Program Overview

Medical Sciences (International Pre-Med) September 2025 entry

Overview

The Medical Sciences (International Pre-Med) programme is designed to develop the intellectual and communication skills necessary for success in a degree in medicine. This programme adopts a holistic approach to preparing for the challenges of medical school, incorporating insights into local practice and studying a diverse range of subjects alongside students in the Faculty of Science.

Start and End Dates

• Start date: 8 September 2025
• End date: 5 June 2026
• Duration: Nine months full time

School

• International Education and Lifelong Learning Institute (IELLI)

Course Type

• International Pre-Med

Course Dates

The schedule for this programme differs slightly from the standard University semester dates. From the programme start date to end date, there will be teaching, in-class revision or assessment weeks, and independent learning weeks. There will also be winter vacation and inter-semester weeks, and a Spring vacation week in Semester 2.

Who is this course for?

This course is designed specifically for international students who are academically able, but whose high school qualification is not recognised for application to an undergraduate degree at the University of St Andrews.

Entry Requirements

Academic Requirements

• See typical academic requirements for the Medical Sciences (International Pre-Med) programme.
• If your qualification is not shown, please note that any high school qualification you use as evidence of your academic ability should be from the last year you attended high school and dated within the previous three years.

English Language Requirement

• All International Foundation applicants must submit a Secure English Test (SELT) as evidence of their English language ability, unless they do not require a student visa to study in the UK.
• You will be required to submit a UKVI IELTS academic test score for progression onto BSc Medicine.

Work Experience Requirement

• Students are required to have experience that allows them to demonstrate interpersonal skills relevant to the practice of medicine.

University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

• Students who wish to move onto the degree in Medicine at St Andrews will require a competitive score in the UCAT.

Application Requirements

• The University will ask you to provide the following documents as part of your application:
  • Your most recent high school transcript
  • A personal statement
  • An academic reference from your high school on their letterhead or from a school email
  • Your official English language test result

Application Deadline

• The deadline for applications is Monday 14 July 2025.

Course Details

The Medical Sciences (International Pre-Med) programme has been designed with the University's School of Medicine to develop your sciences and communication skills to prepare you for success in a degree in medicine.

Modules

• Semester 1:
  • Communicating in Medical Contexts 1
  • Introductory Inorganic and Physical Chemistry
  • Biology 1
• Semester 2:
  • Communicating in Medical Contexts 2
  • Human Biology
  • Organic and Biological Chemistry 1

Teaching

• Classes take place from Monday to Friday between 9am and 6pm.
• You will spend approximately 16 hours per week on focused learning activities.
• As well as your timetabled classes, you will be expected to complete approximately 20 to 25 hours of independent study each week.

Assessment

• Students are assessed on coursework and end-of-semester examinations.
• Students will experience different kinds of assessment, including:
  • Academic essays
  • End-of-module examinations (in-person or online)
  • Individual or group projects
  • Presentations
  • Laboratory reports
  • Class tests

Fees

• The tuition fee for 2025 entry is £27,290.
• This fee includes:
  • Access to all University facilities
  • A transfer from Edinburgh or Glasgow airport, or Leuchars train station, when you first arrive
  • The use of course books, handouts and other course materials

Accommodation Fees

• The International Education and Lifelong Learning Institute recommends that you request an en suite single room with either a self-catered or catered package.

Scholarships

Kinnessburn Scholarship

• Students who successfully complete their International Foundation programme (IFP) at the University, with the required merit grade, and who move onto a degree at the University of St Andrews, will be eligible to apply for the Kinnessburn Scholarship.

Undergraduate Scholarships

• During their first semester, students on the International Foundation programme will receive a conditional offer for a degree programme at the University of St Andrews.
• With this offer, students can apply to any of the undergraduate scholarships for which they are eligible.

Your Future

Requirements for moving onto BSc Medicine (A100)

• To progress onto the BSc Medicine (A100) at St Andrews, students must achieve:
  • A minimum grade of 7.0 on all modules on the programme
  • An average grade of 11.0 or above at first sitting across the following modules:
    • Communicating in Medical Contexts 1 (IE1101)
    • Communicating in Medical Contexts 2 (IE1201)
    • Human Biology (IE1252)
  • A grade of 12.0 or above at first sitting in each of the following modules:
    • Biology 1 (BL1101)
    • Introductory Inorganic and Physical Chemistry (CH1401)
    • Organic and Biological Chemistry 1 (CH1601)

Studying a Science degree instead of BSc Medicine (A100)

• Students who do not move on to medicine but meet the academic requirements for the Faculty of Science, may be able to study a science degree at the University.
• Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis, taking into account student performance, capacity within the relevant subject area, and date of application.