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

Leeds vs Queen Mary (QMUL)

Leeds and Queen Mary (QMUL) are both UK dental schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Leeds is based in Leeds (England) while Queen Mary (QMUL) sits in London (London), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination. On UCAT alone there is roughly a 220-point gap between them — a substantial difference that should shape which you list as firm choice vs. insurance. Their A-Level requirements (AAA vs A*AA) place them in slightly different academic-strictness tiers. The interview formats diverge — MMI vs Panel — and the prep approaches for the two are fundamentally different.

Side-by-side comparison

Leeds

Leeds

Quick comparison

Location
Leeds, UK
A-Level offer
AAA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology
TrueScore
1850
UCAT home cut-off
~1850+/2700 minimum
Interview format
Five-station MMI (online)
Post-interview chance
All applicants (2025): 76/547 = 14% headline, but ~25% in reality (the 547 includes Dental Hygiene & Therapy applicants - likely ~400 dentistry interviews for 76 places + waitlist offers).
Decision date
March onwards

Queen Mary (QMUL)

London

Quick comparison

Location
London, UK
A-Level offer
A*AA at A-level (offer and prediction) — single sitting, no more than 2 years. UCAS Tariff minimum 152 (A*AA delivers this).
TrueScore
2070
UCAT home cut-off
~2070+/2700
Interview format
Two-interviewer panel, online (January–February)
Post-interview chance
2025 - All applicants: 182/267 = 68%. Overseas: 13/22 = 59%.
Decision date
Spring
Compare different schools

Leeds vs Queen Mary (QMUL) - in detail

UCAT thresholds compared

Leeds's published UCAT threshold for home applicants is around 1850, while Queen Mary (QMUL) sits at approximately 2070. The 220-point spread matters: Leeds offers slightly more headroom for an average-strong UCAT, while Queen Mary (QMUL) expects performance closer to the national 75th-90th percentile. Contextual / widening-participation cut-offs differ — Leeds: ~1670+/2700; Queen Mary (QMUL): not separately disclosed. Eligible applicants should weight this heavily when choosing.

A-Level and academic profile

Leeds requires AAA including chemistry and biology. One resit attempt accepted (full A-levels), unless mitigating circumstances. If re-sitting Level 3 qualifications, extenuating circumstances should be highlighted in the reference.. Queen Mary (QMUL) requires A*AA in single sitting, no more than 2 years. Must include biology or chemistry + second science from chemistry/biology/physics/maths. Resit only with extenuating circumstances under Equality and Diversity Act 2010.. Queen Mary (QMUL) is the stricter A-Level offer; Leeds is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, Leeds carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview. GCSE profile matters at both schools — Leeds: AAA at A-Level including Chemistry and Biology. 8 GCSEs scored - strong profile expected. Queen Mary (QMUL): AAA at A-Level including Chemistry and Biology. Min 6 GCSEs at grade 6+.

Interview formats

Leeds uses MMI (Five-station MMI (online)); Queen Mary (QMUL) uses Panel (Two-interviewer panel, online (January–February)). These two formats reward different skills — MMI emphasises breadth, station-recovery and structured answers under time pressure, while Panel rewards depth and consistency. If your strengths lie in conversational depth, Queen Mary (QMUL) may suit you more. If you prefer discrete capsule answers under time pressure, Leeds is the better fit. Interview windows: Leeds interviews in December – February; Queen Mary (QMUL) in January – February.

Curriculum and teaching style

Both schools deliver a Integrated-style curriculum, so day-to-day study habits will feel similar across years 1-3. Specifics: Five-year BChD with integrated science and clinical practice. Clinical placements at Leeds Dental Institute and Yorkshire community sites. Five-year BDS at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Clinical placements at Royal London Dental Hospital and East London community Intake size: Leeds — ~80 home + ~10 international places per year for BChD Dentistry.; Queen Mary (QMUL) — ~80 home + ~20 international places per year for BDS Dentistry (Barts and The London).. A larger cohort means more peer breadth; a smaller cohort means more tutor contact.

Post-interview offer rate

Leeds: All applicants (2025): 76/547 = 14% headline, but ~25% in reality (the 547 includes Dental Hygiene & Therapy applicants - likely ~400 dentistry interviews for 76 places + waitlist offers).. Queen Mary (QMUL): 2025 - All applicants: 182/267 = 68%. Overseas: 13/22 = 59%.. 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

Leeds: Total score combines UCAT, academic record (achieved/predicted A-levels + GCSEs) and personal statement. Personal statement is also scored, so it is worth tailoring specifically for Leeds. Queen Mary (QMUL): QMUL-specific 4th decile minimum (2361 for 2024 + 2025). Anyone exceeding the UCAT cut-off gets an interview - higher predictions don't change anything. SJT band 4 automatically rejected.

Which is right for you?

If your UCAT lands below the UK median (~2500/3600), Leeds is the more realistic firm-choice option. For applicants with predicted A-Level grades at the lower end of the AAA-A*AA range, Leeds is the lower-risk academic option. Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — Leeds feeds into the England foundation programme network; Queen Mary (QMUL) into the London 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

Leeds's typical home cut-off is around 1850, while Queen Mary (QMUL) sits at approximately 2070 — a 220-point spread. That's a meaningful gap; Leeds is materially more accessible for an average-to-good UCAT, while Queen Mary (QMUL) expects performance closer to the top 43% 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.

Leeds uses Multiple Mini Interviews: Five-station MMI (online). Queen Mary (QMUL) uses Panel interview: Two-interviewer panel, online (January–February). 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 (Leeds); January – February (Queen Mary (QMUL)).

Leeds requires AAA including chemistry and biology. One resit attempt accepted (full A-levels), unless mitigating circumstances. If re-sitting Level 3 qualifications, extenuating circumstances should be highlighted in the reference.. Queen Mary (QMUL) requires A*AA in single sitting, no more than 2 years. Must include biology or chemistry + second science from chemistry/biology/physics/maths. Resit only with extenuating circumstances under Equality and Diversity Act 2010.. Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school. Resit policies differ: Leeds — From 2026 entry: one A-Level resit attempt accepted.. Queen Mary (QMUL) — Resits considered with explanation..

Leeds — AAA at A-Level including Chemistry and Biology. 8 GCSEs scored - strong profile expected. Queen Mary (QMUL) — AAA at A-Level including Chemistry and Biology. Min 6 GCSEs at grade 6+.

Leeds's selection methodology: Combined UCAT + GCSE + A-Level prediction score. MMI interview. Queen Mary (QMUL)'s selection methodology: UCAT + academic + MMI. SJT used post-interview. Strong East London focus. 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.

Leeds: All applicants (2025): 76/547 = 14% headline, but ~25% in reality (the 547 includes Dental Hygiene & Therapy applicants - likely ~400 dentistry interviews for 76 places + waitlist offers).. Queen Mary (QMUL): 2025 - All applicants: 182/267 = 68%. Overseas: 13/22 = 59%.. 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%.

Leeds is in Leeds, UK. Queen Mary (QMUL) is in London, 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).

Leeds typically releases dentistry decisions March onwards. Queen Mary (QMUL) releases dentistry decisions Spring. 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.

Leeds runs a Integrated curriculum. Queen Mary (QMUL) runs a Integrated curriculum. Both schools deliver teaching in the same broad style, so day-to-day study habits will feel similar. Leeds specifics: Five-year BChD with integrated science and clinical practice. Clinical placements at Leeds Dental Institute and Yorkshire community sites. Queen Mary (QMUL) specifics: Five-year BDS at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. Clinical placements at Royal London Dental Hospital and East London 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.