A-Level and academic profile
Aston Dental School requires A*AA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology. Manchester requires AAA offer (AAB contextual). No use of predicted grades. Must include chemistry and biology. Only one resit permitted: B grade on first attempt + A*AA resit with A* in one of the sciences.. Aston Dental School is the stricter A-Level offer; Manchester is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, Manchester carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview.
Interview formats
Both Aston Dental School and Manchester 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: Aston Dental School runs multiple mini interviews (mmi); Manchester runs five-station mmi, in person (overseas may attend virtually). Mock practice tailored to each school's exact format is the highest-leverage prep. Interview windows: Aston Dental School interviews in December - February; Manchester in February – March.
What makes each distinctive
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. Manchester: Soft UCAT threshold - those above always interviewed, those below also considered following holistic assessment. SJT must be band 1 or 2. No use of predicted grades.
