Health education funding
Medical and dental maximum fundable limits
We limit the number of students on pre-registration medical and dental courses that we will count towards our funding allocations.
These limits recognise the very high cost of training for doctors and dentists and help ensure that unplanned growth on these courses does not divert OfS funding away from other priority activities and courses. They also support workforce planning in the NHS, enabling consistency between the numbers graduating and the number of foundation programme training places available.
Expansion of maximum fundable medical places for 2025-26
On 14 December 2023, we received a letter from the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education and the Minister of State for Health and Secondary Care, providing us with sufficient additional funding to increase the maximum fundable limits for home students by 350 medical training places for the academic year 2025-26.
This followed a similar process that was run to increase maximum fundable limits for home students by 205 medical training places for the academic year 2024-25 as part of plans set out in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan.
After consideration and engagement with the higher education sector, we have allocated these places regionally on a pro rata basis to universities who indicated that they could expand for the academic year 2025-26. Full details of this process and the outcome can be found in a letter sent to relevant universities to confirm final allocations. These additional 350 places will be included in the maximum intake figures for the academic year 2025-26 when published.
For entry in 2024-25
The expected maximum intake shows the overall limit on the numbers that we will count for funding purposes, assuming all recruitment is of OfS-fundable students. These figures include the additional places that were allocated to five universities following an expansion exercise for the academic year 2024-25.
We monitor each provider’s recruitment against these maximum fundable limits, using a rolling five-year average. If a provider over-recruits against its maximum fundable limit, we will apply a reduction to the student numbers counted for OfS funding purposes for the following year.
Some providers in the table may choose to use a portion of their expected maximum intake to recruit overseas students. (Providers do not receive any OfS funding for these international students.) Typically, these are providers with more established medical schools. Recent expansions to the expected maximum intakes have allocated places on the basis that they should be used to recruit home students.
|
Expected maximum intake |
Anticipated home |
Anticipated overseas |
|||
Institution |
Medical |
Dental |
Medical |
Dental |
Medical |
Dental |
Anglia Ruskin University |
100 |
- |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
Aston University |
100 |
- |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
University of Birmingham |
400 |
71 |
372 |
67 |
28 |
4 |
Universities of Brighton and Sussex |
203 |
- |
193 |
- |
10 |
- |
University of Bristol |
270 |
71 |
251 |
67 |
19 |
4 |
Brunel University London |
50 |
- |
50 |
- |
- |
- |
University of Cambridge |
313 |
- |
291 |
- |
22 |
- |
University of Central Lancashire |
50 |
29 |
50 |
28 |
- |
1 |
University of Chester |
50 |
- |
50 |
- |
- |
- |
University of East Anglia |
208 |
- |
195 |
- |
13 |
- |
Edge Hill University |
50 |
- |
50 |
- |
- |
- |
University of Exeter |
218 |
- |
208 |
- |
10 |
- |
Universities of Hull and York |
231 |
- |
220 |
- |
11 |
- |
Imperial College London |
345 |
- |
321 |
- |
24 |
- |
Keele University |
164 |
- |
154 |
- |
10 |
- |
Universities of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church |
100 |
- |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
King’s College London |
430 |
148 |
400 |
141 |
30 |
7 |
Lancaster University |
129 |
- |
125 |
- |
4 |
- |
University of Leeds |
278 |
76 |
259 |
72 |
19 |
4 |
University of Leicester |
290 |
- |
272 |
- |
18 |
- |
University of Nottingham: Lincoln Medical School (in partnership with University of Lincoln) |
80 |
- |
80 |
- |
- |
- |
University of Liverpool |
332 |
72 |
309 |
68 |
23 |
4 |
University of Manchester |
397 |
71 |
369 |
67 |
28 |
4 |
Newcastle University |
367 |
71 |
341 |
67 |
26 |
4 |
University of Nottingham |
371 |
- |
346 |
- |
25 |
- |
University of Oxford |
200 |
- |
186 |
- |
14 |
- |
University of Plymouth |
156 |
58 |
150 |
55 |
6 |
3 |
Queen Mary, University of London |
371 |
71 |
347 |
67 |
24 |
4 |
St George’s Hospital Medical School |
279 |
- |
260 |
- |
19 |
- |
University of Sheffield |
306 |
71 |
288 |
67 |
18 |
4 |
University of Southampton |
261 |
- |
243 |
- |
18 |
- |
University of Sunderland |
100 |
- |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
University College London |
334 |
- |
310 |
- |
24 |
- |
University of Warwick |
193 |
- |
180 |
- |
13 |
- |
University of Worcester |
50 |
- |
50 |
- |
- |
- |
Total |
7,776 |
809 |
7,320 |
766 |
456 |
43 |
Expansion of maximum fundable medical places for 2024-25
On 30 June 2023, the NHS published its Long Term Workforce Plan, which announced a planned increase in undergraduate student numbers for medicine and dentistry courses. The plan sets out proposed trajectories for growth in the number of doctors, dentists, nurses and other health professionals.
