2026 entry · Medicine interview
Queen Mary (Barts)
Panel Interview · format, dates and preparation
Interview timeline
When are Queen Mary (Barts) medicine interviews?
| Invitations released | December to January |
|---|---|
| Interviews held | January to March |
| Delivery | Online or in person |
How interview waves work
Interview invitations are not sent in one batch. Schools release them in waves across the cycle, so the date you hear back depends as much on when your application was processed as on how strong it is.
- Most invitations go out in waves from November to January, with interviews held between late November and March.
- A quiet December does not mean a rejection. Later waves are normal, and some schools (Southampton, King's, Brunel) run well into the new year or beyond.
- When an invitation arrives you usually have to respond fast, often within two weeks, or the place is released.
- A handful of schools interview early: St George's from November, Oxford and Aberdeen in mid-December.
What changes year to year
The biggest change year to year is delivery mode. Many schools moved online during the pandemic; some have stayed online (Bristol, Glasgow, Keele, Nottingham, Plymouth, Aston), while others returned in person (Aberdeen, Leeds, Anglia Ruskin, St George's). Exact calendar dates move by a few weeks each cycle, but the month-level windows below have stayed stable.
Cross-checked for 2026 entry. Windows are month-level and describe the most recent (2026-entry) cycle. Exact dates shift by a few weeks each year and are confirmed only in a candidate's official invitation email. Always treat the invitation as the source of truth. The Medic Portal and Blue Peanut interview guides (2026 entry)
The interview day
How it actually runs
Also note
20-minute interview split into two 10-minute halves: an article discussion (sent in advance) then a traditional interview.
Real experiences
What applicants actually say about the Queen Mary (Barts) interview
Gathered from applicant forums, weighted by how many independent sources agree. These are unverified community reports, not official university information, and can shift between cycles.
8 insights · 1 widely reported
Plan for invites landing from mid-December onwards with interviews running January into February: 2026-entry applicants who attended the admissions webinar reported invitations go out from the 15th onwards, and parents in earlier cycles saw January interview slots.
Widely reported · 3 sources(spans several cycles)
Plan for invites landing from mid-December onwards with interviews running January into February: 2026-entry applicants who attended the admissions webinar reported invitations go out from the 15th onwards, and parents in earlier cycles saw January interview slots.
"Paraphrase from snippet: an online interview-prep webinar was open to all medicine and dentistry applicants, and applicants reported interview invitations are sent from the 15th onwards."
TSR official A100 2026 Entry Applicants thread (applicants relaying admissions webinar), via search snippet"DD has done QUB interview and has invites for Exeter, Leeds and Bart's/QMUL in Jan."
Mumsnet 'Medicine 2025 entry - part 3', poster Niceday203, 20 Dec 2024, fetched directly"Paraphrase from snippet: interviews should start to come through from the beginning of December till end of January."
TSR official A100 2025 Entry Applicants thread, via search snippetExpect a genuinely friendly panel, typically two examiners plus a medical student, who encourage you and try to put you at ease; applicants consistently describe it as more relaxed than an MMI, so do not brace for a hostile grilling.
Several reports · 2 sources(spans several cycles)
Expect a genuinely friendly panel, typically two examiners plus a medical student, who encourage you and try to put you at ease; applicants consistently describe it as more relaxed than an MMI, so do not brace for a hostile grilling.
"Paraphrase from snippet: it's a panel interview with two examiners and a medical student; very friendly and relaxed, they are very nice and encourage you and keep you relaxed; many prefer it much more than MMIs."
TSR thread 'BARTs and the london interviews' (2023-entry debrief), via search snippet"Paraphrase from snippet: a respondent told the nervous applicant that Barts interviewers tend to be friendly and put candidates at ease, and that it is a traditional panel interview."
TSR thread 'Barts Med interview help' (posted 14 Jan 2026, 2026-entry applicant), via search snippetOver-prepare the pre-released article: applicants report the panel expects detailed knowledge, including how other countries handle the same issue, and say having well-sourced statistics ready is what makes you stand out in the article half of the interview.
Several reports · 2 sources(spans several cycles)
Over-prepare the pre-released article: applicants report the panel expects detailed knowledge, including how other countries handle the same issue, and say having well-sourced statistics ready is what makes you stand out in the article half of the interview.
"Paraphrase from snippet: interviewers expected candidates to know the article in detail; some were asked how other countries use the same system mentioned in the article; best to be over-prepared with well-sourced statistics you can discuss."
TSR thread 'Barts & The London (QMUL) Medicine - ask a student', page 19, via search snippet"Paraphrase from snippet: candidates are asked about an article they give you to read before the interview; you get the article days before."
TSR thread 'BARTs and the london interviews' (2023-entry debrief), via search snippetKnow that the article timing has changed: older in-person cohorts got the article only 10 to 15 minutes before the interview, but recent applicants report it is now emailed days in advance for the online format, so there is no excuse for a shallow reading.
