The University of Hertfordshire will open a medical school next year, initially only admitting international students as caps on UK-funded places continue to constrain expansion across the sector. 

To begin with, Hertfordshire will admit 70 international students to its five-year medical degree courses. In a statement, the university said it “intends to recruit UK fee-paying students, subject to government approval and future decisions on the expansion of medical school places”. 

A university spokesperson added that the institution will welcome UK students “as soon as government funding for additional medical school places is secured”.

They continued, “We are following the same phased approach adopted by other recently established UK medical schools, which began with international cohorts and now successfully recruit home students, so we remain confident this will become a reality.” 

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When the previous government reintroduced caps on medical places after the pandemic, then-shadow health secretary Wes Streeting described it as “ludicrous” that new medical schools were opening with no British students. 

The Conservative government did begin to raise the limits as part of an NHS workforce plan that saw the Office for Students distribute funding for 205 more places in 2024-25. In addition, 350 more medical places are set to be funded in the upcoming academic year. 

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Labour’s 10 Year Health Plan, released in July, suggested the government would look to continue expanding places “focused on widening access to talented students from underprivileged backgrounds”, but provided little further detail. While in the shadow cabinet, Streeting, who is now health secretary, said he wanted to double the number of medical places for UK students.

Hertfordshire said it is “deeply committed” to widening access to the medical profession and the new medical school will “champion inclusivity” and ensure “the NHS workforce better reflects the communities it supports”. 

The university already offers courses in nursing, midwifery, paramedicine, and pharmacy. 

“Launching Hertfordshire Medical School further reinforces our commitment to shaping the future of healthcare and addressing critical workforce shortages – both in the UK and globally,” Mairi Watson, deputy vice-chancellor at Hertfordshire, said.

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While some believe the lack of quality placements and the high cost of training make scaling up provision difficult, medical school deans have previously said they are ready to accept more students. 

Brunel University London, the University of Chester and the University of Surrey have all opened medical schools primarily catering to international students in recent years. 

Streeting also previously said it “lacked coherence” for the government to be talking about bringing down immigration at the same time as limiting opportunities for training British students. Since gaining power last year, the Labour government has also moved to cut immigration numbers, particularly by reducing the country’s reliance on overseas staff in areas such as the NHS. 

helen.packer@timeshighereducation.com