On 1 October 2023, we received a letter from the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education and the Minister of State for Health and Secondary Care, providing us with sufficient additional funding to increase the maximum fundable limits for home students by 205 medical training places for the academic year 2024-25.
After consideration and engagement with the higher education sector, we allocated these additional places to five universities:
Universities | Increase to expected maximum medical intake for academic year 2024-25 |
---|---|
Brunel University London |
50 |
University of Central Lancashire |
35 |
University of Chester |
50 |
Edge Hill University |
20 |
University of Worcester |
50 |
Archive
The expected maximum intake shows the overall limit on the numbers that we will count for funding purposes, assuming all recruitment is of OfS-fundable students. However, within this overall limit, we also specify a separate limited allowance for overseas recruitment (should a provider wish to use it). Net recruitment beyond the overall limit (whether of OfS-fundable students or others), monitored over a rolling five-year period, will lead to a reduction to the student numbers we count for funding purposes for the following year.
Expected maximum intake (home and overseas) |
Anticipated home | Anticipated overseas | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Institution | Medical | Dental | Medical | Dental | Medical | Dental |
Anglia Ruskin University |
100 |
- |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
Aston University |
100 |
- |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
University of Birmingham |
400 |
71 |
372 |
67 |
28 |
4 |
Universities of Brighton and Sussex |
203 |
- |
193 |
- |
10 |
- |
University of Bristol |
270 |
71 |
251 |
67 |
19 |
4 |
University of Central Lancashire |
15 |
29 |
15 |
28 |
- |
1 |
University of Cambridge |
313 |
- |
291 |
- |
22 |
- |
University of East Anglia |
208 |
- |
195 |
- |
13 |
- |
Edge Hill University |
30 |
- |
30 |
- |
- |
- |
University of Exeter |
218 |
- |
208 |
- |
10 |
- |
Universities of Hull and York |
231 |
- |
220 |
- |
11 |
- |
Imperial College |
345 |
- |
321 |
- |
24 |
- |
Keele University |
164 |
- |
154 |
- |
10 |
- |
Universities of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church |
100 |
- |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
King’s College London |
430 |
148 |
400 |
141 |
30 |
7 |
Lancaster University |
129 |
- |
125 |
- |
4 |
- |
University of Leeds |
278 |
76 |
259 |
72 |
19 |
4 |
University of Leicester |
290 |
- |
272 |
- |
18 |
- |
University of Nottingham: Lincoln Medical School (in partnership with University of Lincoln) |
80 |
- |
80 |
- |
- |
- |
University of Liverpool |
332 |
72 |
309 |
68 |
23 |
4 |
University of Manchester |
397 |
71 |
369 |
67 |
28 |
4 |
University of Newcastle |
367 |
71 |
341 |
67 |
26 |
4 |
University of Nottingham |
371 |
- |
346 |
- |
25 |
- |
University of Oxford |
200 |
- |
186 |
- |
14 |
- |
University of Plymouth |
156 |
58 |
150 |
55 |
6 |
3 |
Queen Mary, University of London |
371 |
71 |
347 |
67 |
24 |
4 |
St George’s Hospital Medical School |
279 |
- |
260 |
- |
19 |
- |
University of Sheffield |
306 |
71 |
288 |
67 |
18 |
4 |
University of Southampton |
261 |
- |
243 |
- |
18 |
- |
University of Sunderland |
100 |
