Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS)
Admissions FAQ (for the 2021 Cohort)

What are the minimum entrance requirements for the undergraduate medicine (MBBS) programme?

• For the minimum entrance requirements, admission procedures and details of our MBBS programme, please visit:
  • JUPAS applicants
  • Non-JUPAS/International applicants
  • NJCEE applicants
• Please note that
  1. chemistry (with school/public exam result achieved at high school level, e.g. HKDSE, HKALE, GCEAL/IAL, IB, and SAT/AP) is the compulsory subject for admission to the MBBS programme;
  2. our MBBS students must be able to speak in and listen to Cantonese; and
  3. there is no fixed cut-off point above which applicants will be granted interview/admission as the cut-off point varies from year to year depending on the calibre of applicants who apply for the programme and the number of places available.

What grades do I need in order to make my application more competitive?

• Applicants can check the expected academic admissions standards for the MBBS programme at the links below:
  • JUPAS applicants
  • Non-JUPAS applicants

Is Cantonese a must prior to admission? How do I prove my Cantonese skills?

• It is a must for our MBBS students to be able to communicate in Cantonese since they will come into contact with patients from Year 1 and most of patients in Hong Kong speak Cantonese in general. The language ability of the candidates will be tested during the selection interviews.

Will the Faculty provide feedback to individual applicants?

• Due to the large number of applications received, we are unable to provide individual application status updates or feedback to unsuccessful applicants.

If my application is successful, can I defer my admission to MBBS until next year or later?

• Deferred admission is not allowed in our Faculty.

Is there an age limit for admission for mature students?

• According to the University’s policy, there is no upper age limit for admission.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all MBBS interviews will be conducted online (e-MMI) this year. Details will be announced shortly.

How are candidates chosen?

• Basically, we choose a right candidate based on the following:
  1. HKDSE results;
  2. interview performance;
  3. participation in the JUPAS Sub-schemes/special schemes; and
  4. extra-curricular activities/non-academic achievements.

Will there be a penalty if I take HKDSE more than once?

• The score of the latest attempt for the subject will be considered and discounted by 10%.

I took three elective subjects last year and plan to take an additional elective this year. Will there be a penalty in the calculation of my admission score?

• No penalty will be imposed for subjects taken at the first attempt.

How will M1 and M2 be considered in the calculation of admission score?

• If the score of M1/M2 is higher than that of the Compulsory Part, the calculation of Mathematics score will be as follows:
  [score of Compulsory Part + (score of M1/M2 x 0.5)] ÷ 1.5

If I am not a current HKDSE candidate, will I be considered in the shortlisting process?

• Applicants who apply for the MBBS programme using their past HKDSE examination results will be considered on a case-by-case basis. They are strongly advised to include their CV in their application.

Will advanced standing credits be granted to students admitted through JUPAS?

• No advanced standing credit will be granted to students admitted through JUPAS on the basis of their HKDSE results.

Who are eligible to apply for admission to the MBBS programme from the Non-JUPAS stream?

• Individuals seeking admission on the strength of qualifications other than the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) should apply through the Non-JUPAS Admissions Scheme.

How will the diverse range of Non-JUPAS applicants be considered?

• Applicants who possess the same qualifications will be grouped together and considered, e.g. GCEAL applicants will be assessed within the pool of GCEAL applicants while graduate applicants will be evaluated within the graduates pool.

How are candidates chosen?

• Basically, we choose a right candidate based on the following:
  1. academic merit;
  2. interview performance;
  3. referee comments; and
  4. extra-curricular activities/non-academic achievements.

When should I submit my application?

• The first round of evaluation will be carried out after 18 November 2020. Applicants who would like their application to be considered in the first round of evaluation are expected to submit their application by noon on 18 November 2020.

What do I need to upload with my MBBS application?

• All applicants should upload a personal statement, a CV and at least one reference letter/referee report to the application system. For more details, please check the 'Step by Step Guide'.

• Applicants in the following categories should also submit the required documents listed below together with their application:

  1. Cambridge Pre-U/GCEAL/IAL applicants: GCSE/school results, plus actual Pre-U/A-level results/predicted grades to be given by teachers or school counsellors.
  2. IB applicants: IBMYP/GCSE/school results, plus actual IB results/predicted grades to be given by teachers or school counsellors.
  3. Undergraduate/graduate applicants: updated university transcripts, plus public examination results.
  4. Others: school results and public examination results.

When do I need to upload the supporting documents?

