Graduate Entry Medicine MBChB
2024-25 entryThis accelerated medicine course is for graduates of life sciences degrees from a widening participation background who want to train to become a doctor. You’ll qualify in four years rather than five, learning directly from patients and expert clinicians from the start.
Key details
- A Levels BBB
Other entry requirements - UCAS code A101
- 4 years / Full-time
- September start
- Find out the course fee
- Industry placement
- View 2025-26 entry
Explore this course:
Course description
If you have a life sciences degree and come from a widening participation background, this Medicine MBChB is an opportunity for you to fast-track your career in medicine. You’ll join a supportive Medical School known for innovative, clinically-led, patient-centred teaching.
If you meet our widening participation entry requirements, you’ll join your fellow medical students in phase 2 of the MBChB programme after a six-week introductory module. You’ll graduate in four years rather than five, ready to start making a difference as a junior doctor.
Diverse clinical placements
You’ll gain hands-on experience from the start, with clinical teaching in GP practices, hospital wards and clinics, alongside lectures, seminars, tutorials and practical classes. You will also use our Clinical Skills Centre at Northern General Hospital – one of the largest in the country – to practise your learning in simulated wards, resuscitation suites and theatres.
Learn from patients
Being a great clinician doesn’t just mean knowing the hard facts or the latest techniques - you need to be able to speak, listen and empathise with patients. That’s why you’ll be taught the social aspects of medicine and spend time learning from real patients with real illnesses. Studying this way means you’ll be able to reflect on your clinical knowledge in the context of real people with their own unique perspectives and respond to problems in a range of primary, secondary and tertiary care settings.
Research-informed practice
Studying Medicine in Sheffield means joining a community where curiosity and innovation are celebrated. Our team is known for conducting world-leading research with tangible, life-changing applications – from developing new techniques for diagnosing heart failure to trialling new cancer treatments. Studying with us means you’ll always be able to draw on the latest research and make informed, evidence-based choices in your own medical practice.
Prepared for the future
Once you complete your degree, you’ll leave Sheffield with a passion for medicine and the confidence and competence you need to succeed as a junior doctor. You will graduate with an MBChB, which is classed as a primary medical qualification (PMQ) by the General Medical Council (GMC). Assuming you meet their Fitness to Practise guidelines, you can then provisionally register with the GMC and apply for a Foundation Year 1 post.
This course is only open to home/UK students from widening participation backgrounds. There are no places available on this degree for international students.
Modules
A selection of modules are available each year - some examples are below. There may be changes before you start your course. From May of the year of entry, formal programme regulations will be available in our Programme Regulations Finder.
Choose a year to see modules for a level of study:
UCAS code: A101
Years: 2022, 2023, 2024
(Sept Year 1 - June Year 1)
Students on this course bypass phase 1 (the first year) of the A100 Medicine degree.
September Year 2 to December Year 3
Basic clinical competencies
- Introductory module
- Early Years General Practice Placement
- Clinical Attachments
- SSCs
- Clinical Medical Sciences
- Clinical Skills
Phase 2a of the course lasts for one academic year. Students joining Phase 2a from the A100 programme begin the phase with a six-week research project. Students joining Phase 2a from the A101 programme begin with a six-week introductory module that recaps some key elements of Phase 1 of the programme. This includes anatomy, histology, physiology, etc.
Medical Sciences feature strongly in Phase 2a. Your knowledge and understanding will be developed through both lectures and clinical experience in ten half-day general practice placements. You will build on your basic medical sciences knowledge by learning about the clinical presentation of disease (symptoms and signs), pathology, microbiology, immunology, the investigations that are used in diagnosis and the way that specific diseases are treated (pharmacology and therapeutics). Medical sciences are assessed in written examinations (multiple choice and clinically-related scenario short answer questions) at the end of Phase 2a.
In Phase 2a, you will also receive training in a large number of procedural clinical skills in simulation (e.g. obtaining a 'blood' sample from a manikin arm). Your ability to perform these procedures safely will be assessed in simulation during Phase 2a, so that you are ready to perform them under supervision in clinical practice for the remainder of the course.
