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Medical Commencement Programme

MCP
School of Medicine

Entry requirements

Applicants are selected for admission to the Medical Commencement Programme on the basis of open competition using the following criteria:

  • Basic eligibility, i.e. achievement of minimum academic and English language entry requirements
  • References and life experience, i.e. work / life balance, extracurricular activities, relevant work or voluntary experience, etc
  • Performance at a structured interview

The following requirements are the minimum standards required for consideration for entry into the Medical Commencement Programme for the academic year 2023/2024. Attainment of these grades does not guarantee acceptance. Admission to the programme will be determined by the Admissions Committee.

The entry requirements for the 2024/25 Academic year are currently under review. If you wish to receive the updated requirements once finalised, please fill out the following form.

Please note: All applicants must have completed at least 12 years of schooling by the end of secondary school education.

Applicants applying from a curriculum not listed will be considered for entry into the Medical Commencement Programme by the Admissions Committee on a case by case basis.

Secondary School Leaving Certificate (MENA - Tawjihiya)

Applicants must complete the Science Stream and achieve a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (cGPA) of 92%.

American High School Diploma

Applicants must complete the Science Stream and achieve a minimum of cumulative Grade Point Average (cGPA) of 90% or 3.50 out of a 4.0 scale (calculated over Grades 10, 11 and 12).

Indian Senior School Certificate (CBSE and ISCE)

Applicants must achieve a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 70% in standard XII and hold a bonafide certificate of completion issued by the CBSE or ISCE. Applicants must have studied Mathematics to at least Standard X.

Indian State Board Certificates will be considered on a case by case basis.

Please note: Indian nationals who are intending to practice in India at any stage in their medical career are required to sit the NEET examination in India and obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the Medical Council of India prior to commencing medical studies.

AS-Levels

Applicants must achieve four AS-Levels with minimum grades of A, A, B, B to include three of the following four subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics. All applicants must also have completed a minimum of 6 subjects at GCSE level, including a minimum of grade C or 4 in English and Mathematics.

GCE A-Levels, Advanced Placements (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB)

Applicants who do not meet the 6 year programme minimum requirements for A-Levels, APs or IB diploma may be considered for entry to the MCP by the Admissions Committee on a case by case basis.

Applicants whose first language is not English, or those who have not been educated entirely in a native English speaking country, must satisfy an English language proficiency requirement.

Acceptance of IELTS indicator in lieu of IELTS during the current COVID-19 travel restrictions

RCSI Bahrain will accept the score of the IELTS Indicator; an English language test for candidates who reside in countries where they currently cannot attend a test centre in person to complete the IELTS test due to travel restrictions.

It will assess a student’s English language skills in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking in a timed, online test. IELTS academic which is the form of IELTS we currently require is available in IELTS indicator tests.

This measure is a temporary modification to our entry requirements which acknowledges the difficulties some applicants will have obtaining their English language proficiency scores. It is recommended the university reserves the right to request any registered student who presents IELTS indicator to later submit a formal IELTS score during the course of their first year in their respective programme.

  • IELTS Academic - A minimum score of 5.0 overall (minimum 4.5 in any band) or TOEFL equivalent.

Please note: Upon completing the Medical Commencement Programme, students who wish to progress to the Foundation Year should also hold an IELTS certificate that meets the requirements for the 6 Year Programme – 6.0 Overall with no band less than 5.0. The certificate should be dated no earlier than October 2020 (IELTS certificates are only valid for two years).

Applicants in Bahrain who require an IELTS certificate, are advised to book an appointment with the British Council at their earliest convenience, Tel: +973 1726 1555/1726 6166 E-mail: bc.enquiries@britishcouncil.org.bh.

Applicants who have been solely educated through an English language curriculum in a native English speaking country and / or those who have completed the following curricula meet the English Language Requirement for entry into the Medical Commencement Programme.

IB Diploma Minimum score of 5 in Standard or Higher Level English.
(I)GCSE/GCE Minimum score of Grade C or 4 in English.
Irish Leaving Certificate Minimum score of Grade 06 in Ordinary Level English.