Where are Leeds and Queen Mary (QMUL) located, and how does that affect cost?

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).

When does each school release decisions?

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.

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. 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

Show only differences

Side-by-side comparison: Leeds and Queen Mary (QMUL).
Comparison field	LeedsLeeds	Queen Mary (QMUL)London
Quick comparison
Location	Leeds, UK	London, UK
A-Level offer	AAA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology	AAA at A-level (offer and prediction) — single sitting, no more than 2 years. UCAS Tariff minimum 152 (AAA delivers this).
TrueScore	Leeds TrueScore 1850	Queen Mary (QMUL) TrueScore 2210
UCAT home cut-off	~1850+/2700 minimum	Expressed as a decile, not a raw score: applications below the fourth decile of the total UCAT do not pass first shortlisting, and clearing it guarantees nothing.
Interview format	Five-station MMI (online)	Two-interviewer panel, online (January–February)
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).	2025 - All applicants: 182/267 = 68%. Overseas: 13/22 = 59%.
Decision date	March onwards	Spring

A-Level offer	AAA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology	AAA at A-level (offer and prediction) — single sitting, no more than 2 years. UCAS Tariff minimum 152 (AAA delivers this).
Contextual A-Level offer	-	Reduced offer available for East London / contextual applicants
Required A-Level subjects	Chemistry and Biology both required	Biology or Chemistry required, plus a second science from Chemistry / Biology / Physics / Mathematics
A-Level resit policy	One resit attempt at full A-levels accepted (unless mitigating circumstances allow further). Extenuating circumstances for resit candidates should be highlighted in the reference.	Resits only with extenuating circumstances falling under the Equality and Diversity Act 2010
GCSE requirements	Minimum 6 GCSEs (or National 5 at grade B) including English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology (or Dual Science). 8 grade 8/9s ideal — closer to Cardiff-style profile.	Six GCSEs at grade 7,7,7,6,6,6 (777666) or above, must include Mathematics, English Language or Literature, Biology and Chemistry (or Double Science). GCSEs are not required for graduate applicants.
GCSE scoring methodology	GCSE forms part of total ranking score alongside achieved/predicted A-levels and UCAT. A high academic score can compensate for a lower UCAT, and vice versa. Personal statement is also scored.	Used as minimum threshold once met — UCAT and UCAS tariff drive the ranking. No longer at a 50:50 UCAS:UCAT weighting.
Scottish Highers	Option (a) AABBB at Higher (with AA at Advanced Higher in Biology + Chemistry); option (b) AAABB at Higher with A in Chemistry or Biology (plus A at Advanced Higher in the other); or option (c) AAAAAA at Higher including Biology and Chemistry	AAA at Higher
Scottish Advanced Highers	AA at Advanced Higher in Biology and Chemistry (option a); or A at Advanced Higher in Biology or Chemistry (option b combined with Higher specification)	AA at Advanced Higher
International Baccalaureate	35 points overall, including HL 6 in Chemistry and HL 6 in Biology plus a further Higher Level at grade 6. English required at Higher or Standard Level (grade 5 minimum if not at GCSE).	37 points overall, 666 at Higher Level including Chemistry or Biology, plus one further science from Chemistry / Biology / Physics / Mathematics
Graduate-entry degree requirement	2:1 (Upper-second-class Honours) or above in any honours degree. UCAT still required.	2:1 (Upper-second-class Honours) or above. Graduate qualifications scored via QMUL's internal Academic Points system (50/50 UCAT:Academic Points). No GCSE requirement for graduates.
Alternative qualifications	-	-

Contextual cut-off	~1670+/2700	-
Scottish (where applicable)	-	-
Rest of UK (where applicable)	-	-
International cut-off	~1690+/2700	-
Graduate cut-off	-	-
SJT band	No use of SJT in selection (academic + UCAT + PS scoring)	Band 4 automatically rejected. Used post-interview in offer-making (likely minimal weighting).
UCAT notes	2024 thresholds were notably higher. Personal statement scored.	Queen Mary states that thresholds cannot be predicted for any individual year, nor derived from previous years - which is why the bar is published as a decile rather than a score. Applicants above the…

Degree awarded	BChD	BDS
Course length	5 years	5 years
Teaching style	Integrated	Integrated
Anatomy teaching	-	-
First patient contact	Year 1	-
Placement geography	Leeds, Bradford and Hull	East London
Named placement sites	Leeds Dental Institute	The Royal London Dental Institute
Intercalation	-	-
Course highlight	Clinical areas covered include restorative dentistry, oral surgery, children’s dentistry, oral radiography and radiology, and oral medicine.	The Institute of Dentistry moved into the Alexandra Wing of The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel in 2014 — a £78 million building, the first new dental school built in the UK for over 40 years.

