Medical school hopefuls will find it harder than ever to win university places next year.

Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) is "reluctantly" raising the A-level grades it demands from students, following a trend set by other universities.

Admissions staff admitted they were surprised by the volume of applications for places at the school, which opened a year ago.

More than 1,800 hopefuls applied for the 128 places for the academic year which starts later this month. Nationally, 17,000 applied for 7,000 places.

Until now, BSMS has demanded applicants achieve an A-grade and two Bs at A-level. Next year most will need to achieve at least two As and a B.

BSMS is one of four medical schools opened since 1997 amid increased Government investment in medical training.

Admissions tutor John Kay said: "There was a 50 per cent increase in the number of medical places from 2002 to 2003."

Applications to medical schools had dropped throughout the Nineties and that had been expected to continue.

Dr Kay said: "What has actually happened - as anyone with sense could have predicted - is that as it got easier to get into medical school, more and more people thought there was a chance for them. Now there are so many applying, it's getting more difficult.

"Conveniently for us, the five big London medical schools wanted ABB, as we did.

"But this year they've all decided the pressures are such, they need to switch to AAB instead. As a relatively new kid on the block, it's not practical for us to be the only medical school still making ABB offers. We would just be overwhelmed with applicants."

He said personality counted as well as academic qualifications and some ABB offers would be made to those who performed best in interviews.

The school is a joint venture between the universities of Brighton and Sussex, supported by Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust.