How do interviews differ between Cardiff and Dundee?

Cardiff uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI), in person (overseas online). Dundee uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI). 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: February (Cardiff); December – February (Dundee).

Where are Cardiff and Dundee located, and how does that affect cost?

Cardiff is in Cardiff, UK. Dundee is in Dundee, UK. Scottish-domiciled applicants funded by SAAS pay no tuition fees at Scottish medical schools — a substantial funding advantage worth tens of thousands of pounds over the degree. Rest-of-UK applicants still pay £9,250/year.

When does each school release decisions?

Cardiff typically releases dentistry decisions Spring. Dundee 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.

Dental school comparison

Cardiff vs Dundee

Cardiff and Dundee are both UK dental schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Cardiff is based in Cardiff (Wales) while Dundee sits in Dundee (Scotland), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination.

On UCAT alone there is roughly a 1520-point gap between them — a substantial difference that should shape which you list as firm choice vs. insurance.

Side-by-side comparison

Show only differences

Side-by-side comparison: Cardiff and Dundee.
Comparison field	CardiffCardiff	DundeeDundee
Quick comparison
Location	Cardiff, UK	Dundee, UK
A-Level offer	AAA at A-level (offer only — no prediction requirement) including Biology and Chemistry. Practical pass required for any science A-level taken.	AAA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology — all three subjects in the same sitting. Ideally 1–2 A* predicted.
TrueScore	Cardiff TrueScore 1510	Dundee TrueScore 1500
UCAT home cut-off	~2080+/2700 for non-contextual RUK (interview-receiver minimum ~1510+/2700); average interviewee ~2030+/2700	Dundee does not publish a UCAT threshold for dentistry on the current scale. Its historical admissions figures were measured on the retired /3600 four-subtest test and, as Dundee itself warns, are not directly comparable with scores from 2025 onwards.
Interview format	Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI), in person (overseas online)	Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance	Total: 128/319 = 40% (2025). Home: 117/298 = 39%. International: 11/21 = 52%.	Scottish: 71/149 = 48%. RUK: 17/127 = 13%. Overseas: 28/58 = 48%.
Decision date	Spring	March onwards

A-Level offer	AAA at A-level (offer only — no prediction requirement) including Biology and Chemistry. Practical pass required for any science A-level taken.	AAA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology — all three subjects in the same sitting. Ideally 1–2 A* predicted.
Contextual A-Level offer	Welsh-domiciled and contextually eligible applicants get additional consideration plus 2 extra points in the scoring system. Some widening-participation programmes receive guaranteed interviews.	-
Required A-Level subjects	Biology and Chemistry both required	Chemistry and Biology both required
A-Level resit policy	A-level resits not considered (2026 entry), except for firm offer-holders who miss offers — they are given one year to resit while retaining the offer	Resits not accepted (one-sitting expectation)
GCSE requirements	Minimum 7 GCSEs at grade 4/C or above. Grade 6/B required in English Language. Biology and Chemistry both required at GCSE level. GCSE resits accepted (English Language any time).	Mathematics and English at grade 6/B or above (National 5 or GCSE) — used in shortlisting, higher grades essential
GCSE scoring methodology	GCSEs scored /28: top 7 GCSEs (must include Biology + Chemistry) — 8/9/A* = 4 pts, 7/A = 3 pts, 6/B = 2 pts, 4/5 = 1 pt. Achieved A-level points add to max +1 (A* = 3, A = 2). 27–28/28 typically requi…	GCSEs feed the academic score (60% of pre-interview ranking for school leavers). Higher grades essential due to weighting.
Scottish Highers	AAAAA at Higher including two sciences from Biology, Chemistry or Physics	AAAAB at Higher in S5 including Chemistry and Biology
Scottish Advanced Highers	AA at Advanced Higher including Biology and Chemistry	AB at Advanced Higher in S6 (in addition to S5 Highers above), recommended for competitive ranking
International Baccalaureate	35 points overall, 766 at Higher Level (Chemistry required)	37 points overall, 666 at Higher Level including Chemistry and Biology
Graduate-entry degree requirement	-	2:1 (Upper-second-class Honours) or above. Graduate weighting reversed: 40% academic + 60% UCAT.
Alternative qualifications	-	-

Contextual cut-off	-	-
Scottish (where applicable)	-	-
Rest of UK (where applicable)	-	-
International cut-off	Different scoring system for overseas	-
Graduate cut-off	-	-
SJT band	Not used any more	No use of SJT in selection
UCAT notes	UCAT used as tiebreaker when number of equally-scoring applicants exceeds interview places (most recent years). 28/28 GCSE score generally guarantees consideration regardless of UCAT.	The SJT is not used. Scottish, RUK and international applicants are considered against separately funded intakes, so the effective bar differs between them.

