How to get into Oxford Medicine in 2025

Excerpt

Getting into university is generally perceived as a protracted and daunting process for many, especially when preparing your application for highly-regarded institutions such as the University of Oxford. However, it does not necessarily have to be this way. Our team at Icon Education are here to guide you throughout the process, clarifying the various parts needed to help you with building a competitive application.

What does Oxford Medicine look for?

The 6-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (BM BCh) course at the University of Oxford is extremely competitive, with a low acceptance rate of approximately 1 out of every 8 applicants, with a 14 person quota set for international students. The first 3 years of the course are considered the pre-clinical stage where students delve into the medical sciences, who then put their learnings into action in the clinical stage during the next 3 years of their studies.

The typical grade profiles of the accepted applicants are as follows:

GCE A-Levels	A*AA in three subjects (not inclusive of Critical Thinking and Thinking Skills), with a minimum of A in both Chemistry and either Biology/ Physics/ Mathematics/ Further Mathematics. Applicants have to pass the practical assessment component in the science subjects as well.
International Baccalaureate (IB)	Minimally 39 points total (inclusive of core points), with minimally 766 for subjects at the Higher Level. Applicants have to take Chemistry with either Biology/ Physics/ Mathematics at the Higher Level.
Singapore and Cambridge General Certificate of Education Advanced Level	Minimally 3 A grades for three subjects at H2 level.
Advanced Placement Tests, Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and American College Testing (ACT)	For applicants submitting 3 APs at grade 5 level, they have to obtain a minimum combined score of 1470 for the SAT, or score 32 and above for the ACT. You can take a free SAT diagnostic test here at Icon Education.

UCAS Personal Statement

Along with strong academic results, the personal statement serves as another key component that enables the admissions committee to properly evaluate your suitability for the medicine course. While the new format of 3 questions instead of the 4000-character essay will be put in place for applicants planning to start school from September 2026 onwards, the questions will still revolve around topics that aim to unpack your motivations to study medicine.

University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

Specially designed in a way to assess your aptitude to study the demanding course of medicine, the UCAT is composed of sections that focus on your verbal reasoning, decision making, quantitative reasoning and situational judgement skills. The University of Oxford has not published any fixed cut-off scores, but it is pertinent to score highly as interview invites function on the basis of relative ranking. The mean score for students who managed to receive offers for 2025 is 3130.6.

If you are interested in coming up with a tailored strategy and improving your UCAT score, do reach out to us and take a free UCAT diagnostic test here at Icon Education

Interviews

Shortlisted applicants, approximately two or three applicants for each place, will then be invited for an interview. The interview will consist of a small panel, structured similarly to that of an academic discussion. The questions serve as a way for the panel to see whether the applicant suits the learning style and approach taken in Oxford, primarily revolving around questions that aim to understand your motivation, your ethical point of view, your level of empathy, the alignment of your values with that of the NHS et cetera.

Tips to enhance your application

Given the high competition with other equally, if not more, qualified applicants, it is all the more important to ensure that your application stands out. Here are some pointers that you can take into consideration:

1. ATo ensure that you are guaranteed equal consideration, pay close attention to the earlier deadline for your Oxford application, which is typically set in early October every year. Do plan early and properly account for the vast amount of prepwork needed. Ensure that there is sufficient time given to craft a compelling statement, as well as account for the buffer time needed to collect all the required scores and recommendation letters.

2. While it may seem intimidating, always try to ask and reach out to either the admissions team, current students or even teaching faculty if you want to gain a clearer perspective of what the medicine course entails! Some questions cannot be answered with a simple google search, therefore, building a closer understanding of the course and its nuances in this manner will likely translate well in your overall application.

3. It is not mandatory to have accrued a lot of experience in the medical field prior to your application. However, participating in activities such as internships, shadowing opportunities, and even courses such as the Oxford Medicine summer course will aid in assessing your own alignment with the healthcare sector.

We hope that this guide will be useful in the planning and crafting of your application. Do reach out to our team at Icon Education should you require more support and tips. We wish you all the best for your academic journey!