Last verified by Dr Dibah Jiva — March 2026
The University of Nottingham's MBChB medicine programme is one of the few medical schools in the UK where every single interview takes place online — not as a pandemic-era adaptation, but as a deliberate, permanent format. If you are invited to interview at Nottingham, you will sit your MMI via Microsoft Teams. Knowing exactly what that means for preparation is what this guide is about.
Nottingham also has one of the most distinctive shortlisting formulas in UK medicine: it places significant weight on GCSEs, double-weights Verbal Reasoning in the UCAT, and uses no personal statement scoring whatsoever. This guide explains all of it.
Overview: Nottingham Medicine at a Glance
The University of Nottingham Medical School offers a five-year MBChB programme (A100). There is also a four-year graduate entry route (A108) for applicants with a prior degree. Nottingham is a research-intensive medical school with strong clinical partnerships across Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands. It has a reputation for problem-based learning (PBL) and a strong emphasis on professionalism and communication from the earliest years.
What makes Nottingham's admissions particularly distinctive:
- GCSEs are heavily weighted — they form a central part of the shortlisting score - UCAT Verbal Reasoning is double-weighted — a specific and unusual policy - SJT Band 4 = automatic rejection — no exceptions - Personal statements are not scored at any stage - All interviews are online via Microsoft Teams
Entry Requirements for 2026
A-Levels
Grades required: AAA
Compulsory subjects: Biology (or Human Biology) AND Chemistry
Both Biology and Chemistry are required at A-level — this is one of the more stringent subject requirements among UK medical schools. The practical element of A-level science subjects must also be passed (a practical endorsement is required).
Resits: Nottingham accepts resits, but with specific conditions. To be considered as a resit applicant, all of the following must apply:
- Your original A-levels were taken within the past 12 months - You achieved at least ABB at your first sitting, including an A in either Biology or Chemistry - After resitting, you have achieved AAA, including Biology and Chemistry
This is a tight set of conditions. If you achieved below ABB at your first sit, Nottingham will not consider your application.
GCSEs
GCSEs are not just a threshold requirement at Nottingham — they are a substantive part of your shortlisting score. The school uses 8 GCSEs in its shortlisting formula.
Specific GCSE requirements: - Maths: grade 6 minimum - English Language: grade 7 minimum - Biology (or Human Biology) and Chemistry (or Dual Award Science): grade 7 minimum
Strong GCSE performance is one of the most important factors in whether you receive an interview invitation at Nottingham. If your GCSEs are weaker than your A-level trajectory suggests, Nottingham's shortlisting formula will reflect that unfavourably.
UCAT
UCAT is required for all 2026 entry applicants to A100. The three cognitive subtest scores are used — Verbal Reasoning (VR), Decision Making (DM), and Quantitative Reasoning (QR) — giving a total out of 2,700.
Nottingham's UCAT policy has two important features:
1. Verbal Reasoning is double-weighted. When Nottingham calculates your UCAT component of the shortlisting score, your VR score counts twice. This means VR is the most valuable subtest to maximise for Nottingham applicants.
2. SJT Band 4 is an automatic rejection. If you score Band 4 in the Situational Judgement Test, your application will not proceed regardless of your UCAT cognitive score, GCSEs, or A-levels. Bands 1, 2, and 3 are all acceptable.
There is no published absolute UCAT total cut-off. Applicants are ranked relative to each other. Given the double-weighting of VR, a particularly strong VR score — aiming for 650–700+ — is highly valuable at Nottingham.
For context on what UCAT scores mean:
| UCAT Total | Approximate Percentile | |---|---| | 1,880 | ~50th (median) | | 1,950 | ~60th | | 2,010 | ~70th | | 2,100 | ~80th | | 2,220 | ~90th |
Source: UCAT consortium 2025 statistics
Personal statements are not scored at any stage of Nottingham's selection process — neither shortlisting nor offers. This does not mean you should write a weak personal statement (it may inform interview conversation), but it is not a scored criterion.
How Shortlisting Works
Nottingham's shortlisting formula combines:
- GCSE score (based on your best 8 GCSEs, weighted by grade) - UCAT cognitive score (with VR double-weighted) - SJT must not be Band 4 — automatic screen-out
Applicants are ranked by this combined score. No absolute cut-off is published; the threshold varies annually based on the pool of applicants. Because GCSEs carry significant weight, a candidate with outstanding GCSEs and a strong UCAT can outrank a candidate with a higher UCAT but weaker GCSEs.
