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The Graduate Medical School at Ulster University's Magee campus has begun recruiting students for 2021.

It aims to recruit 70 students to begin a four-year medical degree course in September 2021.

Students with a previous 2:1 honours degree in any subject can apply, though they will have to sit an entrance test and interviews.

The executive confirmed funding in July to allow the school to open.

That followed a number of delays and problems over a number of years.

It was originally planned that the school, in Londonderry, would open for students in 2019.

However, that was not possible, nor was opening in 2020 as questions arose about the business case for the school and whether sustainable funding for it could be provided.

According to a previous review by the Department of Health (DoH), Northern Ireland needs at least 100 more medical students a year to meet the increasing demand for doctors.

Tuition fees yet to be set

At the time of that review, the department had said that expanding student numbers to that extent would cost £30m a year and see other services cut.

Up until now, the only medical school training doctors in Northern Ireland has been based at Queen's University of Belfast (QUB).

The UU medical school at Magee will increase the number of doctors educated in Northern Ireland, but students who begin their course in 2021 will not qualify until 2025.

The university said it had reached stage six of the General Medical Council's (GMC) quality assurance process, enabling it to begin recruiting students for 2021.

Those students can have a previous degree in either a science or non-science subject.

They will begin a bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery (MBBS) medical degree programme.

A university spokesperson said that students would benefit from access to clinical placements across the full range of general practice, medical and surgical specialities.

The foundation dean of the school, Prof Louise Dubras, said that it would provide much-needed doctors for the north west.

"The school of medicine on our Magee campus will attract students to study, work and live in the north west and will be a catalyst in the innovation corridor to be established as part of the city deal," she said.

"We look forward to taking the next steps and to welcoming our first medical students ready to embark upon such a rewarding and vital career path with us."

Initial tuition fees for the MBBS medical degree have yet to be set but are likely to be around £4,500 per year for Northern Irish students and those from the European Union (EU).

Students from England, Scotland and Wales and international students will pay higher fees.

Ulster University said it would be establishing a scholarship fund to support students, but details of that would be announced in early 2021.

Prof Colin Melville, medical director and director of education and standards at the General Medical Council, said: "We have concluded, following the latest round of the approval process, that plans for a new medical school at Ulster University's Magee campus are on track to accept students in September 2021.

"All new medical school applications must complete a multi-stage approval process.

"Now that this milestone has been passed, work will continue with an ongoing programme of checks and visits over the coming months and years to make sure that the medical school remains satisfactory, and passes all our quality assurance requirements."