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Explore medical education at City St George’s, University of London. Discover our five-year MBBS program with hands-on learning and clinical placements.
Medicine (Graduate Entry) MBBS degree Course overview
Clinically focused and patient-centred, it will equip you with essential knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes to practice medicine competently and professionally. Your hands-on learning starts with practical classes in our pathology labs and anatomy suite, alongside GP and community visits. Over the course of studies, you’ll participate in a comprehensive series of clinical placements in medicine, surgery, general practice, senior health, paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, psychiatry and diagnostics such as radiology, as well as other specialities.
On successful completion, you’ll be granted the primary medical qualification – the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) – eligible to register with the General Medical Council (GMC) and begin its Foundation Programme.
City St George’s, University of London Tooting campus is co- located with one of the largest teaching hospitals in the UK, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. You’ll study in a clinical setting with like-minded individuals, mixing with the many different healthcare professionals you will go on to work alongside throughout your career.
Structure
Course content
Our graduate entry MBBS provides a well-rounded base of scientific medical education and practice, equipping you with the latest skills and techniques to bring benefits to patients and populations, with particular given to developing you as a professional and person over and above the role of the doctor. It is made up of core curriculum elements and opportunities for in-depth study in areas of your choice.
Graduate entry medicine programmes involve rigorous, fast-paced study in your first year. Building on the intellectual skills gained through your previous undergraduate degree, Year 1 covers the essential principles of all the curriculum themes, covering the first two years of knowledge from the conventional five-year pathway in one year.
Year 1
Known as the ‘clinical science year’, this year is underpinned by three main themes: basic and clinical sciences, professional skills and patients, populations and society. In the first year, these themes are delivered through seven modules. In Year 1 the emphasis is on lectures, tutorials and group activity, but there is a strong underlying focus on patient care and early patient contact through short clinical and community-based placements.
Year 2
Year 2 – the ‘transition year’ – sees a combination of problem based learning and SSCs of study based on your own interests, rotating with experiential learning on clinical attachments. As well as a three-week block based around your SSC, you will undertake five-week clinical placement blocks in Medicine, Surgery and General Practice.
Year 3
Year 3 features rotation through a series of clinical attachments in: medicine, senior health, cardiology, surgery (including surgical specialties), palliative care, neurology, neurosurgery, neurorehabilitation, psychiatry, obstetrics and gynaecology, and paediatrics.
Year 4
In the final year, five-week assistantships in medicine, surgery and general practice usually offers the opportunity for a one-to-one apprenticeship with a resident doctor or GP. You’ll also experience rotations in critical care and anaesthetics, accident and emergency, and public health. After finals assessments, you will undertake a five-week elective activity to explore an aspect of medicine of particular interest to you, anywhere in the world.
Teaching and assessment
During your course, you will acquire the scientific and clinical expertise to keep abreast of the changes in diagnostic and therapeutic medicine required for our rapidly changing societies. We will equip you to apply for the specialty training you desire and support you to become future healthcare leaders.
The curriculum is organised into integrated learning weeks, supported by case-based and problem-based learning tutorials. We use a variety of teaching styles to encourage learning, including directed self-learning, student-selected study and independent study:
- Lectures and seminars: Lecture based teaching from specialist scientists and clinicians is designed to support your depth of learning and the relevance to clinical practice of each core subject. Complementary sociology, psychology, professionalism, ethics and critical appraisal sessions run alongside and stimulate analysis and critical thinking.
- Small group teaching: Wherever possible, teaching and learning occurs in small groups. Weekly clinical skills and communication skills sessions all occur in the small group format allowing a high degree of learner engagement, role play and reflection.
- Inter-professional learning: In the first year, you will take part in shared learning with students from other healthcare professions, including interactive workshops on the themes of professionalism and ethics. This interprofessional focus aims to demonstrate fundamental principles that are essential to all healthcare workers, especially those that form the foundation for safe practice, effective and appropriate patient-centred care.
- Case-based learning: Each week begins and ends with a tutorial based on a clinical scenario. By applying the taught theory to a clinical context, both your critical skills and learning techniques develop.
