Edinburgh Medical School

Successful applicants

If you receive an offer, there are a few checks you will be subject to.

Students in Leith

You will be provided with further information on all of these checks upon admission, along with details on information you have to submit to meet your conditions of offer.

Criminal record check

In common with applicants to medical schools nationally, applicants to the MBChB  programme are required to complete a criminal record check via the Disclosure Scotland Records Bureau known as a Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme application.

The main purpose of this check is to ensure that medical students can safely have contact with vulnerable adults and children that is a feature of many healthcare courses and professions. Membership is lifelong (unless you choose to opt out if you move to any profession that does not require membership) and interested parties will be notified in there are any changes to your records in future.

Applicants undertaking a gap year are still required to undergo this check as part of the conditions of offer.

You will be liable for the payment of joining this scheme and for any additional checks. Current fees for membership and additional checks (usually a scheme record update for existing members of both children and vulnerable adult schemes) can be found on Scottish Government website here:

Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme

Fitness to practise

The University has a responsibility to ensure that students studying on a programme which involves practical training in a clinical environment and which leads to a professional registerable qualification are fit to practise. This is assessed according to the requirements and standards of the profession the student wishes to enter.

The programmes with fitness to practise procedures in place are the MBChB, the BVM&S, and the MSc in Anaesthetic Practice.

Health clearance checks

The Department of Health recommends that students admitted to the MBChB programme are required to undergo viral screening for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, and to be immunised against hepatitis B. This is therefore required as a part of the induction process for the MBChB.

A positive result in any test will not necessarily preclude entry to the MBChB.

Standards of Fitness to Train

Higher Education Occupational Physicians/Practitioners (HEOPS) have produced a document outlining the fitness standards expected of students. You can read this below:

HEOPS Students Fitness Standards - Medicine      

You should notify us of any condition at application stage. However, if a condition develops or is diagnosed after this point, even when you become a student, you should notify us so we can look into support arrangements for you.

 

Fee Deposits

As there are limited places for international students on our MBChB programme, these students are required to pay a fee deposit equal to one-third of the first year’s fees (currently £12,500 – see Medicine fees for 2024/25).

The deposit is required to ensure all applicants are serious about studying on the course, and also helps to cover costs and losses should a firm offer holder withdraw their application before commencing study, or leave their studies during the first year.

A deposit is not required for sponsored applicants, however, the University will need to see evidence of sponsorship to waive the requirement to pay the deposit.

Deposits are only refundable in the following circumstances:

  • An applicant fails to meet the academic conditions of their offer (automatically refunded). 
  • An applicant changes their mind about studying on the course within 14 days of payment.

Should an applicant wish to cancel their application more than 14 days after payment, or leave study within their first year, they will not be able to reclaim their deposit.  Any partial or full refund for reasons of challenging personal circumstances is at the discretion of the College.