Dental school comparison

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) vs Aston Dental School

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) and Aston Dental School are both UK dental schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) is based in Aberdeen (Scotland) while Aston Dental School sits in Birmingham (England), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination. Their A-Level requirements (2:1 vs A*AA) place them in slightly different academic-strictness tiers. Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) is the older institution (founded 1495); the other (founded 2022) has shaped its medical school around modern integrated-curriculum thinking.

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Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry)

Aberdeen

Aston Dental School

Birmingham

Location

Aberdeen, UK

Birmingham, UK

A-Level offer

2:1 in biosciences or allied healthcare profession. UK applicants only. A-levels not used.

A*AA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology

UCAT home cut-off

~1820+ RUK lowest 2023 entry; Scottish ~1560+

UCAT cognitive subtests used for shortlisting; no fixed cut-off published

Interview format

90-minute MMI; offers made on interview performance only

Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)

Post-interview chance

Approximately 30 offers from 60 interviews (~50%) for 20 places.

Decision date

Spring

February - April

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Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) vs Aston Dental School - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) requires 2:1 in biosciences or allied healthcare profession. UK applicants only. A-levels not used.. Aston Dental School requires A*AA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology. Aston Dental School is the stricter A-Level offer; Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview.

Interview formats

Both Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) and Aston Dental School use MMI interviews, so the underlying prep approach is the same — practise ethics frameworks, NHS hot-topic answers and (for MMI) structured station responses against a timer. That said, the specifics differ slightly: Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) runs 90-minute mmi; offers made on interview performance only; Aston Dental School runs multiple mini interviews (mmi). Mock practice tailored to each school's exact format is the highest-leverage prep. Interview windows: Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) interviews in Spring; Aston Dental School in December - February.

What makes each distinctive

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry): Academic attainment weighted 60% (predicted/achieved degree result), UCAT 40%. A-levels not used. UK applicants only. ~60 candidates interviewed; ~30 offers made for 20 places - ~7 offers to RUK candidates. Aston Dental School: One of the newest UK dental schools, with a small cohort and a distinctive dexterity-reflection station rare among UK BDS interviews. UCAT cognitive subtests primary shortlisting tool.

Which is right for you?

For applicants with predicted A-Level grades at the lower end of the AAA-A*AA range, Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) is the lower-risk academic option. Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) feeds into the Scotland foundation programme network; Aston Dental School into the England network. Your firm/insurance choice should ultimately weight: where your UCAT and predicted grades sit relative to each school's threshold, which interview format you can prepare for most credibly, and where you'd actually want to live for five years.

Common questions

What UCAT score do I need for Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) vs Aston Dental School?+

Neither school publishes a single fixed UCAT cut-off; both use UCAT as part of a composite shortlisting score alongside GCSE and personal-statement weighting. Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) guidance: ~1820+ RUK lowest 2023 entry; Scottish ~1560+. Aston Dental School guidance: UCAT cognitive subtests used for shortlisting; no fixed cut-off published.

How do interviews differ between Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) and Aston Dental School?+

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) uses Multiple Mini Interviews: 90-minute MMI; offers made on interview performance only. Aston Dental School uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). The format is the same, so the same prep approach applies — practise ethics frameworks, NHS hot topics, and (for MMI) structured 5-7 minute station answers. Interview windows: Spring (Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry)); December - February (Aston Dental School).

What A-Level grades do Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) and Aston Dental School require?+

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) requires 2:1 in biosciences or allied healthcare profession. UK applicants only. A-levels not used.. Aston Dental School requires A*AA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology. Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school.

How are GCSEs weighted at Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) vs Aston Dental School?+

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) — Not applicable - graduate-entry programme. Requires a 2:1 honours degree. Aston Dental School — GCSE performance considered as part of the broader academic profile; specific scoring not published.

How does each school actually shortlist applicants?+

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry)'s selection methodology: UCAT + degree class + interview. Aberdeen's distinctive remote/rural placement strand applies. Aston Dental School's selection methodology: shortlisting weight not fully disclosed; check the official admissions page. Understanding each school's exact algorithm is the single highest-leverage piece of pre-application research — it tells you whether your profile is competitive before you spend an application choice.

Where are Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) and Aston Dental School located, and how does that affect cost?+

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) is in Aberdeen, UK. Aston Dental School is in Birmingham, UK. Scottish-domiciled applicants funded by SAAS pay no tuition fees at Scottish medical schools — a substantial funding advantage worth tens of thousands of pounds over the degree. Rest-of-UK applicants still pay £9,250/year.

When does each school release decisions?+

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) typically releases dentistry decisions Spring. Aston Dental School releases dentistry decisions February - April. If one is earlier than the other, you may need to hold a decision while waiting for the second school — be ready to compare in real time.

Should I apply to both Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) and Aston Dental School?+

You can — UCAS allows 4 medicine/dentistry choices in total, so listing both is feasible if your profile fits each school's selection algorithm. Apply to both only if your UCAT, GCSE and predicted-grade profile is competitive against each school's published weighting. A common mistake is using two of your four slots on similar schools when a more spread-out portfolio (one safe + one stretch) would maximise overall offer probability.