University of Greater Manchester Medical School Interview Questions for 2027 Entry

19 Oct

The University of Greater Manchester is the new name of the University of Bolton. Its main campus sits near Bolton town centre, and the university describes its teaching approach as teaching-intensive but research-informed. Its medical school is part of a wider Institute of Medicine, which also runs postgraduate training for doctors.

Here are the essentials:

Course: a five-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB), UCAS course code A100, institution code B44, starting on 7 September 2027.
Where you'll study: the £40 million Institute of Medical Sciences, built in the grounds of the Royal Bolton Hospital (Royal Bolton NHS Foundation Trust). It was officially opened in December 2025, the university's 200th anniversary year, and was funded half by the government's Levelling Up Fund and half by the university itself. Inside you'll find clinical simulation suites, a 4D room and two high-fidelity simulation suites.
Who leads it: the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Medicine) is Professor Iqbal Singh CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire), who received his honour for his work supporting the health of older people and is well known for championing diversity in healthcare. When the first cohort arrived, the Dean of Medicine was Professor Arpan Guha.
Where the curriculum comes from: the school teaches the University of Leicester's MBChB curriculum, an established course with a long track record of producing doctors.

🌍 Who can apply for 2027 entry?

International applicants with overseas fee status. If you're at a UK sixth form but would pay international fees, you can apply.
Graduates are welcome, with at least a 2:1 honours degree in any subject, plus A Levels at BBB or ABC including at least a B in Chemistry or Biology.
UK and Irish home applicants can't apply for 2027 entry.

⚠️ Fee status can be surprising. Irish citizens living in the UK or Ireland, and some European Union (EU) nationals with settled or pre-settled status, may count as "home" students, which would mean you can't apply this year. If you're not certain, check with the university before you do anything else.

There are two ways to apply:

Directly to the university, through its online application portal. It covers your education history, relevant work experience, personal statement and references, and applications for September 2027 are open now. You can also register an expression of interest to hear about virtual open days and webinars.
Through UCAS. The equal consideration deadline for medicine was 15 October 2026. UCAS says later applications may still be considered if places remain, but there's no guarantee.

UCAS also lists the course as not accepting deferred entry, so you'll need to be ready to start in September 2027.

🎓 What about General Medical Council approval?

Every new UK medical school goes through the same process. The General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates doctors and medical education, keeps the programme under enhanced quality assurance until the first cohort graduates and it's satisfied that the course meets the standard for a UK primary medical qualification.

That's normal, not a warning sign. The school also has the safety net that every new medical school must have: a contingency agreement with the University of Leicester Medical School, so students could continue their studies at Leicester if the need ever arose. Because Bolton already teaches Leicester's curriculum, the two programmes are closely aligned.

Like every UK medical student, you'll sit the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) before you graduate. The school says it prepares students for the MLA from an early stage. Unusually, it also offers advice on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination (MCCQE), which matters if you're thinking about a career outside the UK.

💼 A word on the Foundation Programme

Pass your degree and the MLA, and you can apply for provisional registration with the GMC and for the UK Foundation Programme, the two-year paid training programme for new doctors. Places are competitive, and you'll need the right to work in the UK.

There's good news on this front, though. Under the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026, graduates of UK medical schools are prioritised for Foundation Programme and speciality training places, and the British Medical Association (BMA) confirms that international students at UK medical schools count as UK graduates, whatever their nationality or immigration status. The law does allow the government to change the prioritised groups in future, so keep an eye on it. A thoughtful interviewer may well ask about your plans after graduation.

Once your score gets you the interview

Your UCAT gets you the interview. The interview gets you the offer.

A mid-range score can win offers when your interview is strong, and even a high one can fall short without preparation. Our interview course is taught in small groups by NHS doctors, with realistic MMI practice and feedback on every station.

See the medical interview course Add a mock MMI circuit

⭐ How Does the University of Greater Manchester Stand Out?

