MBChB Medicine Bachelor's degree at the University of Edinburgh
MBChB Medicine at University of Edinburgh. The extended length compared with many other subjects reflects the depth of clinical and scientific training required to qualify as a doctor, and it gives students time to move from foundational science through to supervised practice in…
About this course
MBChB Medicine is a Bachelor's degree (MBChB) at the University of Edinburgh, based in Central. It runs 6 years, studied full-time.
For Medicine (non-specific) graduates from this provider, typical earnings around £40,000. (HESA Graduate Outcomes / LEO, via Discover Uni.)
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Medicine & Dentistry, see the sections below.
Course evidence score
The arithmetic mean of the official measures available for this course: NSS satisfaction, graduate activity and continuation.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2022-23. Continuation 97% (2022-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
A typical UK Medicine & Dentistry degree builds from foundations to specialist options and a final project. An indicative structure:
| Stage | Module |
|---|---|
| Years 1–2 | Biomedical Sciences Core Anatomy, physiology and pathology, usually taught by body system. |
| Years 1–2 | Clinical & Communication Skills History-taking, examination and talking with patients from early on. |
| Years 1–2 | Population Health & Ethics Epidemiology, public health and professional ethics. |
| Years 3–4 | Clinical Rotations Hospital and GP placements across medicine, surgery and specialties. |
| Years 3–4 | Specialty Attachments Paediatrics, psychiatry, obstetrics and more, applied at the bedside. |
| Years 3–4 | Student-selected Components Deep-dives into areas you choose, often with research. |
| Year 5 | Assistantship & Preparation for Practice Working as part of the team ahead of foundation training. |
| Year 5 | Elective A placement of your choice, often abroad. |
| Year 5 | Finals & professional registration Integrated assessment leading to provisional registration. |
Typical structure for this subject (indicative). Modules vary by university. Check the provider's course page for the exact curriculum.
Specialisations & pathways
Tip: click a specialisation → current jobs in that area.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
Across the six years, the course moves through stages that build on one another: core theory covering the biomedical and clinical sciences underpinning medical practice; research and methods training so students can critically appraise evidence and, where relevant, contribute to it; applied practice through clinical placements where learning is tested against real patients and teams; specialist options such as areas of medicine that allow some tailoring of interests within the broader curriculum; an independent project giving students the chance to investigate a question in depth; and professional skills training covering the communication, ethical and practical competencies expected of a practising doctor. The sequencing is designed so that theory learned early in the course is consolidated and applied later, with professional skills threaded throughout rather than taught as a single isolated block.
Who it's for
This course suits someone who is genuinely curious about how the human body works and who also wants to put that knowledge to direct use in caring for people. It will appeal to those who are comfortable with a long period of sustained academic effort, someone who can stay motivated through years of study before qualifying, rather than looking for a quick route into work. A good fit is someone who is methodical and detail-oriented when it comes to science, but who is equally drawn to working with people, since much of the course involves direct contact with patients and multidisciplinary teams. Resilience matters too: clinical environments can be emotionally demanding, and students should be prepared for that alongside the intellectual challenge. Anyone considering this path should also value teamwork, since medicine is rarely practised alone, and should be open to feedback and continual assessment of both knowledge and professional conduct as they progress through the years.
Careers & job market
National Graduate Outcomes data for Medicine & Dentistry courses shows that 89% of graduates were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, and 75% of working graduates were in highly skilled work or further study, figures that reflect the field nationally rather than outcomes specific to this university. Nationally, starting salaries recorded 15 months after graduation across Medicine & Dentistry range from £27,000 to £32,000, rising to a range of £24,650 to £34,800 after three years and £29,325 to £41,400 after five years; these are national earnings figures, not guaranteed outcomes for any individual graduate. Separately, 90% of students nationally in this field continue past their first year, either still enrolled or having completed their studies, which gives some indication of course continuation patterns across the sector.
University & format
The University of Edinburgh is a public, research-intensive Russell Group university with 26,138 students in total, founded in 1583. It holds recognised UK degree-awarding status, meaning the MBChB is a nationally recognised qualification. The course is based centrally and taught full-time in English, with the UCAS course code A100. Among accepted students, 77% held A-levels or equivalent, and the most common UCAS tariff band among entrants was more than 240 points, this reflects what recent entrants typically had rather than a fixed requirement.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 59%.
Published threshold met NSS publication requires sufficient responses; small differences are not a rank. NSS mean of 7 published themes (Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryEarly equal-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Names detected beside accreditation or recognition copy on the provider course page; verify the route and intake.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Who gets in
What recently admitted students actually held, official admissions data, not a stated requirement.
