Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) vs Queen Mary (QMUL)

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry)'s published UCAT threshold for home applicants is around 1820, while Queen Mary (QMUL) sits at approximately 2070.

The 250-point spread matters: Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) offers slightly more headroom for an average-strong UCAT, while Queen Mary (QMUL) expects performance closer to the national 75th-90th percentile.

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) requires 2:1 in biosciences or allied healthcare profession. UK applicants only. A-levels not used.

Queen Mary (QMUL) requires A*AA in single sitting, no more than 2 years. Must include biology or chemistry + second science from chemistry/biology/physics/maths. Resit only with extenuating circumstances under Equality and Diversity Act 2010.

GCSE profile matters at both schools — Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry): Not applicable - graduate-entry programme. Requires a 2:1 honours degree. Queen Mary (QMUL): AAA at A-Level including Chemistry and Biology. Min 6 GCSEs at grade 6+.

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) uses MMI (90-minute MMI; offers made on interview performance only); Queen Mary (QMUL) uses Panel (Two-interviewer panel, online (January–February)). These two formats reward different skills — MMI emphasises breadth, station-recovery and structured answers under time pressure, while Panel rewards depth and consistency.

If your strengths lie in conversational depth, Queen Mary (QMUL) may suit you more. If you prefer discrete capsule answers under time pressure, Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) is the better fit.

Interview windows: Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) interviews in Spring; Queen Mary (QMUL) in January – February.

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) runs a PBL curriculum; Queen Mary (QMUL) runs a Integrated curriculum. The teaching philosophies are different — Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) leans on small-group case-based learning from year 1, while Queen Mary (QMUL) uses a more traditional lecture-led structure.

Specifics: Four-year accelerated graduate-entry BDS. Aberdeen-based with clinical placements across NHS Grampian and remote/rural Scotland. Five-year BDS at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Clinical placements at Royal London Dental Hospital and East London community

Intake size: Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry) — ~30-40 places per year (small graduate-entry cohort).; Queen Mary (QMUL) — ~80 home + ~20 international places per year for BDS Dentistry (Barts and The London).. A larger cohort means more peer breadth; a smaller cohort means more tutor contact.

Aberdeen (Graduate Dentistry): Approximately 30 offers from 60 interviews (~50%) for 20 places. Queen Mary (QMUL): 2025 - All applicants: 182/267 = 68%. Overseas: 13/22 = 59%.

Post-interview odds give you the clearest signal of how competitive each school is at the final stage — a school with a 60% post-interview success rate is structurally easier to convert than one at 25%, even if the interview thresholds look identical on paper.

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.

Queen Mary (QMUL): QMUL-specific 4th decile minimum (2361 for 2024 + 2025). Anyone exceeding the UCAT cut-off gets an interview - higher predictions don't change anything. SJT band 4 automatically rejected.