🚫 No UCAT for 2027 entry (but it's coming for 2028)

Almost every undergraduate medical school in the UK asks for the UCAT. For 2027 entry, the University of Greater Manchester doesn't. That changes for the September 2028 cohort, when every applicant will need to sit the UCAT in the year they apply. For now, your grades, your application and, above all, your interview carry the weight.

🏨 A medical school inside a hospital site

The Institute of Medical Sciences isn't on a separate campus miles from the wards. It's in the grounds of the Royal Bolton Hospital. In Years 1 and 2 you'll be taught mainly on site, with clinical experiences at partner hospital trusts and General Practitioner (GP) surgeries. Students have also taken part in prosection anatomy sessions at Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

📚 A proven curriculum, taught your way

The course is integrated and patient-focused. You'll learn anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and the rest in the context of real patient presentations rather than in separate silos. The school is clear that it isn't a problem-based learning (PBL) course. Instead, it mixes lectures, small-group work, case-based learning, technology-enhanced learning and clinical teaching. Simulated patients (trained actors) help you practise communication and examination skills before you meet real patients, and people with lived experience of illness are involved in teaching too.

Here's how the five years fit together:

Phase 1 (Years 1 and 2): mostly campus-based, building your understanding of the body's systems and the molecular, cellular, population and social sciences, alongside early clinical experience and community attachments. You must pass a formal clinical examination at the end of Phase 1.
Year 3: clerkship-style placements in medicine, surgery and general practice.
Year 4: specialty blocks such as obstetrics and gynaecology, child health, cancer care and psychiatry.
Year 5: foundation assistantships in emergency medicine, medicine, surgery and primary care, plus an elective placement that can be anywhere in the world.

Clinical placements take place in hospitals, general practice and community settings across Greater Manchester and South Lancashire. Assessments include single best answer (SBA) and short answer question (SAQ) papers, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) and an electronic portfolio.

🩺 Early patient contact and a Healthcare Certificate

Early clinical experience is built in through a Healthcare Certificate programme, which teaches you how to keep people safe, meet their needs, provide person-centred care and treat everyone with dignity and respect. It's a strong signal of what the school values: compassion first, then clinical skill on top.

🧘 Looking after you, not just your patients

The school runs a Health Enhancement Programme focused on your own health and wellbeing. Its stated aim is to train doctors who put patients first while still looking after themselves. Expect that idea to come up at interview.

🌐 Built around international students

Every student so far has come from overseas, and the school has designed its support around that:

A two-week international student induction before teaching begins, covering life in the UK, the GMC's role and the course itself.
A tablet or iPad at the start of the course, with study materials delivered online, plus a standard stethoscope.
Advice on licensing exams in the UK, the United States of America (USA) and Canada.

🔬 An Institute of Medicine with specialist centres

The wider Institute of Medicine hosts a series of centres of excellence, including the Centre for Safety for Older People, the Centre for Global Healthcare, the Centre for Simulation, the Centre for General Practice and the Centre for Emergency Medicine. Together, they tell you a lot about the school's priorities.

📝 An academic bar that's within reach

The standard offer is AAB at A Level or 34 points in the International Baccalaureate (IB). That's below the AAA to A*AA standard offers you'll see at most UK medical schools, which is one reason this course appeals to strong international applicants.

🏆 University of Greater Manchester Rankings: UK, Worldwide and Student Experience

Let's be honest: the 2027 league tables were tough for this university. Its student satisfaction scores are a different story.

🇬🇧 UK league tables

Complete University Guide 2027: 118th out of 130 UK universities.
Guardian University Guide 2027: 119th, a sharp fall from 54th the year before and one of the biggest drops in this year's table.
The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027: 129th.

Continuation (the proportion of students who stay on their course) weighed heavily on the overall scores. The Complete University Guide puts the university 126th for this measure. These figures cover the whole university, not the medical school, which is far too new to have any continuation data of its own.

🌍 Worldwide rankings

Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027: in the 1201–1400 band.
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings: the university doesn't currently appear in the headline table. These rankings lean heavily on research volume, which favours large research-intensive universities.