- |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
University College London |
334 |
- |
310 |
- |
24 |
- |
University of Warwick |
193 |
- |
180 |
- |
13 |
- |
Total |
7,571 |
809 |
7,115 |
766 |
456 |
43 |
Archive
Intake target (home and overseas) |
Anticipated home | Anticipated overseas | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Institution | Medical | Dental | Medical | Dental | Medical | Dental |
Anglia Ruskin University |
100 |
- |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
Aston University |
100 |
- |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
University of Birmingham |
400 |
71 |
372 |
67 |
28 |
4 |
Universities of Brighton and Sussex |
203 |
- |
193 |
- |
10 |
- |
University of Bristol |
270 |
71 |
251 |
67 |
19 |
4 |
University of Central Lancashire |
15 |
29 |
15 |
28 |
- |
1 |
University of Cambridge |
313 |
- |
291 |
- |
22 |
- |
University of East Anglia |
208 |
- |
195 |
- |
13 |
- |
Edge Hill University |
30 |
- |
30 |
- |
- |
- |
University of Exeter |
218 |
- |
208 |
- |
10 |
- |
Universities of Hull and York |
231 |
- |
220 |
- |
11 |
- |
Imperial College |
345 |
- |
321 |
- |
24 |
- |
Keele University |
164 |
- |
154 |
- |
10 |
- |
Universities of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church |
100 |
- |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
King’s College London |
430 |
148 |
400 |
141 |
30 |
7 |
Lancaster University |
129 |
- |
125 |
- |
4 |
- |
University of Leeds |
278 |
76 |
259 |
72 |
19 |
4 |
University of Leicester |
290 |
- |
272 |
- |
18 |
- |
University of Nottingham: Lincoln Medical School (in partnership with University of Lincoln) |
80 |
- |
80 |
- |
- |
- |
University of Liverpool |
332 |
72 |
309 |
68 |
23 |
4 |
University of Manchester |
397 |
71 |
369 |
67 |
28 |
4 |
University of Newcastle |
367 |
71 |
341 |
67 |
26 |
4 |
University of Nottingham |
371 |
- |
346 |
- |
25 |
- |
University of Oxford |
200 |
- |
186 |
- |
14 |
- |
University of Plymouth |
156 |
58 |
150 |
55 |
6 |
3 |
Queen Mary, University of London |
371 |
71 |
347 |
67 |
24 |
4 |
St George’s Hospital Medical School |
279 |
- |
260 |
- |
19 |
- |
University of Sheffield |
306 |
71 |
288 |
67 |
18 |
4 |
University of Southampton |
261 |
- |
243 |
- |
18 |
- |
University of Sunderland |
100 |
- |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
University College London |
334 |
- |
310 |
- |
24 |
- |
University of Warwick |
193 |
- |
180 |
- |
13 |
- |
Total |
7,571 |
809 |
7,115 |
766 |
456 |
43 |
For previous years, see the UK government web archive:
- 2021-22 target intakes
- 2020-21: intake targets were removed for this academic year. See the press release from the Department for Education on Gov.uk.
- 2019-20 target intakes
- 2018-19 target intakes.
15 May 2024 - Updated with maximum fundable limits for entry in 2024-25 and added information on expansion of maximum fundable medical places for 2025-26.
05 February 2024 - Added information on expansion of maximum fundable medical places for 2024-25.
06 July 2023 - Updated from target intakes to maximum fundable limits and added introductory detail.
09 February 2023 - Targets updated for entry in 2023-24.
26 January 2022 - Targets updated for entry in 2022-23.
29 September 2021 - Intake target figures updated
01 June 2021 - Targets updated for entry in 2021-22
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