Phase 2b commences in June of the second academic year and is the stage of the course where students really begin to feel like trainee doctors. You will spend most of your time in hospital wards, operating theatres and outpatient clinics, learning the skills that you will need to join the medical profession.
At the start of Phase 2b, you will receive a three-week introduction to basic clinical skills. You will receive training from specialists in history taking and physical examination of all of the major body systems. This teaching is delivered to students in small groups, at the bedside, with the assistance of real patients who volunteer to assist with your training. This introductory course will equip you with the basic skills that you need before you start your clinical attachments.
You will then undertake a 12* week longitudinal integrated clinical placement (LICP1) in one of the hospitals in or around Sheffield. (*14 weeks duration with a 2-week holiday at the start of August). LICP1 is designed to provide you with the opportunity to develop the skills that are fundamental to clinical practice (history and physical examination. You will be encouraged to use the information that you have already gained to formulate diagnoses. You will become part of the clinical team and will attend and participate in many of the everyday activities of the team, such as ward rounds, surgical operations, pathology meetings, and outpatient clinics. In addition, you will gain broader experience in other departments in the hospital and develop your knowledge and understanding of clinical medicine in regular classes in the medical education departments in the hospitals.
During this time, you will also continue to develop the professional attributes that are essential to becoming a successful practising doctor. You will also complete an SSC in medical ethics and law, based on a real case that you have seen in clinical practice and the ethical issues this case raised (e.g. end of life care).
Phase 2b will give you a firm foundation for all future clinical Phases of the course. By the end of Phase 2b, you will have gained a knowledge and understanding of disease and a set of clinical skills (history-taking, physical examination, procedural skills in clinical practice) that you will continue to use throughout your career. The assessment at the end of Phase 2b is an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) in which you will demonstrate your clinical learning by taking histories and performing physical examinations on simulated and real patients.
Students who pass the Phase 2b OSCE at the first sitting will complete an SSC in social accountability in which they will complete some voluntary work with patient or community groups in Sheffield or the surrounding area and through this, will increase their understanding on health inequity and the role of medicine in society.
January Year 3 to August Year 4
Extended clinical competencies
- Clinical Team Attachments
- Child Health
- Women's Health
- Mental Health
- SSCs (including Community-based and an Elective)
- Medical Sciences
- Acute Clinical Care
- Continuing Clinical Care
- Community and Public Health
- Specialty Clinical Attachments
- Further SSCs including Medical Audit
Phase 3 lasts just under two years and is clinically based. It is a period of study and clinical experience taking students into both primary and secondary care of the patient with an emphasis on 'hands-on' medicine.
The primary care element involves community placements centred on General Practice.
The secondary care of patients covers mainly hospital work in sub-speciality subjects including child health (Paediatrics), women's health (Obstetrics and Gynaecology), mental health (Psychiatry) and General Practice. Students rotate in small groups through these disciplines and receive various forms of back up including small group work, seminars, tutorials and lectures.
The emphasis is on evidence-based learning and you are encouraged to learn by investigation and teamwork. The speciality teaching includes projects and team presentations. You also have an opportunity to study areas of particular interest to you in the Student Selected Components elements of the course.
Year 5
Final preparation for clinical practice
- Final preparation for becoming a Junior Doctor
- LICP2 and LICP3
- Student assistantship
The final year of the course will provide you with the opportunity to prepare for clinical practice after graduation. The year begins with a series of lectures that will allow you to consolidate and further develop your knowledge over a wide area of clinical medicine.
You will then undertake the two longitudinal integrated placements (LICP2 and LICP3) which will be in a different hospital and clinical area from LICP1. The structure of LICP2 will be similar to LICP1 (attached to a clinical team, defined role and responsibilities, additional experiences in other departments and regular classes) but will reflect your increased experience and competence. After the Christmas break, you will continue to develop your competence in LICP3 in another hospital and clinical area.
Most graduates continue their medical training in postgraduate foundation programmes. The student assistantship will provide you with six weeks of experience in the post you will take up in August (this can only be guaranteed for students who will be staying in the local area).