😊 Student experience ratings

Complete University Guide 2027: 45th in the UK for student satisfaction, far higher than its overall position, and 40th for its student-to-staff ratio.
Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023: Silver overall, with Gold for student experience.
The university says it was rated first in the North West for student satisfaction by the Complete University Guide for several years running.

📉 What about medicine league tables?

The medical school won't appear in medicine subject rankings for several years. Those tables rely on data such as course satisfaction and graduate outcomes, and a school whose first students started in 2025 simply doesn't have any yet.

💡 What this means for you

Overall university rankings tell you very little about the quality of a medical degree. Every UK medical school is held to the same GMC standards, and every UK graduate sits the same MLA. For a medical applicant, the curriculum, the clinical placements, the support and the size of the cohort matter far more than where the wider university sits in a league table.

🎯 How Does the University of Greater Manchester Decide Who to Interview?

With no UCAT for 2027 entry, shortlisting rests on your academic record and your written application.

Stage 1: Meeting the academic requirements

The MSC listing says applicants predicted to meet the academic requirements will be considered for interview. For 2027 entry you'll need:

A Levels: AAB (136 UCAS points), including Chemistry or Biology, plus one of Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Maths. Your third subject can be anything, and grades can be in any order.
International Baccalaureate: 34 points, with at least 6, 6, 5 in three Higher Level subjects, including Chemistry or Biology and one of Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Maths.
General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) or International GCSE (IGCSE): at least five at grades 6 to 9, including Maths, English Language and two sciences (Chemistry and Biology, or Double Science).
Graduates: a 2:1 honours degree in any discipline, plus BBB or ABC at A Level including a B in Chemistry or Biology.
English language: International English Language Testing System (IELTS) 7.0 overall, with no less than 6.5 in each component, unless you have an accepted equivalent. For example, the school lists a grade 5 in IB English A or a grade 6 in IB English B as equivalent to IELTS 7.0.

Studying a different qualification, such as a national school-leaving certificate? The university asks you to contact it to check your eligibility.

⚠️ Watch out for these details

Put your predicted grades in the right place. The school says predicted grades must go in the academic qualifications section of your application, not in your reference, and it can't guarantee to spot them anywhere else.
Some A Levels don't count. General Studies, Critical Thinking, Citizenship Studies and Global Perspectives aren't accepted.
A Level resits are a last resort. If you miss your grades at the first sitting, resits are only considered where there's substantial mitigation that has already been agreed with the admissions tutor.
GCSE resits are more flexible. The school will consider resits in English Language or Maths.
Scottish Highers alone aren't enough. The MSC listing says the school considers Advanced Highers, alone or alongside A Levels, but not Highers on their own.

Stage 2: Your personal statement and application

Your personal statement is assessed at shortlisting. It isn't just a formality here. It's part of how the school decides who gets an interview.
Work experience isn't compulsory, but it helps. The school thinks some form of experience is beneficial so you understand what caring for people involves, and it says elements of your experience will be used during selection. That experience doesn't have to be in a hospital. Volunteering, caring for a relative, part-time work and virtual work experience all count. The MSC's guidance is deliberately broad, especially for disabled applicants.
Declaring a disability won't count against you. The school says it's committed to the GMC's Welcomed and Valued guidance and that a declaration doesn't affect your eligibility for interview or selection.

The school hasn't published a scoring formula for shortlisting, so treat this as the shape of the process rather than an exact calculation.

⏰ Timing matters

The direct application route runs in rounds, each with its own application deadline and its own MMI dates. Places are limited, so applying early gives you the most chances.

🧮 How Is the UCAT Used at the University of Greater Manchester?

It isn't used at all for 2027 entry.

Here's what that means in practice:

A low UCAT score won't count against you. If your 2026 UCAT didn't go to plan, it won't affect your application here.
Your interview carries the weight instead. With no test to separate applicants, your MMI performance is what decides offers.
It changes for 2028 entry. The university says that, for its September 2028 cohort, all applicants must sit the UCAT in the year they apply. If you're in Year 12 now and thinking of applying next year, plan to sit the UCAT in summer 2027.
Older UCAT figures can't be compared. The UCAT dropped its Abstract Reasoning section from 2025, so its total now runs from 900 to 2,700 instead of the old maximum of 3,600. Any score or threshold from before that change isn't comparable with today's scale.

