St George's - In Depth

Founded: 1751.

Structural features: Part of London University. Faculty of health & social care science in partnership with Kingston University.

Site: Single site in Tooting, south west London for medical studies and biomedical sciences. Nursing, midwifery, radiography and physiotherapy students study at St George's and Kingston University (separate profile).

How to get there: Tooting Broadway underground station (Northern line); buses.

Special features: Only free-standing medical school in the UK.

Academic features: Medical curriculum allows students to combine compulsory core with own choice of special study modules; much teaching in body-system modules, with emphasis on clinical relevance of basic sciences. All students on BSc and medical courses share common foundation programme. Graduate entry MB BS course. Modular health and social care science BSc.

Awarding body: London University.

Main undergraduate awards: MB BS, BSc.

Length of courses: MB BS 5 years (6 years with intercalated BSc; 4 years for graduate entry); 3 years, nursing, midwifery, radiography, physiotherapy, biomedical science.

Library & information services: 30,000 monographs, 90,000 journal volumes, 800 periodicals, 400 study places. Annual expenditure on information provision, £195 per (FTE) student. Separate IT services (open 12 hours/day); 100 workstations with access to library, 140 to internet; ratio workstations to students 1:8. Staffed IT support desk; 2-hour orientation for new students on library catalogue, medical databases, internet etc; courses on all IT applications offered.

Study abroad: Most final year medical students spend up to two months abroad, largely outside Europe.

Careers: Help available for newly qualified doctors.

Student advice & services: Student counsellor, student health service, chaplains.

Amenities: Hospital chapel; bookshop managed by school club; bar and common rooms, banks.

Sporting facilities: Squash courts, aerobics training and weight-training rooms; large sports hall (badminton, volleyball, five-a-side football, cricket nets); local Olympic-standard public swimming pool just off site; 10 acre sports ground at Cobham, rowing at Chiswick, sailing at Burnham-on-Crouch.

Accommodation: 90% of first years in school accommodation (all those who require it). 254 self-catering places available at approx £60 per week, term time only. Students live in privately owned accommodation for 3-4 years: rents £60-£65 pw for self-catering.

Living expenses budget: Minimum budget of £7000 (excluding tuition fees) recommended by the School for an academic year.

Term time work: No school policy on term-time work for full-time students.

Financial help: Total available £90,000 government funds, 60 students helped. Apply to Student Finance & Records Officer, Registry.

Tuition fees: Home students up to £1200 pa for first degrees (in 2005). International students pay £13,050 pa (BSc programmes and pre-clinical), £22,900 (clinical).