Bristol vs Queen's University Belfast

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.