BSc (Hons) Medicine Bachelor's degree at the University of St Andrews
BSc (Hons) Medicine at University of St Andrews. St Andrews' four-year medicine degree integrates rigorous scientific foundation with substantial clinical training, grounding you in core theory, research methods, and applied practice alongside specialist options and an independent…
About this course
BSc (Hons) Medicine is a Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons)) at the University of St Andrews. It runs 4 years, studied full-time.
For Medicine (non-specific) graduates from this provider, 94% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, 95% in highly skilled roles, typical earnings around £41,000. (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)
Limited evidence Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. Graduate Outcomes work or further study 94% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Published threshold met Discover Uni suppresses continuation data below its publication threshold. Cohort 2021-23. Continuation 97% (2021-23; Discover Uni snapshot 2026-06-21)
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
First year 2 modules
- Foundations of Medicine 1Compulsory
Module details
Provides a general overview of the structure and functions of the body systems from the microscopic to the macroscopic level. It includes strands of microbiology, public health and health psychology. Reviews fundamental aspects of molecular and cellular medicine, introduces medical ethics and communication skills relevant to medicine, uses clinical problems to develop an understanding of the levels of consciousness and the assessment of health status, includes an anatomical overview of the major
- Foundations of Medicine 2Compulsory
Module details
Continues the introduction of fundamental topics, including the principles of disease mechanisms and therapy, and the development of communication skills. Provides an in-depth study of the musculo-skeletal system, including nerve and muscle physiology (studying the anatomy of the upper and lower limbs through dissection and lecture), develops an understanding of the principles of disease mechanisms and therapy, introduces particular topics in behavioural sciences (for example, stress, coping and
Second year 2 modules
- Medicine Honours 1Compulsory
Module details
Covers the structure and functions of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Introduces and builds on normal form and function to explore disease mechanisms and therapy of disorders pertinent to the body systems covered, explores the body systems through cadaveric dissection, including the integration with clinical imaging, uses relevant clinical problems and clinical skills to provide a clinical context to studies, integrates the ethical, moral and behavioural aspects relevant to body syst
- Medicine Honours 2Compulsory
Module details
Covers the renal, gastrointestinal and reproductive systems. Introduces and builds on normal form and function to explore disease mechanisms and therapy of disorders pertinent to the body systems covered, explores the body systems through cadaveric dissection, including the integration with clinical imaging, uses relevant clinical problems and clinical skills to provide a clinical context to studies, integrates the ethical, moral and behavioural aspects relevant to body systems, and provides a s
Third year 2 modules
- Student-selected componentCompulsory
Module details
Students will undertake a research project in an area of interest at an advanced level. Research projects will provide the opportunity to develop critical appraisal skills, develop an understanding of scientific methods, gain competency in using literature-searching methods, develop an inquisitive and questioning attitude and ability to apply rational thought processes, prepare a scientific research dissertation, demonstrating critical thinking and analysis, give an oral presentation on the rese
- Clinical ReasoningCompulsory
Module details
Consolidates knowledge gained throughout the course and introduces new advanced skills to stimulate clinical development. This course is taught primarily by clinicians (including Honorary staff), and case studies will be used extensively to direct student learning. Reviews clinical anatomy in preparation for later clinical training, provides the opportunity to significantly advance clinical consultation skills, including examination and communication, provides an opportunity for multi-disciplina
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study medicine as it progresses from biomedical foundations through to clinical practice. Years 1 and 2 focus on core anatomy, physiology and pathology, usually taught by body system, alongside clinical and communication skills including history-taking and patient examination from the outset. You'll also cover population health and ethics. Years 3 and 4 shift towards hospital and general practice placements across medicine, surgery and specialties such as paediatrics, psychiatry and obstetrics. You'll undertake student-selected components, deep-dives into areas you choose, often with research, and may pursue specialisations including clinical placements, surgery, general practice, psychiatry or a research intercalation. In year 5, you'll work as part of the clinical team, complete an elective placement, and prepare for professional registration through integrated assessment.
Who it's for
This course suits you if you're drawn to understanding human biology and disease, and energised by the prospect of direct patient contact and clinical decision-making under supervision. You'll need strong analytical thinking, conscientiousness, and the resilience to manage demanding study alongside early clinical exposure. If you thrive on responsibility, can adapt quickly to new environments, and are genuinely motivated by the goal of becoming a doctor rather than chasing status, you'll find the experience absorbing. The course demands sustained effort across sciences and clinical placements, so self-motivation and time management matter greatly. You should be comfortable with uncertainty, medicine involves managing incomplete information and acknowledging the limits of your knowledge as you learn.
Careers & job market
Nationally, 89% of medicine and dentistry graduates are in work or further study within 15 months of graduating. Of those working, 75% are in highly skilled roles or further study. Starting salaries for medicine graduates nationally fall between £27,000 and £32,000 at 15 months; after five years, they typically range from £29,325 to £41,400. These figures reflect typical UK outcomes across the field and are not specific to St Andrews graduates.
University & format
This is a 4-year full-time Bachelor's degree (BSc (Hons) Medicine) studied in English at the University of St Andrews, a public university founded in 1413. The University of St Andrews is a recognised UK degree-awarding body; degrees are nationally recognised. The course is.
Student satisfaction
How students on this course answered the National Student Survey, by theme.
Share of students responding positively. Overall student satisfaction: 94%.
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.
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 | 57% |
| a previous degree | 36% |
| a Baccalaureate | 4% |
| a foundation course | 3% |
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
Provider fee page. Set under Scotland's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at University of St Andrews →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 Learning Support Fund: Eligible nursing, midwifery and allied-health students can receive a non-repayable training grant. 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 | £41,000 | £38,000 – £55,000 | 20 |
| 3 years after | £35,000 | £33,000 – £37,000 | 20 |
| 5 years after | £47,500 | £38,500 – £53,500 | 145 |
Nominal earnings for graduates of this course/subject at this provider. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23.
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.
were in work or further study
15 months after graduation
Source: Discover Uni, using Graduate Outcomes and continuation data. Cohorts: 2021-23. Limited evidence. Published sample: 20; treat comparisons cautiously. Cohort 2022-23. 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.
UK occupations graduates enter
Published graduate destinations, joined conservatively to UK SOC 2020, ONS pay and Skills England demand.
- Medical PractitionersSOC 2020 221 · 90% of published destinations · ASHE median £71,918
Discover Uni JOBLIST/JOBTYPE; ONS ASHE 2025 provisional, all employee jobs; Skills England Occupations in Demand 2025. SOC is shown only for an exact normalised label match; demand is shown only at exact four-digit SOC. Published sample: 140; response rate: 65%. Pay describes the occupation across workers, not a guaranteed graduate salary.
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
94% were in work or further study 15 months after graduating, with a median salary of £41,000. 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 9.3 out of 10: NSS 88.3% · in work or study 94% · continued 97%.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
The University of St. Andrews
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 St Andrews from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £39,620 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). 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 St Andrews’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 St Andrews and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at University of St Andrews
Common questions
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