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First Choice

Our First Choice Progression Scheme aims to support your Year 12 students in their journey towards Higher Education by equipping them with the key skills they’ll need for a successful university experience. Find out more about what we can offer and get in touch to sign up.

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Contents

First Choice: Summer School

First Choice: Medicine

Who is First Choice suitable for?

We've designed the First Choice Scheme to help students who want to continue their education after sixth form or college and have an interest in studying at the University. To be eligible for the Scheme, students must:

  • Have an interest in progressing into Higher Education
  • Be interested in a course or subject area available at the University
  • Be expected to achieve a minimum of 96 UCAS points(opens in new tab) from their level 3 qualifications

What are the benefits of First Choice?

For students

Some of the benefits students will receive by taking part in our First Choice Scheme include:

  • 16 tariff points to complement their offer for eligible undergraduate courses starting in September 2027 at either of our Sunderland campuses*
  • Dedicated First Choice Scholarships and Awards
  • A guaranteed conditional offer (excluding courses that require an interview)
  • A guaranteed interview for eligible undergraduate courses starting in September 2027 at either of our Sunderland campuses
  • A guaranteed MMI at the University of Sunderland for students who successfully complete the First Choice: Medicine pathway
  • Experience of what university life is really like by attending our dedicated Summer School
  • Develop the vital skills that are needed for Higher Education
  • Access to ongoing support throughout the application process
  • Meet other students from across the region who are also interested in studying at Sunderland

*The 16 tariff points and guaranteed interview can be used against most of our courses, except MBChB Medicine.

Some of our new courses may also not be eligible for tariff points or guaranteed interviews.

Please note, to be eligible for the tariff points, guaranteed conditional offer and guaranteed interview, students must successfully complete all segments of the Scheme and make us their firm choice via UCAS before the deadline in May 2027.

For schools and colleges

  • Booking events and activities to suit your availability
  • Getting priority booking for our on-campus events
  • Having opportunities to use our facilities free of charge

First Choice Summer School

We require students registered on the First Choice Progression Scheme to take part in our Summer School. This event provides them with an opportunity to visit campus, experience university life, and explore what Sunderland has to offer.

What does Summer School involve?

At our First Choice summer school, all students will be given a personalised timetable which includes subject-specific workshops, activities with numerous university teams and services and fun evening social activities.

Please note, some subject sessions may require a minimum number of participants to run. If the required number of participants is not met, students may be asked to attend another suitable subject session. Wherever possible, the University will look to accommodate everybody.

Summer School 2026 will take place from Wednesday 1 July to Friday 3 July.

What are the benefits of Summer School?

Attending Summer School is a compulsory part of the First Choice Scheme for Year 12 students, and it comes with a range of benefits such as:

  • Getting to experience university early
  • Learning more about subjects they want to study
  • Interacting with current and prospective university students
  • Games, competitions, prizes, and freebies
  • Remain eligible for their 16 tariff points and guaranteed conditional offer/interview at the University of Sunderland

How do students sign up for Summer School?

To be eligible to attend the First Choice Summer School, students must have registered their interest in the First Choice Progression Scheme and completed the compulsory skills session during year 12. Their school or college must also be signed up to the First Choice Scheme.

Students will receive an invite to Summer School via email once they have completed a skills session either at their school or college, on campus or online. This email will include all the relevant Summer School information and an online form where students must register their attendance in advance. The form will require information from the student and appropriate consent from both the student and their parent/supporter.

If students think they are eligible but have not received their invitation or if they have any other questions, they can get in touch with our First Choice team(opens in new tab) who will be happy to help.

First Choice: Medicine

First Choice: Medicine is a series of workshops to equip students with the skills that assist them in their application and interview for entry onto the Medicine MBChB course at Sunderland.

Students who participate in First Choice: Medicine are given a unique hands-on experience through simulations and teaching sessions, as well as meet new friends with similar interests.

Who is First Choice: Medicine for?

First Choice: Medicine is for Year 12 students interested in pursing MBChB Medicine and is targeted at groups currently underrepresented in Higher Education, who meet our Widening Participation Criteria. First Choice: Medicine is open to First Choice Schools and Colleges only.

To be eligible for First Choice: Medicine, students must:

  • Be a Year 12 student at a First Choice College or Sixth Form
  • Be a resident in the United Kingdom
  • Have a Home Student fee status. The Government classes all students as ‘Home’, ‘European Union (EU)’ or ‘International’. If you are classed as EU or International, then you are not eligible to apply
  • Meet our academic requirements (see academic requirement information below)
  • Meet at least one of the University of Sunderland’s Widening Participation Criteria

What are the benefits of First Choice: Medicine?

