We run an elective programme for medical students in their penultimate or final year of study interested in a clinical placement at St George's Hospital. These placements give you the opportunity to explore a particular medical specialty in a different healthcare environment as part of your degree.
The elective process
Our elective placements are four weeks long and start on the first Monday of the month.
The elective programme opens for applications twice a year. Applications need to be submitted either in May or November depending on when you would like to start your elective:
Medical electives application deadlines and start dates
| Applications open: | For electives beginning in: |
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| May 2025 (dates TBC) |
August 2025 to January 2026 |
| 4 - 10 November 2024 (now closed) |
February 2025 to July 2025 |
For example, if you would like to attend an elective in April 2025, you would apply in November 2024. To be notified when applications open for your elective intake of interest, register your interest with the link below.
Please note: The application round is for applicants to complete the online application form and make the payment required. Application attempts made outside of these times or arranged with any consultant or academic without making an application will not be considered. If you have already approached an individual, you can mention this on your application.
We offer a wide range of elective opportunities at St George’s, a teaching hospital which provides both local secondary level care and regional specialist care.
Eligibility
You are eligible to apply to a medical elective if you meet all of the following criteria:
- At the time of your requested elective, you are a medical student in your penultimate (second to last) or final year of study (therefore, you can apply in the application round before your penultimate year as long as your requested elective would take place once you had started your penultimate year).
- The medical school you currently attend appears on the World Directory of Medical Schools website.
- You have passed all of your assessments to date.
- You have DBS (police check) and occupational health clearance from your current institution.
- You meet our English Language requirements (see below).
- You have the appropriate immigration permissions.
How to apply
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Complete the Speciality Selection form (available when applications open). You can select your speciality(s) from the list below (subject to change):
- Accident & Emergency
- Breast surgery
- Cardiology
- Dermatology
- Haematology
- Nephrology
- Obstetrics
- Orthopaedics
- Orthogeriatrics
- Paediatrics
- Plastic surgery
- Renal transplant
- Respiratory
- Urology
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Pay the application fee via our online shop (available when applications open). The application fee is non-refundable. More information can be found under the heading ‘Cost’ below.
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Ask your university to complete the medical elective verification form (PDF). This form includes certifying your passport. Please ensure you take the original copy and the photocopy you will upload to your application with you when this form is completed. This form also asks your current institution to confirm that you have completed a police check (DBS) and have Occupational Health clearance as part of your current programme of study.
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Gather the following documentation:
- Current photographic identification and any relevant visa pages.
- The completed Medical Elective verification form (above).
- Evidence of meeting our English Language requirements – not applicable for those applying from a UK medical schools.
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Complete the online application form (available when applications open). before the end of the application round. Please feel free to leave the personal statement and reference sections blank as you will have completed a personal statement as part of the specialism selection form (Step 1). Please note, all documents above must be attached to your application form.
After applying
Once you have applied, we anticipate communicating our decision to you within 8 weeks.
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Week 1
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Week 2
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Week 3 to 6
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Week 7 to 10
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Application round open and applications received.
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Applications reviewed by St George’s, University of London.
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Applications reviewed by St George’s Hospital.
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Decisions processed and applicants informed via email.
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Applications are reviewed by both St George’s, University of London, and St George’s Hospital. St George’s Hospital makes selections based on your personal statement and in line with how many placements each speciality has to offer each month. We make every effort to accept as many elective students as possible, but we cannot guarantee that your application will be successful. Applications are reviewed in the order received on a first come first served basis for the speciality in question.
Cost
Elective placements cost £800 which covers the administration costs of your admission (application fee), and your time spent at St George's Hospital (placement fee).
To pay the application fee, follow the link to our online shop which can be found under 'How to apply' when the application round is open.
Your placement fee is not due to be paid unless you have been accepted onto an elective. A second link to our online shop will be included in your offer letter.
Medical elective fees
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Administration fee
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Placement fee
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Total cost
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£400
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£400 (£100 per week)
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£800
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To be paid when applying
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To be paid if accepted
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English Language requirements
All medical elective student must meet our English Language requirement in one of the following ways:
- Study at a UK medical school.
- Obtain an IELTS (International English Language Testing System: Academic) score of 6.5 overall with 6.5 in Writing and 6.0 in all other components (certificate must have been issued within the last two years to be considered valid).
- Meet one of our other published English Language requirements.
Student testimonials
St George's shares its site with a hospital. I really appreciated this feature because it allows students to immerse themselves in the hospital environment right from the early years of their education. I had the chance to observe patients with rare syndromes I had never encountered before.
- Bianca Borsato from Italy
The consultants and registrars I shadowed were always very eager to teach me. I also had the chance to attend some of the multidisciplinary teams meetings, which were a great way to see how the NHS works and how healthcare professionals can work together in the best interest of the patient.
- Thiago Schneider Martins from Brazil
It was a fascinating experience to learn about the differences in healthcare provision. Being placed in an environment with entirely different cultures has made me more aware of who I am relative to others and has provided an opportunity for deep self-discovery. This amazing experience will shape my future.
- Yoshiho Sakamoto from Japan
Frequently asked questions
Click each question below to reveal the answer beneath.
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Elective placements are open to medical students in their penultimate or final year of study only. If you do not meet these criteria and would like to visit St George’s, University of London, you could consider attending as an Erasmus student.
You can submit one application at a time, in which you are asked for your first and second choice of specialism. Elective placements are four weeks long and can not be shared across specialties.
No. We make every effort to accept as many elective students as possible, but we cannot guarantee that your application will be successful. Applications are reviewed by both St George’s, University of London, and St George’s Hospital. St George’s Hospital makes selections based on your personal statement and in line with how many placements each speciality has to offer at the time you wish to attend.
If you are not a British national and do not already hold immigration permission which permits study in the UK, you should apply for the Standard Visitor Visa to undertake the elective placement at St George's. Read more information on visas.
We have a limited number of rooms reserved for elective students in Horton Halls, St George’s halls of residence. Accommodation is allocated on a first come first served basis and cannot be guaranteed. More information on how and when to apply will be sent to you if you are accepted onto a placement.
Find out more
If you have any questions about applying for an elective placement, please contact the Electives Team.