UCAS tariff of entrants
Grades are the A-level equivalent of each points band. Tap a band to check your own chances below.
Qualifications held on entry
| Qualification | Share |
|---|---|
| A-levels or equivalent | 77% |
| a previous degree | 16% |
| a Baccalaureate | 3% |
| another higher-education qualification | 2% |
| an Access course | 1% |
| Other | 1% |
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Accepted students typically held strong UCAS tariffs. Check how your predicted grades compare and whether a contextual offer applies.
Will you get in? Plot your grades
Pick your predicted A-levels and watch your UCAS points land on the real spread of students admitted to this course.
Each bar is the share of admitted students in that UCAS-points band (lower → higher). Grades show the A-level equivalent.
Based on the official admitted-student tariff distribution. Many universities make contextual (reduced-grade) offers, so a result below the range doesn’t rule you out.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course (code A100). One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 15 October 2026, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for Oxford, Cambridge and most medicine, dentistry and veterinary courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Sit any admissions test & interview
Courses with the October deadline often need an admissions test (e.g. UCAT, BMAT or a subject test) and interviews, register early and prepare.
- 5Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 6Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Set under Scotland's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at University of Edinburgh →If you normally live in Scotland
For eligible Scottish-domiciled students at an eligible Scottish provider, SAAS can pay tuition directly. Living-cost support can combine bursary and loan and depends on household income and student circumstances. Students from elsewhere use their home funding body.
Check the current amounts with SAAS →Paying for it
- SAAS tuition payment: paid directly to the university for eligible Scottish-domiciled students, applied for through SAAS.
- Living-cost support: a mix of bursary and loan from SAAS, depending on household income.
- Repayment: only above the Scottish repayment threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Scotland runs its own system through SAAS; check saas.gov.uk for current rates.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
National funding for this subject
- NHS Bursary: Eligible medical and dental students can receive NHS support in the later years of study. Official guidance
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Medicine & Dentistry graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
Graduate earnings: this course
| When | Median | Typical range | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 months after | £40,000 | £35,000 – £50,000 | 865 |
| 3 years after | £48,500 | £40,500 – £54,000 | 245 |
| 5 years after | £55,000 | £48,000 – £60,000 | 290 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 865. Cohort 2021-22.
Graduate outcomes, 15 months on: this course
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in medicine & dentistry · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Medicine & Dentistry nationally
National figures for Medicine & Dentistry graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
What happened to 100 students?
Choose an outcome to translate the published percentage into a simple 100-person view. Each dot represents one percentage point, not an individual tracked student.
continued or completed
continued into the next year or completed their qualification
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2022-23. Stronger evidence. Published sample: 865. Cohort 2021-22. Each tab is a separate published measure; categories can overlap and should not be added together.
Value compared with similar courses
How this course’s 5-year median earnings compare with Medicine & Dentistry courses at the same study level.
Compared with 804 courses with compatible official earnings data. This is a course-value comparison, not a quality ranking.
Job market & outlook
How Medicine & Dentistry graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Medicine & Dentistry graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- The NHS
- Private practice
- Research & academia
- Public health
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Medicine & Dentistry graduates.
Medicine-Focused Veterinary Surgeon | Patient Care LeaderMedivet & PartnersMedicine Service Delivery Manager - Operations ImprovementNHSMedicine Occupational Therapist - StaffordshirePulse HealthcarePart-Time Palliative Medicine Consultant | 1-in-5 On-CallEvora Hospice (formerly Southern Area Hospice Services)Consultant Medicine - ElderlyPertemps Medical ProfessionalsSpecialty Doctor in Acute MedicineTriple West MedicalIs this course right for you?
The essentials UK applicants ask about: finance, outcomes, entry and quality.
Student finance
Fees for this course are set under Scotland's own student-finance system, not the England cap; check the provider's course page for the exact figure. Tuition for eligible Scottish-domiciled students is paid by SAAS directly to the university, applied for through SAAS and not Student Finance England. Living-cost support is a mix of bursary and loan, and you repay only above the Scottish threshold.
Where graduates go
Most graduates were in work or further study, with a median salary of £40,000. See the full breakdown in Careers & earnings above.
Your entry chances
Use the UCAS points calculator above to see how your predicted grades compare with admitted students, and whether a contextual offer could apply.
Official-data snapshot
Averaging the official measures published for it, this course scores 7.9 out of 10: NSS 61.1% · continued 97%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of Edinburgh
Medicine and dentistry across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Is Medicine & Dentistry right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to University of Edinburgh from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by University of Edinburgh; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check University of Edinburgh’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with University of Edinburgh and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
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Common questions
How competitive is entry?
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