The Undergraduate Foundation Programme in Life Sciences – Pathway to Medicine is a three term course designed in collaboration with the University of Aberdeen, to prepare international students for a five-year Medicine MBChB. The first three years of this degree will be delivered on the Foresterhill Campus in Aberdeen, with the final two years will be spent completing clinical attachments across Scotland which will allow students to build their experience in the field.
Medicine is a competitive, demanding career field, which means students will need to be dedicated and ambitious in their studies. This is why, each year, there are up to 20 places available on the Pathway to Medicine at the International Study Centre (ISC) with offers made on a first-come-first-served basis*.
We are now open to applications and confirmations for our October 2021 intake, providing the opportunity for students to progress to the first year of a MBChB degree in September 2022.
3 reasons to study Medicine at the University of Aberdeen
- Aberdeen’s Medical School is ranked 2nd in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2021 and 1st in the UK for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2020.
- The Medical School is co-located on one of the largest clinical sites in Europe with extensive facilities including access to world-renowned research facilities as well as several hospitals and general practice facilities.
- Opportunity to work with real patients right from the very start of the degree and clinical attachments begin in Year 1 – meaning students benefit from early patient contact.
Selection process for the MBChB
Due to the popularity of the course, progression to Medicine is competitively awarded and is dependent on achieving the required academic and English grades, as well as performance in the online University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) and at multiple mini interviews. Students will also be required to write a personal statement as part of their application, as well as submit an academic reference from their Personal Academic Tutor.
If students do not gain a place on the MBChB following the highly competitive selection process, they will be able to select an alternative degree in the area of Life Sciences (subject to achieving the required grades).
Student support
Every student will have a Personal Academic Tutor whilst at the ISC, who will have regular one-to-one meetings with them to monitor their progress. This support will be tailored depending on individual needs, including:
- bespoke modules, designed to introduce students to the UK health system, the NHS and patient care
- support to find resources and materials to prepare students for all application stages
- feedback on student’s draft application and personal statement before submission to the Medical School
- preparation support for interviews, including mock interviews from both the ISC and the Medical School.
What our students say
“Doing regular lab experiments has taught me a lot more about how to analyse cells, tissues and other living matter. I studied about the NHS in more detail and wrote about diseases such as cancer. My overall experience has been really good as the teachers and staff were all extremely kind and supportive. With their encouragement, I found it easier to cope up with my work and had a greater determination.”
Tanya from Singapore, Studied Undergraduate Foundation Programme in Life Sciences – Pathway to Medicine.
Existing offer holders
As the full duration of the MBChB will now be taught in Scotland (instead of years 4 and 5 in Sri Lanka), all existing offer holders for the ISC course will be issued a new offer letter. We advise all students to confirm their place at the earliest point to avoid missing out.
For full information on this programme including the full application process and frequently asked questions, please visit our website.
