GAMSAT Score Guide: Where to apply with a low or high GAMSAT score

Graduate-entry medicine is extremely competitive and it is more important than ever to be strategic with where you choose to apply. We have put together this guide with key GAMSAT statistics to help you make an informed decision as to which medical schools to apply to with your GAMSAT score.

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High GAMSAT Score (>63)

A score over 63 is a great GAMSAT score for UK applications. If you’ve managed to score this well done! You’ve done very well and stand an excellent chance at getting interview invitations from the medical schools of your choice.

With a GAMSAT score over 62 you stand a good chance of getting an interview at most medical schools. However, make sure to still apply strategically and check how each university uses the GAMSAT during their admissions process. This is especially important if your previous academic performance, such as A-Levels or degree classification, is not as strong. If this is the case you will want to focus on medical schools that prioritise GAMSAT score as this will be a key strength of your application. Below we list some medical schools you may want to consider with a GAMSAT score in this bracket.

Swansea is one of just two graduate-only medical schools. There are around 100 places each year and the GAMSAT is a key aspect of the admissions process. The scores required are typically high. For 2023-entry the minimum GAMSAT required to receive an invitation to interview was 63 which was the highest the cut-off has ever been. For 2022-entry the minimum required score was 62 and for 2021-entry it was 60. There are no minimum A-Level or GCSE requirements and degrees from any discipline are accepted. This makes Swansea an ideal choice for applicants with very strong GAMSAT scores who are from non-traditional backgrounds.

Plymouth use the GAMSAT for graduate applicants to their standard A100 5-year course. The threshold score required to receive an interview is typically very high. For 2023-entry the threshold was an overall score of 65, with further thresholds for each individual section that also need to be met. The cut-off for 2022-entry was also 65, and was 66 for 2021-entry. Bear in mind that graduate applicants must also meet the A-Level requirements (A*AA) but degree classifications are not taken into account.

Exeter also use the GAMSAT for graduate applicants to the standard A100 5-year course. Students who are applying more than two full academic years since the completion of their A-Levels will also be ranked by GAMSAT when shortlisting for interview. The threshold score required for 2023-entry was 63 overall. It was even higher in previous years, including 65 for 2022-entry and 66 for 2021-entry.

Good GAMSAT Score (59-62)

For graduate medicine applications to UK medical schools a good GAMSAT score is around 59-62. This will help you to secure an interview at some GEM medical schools. A score in this range gives you a good chance at many medical schools, however there are two graduate-entry courses you may wish to target.

Nottingham uses the GAMSAT to shortlist candidates for their A101 accelerated graduate-entry medicine course. Uniquely to Nottingham, the mean average of each section is used to rank applications, rather than the overall GAMSAT score given to you on your results certificate. This means Section 3 is given the same weighting as Section 1 and Section 2 – remember to work out your Nottingham-specific overall score too! For 2023-entry an average score of 56 was needed to secure an interview spot. This was lower than has been seen before so bear in mind the cut-off could increased for the next few cycles. For 2022-entry the cut-off was 61 and for 2021-entry it was 59.

St George’s, University of London also uses the GAMSAT for their accelerated graduate-entry course. The cut-off score is typically high with an overall score of 61 required for 2022-entry and 60 for 2021-entry. The most recent application cycle saw the lowest cut-off score in history with applicants requiring an overall score of 56 to gain an interview.

Average GAMSAT Score (55 – 58)

An overall GAMSAT score between 55 and 58 will usually place you around the middle of the pool of graduate medicine applicants. You will need to make sure your choice of university is strategic and pick medical schools that focus on the strongest aspects of your application. The following courses might be suitable for applicants with a score in this range.

ScotGEM is an accelerated graduate-entry course jointly held at the University of St Andrews and the University of Dundee. The course is specifically tailored to graduates and can be a great choice. In the 2023-entry application cycle an overall score of 57 was required to receive an interview invitation. Applicants also required a score of at least 50 in each section.

Liverpool have discontinued their graduate-entry accelerated course, however graduate applicants are still considered for the standard 5-year course. Graduate applicants to Medicine at Liverpool are ranked by GAMSAT. In 2023 an overall score of 55 was required to receive an interview invitation. Make sure to double check the academic entrance requirements as there are often A-Level requirements for graduates applying to standard courses.

Ulster is a new medical school in Northern Ireland which offers a 4-year medicine degree just for graduates. As Ulster only began accepting students from 2021 we don’t have much data around the use of the GAMSAT so it can be hard to predict the likely cut-off scores for interview. In previous years the threshold score has been around 54-55 however this may change in the coming years.

Low GAMSAT Score (<55)

A low GAMSAT score can be disheartening. If you haven’t scored as well as you had hoped in the GAMSAT there are still options available to you. Try to prioritise universities that take a more holistic approach and consider other achievements as part of their application process. You may also want to consider taking other admissions tests such as the UCAT to widen your options. The UCAT is a very different style of test to the GAMSAT and many students who struggle with one find themselves excelling at the other.

Worcester is a new medical school offering a 4-year graduate-entry course. At present times they will accept either the GAMSAT or UCAT for admission. They say most successful applicants scored over 50 overall so it could be worth applying to if your GAMSAT is around this score. However, please take into consideration that this medical school is primarily accepting applications from international student at the present time.

Remember, a low GAMSAT score doesn’t mean you have no chance at all at getting into medical school. It may rule out a few of options but it just means you have to be strategic in your application.