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Oxford compared with Cambridge for Medicine

Medicine · Head to head

Oxford vs Cambridge for Medicine

Every figure on this page is taken from each university's own published requirements and admissions statistics, with the source named underneath.

Both Oxford and Cambridge Medicine are six-year courses with a science-first pre-clinical phase, and both use the UCAT. Cambridge asks for the higher headline grades. Oxford awards the BM BCh and Cambridge the MB BChir, which is a naming difference rather than a substantive one. The real distinction is the interview: both are science interviews, but Cambridge runs slightly longer ones and interviews a much larger share of applicants.

Course requirements last verified for 2027 entry. Editorial review: 2026-08-17.

How competitive is Medicine at each?

Oxford and Cambridge do not publish course-level competition the same way. Oxford publishes applicants per place; Cambridge publishes applications and offers, from which the offer rate below is derived. A place and an offer are not the same thing, so read each university's figure on its own terms rather than as a head-to-head score.

University of Oxford

Applicants per place
6.612023-2025

University of Cambridge

Applications
1,5182023
Offers
2962023
Offer rate
19.5%2023 · derived: offers / applications

Sources

The two courses side by side

Entry requirements as each university publishes them for 2027 entry. Always confirm against the official course page before you apply, linked underneath.

Oxford and Cambridge Medicine entry requirements compared
 OxfordCambridge
Official course nameMedicineMedicine
Degree awardeddiffersBM BChMB BChir
Duration6 years (3 pre-clinical + 3 clinical)6 years (3 pre-clinical + 3 clinical)
UCAS course codeA100A100
Admissions testUniversity Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)
Typical A-Level offerdiffersA*AAA*A*A
Typical IB offerdiffers39 with 766 at HL40-42 with 776 at HL
Required subjectsdiffersChemistry, Biology or Physics or MathematicsChemistry, One of Biology/Physics/Mathematics
Interviewdiffers2 interviews, about 20 minutes each2 interviews, about 25 minutes each
Written work requiredNoNo
Official Oxford course pageMedicineOfficial Cambridge course pageMedicine

How they actually differ

What the course actually is

Oxford

Three pre-clinical years focused on medical science, then three clinical years. The pre-clinical phase is taught largely as science, not as bedside training.

Cambridge

The same three-plus-three shape, with the pre-clinical years taught through the Medical and Veterinary Sciences Tripos.

What this means for you: Neither is the right choice if you want early and sustained patient contact. Both put the science first and the wards later, which is the defining feature of the Oxbridge route into medicine.

The interview

Oxford

Two shorter interviews built around scientific reasoning applied to unfamiliar material.

Cambridge

Two slightly longer interviews with the same emphasis on reasoning from science rather than on motivation or work experience.

What this means for you: Neither is a values or ethics interview in the way many other medical schools run them. Preparation should be scientific problem-solving, not rehearsed answers about why you want to be a doctor.

The academic bar

Oxford

Chemistry is required, with a second science or mathematics alongside it.

Cambridge

Chemistry is required, plus one of biology, physics or mathematics, at a higher headline grade profile.

What this means for you: Check the required-subject rows below against your actual A-Level or IB combination before anything else. This is the most common reason a strong medic is ineligible without realising it.

Where the UCAT bites

Oxford

Used alongside academic record to decide who is shortlisted for interview, against a smaller interview pool.

Cambridge

Used the same way, but with a much larger share of applicants reaching interview.

What this means for you: A middling UCAT is more survivable at the university that interviews more people. It is not a reason on its own to switch, but it is a real consideration.

The two admissions systems

These differences apply whichever subject you apply for.

Oxford and Cambridge admissions systems compared
 OxfordCambridge
UCAS institution codediffersO33C05
Teaching formatdiffersTutorialSupervision
Term structurediffers3 eight-week terms (Michaelmas, Hilary, Trinity)3 eight-week terms (Michaelmas, Lent, Easter)
If your college cannot make an offerdiffersReallocationWinter Pool
Extra form beyond UCASdiffersNoneMy Cambridge Application (supplementary questionnaire)
Interview policydiffersOxford interviews approximately 50-60% of applicants overall, though this varies significantly by subject. Most shortlisted candidates receive 2-3 interviews.Cambridge interviews approximately 75% of applicants overall. Nearly all applicants deemed potentially competitive are invited. Interviews are typically held at the college you applied to.

Which should you apply to?

You can only apply to one in the same UCAS cycle, so this is a decision you have to make before 15 October rather than one you can defer.

Lean Oxford if

  • You want the most science-heavy pre-clinical route and are comfortable with a smaller shortlist.
  • Your academic profile is very strong on paper and you would rather compete on it.

Lean Cambridge if

  • You interview well and want a better chance of being seen in person.
  • Your grade profile clears the higher bar comfortably.

What should not decide it

If you want early clinical contact, a problem-based curriculum or a graduate-entry route, look outside Oxbridge entirely. Choosing between these two courses on prestige while ignoring how they teach is the most expensive mistake in medical applications.

Compare another subject

The university-level answer changes once you look at the course. Here is the same comparison for the other subjects with published data on both sides.

Oxford vs CambridgeWhole-university comparisonMathematicsOxford vs CambridgeLawOxford vs CambridgeEngineeringOxford vs CambridgeComputer ScienceOxford vs CambridgeHistoryOxford vs Cambridge

Read the full guides

Medicine at OxfordFull admissions guideMedicine at CambridgeFull admissions guide

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Frequently Asked Questions

Neither is easy. On the published figures Oxford Medicine attracts a high number of applicants per place, while Cambridge makes offers to a larger share of those who apply. The tables on this page give both universities' own numbers so you can see the difference rather than guess at it.
Yes. For 2027 entry both Oxford and Cambridge Medicine use the UCAT, sat in the summer before you apply. Cambridge moved to the UCAT after the BMAT was discontinued.
Less than applicants expect. Both run two science-led interviews that test how you reason through unfamiliar problems out loud. Cambridge interviews run slightly longer and a larger share of applicants is invited. Neither is primarily an ethics or motivation interview.
You need enough insight into medicine to speak credibly about why you want to do it, but neither course selects on the volume of work experience. Both are far more interested in whether you can think scientifically under pressure.

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