Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB)

To register as a medical practitioner, a student has to obtain an MBChB degree, followed by a two-year internship and one year of community service. In the medical profession, the health of a patient is of vital importance. Patients are treated to restorie their health. Special programmes are developed to prevent the spread of diseases and/or infections in the community. The promotion of a healthy lifestyle is also an important responsibility of medical doctors.

The University of Pretoria’s internationally comparable, problem-oriented and outcomes-based training programme is accredited by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), and the high standard of training is recognised locally and internationally. Exchange agreements have been concluded between the School of Medicine and similar faculties at universities abroad.

Medicine is not only a profession—it is a calling. Prospective students, therefore, have to be prepared to serve humanity in all its facets. The medical profession demands high ethical standards in practice, and the career makes heavy physical and mental demands on practitioners. The ideal candidate should be disciplined, a problem solver, critical thinker,socially responsible, culturally competent and compassionate.

Duration of the programme:

• Year 1 to the middle of year 5: Theoretical, practical and clinical training in the medical disciplines
• Second half of year 5 and year 6: Student internship, which is patient-centered and during which clinical training takes place in hospitals and clinics. This is followed by two years of internship with clinical service under supervision in accredited hospitals throughout the country and a compulsory year of community service. These three years are not part of the university training.

The promotion of a healthy lifestyle is an essential function of medical doctors.

• Community engagement: The curriculum is compiled from the viewpoint that training should take place through service delivery. In this context, the Faculty provides a comprehensive service to the broader community through several outreach programmes. Students are already involved in these programmes during their undergraduate studies. The Daspoort Clinic in Pretoria is an example of a place that serves as a service training platform where the students can work.
• Research: Advances in medical science depend on active research in the various fields of specialisation. This is why undergraduate and postgraduate student training in a research environment promotes an inquiry-based approach to learning and skills for carrying out research.

For more information, please consult the Faculty webpage.

General medical practitioners, specialists (after postgraduate training)

Important information for all prospective students for 2024

The admission requirements apply to students who apply for admission to the University of Pretoria with a National Senior Certificate (NSC) and Independent Examination Board (IEB) qualifications. Click here for this Faculty Brochure.

The suggested second-choice programme is any BSc biological sciences programme.

Life Orientation is excluded when calculating the APS. 

Applicants currently in Grade 12 must apply with their final Grade 11 (or equivalent) results.

Applicants who have completed Grade 12 must apply with their final NSC or equivalent qualification results.

Please note that meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee admission.

Successful candidates will be notified once admitted or conditionally admitted.

Applicants should check their application status regularly on the UP Student Portal at click here.

Midyear intake from BSc to MBChB

A limited number of places are reserved for new first-year students in the second semester of year one.  The selection for the midyear intake is based on merit.

Learners who apply in their final school year and were not selected for MBChB, and who wish to apply for admission to MBChB in the second semester may register for any BSc biological sciences programme with the following modules: Chemistry (CMY 151), Physics (PHY 131), Molecular and Cell Biology, Science and Worldviews (FIL 155), People and their Environment (MGW 112) and Medical Terminology (MTL 180).

Note: To be eligible for the midyear selection, students must have an APS of at least 35 and a minimum of 70% for Mathematics in their final NSC or equivalent examination. Only first-year registered BSc students at UP with no previous tertiary (University, University of Technology or College) training will be considered. Students enrolled for the BSc Extended programme – Biological and Agricultural Sciences, do not qualify to apply for the mid-year intake. Admission is subject to a selection process, and complying with the requirements does not guarantee admission.

Applicants with qualifications other than the abovementioned should refer to the Brochure: Undergraduate Programme Information 2024: Qualifications other than the NSC and IEB, available at click here.

International sudents: Click here

A limited number of places are made available to citizens from countries other than South Africa (applicants who are not South African citizens), with those from SADC countries being given preference. Applicants who have multiple citizenships, including South African citizenship, will be considered to be South African. 

Applications received from citizens of other countries (applicants who are not South African citizens) that have their own medical schools are not considered for MBChB.

Transferring students

A transferring student is a student who, at the time of applying at the University of Pretoria (UP) is/was a registered student at another tertiary institution. A transferring student will be considered for admission based on NSC or equivalent qualification and previous academic performance. Students who have been dismissed from other institutions due to poor academic performance will not be considered for admission to UP.

Closing dates: Same as above

Returning students

A returning student is a student who, at the time of application for a degree programme is/was a registered student at UP, and wants to transfer to another degree at UP. A returning student will be considered for admission based on NSC or equivalent qualification and previous academic performance.

• Students who have been excluded/dismissed from a faculty due to poor academic performance may be considered for admission to another programme at UP, as per faculty-specific requirements.
• Only ONE transfer between UP faculties and TWO transfers within a faculty will be allowed.
• Admission of returning students will always depend on the faculty concerned and the availability of space in the programmes for which they apply.

Closing date for applications from returning students is the same as the above.

Note: Any deliberate ommission of information, or false information provided by an applicant in the application may result in the immediate cancellation of the apllication, admission or registration.

Selection criteria are available on the faculty's webpage at: click here.

• Three hundred (300) first-year students are selected annually.
• Only first-choice applicants are considered.
• NOTE: Based on the results of the first-semester examination, further places are allocated to new first-year students registered for a programme in the Biological Sciences field at the University of Pretoria.

Modules will be presented only in English, which is the University's official language of tuition, communication and correspondence.

The Faculty of Health Sciences continues to exemplify and build on the University of Pretoria’s vision of being a leading research-intensive university in Africa: it is recognised internationally for its quality, relevance and impact, as well as for creating knowledge, developing people and making a difference locally and globally. 

The Faculty is home to 5 500 undergraduate and 1 500 postgraduate students, including medical and dental fellowship training in more than 40 disciplines. 

The Faculty’s research output has grown, in response to the need for research that is relevant to the improvement of health and health care and advancing medicine in South Africa, Africa and globally. 

• Disclaimer: This publication contains information about regulations and programmes of the University of Pretoria. Amendments to or updating of the information may be effected from time to time without prior notification. The accuracy, correctness or validity of the information contained here is therefore not guaranteed by the University at any given time and is always subject to verification. The user is kindly requested to verify the correctness of the information with the University at all times. Failure to do so will not give rise to any claim or action of any nature against the University by any party whatsoever.