The confidence of the University in you will be demonstrated when it awards you the degree of MBChB after you have been successful in the clinical examination in May. Phase 4 is an exhilarating, exacting and rewarding time and will prepare you well for your duties as a junior hospital doctor.
The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it's up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we'll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.
Learning and assessment
Learning
You will learn through clinical teaching on wards in hospitals, clinics (both in general practice and in hospitals), lectures, seminars, tutorials, small group work, practical classes and personal development supported by experienced teachers and personal academic tutors. We aim to ensure you're well prepared for a career in medicine.
Assessment
The Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA)
All medical students graduating in 2024-25 and beyond need to pass the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA), which you’ll take as part of your degree. The MLA will test your applied knowledge as well as your clinical and professional skills, giving patients and employers greater confidence in your ability to practise medicine.
Don’t worry about preparing for the MLA - you’ll be taught everything you need to know as part of our curriculum and we’ll be on hand to support you as you near the assessment.
Programme specification
This tells you the aims and learning outcomes of this course and how these will be achieved and assessed.
Entry requirements
Summary of entry requirements
Please ensure you also read the more detailed entry requirements below.
For more information and frequently asked questions about the course, check the Medical School website.
The A Level entry requirements for this course are:
BBB
including Chemistry or Biology + 2.1 in a life sciences degree + meet our WP criteria
- International Baccalaureate
- 32, with 5 in three Higher Level subjects including Chemistry or Biology + 2.1 in a life sciences degree
- BTEC Extended Diploma
- Not accepted
- Access to HE Diploma
- Not accepted
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Life science degree subjects include Biomedical Science, Clinical Science or Dentistry
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We do not accept A Level Further Maths when determining whether an applicant meets our A Level academic threshold. However, for applicants who take four A Levels in a two-year period (typically years 12 and 13 at school) including Maths and Further Maths, we will accept the Maths A Level, even if it is taken in Year 12, and irrespective of whether the A Level is certificated in Year 12 or 13. It is expected that Chemistry or Biology and a third acceptable subject will be taken in Year 13
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You must take the University Clinical Aptitude Test for Medicine and Dentistry (UCAT) in order to be eligible for admission – see below. Applicants will be ranked on their UCAT score
You must demonstrate that your English is good enough for you to successfully complete your course. For this course we require: GCSE English Language at grade 4/C; IELTS grade of 7.5 with a minimum of 7.0 in each component; or an alternative acceptable English language qualification
Equivalent English language qualifications
Visa and immigration requirements
Other qualifications | UK and EU/international
More detailed entry requirements
We have fifteen places available to Home applicants from widening participation backgrounds for our four-year Graduate Entry Medicine - MBChB (A101) programme.
Applicants for this programme will be required to demonstrate that they come from a widening participation background and that they meet our minimum academic and UCAT requirements.
Meeting the minimum academic, UCAT and widening participation entry requirements does not guarantee an invitation to interview or the offer of a place. If you wish to also be considered for the Medicine - MBChB A100 programme you will need to apply to that course via UCAS as a separate choice.
- Widening Participation entry requirements
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This degree programme is only open to Home students from Widening Participation backgrounds. The A101 Graduate Entry Medicine MBChB programme is not open to Home students who are not from a Widening Participation background. There are no International places available for this programme.
We will consider applicants to meet our widening participation criteria if they met any two or more of the following criteria at the point they completed their A Levels (or equivalent qualifications):
- Lived in an area with a low progression to higher education
- Lived in a deprived area
- Received free school meals in years 10-13
- Received a 16-19 Bursary or similar grant
- Was a young carer
- Lived in local authority care during secondary education
- Was estranged from both of their parents or legal guardians during their secondary/further education
- Have parents who do not hold higher education qualifications
- Have parents who were unemployed or working in unskilled jobs
- Have a disability
We will determine whether applicants meet our widening participation entry requirements by sending them a simple form to complete, which includes definitions for the criteria set out above.
- Academic entry requirements
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In addition to meeting our Widening Participation entry criteria, applicants are required to meet both our minimum A Level and our minimum Degree academic entry requirements. (We do not consider GCSEs or AS Levels for this programme.) Applicants are also required to meet our minimum English Language requirements. We do not rank applicants on the basis of their academic attainment.