Degree awarded	BDS	BDS
Course length	5 years	5 years
Teaching style	Integrated	Integrated
Anatomy teaching	-	-
First patient contact	Year 2	Year 1
Placement geography	Cardiff and across Wales	Dundee
Named placement sites	University Dental Hospital	-
Intercalation	-	-
Course highlight	Clinical skills are practised in a £2.2 million dental simulation suite on mannequins known as "phantom heads".	Students work with Thiel cadavers, which preserve life-like flexibility and tissue quality.

Interview window	February	December – February
Interview details	MMI format with stations testing motivation for dentistry, communication, ethics and understanding of the Welsh healthcare context. Topics often signposted in advance.	Multiple Mini Interview format. Personal statement is not assessed pre-interview but is used as a basis for discussion at certain stations. Tone is friendly and conversational rather than adversarial.

Specialities	Dentistry (BDS)	Dentistry (BDS)
Established	1883	1916
Course type	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
What makes it different	Application score calculated /28 from 7 GCSEs (8/9/A* = 4 pts, etc.) - must include biology and chemistry. Welsh-domiciled and contextually eligible applicants get extra consideration.	Non-graduate weighting: 60% academic / 40% UCAT. Graduate weighting: 40% academic / 60% UCAT. Both A-level predictions and GCSEs feed the academic score, so consistent strong grades matter.
Official course page	https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2026/dental-surgery-bds	https://www.dundee.ac.uk/undergraduate/dentistry

Cardiff

Quick comparison

Location: Cardiff, UK
A-Level offer: AAA at A-level (offer only — no prediction requirement) including Biology and Chemistry. Practical pass required for any science A-level taken.
TrueScore: Cardiff TrueScore 1510
UCAT home cut-off: ~2080+/2700 for non-contextual RUK (interview-receiver minimum ~1510+/2700); average interviewee ~2030+/2700
Interview format: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI), in person (overseas online)
Post-interview chance: Total: 128/319 = 40% (2025). Home: 117/298 = 39%. International: 11/21 = 52%.
Decision date: Spring

Dundee

Quick comparison

Location: Dundee, UK
A-Level offer: AAA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology — all three subjects in the same sitting. Ideally 1–2 A* predicted.
TrueScore: Dundee TrueScore 1500
UCAT home cut-off: Dundee does not publish a UCAT threshold for dentistry on the current scale. Its historical admissions figures were measured on the retired /3600 four-subtest test and, as Dundee itself warns, are not directly comparable with scores from 2025 onwards.
Interview format: Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI)
Post-interview chance: Scottish: 71/149 = 48%. RUK: 17/127 = 13%. Overseas: 28/58 = 48%.
Decision date: March onwards

Cardiff vs Dundee - in detail

UCAT thresholds compared

Cardiff's published UCAT threshold for home applicants is around 2080, while Dundee sits at approximately 3600.

That's a 1520-point gap — large enough to put the two schools in completely different competitiveness tiers. An applicant scoring in the 2600-3100 band would be competitive at Cardiff but borderline at Dundee.

A-Level and academic profile

Cardiff requires AAA at A-level (offer only — no prediction requirement) including Biology and Chemistry. Practical pass required for any science A-level taken.

Dundee requires AAA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology — all three subjects in the same sitting. Ideally 1–2 A* predicted.

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.

GCSE profile matters at both schools — Cardiff: Minimum 7 GCSEs at grade 4/C or above. Grade 6/B required in English Language. Biology and Chemistry both required at GCSE level. GCSE resits accepted (English Language any time). GCSEs scored /28… Dundee: Mathematics and English at grade 6/B or above (National 5 or GCSE) — used in shortlisting, higher grades essential.

GCSEs feed the academic score (60% of pre-interview ranking for school leavers)…

Interview formats

Both Cardiff and Dundee 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: Cardiff runs multiple mini interviews (mmi), in person (overseas online); Dundee runs multiple mini interviews (mmi). Mock practice tailored to each school's exact format is the highest-leverage prep.

