We’ve collated some of the most frequently asked questions about applying and studying at Pears Cumbria School of Medicine. We will continue to update this page with further questions, so do check back or reach out if you can’t find the answer you are looking for.
Entry Requirements and Application
PCSM is not currently accepting applications from students who are assessed as having overseas fees status.
Applicants will be ranked based on their GAMSAT or UCAT score, and we will invite candidates in rank order to fill our interview sessions. This means that the ‘cut-off’ score will change each year and cannot be published prospectively. In future years, we will publish the cut-off score retrospectively to give an indication of the likely threshold.
To apply for the Graduate Entry Medicine programme, search for the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine on the UCAS website. Our how to apply page shows the six simple steps to apply for a programme at PCSM.
If you take both the GAMSAT and UCAT exams, we will use whichever mark that gives you the best ranking.
Our minimum entry requirements include a 2:1 or higher in a relevant undergraduate subject. You can find out more about the undergraduate subject requirements on our entry requirements page. Work experience and postgraduate qualifications will not be accepted in lieu of the 2:1 undergraduate degree.
You are welcome to apply if you are in your final year of your relevant undergraduate degree. Our entry requirements require you to have been awarded a 2:1 before the programme begins. This means that you will need to have your undergraduate results confirmed before the programme starts.
Whether your degree was completed in 3 years or 4 years will not affect your eligibility to apply or be considered for interview.
We strongly encourage applications from prospective students in the Cumbria region. Knowledge of and commitment to the region will be covered during the multiple mini-interview, so local knowledge will enhance your chances of securing an offer at the interview phase.
However, applicants from other institutions or regions are also encouraged to apply for this programme. There will be no preference allocated to where you studied your undergraduate degree.
We currently only accept biomedical and health science degrees. We do not take A-level results or postgraduate degrees into consideration.
As part of our commitment to widening participation, we do not take GCSE or A-Level results into account. Our entry requirements state that you will need to have a 2:1 in a relevant subject.
The deadline for UCAS applications to Medicine is 15 October 2024. We will normally expect students to have completed GAMSAT or UCAT prior to applying.
We will use the latest GAMSAT score provided to us by Acer (who deliver GAMSAT) or the latest UCAT score provided to use by Pearson Vue (who deliver UCAT).
We currently have scholarships available to support with course costs, as well as the Imperial bursary and substantial NHS support – find out more from this funding overview.
Not currently.
We encourage students to read the detailed information about applying available at cumbriamed.ac.uk. If your question is not answered there, please contact cumbriamedadmissions@cumbria.ac.uk
You don’t need to complete work experience to apply for a programme at the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine, however relevant work experience will be an advantage.
Requests will be considered in exceptional circumstances, in line with our Deferred Entry policy: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/apply/undergraduate/offer-holders/next-steps/deferred-entry/
There are 58 places at the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine for 2025 entry.
Our application process will identify students that may fall under our widening participation criteria. We may ask for further information on this or contextual admissions circumstances as part of the application process.
As long as you’re considered to be a UK home student for funding purposes, you are eligible to apply for the programme.
You will apply through Imperial College London, as the degree awarding institution. The application will reviewed by the PCSM team in Cumbria and interviews will take place in Carlisle.
You will graduate with the same degree and qualification as a school that offers this course over a longer period. It is a condensed course and after completion, you will be medically qualified.
Course Structure and Placements
Like all medical degrees (and especially graduate entry programmes) the PCSM course is full-time and intensive. Students should expect the time available for part-time work to be very limited.
Placements will take place across Cumbria and will be allocated so that you have the opportunity to experience a range of healthcare environments and medical specialties. Where possible, we will do our best to group placements together to reduce the need for you to move around for your studies.
Placements will take place all over the Cumbria region, and we are working hard to ensure that students have suitable travel and accommodation options for their placements. As some of the placements will be located in rural areas of the region, a driving licence will be an advantage. Where possible, we will arrange placements so students are in one area for extended periods of time.
The split is approximately 50-50 over the course of the four-year programme, with increasing amounts of placement activity as you progress through your studies.
Studying at the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine
The Pears Cumbria School of Medicine is a new medical school that has been set up to train doctors in Cumbria, for Cumbria. The programme will be delivered in and around Cumbria for both placements and study. Campus sessions will mainly be delivered on site at the University of Cumbria’s Fusehill Street campus with a blended team of experts, specialists and academics from Imperial College London, the University of Cumbria and the NHS. Your degree will be awarded by Imperial College London and you will apply for your programme through the Imperial College London UCAS page.
PCSM students will be affiliated students of the University of Cumbria and will access to the wide range of services available at the University of Cumbria.
You will be taught by a wide range of Imperial, University of Cumbria and NHS staff.
No, PCSM is not a private school – we have been founded specifically to benefit the NHS and the Cumbria region. You can find out more about why this unique medical school has been created at cumbriamed.ac.uk.
Your degree will be awarded by Imperial College London, but will be delivered by Pears Cumbria School of Medicine at its Carlisle campus.
You’ll find information about our course and studying at Pears Cumbria School of Medicine on this website or if your question isn’t answered here, contact the team at cumbriamedadmissions@cumbria.ac.uk.
We also hold Open Events throughout the year, where you’ll have the opportunity to speak to our staff, hear more about studying at Pears Cumbria School of Medicine and ask any questions you may have.