💻 How Does the Interview Work? Style, Structure and Delivery

The style: Multiple Mini Interviews, plus tests

Every shortlisted applicant takes an MMI. Rather than one long interview, you work through a series of short, separate stations, each designed to test something different. The school also says the process includes tests alongside the mini-interviews. It hasn't explained what those involve, so prepare for short problem-solving, data or written tasks as well as conversations.

Delivery: online

💻 The interview takes place online, wherever you are in the world.
⏱️ The school's application page says the MMI lasts approximately two hours. Some earlier reports describe a shorter interview, so plan for two hours and treat anything shorter as a bonus.
🎯 You'll be assessed on your values, behaviours, communication and problem-solving. The school's application page also names communication, motivation, teamwork and empathy.

What the school is looking for

The school says it wants students who show a commitment to a career in medicine and to lifelong learning, who communicate excellently, who are "caring, compassionate, resilient and assertive", and who can stay calm and reassuring in stressful situations.

That's an unusually detailed list, and it's your best guide to the interview. Notice the word assertive. Few medical schools use it, and it suggests you may be tested on speaking up, raising concerns and holding your ground politely.

Structure and timings

The school hasn't published the number of stations, how long each one lasts, whether there's reading time, or whether the interviewers are live on a video call or the questions are recorded. Your invitation will tell you, so read every instruction carefully.

What to have ready

A laptop or desktop on mains power, with a working webcam and microphone
A quiet, well-lit room with a plain background, and a sign on the door
Photo identification (ID), such as your passport
A stable internet connection, ideally wired, with a phone hotspot as a back-up
Pen and paper for any problem-solving or calculation tasks, unless you're told otherwise
A glass of water, and a bathroom break before you start

🕐 Time zone warning

Most applicants are joining from outside the UK. Convert your interview time into your own time zone carefully, check whether the UK is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or British Summer Time (BST) on the day, and test your set-up at the same time of day beforehand.

📅 When Are University of Greater Manchester Interviews Held?

The school runs MMIs in rounds across the admissions cycle, each linked to an application deadline, rather than in a single interview window. For 2027 entry, its programme page lists rounds two to five with the application deadlines and MMI dates still to be confirmed.

In practice, that means your interview date depends on when you apply. Keep an eye on your emails (including your junk folder) and your UCAS Hub if you applied through UCAS, check the school's application dates regularly, and sign up for its virtual open days, which also give you the chance to meet staff and current medical students.

🗂️ What Topics Are Covered in the Interview?

The school hasn't published a list of stations, but it's told applicants exactly which qualities it's looking for. Map your preparation to those and you won't go far wrong:

💡 Motivation, commitment to medicine and lifelong learning
❤️ Caring, compassion and empathy
🗣️ Communication, including role plays
🤝 Teamwork
💪 Resilience and staying calm and reassuring under pressure
📣 Assertiveness and speaking up
🧩 Problem-solving, including test-style tasks
⚖️ Values, behaviours, ethics and professionalism
🏥 The NHS, global health and healthcare in your home country
🏫 Why the University of Greater Manchester, and why a brand-new medical school

📊 How Many Applicants Are Interviewed, and How Many Get Offers?

The school hasn't published how many people applied, were interviewed or received offers, and it hasn't published the size of its 2027 intake.

What we do know is that the first cohort in September 2025 was around 40 international students. Everything points to small year groups, which means competition for each place can be intense even with a lower academic bar. Treat any applicant or offer numbers you see online with caution, and we'll update this article when official figures are published.

🏅 What Is the Interview Scoring Method?

The school hasn't published its MMI mark scheme, but it has told applicants how scores are used:

Your interview score drives the offer. Offers are made on the strength of your performance in the MMI and tests.
Then everything else is checked. Once you're in line for an offer, the school reviews all your academic and personal information.

