Which has a higher post-interview offer rate, Queen's University Belfast or UCLan (Graduate Dentistry)?

Queen's University Belfast: All applicants (2024): 87/204 = 43%.. UCLan (Graduate Dentistry): 38/120 = 32% (2025).. 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%.

Where are Queen's University Belfast and UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) located, and how does that affect cost?

Queen's University Belfast is in Belfast, UK. UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) is in Preston, 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?

Queen's University Belfast typically releases dentistry decisions March onwards. UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) 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

Queen's University Belfast vs UCLan (Graduate Dentistry)

Queen's University Belfast and UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) are both UK dental schools, but the path to an offer at each is meaningfully different. Queen's University Belfast is based in Belfast (Northern Ireland) while UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) sits in Preston (England), and the regional context shapes everything from fee status to NHS-deanery destination.

Their UCAT thresholds are remarkably close (within ~0 points), so the deciding factors are GCSE weighting, interview format and personal-statement use. Their A-Level requirements (AAA vs CCC) place them in slightly different academic-strictness tiers.

Side-by-side comparison

Show only differences

Side-by-side comparison: Queen's University Belfast and UCLan (Graduate Dentistry).
Comparison field	Queen's University BelfastBelfast	UCLan (Graduate Dentistry)Preston
Quick comparison
Location	Belfast, UK	Preston, UK
A-Level offer	AAA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology (or Human Biology)	CCC at A-level minimum (in addition to degree) including 2 of Biology / Physics / Chemistry / Mathematics
TrueScore	Queen's University Belfast TrueScore 1750	UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) TrueScore 1810
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.	Lowest UCAT score for 2025 entry: ~1810+ /2700
Interview format	MMI / panel format	MMI for both UK and international applicants
Post-interview chance	All applicants (2024): 87/204 = 43%.	38/120 = 32% (2025).
Decision date	March onwards	Spring

A-Level offer	AAA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology (or Human Biology)	CCC at A-level minimum (in addition to degree) including 2 of Biology / Physics / Chemistry / Mathematics
Contextual A-Level offer	-	-
Required A-Level subjects	Chemistry and Biology (or Human Biology) both required	At least 2 of Biology / Physics / Chemistry / Mathematics
A-Level resit policy	Resits only for applicants who applied to QUB Dentistry on first attempt and held an offer (if made) as conditional firm — then awarded 36/36 on academics	Not applicable to graduate entry.
GCSE requirements	Minimum 9 GCSEs scored — best 9 GCSEs are used in shortlisting	GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade 6/B or above
GCSE scoring methodology	Best 9 GCSEs scored /36: A*/9 = 4 pts, A/7-8 = 3 pts, B/6 = 2 pts, C/4-5 = 1 pt. GCSE = 80% of pre-interview score (UCAT 20%). Half points for GCSE short courses. Additional grade As may distinguish e…	-
Scottish Highers	-	-
Scottish Advanced Highers	-	-
International Baccalaureate	36 points overall, 666 at Higher Level including Chemistry and Biology	-
Graduate-entry degree requirement	-	2:1 (Upper-second-class Honours) or above in a Biomedical discipline. UK and international applicants accepted — only one offer per cycle goes to an international applicant.
Alternative qualifications	International applicants: no UCAT needed; assessed holistically (PS + reference + academic). 15 overseas places.	Personal statements no longer used in selection. UCAT + degree class + MMI drive the ranking.

Contextual cut-off	Different combinations valid - very low deciles accepted with 9× grade 9s at GCSE	-
Scottish (where applicable)	-	-
Rest of UK (where applicable)	-	-
International cut-off	No UCAT needed; assessed holistically. 15 overseas places.	~1810+ /2700 (same as home threshold; only 1 international offer per year)
Graduate cut-off	-	-
SJT band	No use of SJT in selection	Not specified - selection is UCAT + academic + interview
UCAT notes	Old system: UCAT /6 (lower deciles = 0 pts; top decile = 6 pts). New: UCAT /9 by decile (≤10th = 0 pts, >90th = 9 pts). Half points for GCSE short courses. Additional A grades may distinguish equal sc…	Personal statements no longer used. Slight variation in stats across sources (32 vs 38 offers).

Degree awarded	BDS	BDS
Course length	5 years	4 years (graduate entry, direct into 2nd BDS)
Teaching style	Integrated	Integrated
Anatomy teaching	-	-
First patient contact	Year 1	-
Placement geography	Belfast	Lancashire and Cumbria
Named placement sites	Royal Victoria Hospital, Grosvenor Road, Belfast	Blackpool Dental Education Centre, Morecambe Dental Education Centre, Accrington Dental Education Centre, Carlisle Dental Education Centre
Intercalation	-	-
Course highlight	-	The course recruits 29 students a year.

Interview window	December – February	Spring
Interview details	-	MMI for both UK and international applicants. About 32-38 offers from 120 interviews (around 30%). Personal statements no longer used in selection; performance is driven by UCAT and interview.