Interview windows: Cardiff interviews in February; Dundee in December – February.

Curriculum and teaching style

Cardiff runs a Case-based curriculum; Dundee runs a Spiral curriculum. The teaching philosophies are different — Cardiff leans on small-group case-based learning from year 1, while Dundee uses a more traditional lecture-led structure.

Specifics: Five-year BDS with case-based learning. Clinical placements at Cardiff University Dental Hospital and South Wales community sites. Five-year BDS with spiral curriculum. Clinical placements at Dundee Dental Hospital and Tayside community sites.

Intake size: Cardiff — ~70 home + ~10 international places per year for BDS Dentistry.; Dundee — ~75 places per year (predominantly Scottish + RUK + small international).. A larger cohort means more peer breadth; a smaller cohort means more tutor contact.

Post-interview offer rate

Cardiff: Total: 128/319 = 40% (2025). Home: 117/298 = 39%. International: 11/21 = 52%. Dundee: Scottish: 71/149 = 48%. RUK: 17/127 = 13%. Overseas: 28/58 = 48%.

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

Cardiff: Application score calculated /28 from 7 GCSEs (8/9/A* = 4 pts, etc.) - must include biology and chemistry. Welsh-domiciled and contextually eligible applicants get extra consideration.

Dundee: Non-graduate weighting: 60% academic / 40% UCAT. Graduate weighting: 40% academic / 60% UCAT. Both A-level predictions and GCSEs feed the academic score, so consistent strong grades matter.

Which is right for you?

If your UCAT lands below the UK median (~1880/2700), Cardiff is the more realistic firm-choice option. Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — Cardiff feeds into the Wales foundation programme network; Dundee into the Scotland network.

If you learn best in small-group case discussion, prefer Cardiff; if you prefer lecture-led foundations, the other suits better. 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

Cardiff's typical home cut-off is around 2080, while Dundee sits at approximately 3600 — a 1520-point spread. That's a meaningful gap; Cardiff is materially more accessible for an average-to-good UCAT, while Dundee expects performance closer to the top -33% 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.

Cardiff requires AAA including Biology AND Chemistry (both required), with a pass in the science practical element where applicable. No prediction requirement. A-level resits not considered except for firm offer-holders who miss offers.. Dundee requires AAA including chemistry and biology, all in the same sitting. Ideally 1–2 A* predicted. Resits not accepted.. Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school. Resit policies differ: Cardiff — Resits considered case-by-case.. Dundee — Resits not accepted (one-sitting expectation)..

Cardiff — Minimum 7 GCSEs at grade 4/C or above. Grade 6/B required in English Language. Biology and Chemistry both required at GCSE level. GCSE resits accepted (English Language any time). GCSEs scored /28: top 7 GCSEs (must include Biology + Chemistry) — 8/9/A* = 4 pts, 7/A = 3 pts, 6/B = 2 pts, 4/5 = 1 pt. Achieved A-level points add to max +1 (A* = 3, A = 2). 27–28/28 typically required for RUK. Dundee — Mathematics and English at grade 6/B or above (National 5 or GCSE) — used in shortlisting, higher grades essential. GCSEs feed the academic score (60% of pre-interview ranking for school leavers). Higher grades essential due to weighting.

Cardiff's selection methodology: GCSE points + A-Level achievement points + UCAT. MMI interview format. Dundee's selection methodology: Combined academic + UCAT + MMI. Strong Scottish focus. SJT not used. 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.

Cardiff: Total: 128/319 = 40% (2025). Home: 117/298 = 39%. International: 11/21 = 52%.. Dundee: Scottish: 71/149 = 48%. RUK: 17/127 = 13%. Overseas: 28/58 = 48%.. 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%.

Cardiff runs a Case-based curriculum. Dundee runs a Spiral curriculum. The teaching philosophies differ — pick the style that matches how you learn best. Cardiff specifics: Five-year BDS with case-based learning. Clinical placements at Cardiff University Dental Hospital and South Wales community sites. Dundee specifics: Five-year BDS with spiral curriculum. Clinical placements at Dundee Dental Hospital and Tayside community sites.

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.

Where to go next

CardiffEntry requirements, interview format and key dates in full

DundeeEntry requirements, interview format and key dates in full

Other dental school comparisons

School data reviewed by the NextGen MedPrep editorial team — last reviewed 19 September 2026.