• Applicants are strongly advised to upload the full set of supporting documents within one week of application, if possible. Afterwards, they can upload their updated results or certificates as soon as they receive them.

When will I receive the interview notification?

• Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview by email in due course. Applicants who do not receive an interview invitation have to wait until the end of the admissions exercise when the final admission decision is available. The admission timeline can be found here.

I understand that chemistry is the compulsory subject requirement for admission to the MBBS programme. What chemistry qualifications are acceptable?

• Applicants must take high school chemistry and possess the recognised chemistry qualifications before they can be considered for admission to the MBBS programme. Qualifications that are listed here are recognised by the Faculty for assessment of chemistry knowledge for admission to the MBBS programme.

How can I meet the English language and second language requirements set by the University?

• The English language and second language requirements are set by the University that all candidates must meet before they can be admitted to the University. For qualifications that can be used to fulfill the requirements, please check this page.

Do I need BMAT/GAMSAT/MCAT/UCAT to apply for MBBS?

• BMAT/GAMSAT/MCAT/UCAT is not compulsory for admission to the MBBS programme. The test results will be used as references, if any.

I am now studying medicine at an overseas university. Can I apply for a transfer to the MBBS programme?

• Applicants who are currently studying medicine abroad will be considered on an individual basis. Successful applicants will normally be required to start the MBBS programme from Year 1.

When will I be notified of the admission result?

• Successful applicants will receive a formal offer of admission starting from January 2021 to 31 August 2021. Final admission decisions will be available on the application system by 31 August 2021.

What are the tuition fee and living expenses? Are there scholarships available for admitted students?

• For details about tuition fee, cost of living and scholarships, please visit this page.

How many A-level subjects should I take in order to be eligible to apply for MBBS?

• Applicants are required to have four A-level subjects, excluding English and Chinese language subjects.

Which A-level subject does MBBS require?

• Applicants must take A-level chemistry.

Are "Mathematics" and "Further Mathematics" considered to be two separate subjects?

• "Mathematics" and "Further Mathematics" will be considered as two separate A-level subjects if two A-level grades are awarded by the examination board, subject to the provisions of cash-in procedures and permissible combination of units as stipulated by the examination board.

Is Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) recognised as an A-level subject?

• The EPQ will be considered as an AS-level subject only.

Do I need to take the A-level exams in one sitting?

• It is acceptable to take one exam in the first year and the exams for the remaining subjects in the second year of the two-year A-level course.

What higher level subject does MBBS require?

• Applicants must take chemistry in higher level.

Do I need Chinese language subject to apply for MBBS?

• Applicants applying to study MBBS need to be able to speak in and listen to Cantonese. They can take any language subjects including Chinese to fulfill the second language requirement set by the University. For details, please check this page.

Does MBBS have any preference for "Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches" and "Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation"?

• MBBS does not have a preference for "Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches" and "Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation".

If I have graduated/am expecting to graduate with a bachelor's degree, how can I apply for MBBS?

• Graduate applicants can apply for MBBS through the Second Chance scheme (「毅行醫路計劃」). The Scheme was introduced by the Faculty in 2016, and provides an additional route to professionals or degree holders in any discipline who had never studied medicine but would now like to pursuit a career in the medical field.  Interested applicants may apply via the Non-JUPAS Admissions Scheme.
• Eligible applicants need to meet the University and Programme Admissions Requirements listed on the website and should include the reasons for applying for the MBBS programme in their personal statement.

What GPA/scoring threshold do I need to get into MBBS?

• There is no cut-off GPA/score above which applicants will be granted interview/admission as the grading systems differ between universities. Graduate applicants are expected to obtain at least a strong upper second class honours degree (or the equivalent).

As a degree holder with an ordinary graduation result, will my application be more competitive if I sit for a public examination for high school students and get a good score?

• The highest qualification the applicant achieved will be considered as his/her main qualification for admission, regardless of the time during which the qualification is attained.

Can I start the MBBS programme from Year 2 upwards if my application is successful?

• Successful undergraduate/graduate applicants will normally be required to start the MBBS programme from Year 1. Graduate applicants may be considered for advanced standing on a case-by-case basis, subject to their degree subjects and degree results.

If I am a current student of a bachelor’s degree programme at HKU, can I apply for a transfer to the MBBS programme?

• Current HKU non-final year undergraduate students may apply for an internal transfer if they want to transfer to MBBS. There is, nevertheless, no fixed quota for internal transfer students each year.