Specialities	Dentistry (BDS)	Graduate Entry Dentistry (BDS)
Established	1845	1828
Course type	Undergraduate	Graduate Entry
What makes it different	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…	Both UK and international applicants accepted - only one offer made each year to an international applicant. 2025: 353 applicants, 120 interviews, 38 offers (32%). Personal statements no longer used.
Official course page	-	https://www.lancashire.ac.uk/

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: Queen's University Belfast 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

UCLan (Graduate Dentistry)

Preston

Quick comparison

Location: Preston, UK
A-Level offer: CCC at A-level minimum (in addition to degree) including 2 of Biology / Physics / Chemistry / Mathematics
TrueScore: UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) TrueScore 1810
UCAT home cut-off: Lowest UCAT score for 2025 entry: ~1810+ /2700
Interview format: MMI for both UK and international applicants
Post-interview chance: 38/120 = 32% (2025).
Decision date: Spring

Queen's University Belfast vs UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) - in detail

UCAT thresholds compared

Queen's University Belfast's published UCAT threshold for home applicants is around 2025, while UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) sits at approximately 2025.

Their UCAT bars are statistically indistinguishable (within 0 points), so the UCAT is unlikely to be your differentiator between them.

Contextual / widening-participation cut-offs differ — Queen's University Belfast: Different combinations valid - very low deciles accepted with 9× grade 9s at GCSE; UCLan (Graduate Dentistry): not separately disclosed. Eligible applicants should weight this heavily when choosing.

A-Level and academic profile

Queen's University Belfast requires AAA at A-level including Chemistry and Biology (or Human Biology).

UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) requires CCC at A-level minimum (in addition to degree) including 2 of Biology / Physics / Chemistry / Mathematics.

Queen's University Belfast is the stricter A-Level offer; UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) is slightly more forgiving. If your predicted grades are borderline, UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) carries the lower academic-rejection risk pre-interview.

GCSE profile matters at both schools — Queen's University Belfast: Minimum 9 GCSEs scored — best 9 GCSEs are used in shortlisting. Best 9 GCSEs scored /36: A*/9 = 4 pts, A/7-8 = 3 pts, B/6 = 2 pts, C/4-5 = 1 pt. GCSE = 80% of pre-interview score (UCAT 20%).

Half… UCLan (Graduate Dentistry): GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade 6/B or above.

Interview formats

Both Queen's University Belfast and UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) 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: Queen's University Belfast runs mmi / panel format; UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) runs mmi for both uk and international applicants. Mock practice tailored to each school's exact format is the highest-leverage prep.

Interview windows: Queen's University Belfast interviews in December – February; UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) in Spring.

Post-interview offer rate

Queen's University Belfast: All applicants (2024): 87/204 = 43%. UCLan (Graduate Dentistry): 38/120 = 32% (2025).

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

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.

UCLan (Graduate Dentistry): Both UK and international applicants accepted - only one offer made each year to an international applicant. 2025: 353 applicants, 120 interviews, 38 offers (32%). Personal statements no longer used.

Which is right for you?

For applicants with predicted A-Level grades at the lower end of the AAA-A*AA range, UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) is the lower-risk academic option. Regionally, the choice often comes down to cost of living and NHS-deanery preferences — Queen's University Belfast feeds into the Northern Ireland foundation programme network; UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) into the England 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

Queen's University Belfast's typical home cut-off is around 2025, while UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) sits at approximately 2025 — a 0-point spread. The spread is small enough that other factors (GCSE weighting, interview score, contextual flags) usually dominate the firm/insurance decision. Cut-offs change year on year and vary by tier — check each school's latest published threshold before submitting your UCAS form.

Queen's University Belfast uses Multiple Mini Interviews: MMI / panel format. UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) uses Multiple Mini Interviews: MMI for both UK and international applicants. 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: December – February (Queen's University Belfast); Spring (UCLan (Graduate Dentistry)).

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.. UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) requires 2:1 in biomedical discipline. GCSE English and maths grade B. CCC at A-level including 2 from biology/physics/chemistry/maths.. Most successful applicants achieve these grades on first sitting with strong predicted grades from their school.

Queen's University Belfast — Minimum 9 GCSEs scored — best 9 GCSEs are used in shortlisting. Best 9 GCSEs scored /36: A*/9 = 4 pts, A/7-8 = 3 pts, B/6 = 2 pts, C/4-5 = 1 pt. GCSE = 80% of pre-interview score (UCAT 20%). Half points for GCSE short courses. Additional grade As may distinguish equal scores. UCLan (Graduate Dentistry) — GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade 6/B or above.

Queen's University Belfast's selection methodology: shortlisting weight not fully disclosed; check the official admissions page. UCLan (Graduate Dentistry)'s selection methodology: UCAT + degree class + interview. Strong North-West regional 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.

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

Queen's University BelfastEntry requirements, interview format and key dates in full

UCLan (Graduate Dentistry)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.