Source: University of Sheffield medicine admissions.
The 2023-24 and 2024-25 figures are on the previous UCAT format, scored out of 3600, so they aren’t directly comparable with today’s scores out of 2700.
To help you to successfully prepare for all sections, the free Medibuddy AI-powered, adaptive question bank carefully selects questions based on your strengths and weaknesses within the syllabus, to ensure that you’re focusing on areas which will have the biggest impact on your UCAT score.
You can also clearly see in the question bank dashboard the areas you have “mastered” and those which you need to focus more time on.
It’s crucial that you prepare well for all areas to ensure that you get the best UCAT score possible and secure your interview place!
For more information and guidance, see our complete guide to the UCAT and our UCAT preparation tips.
You can also see how other medical schools use the test in our guide to UCAT universities.
Tuition fees for Medicine at Sheffield are:
Most home students take Student Finance loans for the first four years and are then eligible for NHS funding from Year 5, including a bursary, a £1,000 grant and the full cost of tuition fees. Check the fees and funding information for the latest figures.
Good luck with your application to Sheffield! For more help, take a look at our guides to applying to medical school and the best medical schools in the UK.
