imperial college london medicine a100 admissions foi faqs

IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON MEDICINE A100 ADMISSIONS FOI FAQS

Contents

1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................. 1

2. The admissions process ............................................................................................................................................ 1

3. The interview/selection process ............................................................................................................................... 1

4. What weight is given to the applicant’s personal statement? ................................................................................. 2

5. Are GCSE results taken into consideration? ............................................................................................................. 2

6. What BMAT scores do applicants need to achieve? ................................................................................................. 2

7. How many applications were received and how many offers were made? ............................................................. 2

8. What predicted grades did applicants have? ........................................................................................................... 3

9. How many applicants were invited to interview? .................................................................................................... 3

1. I

ntroduction

Imperial College receives many Freedom of Information Act requests from potential applicants for information about

the admissions process for the A100 Medicine programme and for admissions statistics. We have compiled the

information below based on commonly received FOI requests. We hope this document and the information available

on our website will provide all the information that you need. If you want to obtain further information, please

contact foi@imperial.ac.uk or, for admissions enquiries contact medicine.ug.admiss[email protected]c.uk

2. The admissions process

There is an extensive and thorough admissions process for A100 Medicine, which is outlined below. Please also see

the considerable information available on the College's website about Medicine applications:

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/ug/courses/school-of-medicine/medicine/#entry-requirements

please see in

particular the Selection Process and Interview sections.

an initial stage, all UCAS forms received by the deadline are checked to ensure that candidates have, or are

predicted to obtain, the minimum academic entry requirements. Candidates are then considered only if they have

taken the BMAT admissions test in the year of the application. Candidates are selected for interview based on their

BMAT scores. The College calculates threshold BMAT scores each year as a result of ranked candidate BMAT scores

versus number of expected interview sessions. We use a fixed minimum score in each section (Section 1, Section 2

and Section 3) and then use a combined score in Section 1 and Section 2 from which a threshold is set. Those who

achieve the minimum section score and meet either the threshold score or above it, would be invited to interview.

3. T

he interview/selection process

Considerable emphasis is placed on the performance of candidates at interview, and no offer is made to any

applicant who has not attended a competitive interview. The format is multiple mini-interviews (MMI), affording

candidates an opportunity to discuss a range of matters in some depth. Although questions and stations may vary

through the years, these are the main topics that candidates are asked questions on:

• Team work and Leadership

• Motivation to study medicine

• Understanding the role of a doctor

• Empathy and breaking bad news

• Ethics scenarios

• Imperial and contribution to School of Medicine

• Resilience

IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON MEDICINE A100 ADMISSIONS FOI FAQS

Candidates’ answers are scored from a possible 7 points for content (what the candidate says) and 3 points for

communication (how the candidate says it) for each interview station. Often there is no right or wrong answer – the

interviewers are assessing an ability to explain thinking. And if a candidate changes their mind on a specific question

half-way through a question, the interviewers will consider the candidate's ability to reflect on their ideas and how

they think on their feet.

A candidate will receive a score for each interview station in the MMI. For 2022 the total number of stations in a

MMI was seven (7). Therefore, a total of seven (7) station scores will be received per candidate which are then

combined for the total interview score. The Admissions team will then review the candidate's scores across the MMI

to determine whether to make an offer or reject. The threshold score for an offer varies each year, as well as if the

candidate has been classed as a widening participation applicant.

4. What weight is given to the applicant’s personal statement?

In 2021 Entry, the personal statement was not used in the interview process. In exceptional circumstances, a

candidate's application form was reviewed as a means to shortlist at interview.

From 2022 Entry, the personal statement may be given to interviewers and assessors during the MMI process and

applicants can be asked to discuss aspects of the application, including for example evidence of motivation and

understanding of medicine as a career, evidence of extracurricular interests, and the information provided by the

referee's report. In exceptional circumstances, a candidate's application form can also be reviewed as a means to

shortlist at interview.

5. Are GCSE results taken into consideration?

GCSE results are not taken into consideration except that, as stated in the published admissions guidance

(https://www.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/study/undergraduate/medicine-mbbs-programmes/schoolinfo/), it is a

requirement to have obtained a grade 6 (old grade B) in English. Where applicable, the English language

requirements also need to be met: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/ug/apply/requirements/english/

6. What BMAT scores do applicants need to achieve?

There are different BMAT thresholds depending on the fee status of a candidate, as well as if the candidate has been

classed as a widening participation applicant.

2022 Entry, Home candidates were required to score a minimum of 3.5 in Section 1 and Section 2, with the sum of

scores in these two Sections being at least 10.9. They were required to score a minimum of 2.5C in Section 3.

2022 Entry, non-Home candidates were required to score a minimum of 4.0 in Section 1 and Section 2, with the sum

of scores in these two Sections being at least 12.3. They were required to score a minimum of 3C in Section 3.

2022 Entry, Widening Participation candidates were required to score a minimum of 3.5 in Section 1 and Section 2,

with the sum of scores in these two Sections being at least 10.0. They were required to score a minimum of 2.5C in

Section 3.

7. How many applications were received and how many offers were made?

Imperial College publishes undergraduate admissions statistics for the past 5 completed admissions cycles. These

include:

• Nu

mber of applicants, offers and places confirmed

• Average BMAT Scores

• Details of A level and IB offers Made

• New Entrants' Achieved A level and IB Grades

• Admissions Rate by Nationality

IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON MEDICINE A100 ADMISSIONS FOI FAQS

The p

ublished information can be accessed at the transparency pages of our website:

http://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/ug/apply/transparency-information/

(scroll to the bottom of the page to the link

“Download the Undergraduate Admission Statistics”). Information is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act

(Section 21) if it is already reasonably accessible to the requester. The published figures are updated annually

(usually in January/February). Information that is intended for future publication is exempt from the Freedom of

Information Act by virtue of Section 22 of the Act.

For A100 Medicine, the applications, offers and places confirmed were as follows:

2018 UCAS

Cycle

2019 UCAS

Cycle

2020 UCAS

Cycle

2021 UCAS

Cycle

2022 UCAS

Cycle

Applications

Received

2472 3015 3365 4045 3937

Offers

Made

610 758 733 573 425

Places

Confirmed

316 352 394 361 344

8. Wh

at predicted grades did applicants have?

It is not possible for the College to provide details of applicants’ predicted grades or the A Levels subjects that

applicants are studying. However, Imperial College does publish details of the A Level grades achieved by enrolled

students (i.e. successful candidates), see above.

9. How many applicants were invited to interview?

Please see below for total number of students Invited to Interview between the admission years 2018 - 2022.

A100 Invited to Interview - All

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

809 1155 1245 1065 902

A100 Invited to Interview -

International students

2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

165 126 129 146