Interview window	December – February	January – February
Interview details	Five-station MMI format, currently virtual. Familiarity with key benefits and challenges of NHS dentistry expected, plus practising ethical scenarios and beyond a dentistry-specific context. Successfu…	Online panel interview with two senior academic/clinical staff, a dental student, or sometimes a lay selector. Split into two parts: (1) questions based on an article given 2 weeks prior; (2) personal…

Specialities	Dentistry (BDS)	Dentistry (BDS)
Established	1831	1843
Course type	Undergraduate	Undergraduate
What makes it different	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 applies a fourth-decile minimum on the total UCAT: below it an application does not pass first shortlisting, and clearing it guarantees nothing. The bar is published as a decile rather than…
Official course page	https://courses.leeds.ac.uk/course-search/undergraduate-courses?query=dentistry	https://www.qmul.ac.uk/undergraduate/coursefinder/courses/2026/dentistry/

Leeds

Quick comparison

Location: Leeds, UK
A-Level offer: AAA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology
TrueScore: Leeds 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: Queen Mary (QMUL) TrueScore 2210
UCAT home cut-off: Expressed as a decile, not a raw score: applications below the fourth decile of the total UCAT do not pass first shortlisting, and clearing it guarantees nothing.
Interview format: Two-interviewer panel, online (January–February)
Post-interview chance: 2025 - All applicants: 182/267 = 68%. Overseas: 13/22 = 59%.
Decision date: Spring

Leeds vs Queen Mary (QMUL) - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Leeds requires AAA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology.

Queen Mary (QMUL) requires A*AA at A-level (offer and prediction) — single sitting, no more than 2 years. UCAS Tariff minimum 152 (A*AA delivers this).

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: Minimum 6 GCSEs (or National 5 at grade B) including English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology (or Dual Science). 8 grade 8/9s ideal — closer to Cardiff-style profile.

GCSE forms part of… Queen Mary (QMUL): Six GCSEs at grade 7,7,7,6,6,6 (777666) or above, must include Mathematics, English Language or Literature, Biology and Chemistry (or Double Science). GCSEs are not required for graduate applicants…

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

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): Queen Mary applies a fourth-decile minimum on the total UCAT: below it an application does not pass first shortlisting, and clearing it guarantees nothing. The bar is published as a decile rather than a score because the boundary moves with each cohort, and Queen Mary states thresholds cannot be predicted from previous years.

Higher predicted grades do not compensate. SJT band 4 automatically rejected.

Which is right for you?

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

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. Leeds guidance: ~1850+/2700 minimum. Queen Mary (QMUL) guidance: Expressed as a decile, not a raw score: applications below the fourth decile of the total UCAT do not pass first shortlisting, and clearing it guarantees nothing..

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 — Minimum 6 GCSEs (or National 5 at grade B) including English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology (or Dual Science). 8 grade 8/9s ideal — closer to Cardiff-style profile. GCSE forms part of total ranking score alongside achieved/predicted A-levels and UCAT. A high academic score can compensate for a lower UCAT, and vice versa. Personal statement is also scored. Queen Mary (QMUL) — Six GCSEs at grade 7,7,7,6,6,6 (777666) or above, must include Mathematics, English Language or Literature, Biology and Chemistry (or Double Science). GCSEs are not required for graduate applicants. Used as minimum threshold once met — UCAT and UCAS tariff drive the ranking. No longer at a 50:50 UCAS:UCAT weighting.

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 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.

Where to go next

LeedsEntry requirements, interview format and key dates in full

Queen Mary (QMUL)Entry 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.

Leeds vs Queen Mary (QMUL)

Side-by-side comparison

Leeds vs Queen Mary (QMUL) - in detail

A-Level and academic profile

Interview formats

Curriculum and teaching style

Post-interview offer rate

What makes each distinctive

Which is right for you?

Common questions

What UCAT score do I need for Leeds vs Queen Mary (QMUL)?

How do interviews differ between Leeds and Queen Mary (QMUL)?

What A-Level grades do Leeds and Queen Mary (QMUL) require?

How are GCSEs weighted at Leeds vs Queen Mary (QMUL)?

How does each school actually shortlist applicants?

Which has a higher post-interview offer rate, Leeds or Queen Mary (QMUL)?

Where are Leeds and Queen Mary (QMUL) located, and how does that affect cost?

When does each school release decisions?

What curriculum style do Leeds and Queen Mary (QMUL) use?

Should I apply to both Leeds and Queen Mary (QMUL)?

Where to go next

Other dental school comparisons