Skip to main content
NextGen MedPrep logoNextGenMedPrep
Back to Dental School Compare
Dental school comparison

Bristol vs Queen's University Belfast

Bristol and Queen's University Belfast are both UK dental schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Bristol is based in Bristol (England) while Queen's University Belfast sits in Belfast (Northern Ireland), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination. On UCAT alone there is roughly a 255-point gap between them — a substantial difference that should shape which you list as firm choice vs. insurance. The interview formats diverge — Panel vs MMI — and the prep approaches for the two are fundamentally different.

Side-by-side comparison

Bristol

Bristol

Quick comparison

Location
Bristol, UK
A-Level offer
AAA at A-level including Chemistry and one of Biology / Physics / Mathematics / Further Mathematics
TrueScore
2280
UCAT home cut-off
~2280+/2700
Interview format
Structured panel-style interview (Zoom, remote)
Post-interview chance
UK applicants: 89/169 = 53% (2025).
Decision date
March onwards

Queen's University Belfast

Belfast

Quick comparison

Location
Belfast, UK
A-Level offer
AAA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology (or Human Biology)
TrueScore
1750
UCAT home cut-off
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
MMI / panel format
Post-interview chance
All applicants (2024): 87/204 = 43%.
Decision date
March onwards
Compare different schools

Bristol vs Queen's University Belfast - in detail

UCAT thresholds compared

Bristol's published UCAT threshold for home applicants is around 2280, while Queen's University Belfast sits at approximately 2025. The 255-point spread matters: Queen's University Belfast offers slightly more headroom for an average-strong UCAT, while Bristol expects performance closer to the national 75th-90th percentile. Contextual / widening-participation cut-offs differ — Bristol: not separately disclosed; Queen's University Belfast: Different combinations valid - very low deciles accepted with 9× grade 9s at GCSE. Eligible applicants should weight this heavily when choosing.

A-Level and academic profile

Bristol requires AAA including chemistry and one of biology/physics/maths/further maths. ABB contextual offer including A in chemistry and B in one of biology/physics/maths/further maths. Resit considered.. 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.. Both demand the same A-Level grade band, so academic prediction is unlikely to differentiate your application between them — provided you meet the required subject combination at each.

Interview formats

Bristol uses Panel (Structured panel-style interview (Zoom, remote)); Queen's University Belfast uses MMI (MMI / panel format). These two formats reward different skills — Panel emphasises narrative coherence and the ability to develop a thread under follow-up questioning, while MMI rewards breadth and quick recovery. If your strengths lie in conversational depth, Bristol may suit you more. If you prefer discrete capsule answers under time pressure, Queen's University Belfast is the better fit. Interview windows: Bristol interviews in December – February; Queen's University Belfast in December – February.

Post-interview offer rate

Bristol: UK applicants: 89/169 = 53% (2025).. Queen's University Belfast: All applicants (2024): 87/204 = 43%.. 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.

What makes each distinctive

Bristol: Entirely UCAT-based shortlisting (work experience encouraged, not required). No SJT use. No significant personal-statement scoring - medical applicants often get offers with a medical statement. 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?

If your UCAT lands below the UK median (~2500/3600), Queen's University Belfast is the more realistic firm-choice option. Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — Bristol 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

Bristol's typical home cut-off is around 2280, while Queen's University Belfast sits at approximately 2025 — a 255-point spread. That's a meaningful gap; Queen's University Belfast is materially more accessible for an average-to-good UCAT, while Bristol expects performance closer to the top 37% of test-takers. Cut-offs change year on year and vary by tier — check each school's latest published threshold before submitting your UCAS form.

Bristol uses Panel interview: Structured panel-style interview (Zoom, remote). Queen's University Belfast uses Multiple Mini Interviews: MMI / panel format. The two formats reward different skill sets. Plan separate prep streams for each, with at least 3 full mock interviews per format before sitting either. Interview windows: December – February (Bristol); December – February (Queen's University Belfast).

Bristol requires AAA including chemistry and one of biology/physics/maths/further maths. ABB contextual offer including A in chemistry and B in one of biology/physics/maths/further maths. Resit considered.. 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.

Bristol — AAA including Chemistry. Grade 7 in Maths; grade 4 in English Language. Strong GCSE profile expected. Queen's University Belfast — GCSE performance considered as part of the broader academic profile; specific scoring not published.

Bristol's selection methodology: Wholly UCAT-based shortlisting after academic minimums met. Multiple Mini Interview. Personal statement only used if borderline. Queen's University Belfast'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.

Bristol: UK applicants: 89/169 = 53% (2025).. Queen's University Belfast: All applicants (2024): 87/204 = 43%.. Post-interview odds tell you how competitive each school is at the final stage. Two schools with similar UCAT thresholds can have very different post-interview rates — a school with a 60% post-interview success rate is structurally easier to convert than one at 25%.

Bristol is in Bristol, 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).

Bristol typically releases dentistry decisions March onwards. 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.

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.