- Problem-based learning: Given a clinical problem, you use self-directed research to make a diagnosis and suggest an appropriate course of action. Problem-based learning encourages learning in context, self-motivation and deep, rather than surface understanding.
- Clinical and communication skills sessions: At City St George’s we are proud of our emphasis on clinical communication in the MBBS curriculum. What used to be called a ‘good bedside manner’ is now recognised as an evidence-based core clinical competence. We work with you to develop empathic practice and a relationship of trust with your future patients. You will learn to sensitively draw out the patient’s illness and clinical history, how to give information and clear explanations, and how to negotiate with patients and relatives in order to share decisions about their healthcare.
- Multimodal anatomy teaching: Interactive and team-based learning will take place in the Anatomy suite using prosections, plastinated and potted (preserved) specimens, anatomical models, and 3D digital software
- Expert tutorials: These cover the full breadth of topics over the year and feature expert patients, practising clinicians and sometimes representatives from the third sector, for example, the Alzheimer's Society or alcohol support teams.
- Online learning: Staff at St George’s have designed a number of Massive Open Online Learning Courses (MOOCs) to support your learning and interest in particular areas, such as genomics or organ donation. We make use of online resources, such as Speaking Clinically, which has a huge number of videos in which patients talk about their conditions, and have also developed virtual anatomy lessons. Our anatomists have videoed dissection resources and overlayed the images with X-rays and 3D computational graphics to aid your learning and engagement.
Our expertise
The extensive experience of our teaching team spans the full breadth of medical and surgical specialists, GPs, biomedical scientists and research scientists. For example, our transition year is led by an A&E consultant, the penultimate year by a renal and acute medicine physician, and final year by a urological surgeon.
Course Director Professor Hannah Cock is a consultant neurologist in the Atkinson Morley Regional Epilepsy Network, based at St George’s Hospital. In addition to her educational roles, she has research interests in status epilepticus (prolonged uncontrolled seizures), the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy, and improving services and care for people with epilepsy.
Our researchers are contributing to the University research focused on advancing the prevention and treatment of disease in the fields of population health, heart disease and infection – three of the greatest challenges to global health in the 21st century. Our focus on health and biosciences has recently been targeted at helping to understand the immunology, virology, and genetics of Covid-19 to inform advances in new diagnostics, new treatments and a vaccine. We are also influencing public health policy and providing evidence-based information and advice to frontline healthcare practitioners.
During the course, you’ll also have the opportunity to study alongside highly experienced clinicians and learn directly from junior doctors on the job, something our students particularly enjoy.
Assessment methods
You will be assessed in three domains:
- Professional Knowledge: through Year Specific Knowledge Tests (YSKT) in Years 1, 2(T) and 3(P)
- Professional Skills: through Clinical Competency Assessments (CCA) in years 1, 2(T) and 3(P)
- Becoming a Doctor: through longitudinal professional assessment, attendance, clinical practice skills and projects in each year of the programme.
All domains must be passed independently in order to progress to the subsequent year.
During Year 1, there is one practice ‘formative’ assessment of knowledge, and one of clinical competency, to prepare you for summative assessments later in the year, and during the remainder of the programme. Teaching staff are encouraged to also include formative quizzes within their learning materials throughout the curriculum.
Knowledge assessment methods include short answer questions and single best answer questions. CCAs take the form of a set of structured tasks, which can include practical procedures, interviewing skills and examination of patients, reflecting the curriculum content up to that year of the programme.
Workplace (placement) based assessments, for example, mini-CEX (Clinical Evaluation Exercise), direct observations of practical procedures (DOPS), and case based discussion (CBD) also play an increasing role in the later years of the curriculum, for both formative and summative purposes. These tasks and activities during placements provide an opportunity to receive expert feedback, reflect on and discuss events and your own experiences in the real clinical environment. Together with attendance, behaviour, a personal and professional development portfolio, and variety of projects, this forms part of the Becoming a Doctor domain, which builds and assesses professional behaviour each year, and serves as an evolving portfolio to evidence your knowledge and experience to support later career plans.
