Your Med Future: your free medical school application guide
Thinking about how to become a doctor in Scotland? NHS Scotland Careers teamed up with the 5 Scottish medical schools and the Medical Schools Council to create this free guide. It will support your application to study medicine in Scotland from start to finish.
Finding your route into medical school
Medicine is 1 of the few undergraduate degrees that leads directly to an established career pathway. It also takes real commitment, with 4 to 6 years of university study. After that, you’ll start postgraduate training as a resident doctor. It can take another 5 to 10 years depending on the type of doctor you want to become.
You could apply straight from school, but not everyone does. Your Med Future can help if you're a school leaver, coming to medicine as a second career, or working as a registered healthcare professional. There's a route into medical school in Scotland for almost every starting point.
Hear from people who've done it
Get access to real-life career stories from medical students and resident doctors. They'll share helpful tips about the application process and answer your big questions. They'll also tell you exactly what it's like to study medicine in Scotland.
Are you supporting someone else?
If you're a teacher, career adviser, parent, or carer, we've got tools to help you. Our resources will help you understand the medical school application process inside out. You'll feel prepared for important career conversations, so you can answer questions with confidence.
Common questions about studying medicine in Scotland
It's ok to have lots of questions before you start your medical school application. Here’s a quick look at the answers to the most common things applicants ask.
How many years does it take to study medicine in Scotland?
Most medical degrees in Scotland take 5 years to complete. However, depending on your entry route, your studies could take anywhere from 4 to 6 years.
Explore entry routes in Scotland.
How do you get into medical school in Scotland?
You'll usually follow 4 main steps. Most options follow the order below, but a couple work differently.
- Choose your route: You can choose standard entry, graduate entry, or a gateway year. Your choice depends on your qualifications and personal circumstances. Each option has its own entry requirements, but you'll usually need 5 Highers including Chemistry.
- Sit an admissions test: Most universities use the UCAT, which you'll take in the summer before you apply. ScotGEM uses the GAMSAT instead. Registration for the GAMSAT closes months earlier, so you'll need to plan ahead.
- Apply through UCAS: The UCAS deadline is 15 October at 18:00. This is 3 months before the deadline for most other university programme. You can pick up to 4 different medicine courses on your application.
- Attend an interview: Most Scottish medical schools will interview shortlisted applicants. They usually run these as a series of short stations. It's a chance to show how well you communicate and reason.
There are 2 main exceptions to the admissions process described above. You apply for the HCP-Med programme at Edinburgh directly, rather than through UCAS. Gateway programmes still use UCAS, but their deadline is in January instead of October.
Learn more about applying to medical school in Scotland.
How much does it cost to study medicine in Scotland?
If you live in Scotland and study at a Scottish university, your tuition fees are usually paid for you. You'll need to apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) every year to arrange this.
You'll still need to budget for living costs and extra expenses, like placement travel and medical equipment. You can apply for student loans and bursaries to help manage these costs.
Find out about medical student funding.
What university is best for medicine in Scotland?
All 5 Scottish medical schools fully qualify you to work as a doctor anywhere in the UK. There isn't a single best university, so it really comes down to which teaching style and location works best for you.
Your Med Future is published by Public Services Delivery Scotland (formerly NHS Education for Scotland), part of NHS Scotland.
Explore all Your Med Future resources
Whether you're applying to medical school or supporting someone else, you can find all our guides and tools below. Choose a link below to explore our resources.