At UK medical schools that use MMIs, each station is usually marked separately against set criteria, and the scores are added together to give an overall interview score.

Three things follow for you:

No single station decides your fate. If one goes badly, take a breath and treat the next as a fresh start.
Consistency wins. Solid, thoughtful answers at every station will usually beat a couple of brilliant ones and several weak ones.
Structure helps the assessor. On a video call, a clear answer with a beginning, middle and end is far easier to mark well.

📬 When Are Offers Released?

Offers follow each interview round, rather than all arriving on one date. If you applied through UCAS, the decision will appear in your UCAS Hub. Direct applicants will hear from the university.

Offers can be conditional or unconditional. Before you can start, you'll also need:

Satisfactory occupational health clearance
An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
A certificate or letter of good conduct from your home country
Evidence that you can pay for the course
A UK student visa, which every international offer is subject to

You'll also need to show you're of good health and good character before you enrol and throughout your studies, under the university's fitness to practise rules.

💷 Tuition fees for international students were £45,000 a year for 2026 entry, or £225,000 over five years. UCAS lists the same figure as a provisional fee for 2027, but the university hadn't confirmed its 2027 fee at the time of writing, so check before you commit. You'll also be expected to cover your travel to placements, although the school may reimburse mileage for long journeys.

💬 54 University of Greater Manchester Medical School Interview Questions for 2027 Entry

The school hasn't released any of its real questions, so be sceptical of anyone who claims to have them. The questions below are written to match an online MMI: a short scenario or prompt, sometimes with a follow-up, and a few test-style tasks to reflect the "tests" the school mentions. They're grouped under the qualities the school says it assesses.

How to practise: set a timer for five to seven minutes per question. Read the prompt once, take a moment to think, then answer out loud, ideally to a friend on a video call or to your webcam. Don't script your answers. Record a few and watch them back.

💡 Motivation, commitment to medicine and lifelong learning

The school wants doctors who'll keep learning for 40 years. Show them you already do.

Why do you want to be a doctor? Tell us about the moment you knew. ↪️ Follow-up: What would you do if you didn't get a place this year?
What have you done to find out what a doctor's working life is really like?
Doctors keep learning throughout their careers. Tell us about something you've taught yourself recently, and how you went about it.
What's the least glamorous part of a doctor's job, and why does it not put you off?
Why medicine, rather than nursing, pharmacy or biomedical science?

💡 A strong answer is specific. Name something you saw, did or read, then explain what it taught you. "I want to help people" on its own won't score.

❤️ Caring, compassion and empathy

Tell us about a time you looked after someone who was vulnerable. What did you do, and what did you learn?
What's the difference between sympathy and empathy? Give an example of each.
An older patient on the ward hasn't had a visitor all week and seems withdrawn. As a medical student, what could you do?
How would you show compassion to a patient who doesn't speak much English?
Is it possible for a doctor to care too much?

🗣️ Communication: role plays and explaining

In a role play, the interviewer or an actor plays the other person. Speak to them as if they're really there.

Role play. You're a first-year medical student on a GP placement. Mrs Ahmed has been waiting 50 minutes past her appointment time and she's upset. Talk to her.
Role play. Your flatmate, another international student, tells you they're homesick, behind with their work and thinking about going home. What do you say to them?
Explain to a ten-year-old how a vaccine protects them from getting ill. Don't use any medical words.
You'll see a simple diagram on your screen. Describe it so clearly that the interviewer can draw it without seeing it.
A patient arrives convinced they have a serious illness after searching their symptoms online. How would you respond?

💡 For role plays, acknowledge how the person feels before you try to fix anything. Apologise where it's appropriate, listen more than you talk, and keep your language simple.

🤝 Teamwork

Tell us about a team you were part of that worked really well. What made it work?
One member of your group project hasn't done their share and the deadline is tomorrow. What do you do?
Apart from doctors, who else is in the team caring for a patient in hospital? What does each person bring?
Are you more of a leader or a follower? Which does medicine need more?

