1. MCHK-recognised UK medical schools
The Medical Council of Hong Kong (MCHK) maintains the authoritative list of recognised UK medical schools whose qualifications allow holders to register and practice medicine in Hong Kong. The table below lists major UK medical schools commonly recognised by MCHK that Hong Kong students apply to. Always verify against the official MCHK list before relying on this for application decisions.
| Medical school | Location | Course length |
|---|---|---|
| University of Cambridge | Cambridge | 6 years |
| University of Oxford | Oxford | 6 years |
| Imperial College London | London | 6 years |
| UCL Medical School | London | 6 years |
| King's College London (GKT) | London | 5 years |
| Barts and The London (QMUL) | London | 5 years |
| University of Bristol | Bristol | 5 years |
| University of Manchester | Manchester | 5 years |
| University of Edinburgh | Edinburgh | 6 years |
| University of Glasgow | Glasgow | 5 years |
| University of Leeds | Leeds | 5 years |
| University of Sheffield | Sheffield | 5 years |
| Newcastle University | Newcastle | 5 years |
| University of Nottingham | Nottingham | 5 years |
| University of Birmingham | Birmingham | 5 years |
| University of Liverpool | Liverpool | 5 years |
| Cardiff University | Cardiff | 5 years |
| Queen's University Belfast | Belfast | 5 years |
| University of Southampton | Southampton | 5 years |
| University of Aberdeen | Aberdeen | 5 years |
| University of Dundee | Dundee | 5 years |
| University of St Andrews | St Andrews | 3 years (pre-clinical, then transfer) |
Last updated: May 2026. Source: Medical Council of Hong Kong (mchk.org.hk).
2. UK admissions tests by subject (2026 entry onwards)
As of the 2026 entry cycle, Oxford and Cambridge consolidated most subject-specific admissions tests under UAT-UK. The current mapping:
| Course | University | Test | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medicine | All UK medical schools | UCAT | Jul-Sep |
| Dentistry | Most UK dental schools | UCAT | Jul-Sep |
| Law | Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, King's, LSE, Bristol, Durham, Nottingham, Glasgow, SOAS | LNAT | Sep-Jan (Oct for Oxbridge) |
| Mathematics | Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, Warwick, LSE, others | TMUA | October |
| Mathematics (offer condition) | Cambridge, Warwick | STEP 2 + STEP 3 | June |
| Computer Science | Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial | TMUA | October |
| Economics | Cambridge, others | TMUA | October |
| Natural Sciences | Cambridge | ESAT | October |
| Engineering | Cambridge, Oxford | ESAT | October |
| Physics | Oxford | ESAT | October |
| Biomedical Sciences | Oxford | ESAT | October |
| Veterinary Medicine | Cambridge | ESAT | October |
| PPE | Oxford | TARA | October |
| Economics and Management | Oxford | TARA | October |
| History, History and Economics, History and Politics | Oxford | TARA | October |
| Human Sciences, Experimental Psychology, PPL | Oxford | TARA | October |
UAT-UK October sitting only is valid for Oxford and Cambridge undergraduate entry. The January sitting is for other UAT-UK universities. Always confirm the current test against the official Oxford or Cambridge course page before booking.
Last updated: May 2026. Source: UAT-UK (uat-uk.org), Oxford Admissions, Cambridge Admissions.
3. HKDSE / IB / A-Level grade equivalency
Approximate equivalencies based on UCAS Tariff and published university guidance. Use the official UCAS Tariff Calculator for exact UCAS points for your specific subjects and grades.
| HKDSE | IB Higher Level | A-Level | UCAS Points (per subject) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5** | 7 | A* | 56 |
| 5* | 6 / 7 | A* / A | 48-56 |
| 5 | 5 / 6 | A / B | 40-48 |
| 4 | 4 / 5 | B / C | 32-40 |
| 3 | 3 / 4 | C / D | 24-32 |
These are approximate equivalencies for individual subjects. Total profile evaluation depends on the specific course and university. Many competitive UK courses look at the overall profile including subject combinations and standardised admissions test scores.
Last updated: May 2026. Source: UCAS Tariff and HKEAA. The UCAS Tariff awards fixed points per HKDSE grade (5** = 56, 5* = 52, 5 = 48, 4 = 32, 3 = 16); the ranges shown above reflect how some universities, including Cambridge, treat each grade more favourably in their offer mappings.
4. UCAS key dates (2026-27 entry cycle)
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| September 2026 | UCAS opens for 2027 entry |
| 15 October 2026 | Deadline for Oxford, Cambridge, Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine |
| 12-16 October 2026 | UAT-UK October test sitting (ESAT, TMUA, TARA) for Oxbridge entry |
| November 2026 | Cambridge submitted written work deadline (where applicable) |
| December 2026 | Oxbridge interviews |
| 14 January 2027 | Equal consideration deadline for most other UK undergraduate courses |
| January 2027 | Oxbridge offers released |
| June 2027 | STEP examination (for Cambridge Mathematics conditional offers) |
| 30 June 2027 | Final UCAS application deadline (after this, Clearing only) |
| July 2027 | HKDSE and IB results released |
| August 2027 | A-Level results released; conditional offers confirmed |
Last updated: May 2026. Source: UCAS official calendar; Oxford Admissions; Cambridge Admissions.
5. UK university groups
G5 universities
Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, UCL, LSE
Russell Group (24 research-intensive universities)
Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Durham, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Imperial, King's, Leeds, Liverpool, LSE, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Queen Mary, Queen's Belfast, Sheffield, Southampton, UCL, Warwick, York
Last updated: May 2026. Source: Russell Group official membership; G5 is an informal designation.
6. US university groups
Ivy League (8 universities)
Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth, Brown, Cornell
US Top 10 (commonly cited)
Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, University of Chicago, University of Pennsylvania, Caltech, Duke
Top US liberal arts colleges (commonly cited)
Williams, Amherst, Swarthmore, Pomona, Wellesley, Bowdoin, Carleton, Claremont McKenna, Middlebury, Smith, Vassar
Last updated: May 2026. Source: Ivy League official membership; Top 10 and liberal arts lists based on US News & World Report and Forbes 2025 rankings.
7. Cambridge undergraduate colleges
Cambridge has 31 colleges total; the colleges below admit undergraduates (alphabetical):
Last updated: May 2026. Source: University of Cambridge official undergraduate prospectus.
8. Oxford undergraduate colleges
Oxford has 39 colleges plus Permanent Private Halls; the colleges below admit undergraduates (alphabetical):
Last updated: May 2026. Source: University of Oxford official undergraduate prospectus.