Schools, colleges and community
Pathways to Medicine
Have you just started Year 12?- Are you thinking about studying medicine at university?
- Do you live within a one-hour commute tof the University of Leicester by public transport?
If you answered yes to all of these questions, then the Pathways to Medicine programme could be exactly what you’re looking for!
Starting in Year 12 and ending in Year 13, this programme will give you the opportunity to explore what it is really like to study medicine at university. You will have the opportunity to attend a variety of medicine and healthcare insight days hosted at the University of Leicester, as well as receive top tips for taking the UCAT test and the opportunity for a mock MMI. You can also apply to take part in a virtual work experience placement, as well as interact with a variety of doctors and healthcare staff giving you a real insight into the healthcare profession.
This fantastic programme is run in collaboration with the Sutton Trust and supported by the NHS.
What does the programme offer?
The programme will give you an insight into various medicine and healthcare related university courses such as Medicine, Nursing, Midwifery, Pharmacy, ODP, Physiotherapy and Optometry.
Students who complete the programme and apply to the University of Leicester will receive an offer up to two grades below the standard offer for that course (A*AA to AAA for medicine)*, a guaranteed interview for those applying to medicine (subject to meeting minimum entry requirements and UCAT score) and a £1,000 University of Leicester bursary for each year of your course (up to 4 years) on successful registration*.
Students may also receive a lower offer and additional scholarships from other universities in the partnership.
The programme is completely free with all public transport travel costs reimbursed.
*You must meet all minimum course requirements for the course you are applying for including GCSEs and level 3 subject requirements. Courses excluded from the grade reduction and bursary include; Medicine with a Foundation Year (A199), Clinical Sciences (B990), LLB Graduate Entry (M102), LLB Law JD Pathway (M103) and LLB Maîtrise (M120).
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this Sutton Trust Pathways programme hosted by University of Leicester, you must:
- Attend a state-funded, non-fee-paying school/college.
- Be in Year 12 and study in England.
Additional criteria considered includes academic achievements, being the first in your family to attend university, receiving free school meals, attending a school with below-average progression to higher education, living in a deprived area, or having been in care.
The more criteria you meet, the more likely you are to secure a place. You don’t need to meet all the criteria to be eligible.
If you are (or have been) looked after, accommodated or in care, you only need to meet the age, school and academic requirements.
Key Dates
In order to successfully complete Pathways to Medicine and be eligible for the benefits of the programme, you need to achieve 60 credits from event attendance. Please see below some planned events (more dates to be added):
- Saturday 6 December 2025 – Launch Event (on-campus event)
- Wednesday 8 April 2026 – Group Academic Workshop (on-campus event)
- Thursday 23 April 2026 – Medicine and Healthcare University Experience Day (on-campus event)
- Wednesday 27 May – Group Academic Workshop (on-campus event)
- June 2026 – UCAT event (on-campus event)
- Thursday 6 August 2026 – Group Academic Workshop (on-campus event)
- November 2026– Mock MMI (on-campus event)
How to apply
Applications open in September for current Year 12 students. Please visit the Sutton Trust’s website to apply.
Applications close on Monday 3 November 2025.
If you have any questions about your application, please email the progression programme team at progression@le.ac.uk.