💪 Resilience and staying calm under pressure

The school wants doctors who stay calm and reassuring when things are stressful. Show them how you do it.

Tell us about a time something went wrong under pressure. How did you keep calm?
It's your first term in Bolton, thousands of miles from home, and you fail your first practice exam. What do you do next?
How do you look after your own wellbeing when you're stressed?
You're on placement in a GP surgery and a patient's relative starts shouting at the receptionist. How could you help calm things down?
What's the most useful piece of criticism you've ever received, and what did you do with it?

📣 Assertiveness and speaking up

Few medical schools say they want assertive students. This one does, so prepare for it.

What does being assertive mean to you, and how is it different from being aggressive?
On placement, you notice a doctor about to examine a patient without cleaning their hands. What do you do?
Tell us about a time you disagreed with someone in authority. How did you handle it?
A friend on your course asks you to sign them in to a lecture they're skipping. What do you say?

💡 Assertive doesn't mean confrontational. The best answers raise a concern calmly, politely and promptly, put the patient's safety first, and know when to escalate to someone more senior.

🧩 Problem-solving and test-style tasks

These reflect the "tests" the school mentions. Talk through your reasoning: the process matters as much as the answer.

Prioritisation task. You're a junior doctor and four jobs land at once: a patient with new chest pain, a relative asking for an update, a discharge letter that's holding up a bed, and a routine blood test to chase. Put them in order and explain why.
Data task. A graph shows hospital admissions for asthma in one town rising every winter. Suggest three possible reasons, and one way you could find out which is right.
Calculation. A patient needs 5 milligrams (mg) of a medicine for every kilogram (kg) of body weight. They weigh 64 kg, and each tablet contains 80 mg. How many tablets do they need?
A hospital has money for one new service: a falls-prevention team for older people, or extra weekend GP appointments. Which would you choose, and why?
Written task. In about 150 words, describe one challenge facing healthcare in your home country and suggest one realistic improvement.

💡 For question 31, the patient needs 5 × 64 = 320 mg, and 320 ÷ 80 = 4 tablets. Show your working, check your answer makes sense, and never be embarrassed to double-check a dose. In real practice, that's exactly what keeps patients safe.

⚖️ Values, behaviours, ethics and professionalism

Weigh up both sides, then come to a view. Sitting on the fence all the way through won't score well.

A 15-year-old asks her GP for contraception and doesn't want her parents to know. What issues does this raise?
An adult patient with full capacity refuses a blood transfusion that could save their life. Should the doctors respect that decision?
A coursemate posts a photo from their hospital placement on social media, and a patient can be seen in the background. What should you do?
At the end of your placement, a grateful patient offers you an expensive gift. What do you do?
Should people whose illness is linked to lifestyle choices, such as smoking, be given lower priority for some NHS treatments?
Should medical students be allowed to use artificial intelligence (AI) to help write their assignments? Where would you draw the line?

💡 The four pillars of medical ethics (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice) give you a useful framework. Use them to think the problem through, rather than reciting them as a list.

🏥 The NHS, global health and healthcare in your home country

International applicants often under-prepare here. Don't be one of them.

How is the NHS funded, and how does it compare with the healthcare system in the country where you grew up?
What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the NHS right now, and what would you do about it?
What is the General Medical Council, and why does its guidance, Good Medical Practice, matter to you as a future doctor?
Life expectancy can vary by several years between neighbourhoods in the same town. Why might that be, and what can doctors do about it?

💡 You don't need to be an expert in NHS policy. You do need the basics: how the NHS is funded, who works in it, the main pressures it faces, and how it differs from the system you know best.

🏫 Questions Specific to the University of Greater Manchester

Every medical school wants to know you've chosen it on purpose. At a brand-new school, that matters even more. These are the questions to prepare most carefully.

