The UCL Medical School interview format

UCL Medical School uses multiple mini interviews (MMIs) for its Medicine MBBS BSc programme. Its interviews page says the MMI consists of up to 8 stations that candidates rotate around, each 5 minutes long. You have one minute before each station to read basic instructions, then the interviewer asks you 2 to 3 questions during the 5 minutes. For home fee paying candidates the MMIs are on campus (in the Rockefeller Building in London); overseas candidates attend online interviews.

Interviewers include clinical staff from local hospital and community sites, professional services staff, academics, current medical students and teachers from local schools. UCL says you attend half an hour before your interview for sign-in and a short briefing, bring photo ID, and the interview lasts about 50 minutes. UCL says no offers are made without interview.

Item	What UCL says
Format	MMI on campus for home candidates; online for overseas candidates
Stations	Up to 8, each 5 minutes, with 1 minute to read instructions before and 2 to 3 questions from the interviewer
Length	About 50 minutes; arrive half an hour early for sign-in and a briefing
Interview season	December to March, invitations on a rolling basis with at least one week notice
Scored qualities	Academic curiosity and interest in healthcare; motivation and understanding of the career; problem solving and reasoning; professional attitudes and values; teamwork, leadership and individual strengths; communication skills
Selection for interview	Minimum academic requirements checked, then total UCAT score ranks candidates; SJT breaks ties; GCSEs and A-levels are not scored or ranked
2026 entry minimum UCAT total invited	2190 home, 2300 overseas, 2080 for Access UCL contextual candidates
Results	Some initial offers in February, the bulk towards the end of March

NHS values and what is marked

UCL says it takes an NHS values-based approach: it asks about core themes of working in a healthcare setting such as putting patients first, respect and dignity, a commitment to quality of care, compassion, improving health and wellbeing, and everyone counts. Interviewers mark on an iPad against the six qualities in the table. The selection procedure page adds that professional attitudes and values include flexibility, integrity, empathy, honesty, conscientiousness and compassion.

How UCL picks interviewees

UCL says it adopted the UCAT after the BMAT was withdrawn in 2024. It does not score personal statements. The total UCAT score ranks eligible candidates, with the SJT used when scores tie. Candidates eligible for Access UCL, the contextual offer scheme, are flagged and their UCAT scores reviewed separately, and overseas candidates are selected separately for 24 places. UCL says it receives around 2,500 applications per year for 313 places and 800 applications for 24 international places, so not every eligible applicant is interviewed.

What UCL tells you about preparing

The page recommends the Medical Schools Council example stations, advises you not to over-prepare or memorise lots of information, and says an important part of the interview is showing you can think on your feet and use examples from your own experiences. It also suggests keeping up to date with healthcare news and thinking carefully about what a career in medicine really entails.

How to prepare for the UCL interview

Practise with 5-minute blocks. One minute of reading and five minutes talking leaves little room, so aim for a clear answer in the first 30 seconds and then add detail.
Tie answers to NHS values. Know the six values UCL names and be able to give a real example of one or two.
Prepare examples, not scripts. UCL says not to memorise a lot, so have four or five real stories you can adapt.
Rehearse thinking aloud. Problem-solving stations reward visible reasoning more than a quick answer.
Sort logistics early. Reply to the invitation promptly (UCL expects an acknowledgement within 5 calendar days) and tell the school about dates you cannot attend.

UCL practice questions (written by us, not UCL)

UCL does not publish its stations. We wrote these around its NHS values and the six qualities it marks. Aim for about three to four minutes each.

A patient is waiting a long time and is becoming angry with the receptionist. What would you do if you were a student nearby?
What does "putting patients first" mean when resources are limited?
A junior doctor tells you they made a small prescribing error and have not reported it. What should you do?
What have you done that shows you can lead and also follow?
Why do you think doctors, as well as patients, benefit from treating people with dignity?
You have to explain to a classmate why you disagree with their view on a group project. How do you do it?
How would you decide whether a new app that records patient symptoms is a good use of NHS money?
Describe a moment when you changed your mind after hearing someone else's point of view.
What does the NHS value "everyone counts" mean for a doctor working in an area with high deprivation?
What are you most curious about in healthcare, and how have you explored it?

For a wider set, see our practice questions with answers guide and our MMI practice and preparation guide.

A drill for eight 5-minute stations

Set a 1-minute reading timer and a 5-minute station timer, and run eight stations with a partner.
Give each station a different quality from UCL's six and try to show it with one concrete example.
At two stations, ask your partner to interrupt and ask a follow-up halfway through.
Practise finishing early gracefully: if you have said what you need to in 3 minutes, answer the follow-up rather than repeat yourself.
Record two stations and listen for filler words and unfinished sentences.

If you don't have a practice partner, Confetto's AI mock interviews ask follow-up questions based on what you actually said and give rubric-based feedback afterward. The question bank has over 500 questions, and you can start with a 7-day free trial.

UCL interview FAQ

Is the UCL interview an MMI?

Yes. UCL runs multiple mini interviews with up to 8 stations of 5 minutes each.

Is it online or on campus?

On campus for home fee paying candidates and online for overseas candidates.

Does UCL still use the BMAT?

No. UCL says it adopted the UCAT after the BMAT was withdrawn in 2024.

How does UCL use the UCAT?

The total score ranks eligible candidates for interview, and the SJT breaks ties. UCL says GCSEs and A-levels are not scored or ranked once minimum requirements are met.

When do interviews run?

December to March on a rolling basis, with candidates normally getting at least one week notice. There is no advantage to being invited at a particular time.

Will I get feedback?

UCL says feedback is given only on request to unsuccessful applicants after an interview.

Applying to other London schools too? See our guides to the Imperial College School of Medicine, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry and King's College London interviews, or our medical school interview prep page.

Sources: UCL MMI information, UCL selection procedure, UCL selection and interviews, UCL 2027 entry requirements.

Confetto isn't affiliated with UCL. Everything here about the school comes from its public admissions pages, checked in October 2026. Formats can change between cycles, so go by your invitation email.