Table 2.

Academic criteria for admission to English medical schools

Criteria	Details
A level grades	18 schools require AAB; two require AAA; and two require ABB. One stated that depending on circumstances and, in particular, GCSE grades, BBB might be acceptable
A level re-sits	17 schools did not look favourably on A level re-sits, with applicants not considered or considered only if there had been exceptional extenuating circumstances. Five accept re-sits if passed at the original grade requested, with two of these commenting not only that they would they consider re-sits without prejudice but saw the decision to re-sit as evidence of a commitment to read medicine
A level subjects	All schools required A levels in chemistry or biology, or both, with some schools specifying grade A in these subjects; some schools advised third A level to be in a science/maths related subject, while others actively encouraged applicants to consider a non-science subject
Other qualifications	All schools would consider graduates with good degree (upper second or higher), with one school indicating that in exceptional circumstances a lower second might be acceptable. Twelve schools made explicit reference to “access to medicine” courses as acceptable means by which academic criteria could be satisfied. All schools recognise alternative equivalent education qualifications—for example, the International Baccalaureate and Scottish Highers