A Level qualifications
Applicants must have grades of at least BBB at A Level at the time of application, one of which must be Chemistry or Biology.
Please note:
- The requirement for BBB at A Level means at least a B grade in each of the three A Levels
- All three A Levels must have been taken in the same first sitting
- We do accept A Level resits. Any and all A Level resits must be taken in the same sitting, and only one resit per A Level is permitted. Only those A Levels that do not meet the above entry requirements need to be retaken
- A Levels in Further Mathematics, Critical Thinking and General studies are not accepted for the A101 programme
- For applicants who took four A Levels in a two year period (typically years 12 and 13 at school) including Mathematics and Further Mathematics, we will accept the Mathematics A Level, even if it is taken in Year 12, and irrespective of whether the A Level is certificated in Year 12 or 13. It is expected that Chemistry or Biology and another subject (that is not Critical Thinking, Further Mathematics or General Studies) will be taken in Year 13
- Where a graduate applicant has BBB or better at A Level but the pre-degree A Levels do not include Chemistry or Biology we will consider their application provided they have taken an A Level in either Chemistry or Biology during or after their Bachelor's degree and achieved (or are predicted to achieve) a Grade B or higher
For applicants not holding A Levels, our usual requirement for other qualifications is:
- Cambridge Pre-U Certificate - grades M2, M2, M2 including Chemistry or Biology
- Scottish Highers - Advanced Highers grades BB including Chemistry or Biology
- Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma - grade B, plus grades BB in two A Levels, subjects must include Chemistry or Biology
- Irish Leaving Certificate - H3,H3,H3,H3,H3,H3 with H3 in Chemistry or Biology
- International Baccalaureate - 32 points overall with 5's in Higher Level subjects (to include Chemistry or Biology) and no less than 4 in each of the Standard Level subjects
We are not able to consider the following qualifications for entry to our Graduate Entry Medicine course:
- Access courses
- Bachelor's degrees that are not in acceptable Life Sciences subjects
- Bedales Examinations
- BTECs
- Foundation courses
- HE Diplomas
- International Certificate of Christian Education
- Masters degrees
- PhDs
- T-Levels
- Degree qualification
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Applicants for this programme will need to have attained, or be predicted to attain, an upper second-class or first-class Bachelor's degree in an appropriate life sciences subject. We are looking for applicants whose degrees will have given them an appropriate level of understanding of human anatomy and physiology.
Please note:
Appropriate life sciences degrees include, but are not limited to the following degrees (this is not an exhaustive list):
- BDS (Dentistry)
- BMedSci
- BSc Anatomical Sciences (provided this relates to Human Anatomy)
- BSc Anatomy and Physiology
- BSc Biomedical Science
- BSc Clinical Science
- BSc Healthcare Science
- BSc Human Biology
- BSc Human Physiology
- BSc Medical Physiology and Therapeutics
- BSc Medical Science
- BSc Neuroscience
- BSc Pharmacology
- BSc Pharmaceutical Science
- BSc Physiotherapy
- BSc Sport and Exercise Science
- BSc Sport Rehabilitation and Exercise Science
- MPharm
We do not consider the following degrees to be appropriate life sciences degrees and they do not meet our entry requirements. Please note that it is not an exhaustive list:
- BSc Adult Nursing
- BSBA/BSc Ayervedic Medicine and Surgery
- BSc Biochemistry
- BSc Biochemistry with Human Biology
- BSc Biology
- BSc Biological Science (Genetics)
- BSc Biomedical Engineering
- BSc Biomedial Material Science
- BSc Botany
- BSc Cancer Biomedicine
- BSc Chemical Engineering
- BSc Chemistry
- BSc Clinical Speech and Language Sciences
- BSc Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience
- BSc Diagnostic Radiology
- BSc Engineering
- BSc Forensic Anthropology
- BSc Forensic Psychology
- BSc Forensic Science
- BSc Genetics
- BSc Global Health
- BSc Human Genetics
- BSc Immunology
- BSc Marine Biology
- BSc Medical Biochemistry
- BSc Mental Health Nursing
- Bsc Molecular Cell Biology
- BSc Nursing
- BSc Operating Department Practice
- BSc Orthoptics
- BSc Podiatric Medicine
- BSc Prosthetics and Orthotics
- Bsc Psychology
- BSc Zoology
Potential applicants whose degree does not appear in the lists above are strongly advised to contact the medical admissions team (medadmissions@sheffield.ac.uk) prior to submitting an application, enclosing a degree transcript, to determine whether their degree will be acceptable or not.