Several reports · 2 sources(spans several cycles)
Know that the article timing has changed: older in-person cohorts got the article only 10 to 15 minutes before the interview, but recent applicants report it is now emailed days in advance for the online format, so there is no excuse for a shallow reading.
"Paraphrase from snippet: applicants noted that in past years candidates received the article 10-15 minutes before in-person interviews, but now get the article days before the interview."
TSR official A100 2026 Entry Applicants thread, via search snippet"Paraphrase from snippet: candidates get the article days before the interview."
TSR thread 'BARTs and the london interviews' (2023-entry debrief), via search snippetRe-read your personal statement line by line before the day: applicants report Barts does not score it for shortlisting but the panel reads it just before your interview and mines it heavily for questions.
Several reports · 2 sources(spans several cycles)
Re-read your personal statement line by line before the day: applicants report Barts does not score it for shortlisting but the panel reads it just before your interview and mines it heavily for questions.
"Paraphrase from snippet: Barts does not read personal statements for selection for interview, but will read it before your interview and probably focus on it then."
TSR official A100 2026 Entry Applicants thread, via search snippet"Paraphrase from snippet: the biggest tip for the Barts interview is to know your personal statement very well because they can ask you a lot of questions based on it in the panel."
TSR thread 'Barts & The London (QMUL) Medicine - ask a student', via search snippetIf you end up on hold after interview, expect a long wait with two realistic movement windows: applicants in the dedicated Barts waiting-list threads report Barts told them to expect a reply in June or on A-level results day in August, with movement when offer holders firm elsewhere or miss grades.
Several reports · 2 sources(spans several cycles)
If you end up on hold after interview, expect a long wait with two realistic movement windows: applicants in the dedicated Barts waiting-list threads report Barts told them to expect a reply in June or on A-level results day in August, with movement when offer holders firm elsewhere or miss grades.
"Paraphrase from snippet: according to communications from Barts, they indicated they would reply either in June or on results day in August; waiting-list offers can come in May/June if fewer people firm than expected, and again on results day if fewer people meet the grades."
TSR thread 'Barts and the London (QMUL) A100 2024 Waiting List/On Hold', via search snippet"Paraphrase from snippet: expect movement on days where offer holders either withdraw to firm another uni or are rejected due to no longer meeting entry requirements."
TSR thread 'Barts and the London (QMUL) A100/A101 2025 Waiting List/On Hold', via search snippetTreat your assigned interview date as fixed: applicants report Barts states it will not reschedule except in exceptional circumstances, and those who did need a change only got anywhere by emailing admissions immediately, with replies coming quickly.
Several reports · 2 sources(spans several cycles)
Treat your assigned interview date as fixed: applicants report Barts states it will not reschedule except in exceptional circumstances, and those who did need a change only got anywhere by emailing admissions immediately, with replies coming quickly.
"Paraphrase from snippets: Barts stated they would be unable to reschedule any interviews unless there are exceptional circumstances; one applicant who emailed about unavailability reported receiving a response quite quickly, while another found neither university could move the date."
TSR Barts applicant threads on rescheduling (A101 2025 entry thread and A100 2019 entry thread), via search snippets"Paraphrase from snippet: applicants discussed rescheduling requests and whether an agreed reschedule would negatively affect the application, concluding it should not if Barts agreed to it."
TSR thread 'Barts and the London A100 2019 entry medicine (QMUL)', page 15, via search snippetDo not panic about sky-high UCAT cutoffs: 2026-entry applicants crowd-tracked interview invites at a UCAT of 2070 with Band 2 alongside three A star predictions, and discussed a combined UCAT-plus-tariff threshold of around 2370, because Barts ranks on UCAT plus academic tariff rather than UCAT alone.
Single report(2026 entry)
Do not panic about sky-high UCAT cutoffs: 2026-entry applicants crowd-tracked interview invites at a UCAT of 2070 with Band 2 alongside three A star predictions, and discussed a combined UCAT-plus-tariff threshold of around 2370, because Barts ranks on UCAT plus academic tariff rather than UCAT alone.
"Paraphrase from snippets: one applicant reported receiving a 2026 Barts interview with 2070 Band 2 and three A star predictions; applicants discussed a threshold of 2370 for interview invitations, which includes UCAT score plus UCAS tariff points."
TSR official A100 2026 Entry Applicants thread, via search snippetsFree prep guide
How to prepare for Queen Mary (Barts)
- This is a panel format, not MMI: you'll build rapport with the same 2-3 interviewers throughout, so a coherent, evolving conversation matters more than nailing any single answer.
Verified against the university's own admissions page.
The Medic Portal: Barts (Queen Mary) interview guide (2026 intake)Researched 2026-07-03 for 2026 entry. Formats can change year to year: next check due 2026-09-01.
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