Final year assessments (for graduates from 2024-25 onwards) will take the form of the National Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) comprising an Applied Knowledge Test (AKT), and the Clinical and Professional Skills Assessment (CPSA). This will be instead of our current Final year AKT and CCA, but with essentially the same format and delivery. We have also been, and will continue to take part in the pilots for the MLA, and member of our assessment team are also involved in the MLA. The Prescribing Safety Assessment, and Becoming a Doctor Domain must also be passed in Final year prior to graduation under our Scheme of Assessment.
MBBS graduates who wish to undertake the UK foundation programme must also take the situational judgement test (SJT), which is a national assessment. Competence in all foundation year Practical Skills and Procedures must be achieved on at least one occasion, within the two clinical practice years prior to graduation.
Fees and funding
Fees for year 2026 / 27
Home/UK
£9,790
Our undergraduate fees are set in line with the maximum permitted by the UK Government and may increase in subsequent years in line with government policy.
Funding options
Tuition fees for Home (UK) students are determined by UK government policy. Tuition fees are charged for each year of your course. Fees for second and subsequent years are likely to increase annually in line with UK inflation as measured by the Retail Price Index (RPI-X) and subject to maximum regulated fee rates set by the government.
Explore up-to-date information about funding options, available financial support and typical living costs.
- Fee waivers are available for this course.
- Means tested support is available for 2026/27 entry.
NHS Learning Support Fund: Non-repayable grants of at least £5,000 a year for eligible healthcare students.
Additional expenses
Some of our degrees may involve additional expenses which are not covered by your tuition fees. Find out more about additional expenses.
Career
Our MBBS programme is professionally accredited and quality assured by the General Medical Council (GMC), the independent regulator for doctors in the UK. Successful graduates go on to a diverse range of careers, with the vast majority choosing to complete the GMC Foundation Programme to practice medicine in the UK.
Registering with the GMC
At the end of the course, you will receive your MBBS degree, which is a primary medical qualification (PMQ). Holding a PMQ entitles you to provisional registration with the General Medical Council (GMC), as long as the GMC has no concerns relating to your fitness to practise.
In 2024, The GMC is introducing a national Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) which will form part of your final examinations. All medical students graduating from UK universities from the academic year 2024–25 onwards will be required to pass the MLA as part of their degree before they can join the medical register.
UK Medical Foundation Programme
After graduation, the majority of our graduates go on to complete the two-year UK Foundation Programme. This is a two-year work-based training programme that enables you to work and practice as a doctor in the UK. Provisionally registered doctors can only practice in approved Foundation Year 1 posts; the law does not allow provisionally registered doctors to undertake any other type of work as a doctor within the UK.
Through an integrated study programme of medical sciences and clinical sciences, our graduates are fully equipped to perform well in the GMC Foundation Programme and further develop the essential knowledge and competencies needed to pursue a specialist discipline.
To obtain a Foundation Year 1 post, you will need to apply during the final year of your undergraduate course through the UK Foundation Programme Office selection scheme, which allocates these posts to graduates on a competitive basis. So far, all suitably qualified UK graduates have found a place on the Foundation Year 1 programme, but this cannot be guaranteed. Successful completion of the Foundation Year 1 programme is normally achieved within 12 months and is marked by the award of a Certificate of Experience. You will then be eligible to apply for full registration with the General Medical Council. You need full registration with a licence to practice medicine unsupervised in the UK in the NHS or private practice. Regulations in this area change from time to time so we recommend visiting Medical Careers NHS, which also provides information on working as a doctor.
Practicing overseas
UK Medical Programmes, including ours, are quality-assured and recognised internationally. However, applicants are always advised to check with individual national authorities if they wish to practise outside the UK after graduation. In some instances, students may need to take a national licensing assessment for the relevant country, in addition to their medical degree in order to be able to practice there. Our programme is geared towards supporting students to practice in the UK. As such, we do not provide any specific support for overseas assessments (such as the USMLE) nor residency matching services.
