Grades differ
Medicine asks for A*AA with A* and A in Biology and Chemistry; Medical Biosciences asks for AAA with an A in Biology or Human Biology.
Course choice · Imperial
Imperial Medicine or Medical Biosciences: clinical training or scientific research?
Imperial's Medicine (MBBS/BSc) and Medical Biosciences (BSc) both build on Biology and Chemistry and both ask for 38 IB points, but they differ in the route in: Medicine asks for A*AA, requires the UCAT and interviews roughly the top third of applicants, while Medical Biosciences asks for AAA, requires no test and generally holds no interview. The decision for a sixth-former is whether to pursue clinical training or a scientific research route, and how much of the Medicine selection process they are ready for.
Official information · last verified for 2027 entry
What Imperial asks for in Medicine or Medical Biosciences
Taken from Imperial's UCAT page and its Medicine and Medical Biosciences course pages and read on 31 October 2026. For a normal 2028-entry application, made in 2027, every requirement below is last verified for the previous cycle and may change; Imperial's 2028-entry requirements and dates are awaiting publication.
The IB standard is 38 for both
Medicine names 6 in Biology and 6 in Chemistry at higher level; Medical Biosciences names 6 in Biology and 6 in Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics.
The UCAT for Medicine only
Imperial uses the UCAT for Medicine; Medical Biosciences does not require a test.
Interviews differ
Imperial normally interviews the top third of Medicine applicants; the Medical Biosciences department generally does not hold interviews.
Different destinations
Medicine graduates with an MBBS and BSc; Medical Biosciences focuses on human biology and the molecular basis of disease.
Official sources
- Imperial College London: Medicine MBBS/BSc (undergraduate course page)imperial.ac.uk
- Imperial College London: Medical Biosciences BSc (undergraduate course page)imperial.ac.uk
Read on 31 October 2026 on Imperial's UCAT page and its Medicine and Medical Biosciences course pages, which describes 2027 entry. Imperial's Medicine selection detail beyond the quoted lines, the Medical Biosciences module lists, fees and the 2028-entry values were not read and are not stated.
The decision
Clinical medicine or biomedical science
Imperial's Medicine is an integrated MBBS/BSc with early exposure to clinical skills and patient experience. Medical Biosciences is a three-year BSc whose first two years develop understanding of fundamental human biology and the molecular basis of disease in a research-like laboratory setting. Their selection routes differ too: Medicine uses the UCAT and Multiple Mini Interviews, Medical Biosciences uses neither a test nor, generally, an interview.
Which course?
Choosing by ambition and readiness
Avandy's comparison is general and does not predict outcomes.
Medicine fits if
you want to qualify as a doctor and are ready for the UCAT and interviews.
Medical Biosciences fits if
you want a scientific route into biomedical research without a test or interview, with A in Biology or Human Biology.
Compare the full guides
Avandy's Imperial Medicine and Medical Biosciences guides cover each degree.
Entry rules
Grades, the UCAT and interviews
Medicine asks for A*AA with A* and A in Biology and Chemistry (A* in either), or 38 IB points with 6 in Biology and Chemistry at higher level, plus the UCAT. Medical Biosciences asks for AAA with an A in Biology or Human Biology and an A in Chemistry, Mathematics, Further Mathematics or Physics, or 38 IB points, with no test. This page states no scores.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Imperial's.
Do you want to be a doctor?
Only Medicine leads to an MBBS.
Are you ready for the UCAT and interviews?
Medicine requires both; Medical Biosciences requires neither.
Is A* in Biology or Chemistry realistic?
Medicine's offer asks for one A*.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Applying for 2028 entry means applying in 2027, under rules Imperial has not yet published for that cycle. Each item below carries one of two labels. Last verified for 2027 entry means Imperial published it for the previous cycle and it may change. Awaiting publication for 2028 entry means Imperial has not yet published it.
Grades, subject rules, the UCAT position and the interview arrangements: last verified for 2027 entry
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Imperial has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
The UCAS deadline, UCAT dates and interview dates: awaiting publication for 2028 entry
Check Imperial's course pages for the 2028-entry values when they appear.
What to do now
Decide between clinical and scientific routes, then read the course page and, for Medicine, plan the UCAT.
Support
Independent support with course choice and preparation
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with Imperial College London or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here means course-choice advice and ethical preparation; Avandy gives no scores or probabilities, does not supply test content and does not write applications. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Do I need the UCAT for Imperial Medical Biosciences?
No. Imperial says the course does not require a test as part of its selection process.
Are there interviews?
Imperial normally interviews the top third of Medicine applicants; the Medical Biosciences department generally does not hold interviews.
What are the A-level requirements?
A*AA for Medicine (A* and A in Biology and Chemistry) and AAA for Medical Biosciences, in Imperial's wording for 2027 entry.
What does the IB require?
38 points for both, with 6 in Biology at higher level and 6 in Chemistry (Medicine) or Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics (Medical Biosciences).
What qualification does Medicine award?
Imperial says successful students graduate with both an MBBS and a BSc.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Imperial's wording for the 2027 application cycle. Check the test and course pages again when Imperial publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Imperial Medicine or Medical Biosciences
Tell us about the student's curriculum, whether they want clinical training or scientific research, and how the UCAT and interview differ between the two routes, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.