Why have you applied to the University of Greater Manchester, rather than a medical school that's been training doctors for decades?
You'd be joining only the third cohort at a new medical school. What are the advantages and the risks, and what would you contribute to the school's community?
Our MBChB is still under the GMC's quality assurance process, and the University of Leicester is our contingency partner. What did you think about before applying to a school in this position?
Our medical school sits in the grounds of the Royal Bolton Hospital. How might learning right next to a working hospital shape your training?
Bolton and the surrounding towns have a rich industrial and multicultural heritage, and that's reflected in our patients. How will you prepare to care for people whose backgrounds and beliefs are very different from yours?
We run a Health Enhancement Programme focused on our students' own health and wellbeing. Why should a medical school care about that?
We support students with the UK Medical Licensing Assessment and advise on licensing exams in the USA and Canada. Where do you hope to practise, and how will training in Greater Manchester help your future patients?
Our Institute of Medicine has a Centre for Safety for Older People. Why does caring well for older patients matter so much in modern medicine?
Our course isn't problem-based learning. It's an integrated, patient-focused curriculum that includes case-based learning. How do you learn best, and how will that suit you here?
We'll require the UCAT from 2028 entry. Do you think aptitude tests are a fair way to select future doctors?
Studying medicine in another country is a five-year commitment. How have you prepared for the practical side of living in the UK, and how would you support others in your year group who are finding it hard?

💡 For question 46, don't be defensive. Show you've done your research: every new UK medical school goes through enhanced GMC quality assurance until its first students graduate, there's a contingency arrangement with Leicester, and the curriculum itself is Leicester's established course. Weigh that against the benefits of small year groups, new facilities and a school still shaping itself. Interviewers respect applicants who've thought it through.

💡 For question 50, honesty works best. You don't need a fixed plan, but you should know the basics: graduates of UK medical schools, including international students, are currently prioritised for Foundation Programme places, and you'll still need the right to work in the UK. Whatever you decide, explain how what you learn in Bolton will make you a better doctor wherever you end up.

🗣️ What Students and Applicants Say

The school has run only a couple of admissions cycles, so there isn't yet a large body of public applicant feedback. The themes below reflect what applicants commonly report about online MMIs and about applying to new medical schools as an international student. They're paraphrased composite themes rather than direct quotes, so treat them as flavour, not fact.

"Two hours online is tiring." Applicants often say the hardest part of a long online MMI was keeping their energy up towards the end. Those who'd practised several stations back to back found the final ones much easier.

"The 'why a new school?' question came up in different forms." At a new medical school, interviewers want to know you've chosen it deliberately. Answers built on specific features, like the hospital site, the Leicester curriculum or the support for international students, went down far better than general talk about an exciting opportunity.

"Small talk about the NHS caught people out." International applicants regularly mention being asked how the UK system compares with healthcare at home. A little preparation on how the NHS works made a big difference.

"Explaining something simply is harder than it sounds." Communication tasks, like describing a picture or explaining a medical idea to a child, catch out confident applicants who rush. Slowing down and checking understanding is what scores.

"Check the time zone, then check it again." Applicants joining from Asia, Africa and the Middle East often mention converting interview times from UK time, especially around the clocks changing in late October and late March.

"Apply early." Applicants to schools that interview in rounds often say they wished they'd applied sooner, because it gave them more time to prepare and more chances while places were still available.

🚀 Top Tips to Succeed at the University of Greater Manchester Interview

Learn the school's own list of qualities. Commitment to medicine and lifelong learning, communication, caring, compassion, resilience, assertiveness and staying calm under pressure. Have a real example from your own life for each one.

Prepare properly for assertiveness. It's the word that makes this school's list unusual. Practise scenarios where you need to raise a concern politely, challenge a colleague or say no to a friend.

Practise the "tests", not just the talking. Work through a few prioritisation tasks, simple dose calculations and short data interpretations. Talk through your reasoning out loud as you go.

Build stamina for two hours. Run full mock circuits, not just single questions. Your last station deserves the same energy as your first.

Know the new-school story. Understand how GMC quality assurance works for new medical schools, what the Leicester contingency arrangement means and why the school is starting with international students. You'll sound informed rather than caught out.