Alternative careers
Most graduates work as doctors in the NHS, but our graduates also pursue a variety of alternative career options including a career in academia, teaching or conducting research, pharmaceuticals, or hospital management.
How to apply
Applications for degree courses must be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
The information on this course page reflects the current course content, as such module titles and course content may be subject to change, and details will be updated soon.
Successful completion of the course will continue to lead to eligibility to register with the GMC.
If you wish to discuss this further, please contact our admissions team.
Once applications open you will be able to apply through your school or college using the Apply system, which enables you to submit your application directly to the UCAS website.
You can apply to up to five universities or institutions on the form. The UCAS code for this course at City St George's, University of London is C60.
Please take care to enter the correct course code when applying, particularly for subjects with a Foundation year or with BEng (Hons) and MEng (Hons) or BSc (Hons) and MSci (Hons) options.
UCAS has implemented an 'invisibility of choices' policy so that, on the initial application and while you are receiving decisions, each institution can see only their entry and not those of other institutions you have chosen. This ensures that your application for a course at City St George's is considered solely on your academic and personal qualities.
There is an application fee for some students when submitting their application form, please see the UCAS website for more details.
The School of Health & Psychological Sciences Admissions team have put together some handy tips and advice about the application process, you can also contact them to organise a drop-in session for additional advice and support.
Application checklist
You must provide:
- a personal statement (more information about this document is available on the UCAS website)
- an academic reference from your current or most recent institutions with predicted grades.
Applicants to graduate entry MBBS (UCAS code A101) must also provide:
- full details of your undergraduate education with achieved/predicted grades (and postgraduate qualifications, if applicable).
Admissions process
At City St George’s, we strive to ensure our admissions process is fair and transparent. In order to make sure every applicant is treated equally, we use a process based on objective measures. For example, while we take the time to read your personal statement, it is not formally assessed, or used to determine whether you will be invited for a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI).
The steps below outline our general admissions process and the way by which we determine which applicants will receive an offer to study Medicine (Graduate Entry) MBBS at City St George’s.
- Each applicant that meets our entry criteria is ranked by their GAMSAT score.
- The number of interviews we run each year may vary. In previous years, we have interviewed approximately 240-280 applicants. Our GAMSAT cut-off scores are determined by the number of available interviews. Interview places will be allocated to applicants who have the highest GAMSAT scores, until all of our available interview places are filled.
- If, as a result of the number of MMIs we plan to offer, the cut-off score falls at a point where a number of applicants have achieved the same GAMSAT score, we may increase or reduce the number of MMIs we conduct to accommodate all applicants who have received that score. This means that all eligible applicants with the same GAMSAT score are considered equally.
- Applicants will then be invited to attend an MMI which is a values-based recruitment process and reinforces objectivity.
- Once all of our interviews are conducted, we rank MMI scores and the highest performing applicants are made an offer to study Medicine at City St George’s. Please note the GAMSAT score may also be considered following interview.
Deferred entry
We will consider applications from applicants who wish to defer entry by a year, provided you plan to use the time constructively. If you are offered a place on the course and subsequently decide to defer, you must inform us by 1 June of the year of application.
After application
Acknowledgement emails are sent out as soon as we receive your application. Please make sure that your email account is able to accept communications from City St George’s as we will mainly communicate with you via email.
When to apply
Your application for entry in September 2026 should arrive at UCAS by 15 October preceding the year of entry (for 2026, the deadline is on 15 October 2025).
Contacting UCAS
Website: www.ucas.com
Address: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), Rosehill, New Barn Lane, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 3LZ
Telephone:
- from inside the UK 0871 468 0468
- from outside the UK +44 (0)871 468 0468
For callers with hearing difficulties:
- from inside the UK use the Text Relay service on 18001 0871 468 0468
- from outside the UK dial +44 151 494 1260 (text phone) and then ask the operator to dial 0871 468 0468.
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What's happening
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Event
Jun 27
Undergraduate Open Day (Tooting Campus)
Open Days are a great opportunity to visit City St George's, University of London to see if it is the right choice for you.
, 10:00 – 16:00
Location: Tooting campus
Audience: Prospective students
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