Dr Chris Paton

International medical students applying to UK medical schools enter through the same UCAS process as UK applicants, but on a different fee tariff and competing for a separate quota of places at most schools. Each school sets its own cap on international students — typically around 7–10 per cent of the cohort, though this varies. International applicants need to meet the same academic, UCAT and interview requirements as UK students plus English language proficiency (typically IELTS or equivalent).

International medical graduates (IMGs) — doctors who have qualified outside the UK and want to practise here — follow a different pathway. The most common route is the PLAB (Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board) examination, leading to GMC registration and then a clinical post. An alternative is the Membership of the Royal Colleges route, which can be used in place of PLAB if the candidate already holds an approved postgraduate qualification.

The GMC's IMG resources page is the authoritative reference for current requirements, which have changed several times in recent years — particularly around English language testing, the Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) replacing PLAB for new graduates, and visa pathways for clinical work.