Source: University of Nottingham Medicine Admissions
The Interview Format: Online MMI via Microsoft Teams
Format overview
Format: Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) Mode: Entirely online via Microsoft Teams Stations: 6 scored stations + 1 unscored ice-breaker at the start Duration: Approximately 1 hour Timing: December 2025 – February 2026
Nottingham's MMI is conducted entirely remotely. You will need a reliable internet connection, a working camera and microphone, and a Microsoft Teams account. The circuit consists of one unscored ice-breaker station followed by six scored stations, each approximately 5 minutes long.
At least one station is a role-play scenario.
What is an online MMI like?
Unlike a traditional in-person MMI — where you physically move between rooms — an online MMI typically works via a sequence of video calls with different interviewers. You will usually remain in one virtual waiting area and be moved into separate calls for each station.
The key differences from an in-person MMI:
- No physical movement between rooms — the interval is managed by the platform - Reading station prompts on screen rather than on paper at a door - Eye contact into a camera lens, not directly at the interviewer's face - Microphone and audio quality affect your impression more than in a room - Technical issues are a real risk — test your setup in advance
What Each Station Assesses
Nottingham's six scored stations are designed to assess a range of competencies. The school places particular emphasis on communication, empathy, and professionalism — themes that align with its PBL-based curriculum and early clinical placement ethos. Based on published selection criteria, stations are likely to cover:
1. Motivation for medicine and Nottingham Why medicine? What has formed your decision? Assessors are looking for genuine, specific, reflective answers. Why do you want to study at Nottingham in particular — what do you know about the course structure, the PBL approach, the clinical placements?
2. Work experience and clinical insight What have you observed in clinical or caring settings, and what has it taught you? The question is always about what you learned — not simply what you saw.
3. Ethical reasoning A scenario posing a moral dilemma. You will not be expected to give a definitive right answer; assessors want to see that you can reason systematically through competing values. Apply principles such as patient autonomy, beneficence, and justice.
4. Role-play station At least one station is confirmed as role-play. In an online MMI, this typically involves a written scenario on screen and a role-player (often a professional actor or trained assessor) who plays a patient, colleague, or family member via the video call. Read the scenario carefully. Respond as yourself, with genuine empathy. Do not rush.
5. Communication, teamwork, or leadership A discussion of a specific situation requiring effective communication. May involve conflict resolution, working in a team under pressure, or adapting your communication to different audiences.
6. Current healthcare issues and NHS awareness Nottingham trains doctors for the NHS Midlands. Assessors want to know you understand the system you are entering. Know the key current pressures: workforce shortfalls, waiting lists, mental health provision, social prescribing, integrated care. The NHS England long-term workforce plan and King's Fund health policy resources are good starting points.
Example Interview Questions
Motivation and insight: - "What has your work experience revealed about the aspects of medicine that you did not expect?" - "Why do you want to study at Nottingham rather than another medical school?" - "What does it mean to you to practise medicine in the NHS specifically?"
Ethical scenarios: - "A 14-year-old patient tells you in confidence that they are using recreational drugs. Their parents have no idea. What factors should a doctor consider?" - "A colleague in your clinical team appears to be coming to work under significant stress and is making small errors. You are only a student. What do you do?" - "Is it ethical to charge patients for missed appointments in an NHS context?"
Role-play: - "Your flatmate confides that they have been feeling low for several months and that they have been skipping meals. They have told you not to tell anyone. Please begin talking to them."
NHS and healthcare awareness: - "If you were given one policy change to improve outcomes for people living in the most deprived areas of the UK, what would it be and why?" - "What do you think about the increasing use of artificial intelligence in diagnostic medicine?"
Personal qualities: - "Describe a time when you were part of a team that was struggling to function well. What did you do, and what was the result?" - "Tell me about a time you received feedback that was difficult to hear. How did you respond?"
Top Tips for Nottingham's Online MMI
1. Maximise your Verbal Reasoning score — it counts double. If you are still preparing for UCAT and have Nottingham as a target school, prioritise VR practice above all other subtests. A jump from 600 to 680 in VR is worth twice as much at Nottingham as the same improvement in DM or QR.
2. Do not neglect your GCSEs — they are a major part of the formula. Unlike many schools where GCSEs are just a threshold, Nottingham uses them substantively. If you have achieved excellent GCSEs, this is a significant asset — make sure your application correctly reflects your full GCSE profile.