We do not consider postgraduate Masters degrees (i.e. when taken as a second degree) or PhDs when determining whether you meet our academic entry requirements.
- University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) requirements
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Everyone applying to study Medicine at the University of Sheffield will need to undertake the University Clinical Aptitude Test for Medicine and Dentistry (UCAT) in order to be eligible for admission.
The test must be taken prior to your application in the year of application. Details of test dates and how to register can be found on the UCAT website. Please note that test results are only valid for the current admissions cycle: if you re-apply to this Medical School you will need to sit the test again.
In addition to the academic requirements, applicants must have achieved a score of 2440/3600 or above to be given further consideration. Applicants must meet the UCAT entry requirements AND the academic entry requirements AND the widening participation criteria.
The Situational Judgement Test (SJT) component is only considered for those applicants who are invited to attend a Multiple Mini-Interview. UCAT have produced a guidance video to help you prepare for the test:
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We will aim to invite approximately 40-60 A101 applicants for interview. In the event that we receive more applications than we have interview spaces for, applicants who meet or exceed the minimum academic requirements, the minimum UCAT requirement and the widening participation criteria will be ranked based on their UCAT score after the application deadline to determine which of these applicants are invited to attend a Multiple Mini-Interview.
- Disclosure and Barring Service check
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All medical students are required to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before starting the course. Admission to the courses offered by the University of Sheffield Medical School is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) Section 4(2) (Exemption) Order 1975 and the Department of Health Circular HC (88)9 guidelines regarding child protection and police checks. All offers will therefore include a condition relating to a satisfactory DBS check.
On the UCAS form, you will need to tell us about any criminal convictions, including spent sentences, cautions (including verbal cautions), reprimands and bind-over orders.
If you have any queries regarding the DBS check please contact the Medical Admissions Office on +44 114 222 5531.
- Health requirements
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All medical students are required to show that they are not infectious carriers of hepatitis B and will be required to complete a course of hepatitis immunisation after enrolment. Students undergo occupational health screening and vaccination as appropriate on arrival.
So that we can provide effective support, disabled applicants, applicants with serious health problems, or applicants who know that they are infected with hepatitis C or HIV must disclose this on their UCAS form. All potential students with significant support needs will be individually assessed to ensure that the University is able to support them on their chosen course of study.
If you have a disability, medical condition or learning difficulty, including dyslexia, please indicate this on your UCAS form. Contact the Medical Admissions Office for details of our admissions policy or visit our department website for more information.
All the above procedures must be followed precisely to avoid prejudicing your entry to the course.
- Disrupted Studies policy
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If you have experienced issues of a personal, social or domestic nature that have affected either your post-16 studies, or any GCSE Qualifications that are cited in our course entry requirements, you can let us know by completing our Disrupted Studies form. Read the Medical School's Admissions Policy on Disrupted Studies carefully before submitting a Disrupted Studies form.
- Admissions policy
If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the department.
Graduate careers
The Foundation Year Programme
During your final year of medical school, it’s likely you’ll want to apply to the UK’s Foundation Programme (UKFP). This is a two-year training programme for newly qualified doctors, which bridges the gap between your studies and speciality training.
Our undergraduate course will give you the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to succeed in this programme. During Foundation Years 1 and 2 (FY1/FY2) you’ll build on your existing clinical and professional skills, working as a doctor on rotation in different medical specialities. After FY1 you can apply for full GMC registration.
As well as the standard Foundation Programme there is also a variation called the Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP) which gives foundation doctors a fantastic opportunity to develop research, teaching and leadership skills.
