Complete List of Medical Schools in the UK (2026)

Complete List of Medical Schools in the UK (2026)

If you are looking for a list of medical schools in the UK, this guide provides a definitive directory of current, new, and future institutions.

There are 47 medical schools registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). With several institutions in the planning stages, this number is set to rise to 51 in 2026/27.

UK Medical Schools by Region

The distribution of medical education across the United Kingdom is as follows:

• England: 37 Schools (plus 4 in planning)

• Scotland: 5 Schools

• Wales: 3 Schools

• Northern Ireland: 2 Schools

Complete Directory of UK Medical Schools

The following list is alphabetized by city or institution name. The founding year refers to the first intake of students or the formal establishment of the modern medical faculty.

A–C

• Aberdeen (Scotland) – Founded 1787. Medicine has been taught at King’s College since 1495.

• Anglia Ruskin (Chelmsford) – 2018. Focuses on recruiting local talent to serve the Essex region.

• Aston (Birmingham) – 2018. Prioritizes social mobility, offering 40% of places to disadvantaged communities.

• Bangor (Wales) – 2024. The new North Wales Medical School.

• Barts and The London (QMUL) – 1995. A merger of London Hospital Medical College (1785) and St Bartholomew’s (1123). Includes a satellite campus in Gozo, Malta.

• Birmingham – 1825. Formal education began in the 19th century; merged with Mason Science College in 1900.

• Brighton and Sussex – 2003. A partnership between the Universities of Brighton and Sussex.

• Bristol – 1833. Fully incorporated into the University of Bristol in 1893.

• Brunel (London) – 2021. Currently open exclusively to international students.

• Buckingham – 2015. The UK’s only private medical school, offering a condensed 4.5-year course.

• Cambridge – 1976. While teaching dates back to 1540, the modern full clinical course was re-established in 1976.

• Cardiff (Wales) – 1893. Formerly the Welsh National School of Medicine.

• Chester – 2024. A specialized 4-year graduate-entry program.

D–K

• Dundee (Scotland) – 1967. Previously taught in conjunction with the University of St Andrews.

• Edge Hill (Lancashire) – 2020.

• Edinburgh (Scotland) – 1726. The oldest medical school in the UK.

• Exeter – 2013. Formed following the reorganization of the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry.

• Glasgow (Scotland) – 1751. Formal establishment under Dr. William Cullen.

• Hull York – 2003. A unique partnership between the Universities of Hull and York.

• Imperial College London – 1997. Formed by the merger of several historic schools, including St Mary’s and Charing Cross.

• Keele – 2003. Originally awarded Manchester degrees; has awarded its own MBChB since 2012.

• Kent and Medway – 2020. A collaboration between the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University.

• King’s College London – 1998. Home to the historic Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals. Now includes a branch campus in Portsmouth (2024).

L–N

• Lancaster – 2006. Began awarding its own degrees in 2013.

• Leeds – 1831. Notable for its high rate of student intercalation.

• Leicester – 1975. Features an integrated BMedSci degree.

• Lincoln – 2018. Originally a partnership with Nottingham; seeking independence by 2026.

• Liverpool – 1834. One of the first schools to be fully incorporated into a university.

• Manchester – 1824. One of the largest medical schools in the UK.

• Newcastle – 1834. Absorbed the Durham University medical program in 2017.

• Norwich (UEA) – 2002. Part of the University of East Anglia.

• Nottingham – 1970. Includes a graduate entry site at Derby.

O–Z

• Oxford – 1946. While medical teaching is centuries old, the modern school was established post-WWII.

• Plymouth – 2013. Resulted from the split of the Peninsula College.

• Queen’s University Belfast – 1835. The only UK school to award the Bachelor of Obstetrics (BAO).

• Sheffield – 1828.

• Southampton – 1971.

• St Andrews (Scotland) – 1413. Offers a 3-year BSc; students then move to partner schools for clinical years.

• St George’s (London) – 1752. The oldest independent medical school in England.

• Sunderland – 2019.

• Surrey (Guildford) – 2024. Graduate-entry only.

• Swansea (Wales) – 2001. Graduate-entry only.

• UCL (University College London) – 1998. Formed from mergers with Middlesex and the Royal Free hospitals.

• UCLan (Preston) – 2015.

• Ulster (Northern Ireland) – 2021. The Magee School of Medicine.

• Warwick – 2000. Largest graduate-entry-only medical school in the UK.

• Worcester – 2023. Known as the Three Counties Medical School.

Future Medical Schools (Planning Stage)

Several new medical schools are currently in development to meet the rising demand for doctors. Most are expected to start 2026 or 2027.

• Carlisle (Pears Cumbria): A partnership between Cumbria and Imperial College

• Hertfordshire

• St Mary’s (Twickenham)

• Wolverhampton (Black Country Medical School)

• Portsmouth: Currently a branch of KCL; aiming for independence.

British Overseas Territories

There are several private offshore medical schools located in British Overseas Territories, largely serving international students:

• Anguilla: Saint James School of Medicine & American University of Anguilla.

• Grand Cayman: St. Matthew’s University.

• Montserrat: University of Science, Arts and Technology.

FAQs: Understanding Medical School Foundations

Defining when a medical school “started” can be complex. Dates may refer to:

1. The first student intake (the metric used in this list).

2. GMC registration/approval.

3. The date of a formal royal opening.

4. Mergers between historic hospital colleges.

Note: Because medical schools frequently merge or rename, history can be overlapping. This list is kept as current as possible to reflect the 2026/27 landscape.