Dental school comparison

Aston Dental School vs Queen's University Belfast

Aston Dental School and Queen's University Belfast are both UK dental schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Aston Dental School is based in Birmingham (England) while Queen's University Belfast sits in Belfast (Northern Ireland), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination. Their A-Level requirements (A*AA vs AAA) place them in slightly different academic-strictness tiers. Queen's University Belfast is the older institution (founded 1845); the other (founded 2022) has shaped its medical school around modern integrated-curriculum thinking.

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Aston Dental School

Birmingham

Queen's University Belfast

Belfast

Location

Birmingham, UK

Belfast, UK

A-Level offer

A*AA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology

AAA including chemistry and biology/human biology. Resit: only those who applied to QUB Dentistry on first attempt and held an offer (if made) as conditional firm - then awarded 36/36 on academics.

UCAT home cut-off

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

School-leaver threshold 36+ points (out of 42) for 2025; 38, 37 needed in 2024, 2023 - translates approx to 5×9s + 4×8s + ~1850+/2700 UCAT. Equivalent ~36/45 also gets in 2026 cycle.

Interview format

Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)

MMI / panel format

Post-interview chance

All applicants (2024): 87/204 = 43%.

Decision date

February - April

March onwards

Compare different schools

Aston Dental School vs Queen's University Belfast - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Aston Dental School requires A*AA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology. Queen's University Belfast requires AAA including chemistry and biology/human biology. Resit: only those who applied to QUB Dentistry on first attempt and held an offer (if made) as conditional firm - then awarded 36/36 on academics.. Aston Dental School is the stricter A-Level offer; Queen's University Belfast is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, Queen's University Belfast carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview.

Interview formats

Both Aston Dental School and Queen's University Belfast 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); Queen's University Belfast runs mmi / panel format. Mock practice tailored to each school's exact format is the highest-leverage prep. Interview windows: Aston Dental School interviews in December - February; Queen's University Belfast in December – February.

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. Queen's University Belfast: Scoring system changed: total now /45 (UCAT /9 not /6). UK students scored on UCAT decile + best 9 GCSEs (9 = 4 pts, 7/8 = 3 pts, 6 = 2 pts, 4/5 = 1 pt). Achieved A-levels meeting requirements = 36/36. International students: no UCAT needed; assessed holistically. 15 overseas places.

Which is right for you?

For applicants with predicted A-Level grades at the lower end of the AAA-A*AA range, Queen's University Belfast is the lower-risk academic option. Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — Aston Dental School feeds into the England foundation programme network; Queen's University Belfast into the Northern Ireland 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 Aston Dental School vs Queen's University Belfast?+

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. Aston Dental School guidance: UCAT cognitive subtests used for shortlisting; no fixed cut-off published. Queen's University Belfast guidance: School-leaver threshold 36+ points (out of 42) for 2025; 38, 37 needed in 2024, 2023 - translates approx to 5×9s + 4×8s + ~1850+/2700 UCAT. Equivalent ~36/45 also gets in 2026 cycle..

How do interviews differ between Aston Dental School and Queen's University Belfast?+

Aston Dental School uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). Queen's University Belfast uses Multiple Mini Interviews: MMI / panel format. 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: December - February (Aston Dental School); December – February (Queen's University Belfast).

What A-Level grades do Aston Dental School and Queen's University Belfast require?+

Aston Dental School requires A*AA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology. Queen's University Belfast requires AAA including chemistry and biology/human biology. Resit: only those who applied to QUB Dentistry on first attempt and held an offer (if made) as conditional firm - then awarded 36/36 on academics.. Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school.

Where are Aston Dental School and Queen's University Belfast located, and how does that affect cost?+

Aston Dental School is in Birmingham, UK. Queen's University Belfast is in Belfast, UK. Tuition is £9,250/year at both for UK home applicants; the main cost difference is accommodation (London accommodation typically runs 30-50% above the national average).

When does each school release decisions?+

Aston Dental School typically releases dentistry decisions February - April. Queen's University Belfast releases dentistry decisions March onwards. 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 Aston Dental School and Queen's University Belfast?+

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.