Speciality training and your future
Once you have completed the UKFP, you’ll be awarded a Certificate of Excellence which means you can apply for speciality training in an area of medicine that interests you. There are many different areas you could specialise in and the length of this training period will vary from 3-8 years depending on the speciality. Pathways you may wish to follow include:
- General practice
- Paediatrics
- Gynaecology
- Cardiology
- Radiology
Not every student follows a traditional speciality training pathway. Rather than become GPs or consultants, some of our graduates have gone into academia, undertaking research or leading the next generation of doctors. Others join the pharmaceutical industry or become managers in the health service. Whatever route you follow, our undergraduate course prepares you for the lifelong learning needed in medicine.
School of Medicine and Population Health
The University of Sheffield’s medical school dates back to 1828 and was a founding part of the University itself.
Today, medicine students are based in the School of Medicine and Population Health, and study alongside practising clinicians and expert researchers who are working on topics that range from neurodegeneration to public health. Everything we do is about improving people’s health.
Our Clinical Skills Centre is based at the Northern General Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in the country. The centre contains mock clinical wards, resuscitation suites, simulated theatres and teaching rooms – a perfect facility for training the healthcare professionals of tomorrow.
Facilities
You will also spend time at our Clinical Skills Centre, based within the Northern General Hospital, one of the largest hospital campuses in the country. Your placements will take you to primary and secondary care providers across the region.
School of Medicine and Population HealthWhy choose Sheffield?
The University of Sheffield
Number one in the Russell Group
National Student Survey 2023 (based on aggregate responses)
92 per cent of our research is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent
Research Excellence Framework 2021
Top 50 in the most international universities rankings
Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023
Number one Students' Union in the UK
Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017
Number one for teaching quality, Students' Union and clubs/societies
StudentCrowd 2023 University Awards
A top 20 university targeted by employers
The Graduate Market in 2023, High Fliers report
School of Medicine and Population Health
Graduate Outcomes 2020/21
Fees and funding
Fees
Students entering the A101 Graduate Entry Medicine programme all come from widening participation backgrounds. While you can apply for a loan to part-cover your tuition fee, you must pay the first £3,465 of your first year fees yourself.
However, thanks to generous donations from our alumni, all 15 students entering the four-year Graduate Entry Medicine (A101) programme in September 2024 will receive a scholarship worth £3,500 to cover this funding gap.
These scholarships will allow to start medicine studies without worries about paying any fees upfront.
Additional costs
The annual fee for your course includes a number of items in addition to your tuition. If an item or activity is classed as a compulsory element for your course, it will normally be included in your tuition fee. There are also other costs which you may need to consider.
Funding your study
Depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a bursary, scholarship or loan to help fund your study and enhance your learning experience.
Use our Student Funding Calculator to work out what you’re eligible for.
Additional funding
See above for information on our scholarships to cover part of the course funding.
Visit
University open days
We host five open days each year, usually in June, July, September, October and November. You can talk to staff and students, tour the campus and see inside the accommodation.
Subject tasters
If you’re considering your post-16 options, our interactive subject tasters are for you. There are a wide range of subjects to choose from and you can attend sessions online or on campus.
Offer holder days
If you've made an application to study with us, we may invite you for an interview. If you are then successful in receiving an offer, we'll invite you to one of our applicant days. These applicant days have a strong department focus and give you the chance to really explore student life here, even if you've visited us before.
Campus tours
Our weekly guided tours show you what Sheffield has to offer - both on campus and beyond. You can extend your visit with tours of our city, accommodation or sport facilities.
Apply
Make sure you've done everything you need to do before you apply.
How we process applications and select applicants for offers
How to apply When you're ready to apply, see the UCAS website:
www.ucas.com
Contact us
- Telephone
- +44 114 222 5531
- medadmissions@sheffield.ac.uk
The awarding body for this course is the University of Sheffield.
Recognition of professional qualifications: from 1 January 2021, in order to have any UK professional qualifications recognised for work in an EU country across a number of regulated and other professions you need to apply to the host country for recognition. Read information from the UK government and the EU Regulated Professions Database.
Any supervisors and research areas listed are indicative and may change before the start of the course.