Know Bolton, not just "the UK". Read up on the town, its communities and the Royal Bolton Hospital. Generic answers about the UK stand out for the wrong reasons at a school built around its local area.

Get the NHS basics right. Know how it's funded, who works in it, its biggest pressures and how it compares with healthcare at home. Read up on the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 too, because it affects your future directly.

Read Good Medical Practice. You don't need to memorise the GMC's guidance, but knowing its main themes will strengthen your ethics, teamwork and assertiveness answers.

Re-read your personal statement. It's assessed at shortlisting, and anything in it is fair game at interview. Make sure every word is true and that you can talk about it confidently.

Structure every answer. A clear opening, two or three developed points and a short conclusion are easier for an assessor on a video call to mark well. If your mind goes blank, say what you're thinking, calmly, and build from there.

Look at the lens, not the screen. Put a small sticker beside your webcam to remind yourself. Eye contact through the camera makes you come across as warmer and more confident.

Apply early and plan the day like an exam. Interviews run in rounds, so earlier applications mean earlier chances. Test your technology the day before, have your ID ready and convert your interview time into your own time zone.

And do a proper mock. Practising alone builds fluency, but it can't show you how you come across to a trained examiner. If you want a timed MMI circuit with real examiners and written feedback, that's exactly what our MMI Courses are built for. 👉 Book a Mock MMI Circuit

📌 Key Facts at a Glance

💙 Medical school: University of Greater Manchester Medical School (formerly the University of Bolton), Institute of Medical Sciences, in the grounds of the Royal Bolton Hospital

💙 Course: MBChB Medicine, five years full time · UCAS code A100 · institution code B44

💙 Start date: 7 September 2027 · no deferred entry

💙 First cohort: started September 2025, around 40 international students

💙 Who can apply for 2027 entry: international students only. Not open to UK or Irish home students.

💙 How to apply: directly to the university (rounds, deadlines to be confirmed) or through UCAS (equal consideration deadline 15 October 2026)

💙 Curriculum: the University of Leicester's integrated, patient-focused MBChB (not problem-based learning)

💙 Contingency partner: University of Leicester Medical School

💙 A Level requirement: AAB (136 UCAS points), including Chemistry or Biology plus one of Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Maths

💙 IB requirement: 34 points, with 6, 6, 5 at Higher Level, including Chemistry or Biology

💙 GCSE requirement: at least five at grades 6 to 9, including Maths, English Language and two sciences

💙 Graduates: 2:1 in any subject, plus BBB or ABC at A Level with a B in Chemistry or Biology

💙 English language: IELTS 7.0 overall, with no less than 6.5 in each component, or an accepted equivalent

💙 UCAT: not required for 2027 entry. Required from the September 2028 cohort

💙 Shortlisting: predicted grades plus personal statement assessment

💙 Work experience: not compulsory, but beneficial and used during selection

💙 Interview type: online MMI plus tests, approximately two hours

💙 Interview assesses: values, behaviours, communication, problem-solving, motivation, teamwork and empathy

💙 Interview dates: rolling rounds; 2027 dates to be confirmed

💙 Offers: based on interview score, then a full review of your application; conditional or unconditional

💙 Offer conditions: occupational health, Enhanced DBS check, certificate of good conduct, evidence of funds and a UK student visa

💙 Tuition fees: £45,000 a year (2026 entry figure; listed as provisional for 2027)

💙 Clinical placements: hospitals, general practice and community settings across Greater Manchester and South Lancashire

💙 Rankings: 118th (Complete University Guide 2027) · 119th (Guardian University Guide 2027) · 129th (The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027) · 45th in the UK for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2027) · TEF 2023 Silver overall, Gold for student experience · THE World University Rankings 2027: 1201–1400

💙 Admissions contact: medicineadmissions@greatermanchester.ac.uk

Good luck. Choosing a brand-new medical school takes a bit of courage, and the University of Greater Manchester knows it. Show them you understand what they're building in Bolton, and why you want to be part of it. 💙

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