3. Avoid SJT Band 4 at all costs. Band 4 means automatic rejection at Nottingham, regardless of everything else on your application. Invest proper time in UCAT SJT preparation. Understand the principles behind it: patient safety is paramount, honesty and openness are fundamental, working within your competence is non-negotiable.
4. Set up your Microsoft Teams environment properly before the day. Test your camera, microphone, and internet connection at least a week before your interview. Log in to Microsoft Teams on the device you plan to use and ensure it is updated. Have your device plugged in (not running on battery). Position your camera at eye level. Sit in front of a light source, not away from it. Use a plain, tidy background.
5. Look into the camera, not at your own face. This is the most common error in video interviews. When you look at your own image on screen rather than into the camera lens, it appears to the assessor that you are looking down or to the side. Place a small sticker or arrow just above your camera lens as a visual reminder.
6. Practise the role-play station in an online format. Role-play in a video call is unusual for most people. Ask a friend or family member to role-play with you over a video call — not in person. The skills that make role-play work in a room are slightly different to those that work through a screen: clearer verbal cues, more deliberate pauses, and explicit empathy statements all matter more when the physical nonverbal channel is reduced.
7. Research Nottingham's curriculum. Nottingham uses problem-based learning (PBL) as a core pedagogical approach, which means you learn medicine through clinical cases and group discussion rather than traditional lecture-heavy teaching. Know this. Know why it appeals to you. Assessors notice candidates who have engaged with what makes Nottingham's course distinctive.
8. Have specific healthcare examples ready. Nottingham's MMI will almost certainly include questions about current healthcare issues. Do not try to prep a generic answer the night before. Over the months before your interview, read widely — NHS news, public health data, health inequality reports. The more specific and genuinely informed your answers are, the more they will stand out.
Timeline: What to Expect and When
| Stage | Approximate Timing | |---|---| | UCAT sitting | July–October 2025 | | UCAS application deadline | 15 October 2025 | | Shortlisting decisions made | November–December 2025 | | Interview invitations sent | November–December 2025 | | Online MMI interviews (MS Teams) | December 2025 – February 2026 | | Offers released | Rolling, typically January–March 2026 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need both Biology and Chemistry at A-level? Yes. Nottingham requires Biology (or Human Biology) AND Chemistry. Both must be passed including the practical endorsement.
Can I resit A-levels and still apply to Nottingham? Yes, but with strict conditions: your original A-levels must be within the past 12 months, you must have achieved at least ABB including an A in Biology or Chemistry at your first sitting, and you must achieve AAA including both Biology and Chemistry after resitting.
How many GCSEs does Nottingham use in shortlisting? Nottingham uses your best 8 GCSEs in the shortlisting formula. The specific requirements include grade 7 in English Language, Maths, Biology/Human Biology, and Chemistry (or Dual Award Science at grade 7).
What happens if I get SJT Band 4? Your application is automatically rejected. There are no exceptions at Nottingham for Band 4. Focus on achieving Band 1, 2, or 3.
Does the UCAT SJT affect shortlisting or just offers? The SJT Band 4 screen operates at shortlisting. Applicants with Band 4 are rejected before interview. Bands 1–3 are acceptable.
Is the interview the same for graduate entry (A108)? The A108 graduate entry programme has different entry requirements and may use a different interview process. This guide covers the A100 undergraduate route. Check the Nottingham A108 course page for graduate entry specifics.
What should I do if I have technical problems during the online MMI? Contact the Nottingham admissions team immediately via email or phone. Keep your invitation email accessible so you have the contact information ready. Have a mobile hotspot available as a backup internet connection. Most schools have contingency plans for technical issues — do not simply abandon the interview without contacting the team.
Final Thoughts
Nottingham rewards candidates who are well-rounded on paper and well-prepared for a genuinely different kind of interview. The online MMI is not a lower-stakes version of an in-person circuit — if anything, it requires more deliberate preparation because the technology adds friction that does not exist in a room.
Get your UCAT VR score as high as possible. Make sure your GCSEs reflect your best work. Avoid Band 4 in the SJT. And then prepare for six stations — on camera, through a screen — that will test whether you can be the kind of doctor Nottingham's patients need.
Good luck.
Last verified by Dr Dibah Jiva — March 2026
Sources: University of Nottingham Medicine Admissions | UCAT Official Statistics 2025 | UCAT Test Format and Scoring