What admission tests do Charles Sturt Dental and La Trobe Dental use?+
Charles Sturt Dental uses UCAT-ANZ. La Trobe Dental uses no admission test. The test mismatch means you may need to prep two assessments simultaneously, or you can pick the school whose admission test you're stronger in. GAMSAT is graduate-only and sat in March/September; UCAT-ANZ is undergraduate-leaning and sat in July; some schools (notably Bond and JCU) run their own selection model with no national test.
What UCAT-ANZ score do I need for Charles Sturt Dental vs La Trobe Dental?+
Charles Sturt Dental — UCAT required for non-Indigenous applicants; First Nation applicants exempt. No published numerical cut-off — used to rank for interview alongside ATAR. La Trobe Dental — does not publish a UCAT-ANZ cut-off (may not use UCAT-ANZ; check the admission-test question above). UCAT-ANZ cut-offs are cohort-dependent, so the headline number from one cycle is not guaranteed for the next — use it as a planning anchor, not a guarantee.
What ATAR do I need for Charles Sturt Dental vs La Trobe Dental?+
Charles Sturt Dental — CSU does not publish a minimum ATAR for BDS. Used in combination with UCAT and interview for final ranking. La Trobe Dental — ATAR range 99.00-99.85 at Bendigo (selection rank floor with adjustments, to highest ATAR offered excluding adjustments). Confirmed via La Trobe FAQ + OzTREKK + MedView. Selection rank typically includes Educational Access Scheme bonuses, rural-origin uplift, and (where applicable) Indigenous-pathway adjustments — your raw ATAR is rarely the final figure used.
How do interviews differ between Charles Sturt Dental and La Trobe Dental?+
Charles Sturt Dental uses: In-person panel interview at Orange campus (5 consecutive days, late November). La Trobe Dental uses: Academic results only (no MMI / no formal interview). Different formats reward different skill sets. Plan separate prep streams for each. Interview windows: November-December (Charles Sturt Dental); No formal interview (La Trobe Dental).
What place types (CSP / BMP / Full-fee) do Charles Sturt Dental and La Trobe Dental offer?+
Charles Sturt Dental — Annual intake not publicly disclosed (small program). Aggregator estimates ~30-50 places/year. La Trobe Dental — International intake 25 places. Domestic intake not separately disclosed by La Trobe (small program). CSP (Commonwealth Supported Place) is the lowest student contribution; BMP (Bonded Medical Program) adds a 1-year return-of-service obligation in a Modified Monash Model 2-7 area after Fellowship; Full-fee places carry no bond but the highest tuition.
What Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entry pathways do Charles Sturt Dental and La Trobe Dental offer?+
Charles Sturt Dental — First Nations applicants do not need UCAT. Culturally appropriate panel interview format. La Trobe Dental — La Trobe Aspire / Indigenous access scheme (general La Trobe policy applies). Both schools accept ATSI applicants through the standard pathway as well; the dedicated pathway typically offers adjusted academic thresholds plus wrap-around academic support.
Does Charles Sturt Dental or La Trobe Dental offer bonded / rural-entry places?+
Charles Sturt Dental — ≥50% of places reserved for applicants with significant rural background or First Nation applicants — the most aggressive rural quota of any dental program in NSW. Rural applicants submit a Rural and Indigenous Pathway form with their UAC application. La Trobe Dental — Regional Benefits Program provides ATAR 85 floor for rural applicants. The federal BMP allocates ~28.5% of CSP places nationally; individual schools sit above or below that benchmark depending on their workforce remit.
When does each school release decisions?+
Charles Sturt Dental typically releases dentistry offers January. La Trobe Dental releases dentistry offers November. AU MD offers run through GEMSAS (graduate consortium) or direct school portals; if one is earlier than the other you may need to defer a decision while waiting for the second.
What curriculum style do Charles Sturt Dental and La Trobe Dental use?+
Charles Sturt Dental runs a Integrated curriculum. La Trobe Dental runs a Integrated curriculum. Both schools deliver teaching in the same broad style, so day-to-day study habits will feel similar. Charles Sturt Dental specifics: 5-year undergraduate Bachelor of Dental Science (BDS) at the Orange campus with clinical placements at Albury-Wodonga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, Wagga Wagga. Interview is an in-person panel at Orange i La Trobe Dental specifics: 5-year undergraduate Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours). Bendigo is the sole campus for the degree. Annual indicative international tuition (2026) AUD $83,600 subject to indexation. Next available i
Should I apply to both Charles Sturt Dental and La Trobe Dental?+
Yes — AU medical applicants typically lodge preferences across multiple schools via GEMSAS (graduate) or direct-undergraduate portals + state TACs (UAC for NSW, VTAC for VIC, QTAC for QLD, etc.). The two schools' selection mechanics differ enough that listing both is a legitimate diversification strategy. A common mistake is over-indexing on schools with the same test-and-interview profile; Charles Sturt Dental and La Trobe Dental differ in their selection mechanics, so prepping both adds genuine optionality.
