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When do UK Medical Schools send interview invites out?
For those of you applying to Medicine in 2024, congratulations on getting this far into the process! When the often dreaded October deadline is long gone, it’s then time to wait for interview invites from your dream medical schools. The wait can be nerve-wracking and so, keep reading to gain a better understanding as to when you should expect to hear back from medical schools across the country.
BMAT Medical Schools
7 medical schools across the country use the BMAT to assess academic candidature for their medical program. These universities wait for the BMAT results to be released before they begin inviting applicants for interviews. The BMAT is sat much later than the UCAT and consequently, the results are relatively delayed. This means that these universities send out interview invites much later than most UCAT universities.
For 2024, BMAT results had been delivered to universities in November 2023, following which these universities will send out their interview invites.
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School: December and January
- Imperial College London: December and March
- Lancaster University: January and February
- University College London: December to March
- University of Cambridge: December
- University of Oxford: December
November Invitations
The majority of medical schools in the UK will start to send out interview invites from November 2023.
Some universities may begin inviting students to interview even earlier than this for traditional panel interviews.
- King’s College London: Interviews held between November and May
- University of Sheffield: Interviews held between November and February
- University of Glasgow
Kickstart your Interview Prep
recommended
premiumThe following universities invite students to interview for MMIs between October and November. To prepare for this format of interview, check out our guide – MMI
- University of Exeter: MMIs held between December and March
- Hull York Medical School: Expected to take place in January and February
- Norwich Medical School: Interviews held between November and February
- University of St Andrews: MMIs will take place between November and March
- St George’s, University of London: Held from December to March
- University of Sunderland: MMIs and the additional maths test will be held from December to January
- University of Aberdeen: MMIs taking place between November and March
- University of Edinburgh: Invites are sent out on a rolling basis beginning in November
- Anglia Ruskin University: MMIs held in December and January
- Queen’s University Belfast: Interviews take place between December and March
- Newcastle University: MMIs held between December and February.
- Edge Hill University: Invites are sent out on a rolling basis beginning in November
- Brunel University London: Applications are only open to international students with invites already being sent out
Finally, Kent and Medway, Leicester and Manchester medical schools are likely to be sending out invites from as early as late October as their interview period begins in December, and often lasts a few months. This, however, has not yet been confirmed by the universities.
Other interview invites
The following universities all have slightly different times when they will be inviting applicants to interview for their medical program. It is advisable to check on the university website.
- Aston University: Their MMIs take place from December to March so expect rolling invites during this period
- Barts, QMUL: They hold their panel interviews from January to March, typically sending invites in December
- University of Birmingham: Their MMIs take place in January and February with invites just preceding this period
- University of Bristol: Invites are sent in December and January for their panel interviews hosted up until April
- Cardiff University: Their MMIs take place in January and February with invites typically sent in December
- University of Liverpool: Interviews take place between December and February with invites sent 1-2 weeks prior
- University of Nottingham: Their MMIs happen from December to March with applicants invited in December
- University of Warwick: They both, invite applicants and host their interviews in December
- University of Southampton: Their interviews take place from January to March with invites sent 1-2 weeks prior
Some universities, such as Keele and Swansea, have yet to announce when interview invites are to be expected but based on past years predictions, these could be one of the earliest invites being sent out.
Kickstart your Interview Prep
Medical Interview Email Invite
Many universities will send out email invitations to a medical interview. It is worth checking your spam/junk folders during this time. It is also advisable to double check any requirements on the university website as some universities have a deadline of when they expect you to reply. However, some universities send invitations via post. They may also post it on the UCAS website. Again, it is advisable to check on the university website so you know what to expect.
What can you do now?
Waiting to hear back from your dream medical school can be daunting but there is no time like now to start prepping for your interviews. This is a good time to learn more about the proposed format of their interviews as well as how to best prepare for them. From mock MMI circuits to practicing virtual interview techniques, familiarity will breed comfort as far as medical school interviews go.
Finally, laud yourself for getting this far into the application process. You’re almost there and we’re rooting for you!
FAQs
That is a very difficult question to answer and very much dependent on the individual. Both forms of interview can be daunting, whether it is a single interview or a set of mini interviews. The most important factor is preparation. Make sure that you have prepared thoroughly for whichever type of interview you are attending and have looked at some mock interview questions.
Something that you feel comfortable in! While there is a tendency to want to wear a suit or dress smartly, if you are fidgeting with your buttons or getting hot under the collar, that could be detrimental to your thought process. Many schools and universities publish expectations for the interview day and it would be worth reading those.
Firstly the format of the interview could be different; it would be difficult to conduct MMIs in an online interview, so it is more likely to be a more traditional format. You also have to navigate the use of technology and we suggest that you set this up and test it before your interview. It can also be harder to build rapport with the interviewers in an online interview; remember to look at the camera and not yourself to make sure that you are maintaining eye contact.
The timing of interview invites can vary between medical schools, but typically they are sent out between late November and early February, with most schools sending out invites in December and January.
The timing of interview invites can depend on several factors, including the volume of applications received, the availability of interviewers and facilities, and the specific admissions process of each medical school.
If you don’t receive an interview invite, it’s important to remember that competition for medical school places is high and not receiving an invite does not necessarily mean that you are not a competitive candidate. It’s important to stay positive and focus on alternative options, such as applying to other medical schools or pursuing other career paths.
Yes, candidates can contact medical schools to inquire about the status of their application or interview invite. However, it’s important to be respectful and patient, as medical schools receive a large volume of inquiries and may not be able to respond immediately.
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