There are several benefits for choosing to participate in First Choice: Medicine. These include:

  • The school of Medicine will guarantee a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) to those who successfully complete the First Choice: Medicine scheme
  • Dedicated Medicine workshops which will give you hands-on experience through clinical simulations and a hospital visit.
  • Free UCAT Preparation Workshop
  • Participate in a mock MMI and gain insight into the University of Sunderland Medicine application process.
  • Attend a dedicated Summer School to experience what university life is really like.
  • Develop the vital skills that are needed for Higher Education
  • Meet other students from across the region who are also interested in studying at Sunderland.

How are First Choice: Medicine places allocated?

Places are limited and will be awarded based on the responses given on the application form. Each application form will be assessed on an individual basis, and places will be awarded at the discretion of the University.

Priority will be given to applicants who meet the most University of Sunderland Widening Participation Criteria and live in the North East of England:

  • In receipt of, or entitled to, free school meals within the last six years.
  • From low household income or low socioeconomic status - The University of Sunderland identify low household income as: Band 1 - Annual household income of £25,000 or less and Band 2 - Annual household income of between £25,001 - £42,875.
  • From areas of low higher education participation - The University of Sunderland identify low participation as POLAR4 Quintiles 1 and 2, and will access this on your behalf based on the home postcode you supply.
  • Gypsy, Traveller, Roma, Showman and Boater.
  • Those care experienced, or who are permanently estranged from both parents or carers.
  • Recognised carers
  • Those whose parents or carers are serving, or have served in the UK Armed Forces.
  • Refugees
  • Black, Asian and minority ethnic students
  • Those with a diagnosed disability

Please note the University’s decision to allocate a place is final. If you are unsure if you meet the following criteria, please contact First Choice.

We urge teachers and advisers to check the First Choice: Medicine entry criteria before informing students about the scheme.

Academic requirements

To be considered for First Choice: Medicine, you must meet our academic requirements.

You must have five GCSE awards at grade A/7, with a minimum of grade B/6 in Maths, English Language, Biology, Chemistry and Physics (Dual Award Science is Accepted).

You must be studying A Levels in three subjects achieved in one sitting, including Biology or Chemistry, plus another designated science subject (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths/Further Maths/Statistics). Only one subject from a combination of Maths, Further Maths and Statistics will be considered from the three A Levels.

We do not accept the following qualifications for Medicine:

  • BTEC qualifications
  • Foundation Medicine Courses or Access to Medicine Courses
  • Irish Leaving Certificate

Find out more information about applying for MBChB Medicine.

How to apply to First Choice: Medicine

Our First Choice Team will visit your school or college, and you will be asked to complete a register your interest form. On completion of the form, we will send you an application form to complete if your preferred subject is Medicine.

Please note our application form will ask you to provide information about you, your studies and your background. This information will help the University determine if you are eligible for the scheme and if you meet any of the University of Sunderland’s Widening Participation Criteria definitions of under-represented groups. You must provide accurate information and be able to provide evidence if required.

First Choice: Medicine Sessions

As part of First Choice: Medicine, we usually offer the following sessions:

  • Session 1: First Choice: Medicine Welcome (Online)
  • Session 2: Hospital Clinical Experience
  • Session 3: University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) Workshop
  • Session 4: First Choice Summer School

Guaranteed interview

The School of Medicine will guarantee a Multiple Mini Interview to those students who are applicants of the Medicine MBChB course who:

  • Attend all compulsory elements of First Choice: Medicine
  • Meet the GCSE, A Level and UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) requirements
  • Complete the interview selection tool

You are expected to attend all sessions of the First Choice: Medicine scheme to be eligible for the guaranteed MMI. Exceptions may be made if you have extenuating circumstances.

The guaranteed Multiple Mini Interview will be applied following the receipt of an application for the 2027 intake of the Medicine MBChB course at the University of Sunderland and will be subject to academic screening and UCAT test scores meeting our requirements.

When you submit your UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) application form to study the Medicine MBChB course at the University of Sunderland, assuming you have met our academic screening and a satisfactory UCAT score, our Student Administration Team will send you information on how to complete an online interview selection tool. You still need to complete this assessment as preparation for your interview, but you will be guaranteed to progress to Multiple Mini Interview.

This information will be sent to our Student Administration team who will then be able to flag the guaranteed interview on your application if you apply to Sunderland for Medicine.

Please note the information on how the guaranteed multiple mini interview will work is accurate at the time this page was published. The University reserve the right to change the application process for the Medicine MBChB course, in which case the process for the guaranteed multiple mini interview may change. If the process changes, the University will contact all students eligible for the guaranteed multiple mini interview to outline these changes and any new requirements.

Contextual offer

We have a contextual offer of AAB for applicants that fulfil both our local postcode (North East and Cumbria) and meet one of our WP requirements:

  • POLAR 4 quintiles 1 and 2 (home address) criteria
  • You are a refugee
  • You receive free school meals or were eligible within the last six years
  • You received UCAT bursary
  • You are a student from a UK armed forces family (military service child)

You can check your postcode on the Office for Students website. Applicants must still meet the normal entry requirements, including the required UCAT score.

If you are unsure about your local status please email medicineapplications@sunderland.ac.uk.