UCAT for Dentists and Physician Associates
UCAT for Dentists and Physician Associates
Dentistry
UK Dental Schools Overview
• The following UK dental schools offer undergraduate or graduate entry courses:
Undergraduate Entry:
Queen’s Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Dundee, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, King’s College London, Barts & The London (QMUL), Manchester, Newcastle, Plymouth, Sheffield.
Graduate-entry only schools:
Aberdeen, UCLan.
Postgraduate-only:
UCL, Edinburgh
Admissions Tests
• UCAT: Needed for nearly all undergraduate dental programmes.
• Graduate entry dentistry: Can require UCAT or GAMSAT depending on the school (e.g., Plymouth, St George’s, Nottingham, Swansea).
How Universities Use UCAT
• Some schools have strict cut-offs; others use UCAT holistically alongside academics, personal statements, and interviews.
• Research each university carefully to understand how they weigh UCAT scores.
• Careful research can reveal past successful applicant UCAT ranges—useful for assessing competitiveness.
Choosing Where to Apply
• Don’t just focus on UCAT scores. Consider:
o Academic requirements
o Personal statement & interview expectations
o Work experience requirements
o Course style (problem-based learning, early clinical exposure, etc.)
o Location and student support
Strengthening Your Application
• Personal statement: Show qualities like empathy, teamwork, motivation, and communication. Use real examples from voluntary work, school, or healthcare experience.
• Get feedback from teachers, mentors, or dental professionals.
Work Experience & Networking
• Shadow dentists / PAs in NHS, private, or mixed practices, as appropriate.
• Explore different dental roles (dentists, nurses, researchers) and different PA workplaces (hospital, GP surgeries, ambulances, etc.)
• Networking can lead to valuable experience for your application.
Dentistry schools: Cambridge Clinical Summaries
University | UCAT policy | SJT usage | Thresholds / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
University of Aberdeen | Weighted: Academic 60% + UCAT 40%; no strict cut-off | Not scored; may be used in offer decisions when scores are similar | 2023 interview minimums: 2110 (Home), 2460 (RUK) |
University of Birmingham | No minimum cut-off; used if you meet academic/non-academic criteria | Band not used currently (may change) | - |
University of Bristol | Total UCAT (excl. SJT) used to select for interview | Not used | 2025 interview threshold: 3070 (varies yearly) |
Cardiff University | Points from total UCAT + SJT; no cut-offs | SJT scored | Tie-breaker typically UCAT score |
University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) | UCAT used to rank prior to interview | Not specified | - |
University of Dundee | Selection based on academics + UCAT (excl. SJT); no cut-off | Not used | - |
University of Glasgow | UCAT used to select required number for interview; dynamic threshold | Not specified | Threshold varies and not released during cycle |
King’s College London | Emphasis on overall average across 3 cognitive subtests; | SJT considered | UG: ranked on GCSEs, UCAT, contextual; Grad entry: ranked on UCAT first, then full review |
University of Leeds | Application reviewed on academics (past/predicted) + UCAT | Not specified | - |
University of Liverpool | No UCAT cut-off; UCAT considered with Non-Academic Info Questionnaire | Band 4 unlikely to be considered | - |
University of Manchester | Ranked by overall UCAT; academics may be used too | Band 4 not considered; Bands 1–2 prioritised over Band 3 | - |
Newcastle University | After minimum academics, ranked by UCAT; threshold varies | Not specified | Threshold changes each year |
Plymouth University | UCAT used alongside A-levels/GCSEs | Not specified | Cut-offs: 2025: 2690; 2024: 2610; 2023: 2650 |
Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) | Weighted score (UCAT + UCAS tariff); below 4th decile not considered | Band 4 not considered | Threshold changes each year |
Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) | UCAT score + GCSE points; ranked on combined score | Implicitly in scoring | Interview thresholds: 2024: ≥38; 2023: ≥37; 2022/2021: ≥33 |
University of Sheffield | UCAT cognitive supports screening; must be average or above; VR prioritised as tiebreaker | Bands 1–3 accepted; Bands 1–2 prioritised | - |
Key patterns and takeaways:
• No fixed UCAT cut-off (but used in ranking/weighting) at the following universities: Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cardiff, Dundee, Glasgow (varies, undisclosed), Liverpool, Manchester (but Band 4 excluded), Newcastle (varies), Leeds, UCLan.
• Known/explicit thresholds:
o Bristol: very high and variable (e.g., 3070 for 2025).
o Plymouth: published recent cut-offs (2025: 2690; 2024: 2610; 2023: 2650).
o Aberdeen: historic interview minima for 2023 (Home 2110; RUK 2460).
o QUB: combined points thresholds (varied 33–38 in recent years).
• SJT handling:
o Not scored or not used: Aberdeen (not scored; may break ties), Birmingham (not used currently), Bristol/Dundee (excluded), Sheffield (Bands 1–3 only; 1–2 prioritized).
o Considered/used: Cardiff (scored), King’s (considered), Liverpool (Band 4 unlikely), Manchester (Band 4 excluded; Band 1–2 preferred), QMUL (Band 4 excluded).
Application strategy by UCAT profile
• Very high UCAT (≈3000+):
o Strong options: Bristol, Newcastle, King’s, QMUL, Sheffield, Plymouth.
• High UCAT (≈2700–2990):
o Competitive at: Plymouth (recent cut-offs ≤2690–2650), Aberdeen (historic minima lower), Dundee, Liverpool, Manchester (Bands 1–2 SJT helpful), Newcastle (depends yearly).
• Mid UCAT (≈2400–2690):
o Consider: Aberdeen (esp. Home applicants), Liverpool, Cardiff (scored holistically), Dundee, UCLan, Glasgow/Leeds (contextual and academics important).
• Lower UCAT (<2400):
o Focus on schools with strong academic weighting and no strict cut-offs: Aberdeen (weighted 60/40), Liverpool (holistic with NAQ), Cardiff (points system), UCLan. Strong academics, personal statement, and SJT Bands 1–2 can help.
• SJT Band considerations:
o Band 4 is risky or disqualifying at several schools (Liverpool, Manchester, QMUL, Sheffield).
o Bands 1–2 often confer advantage (Manchester, Sheffield; generally viewed favourably).
Notes:
• Thresholds vary annually with cohort performance and applicant volume.
• Always check the latest admissions pages before applying; policies can change (e.g., Birmingham notes SJT policy may change).
Physician Associate
University | Programme / Degree Type | UCAT requirements | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
University of Manchester | MSc / Postgraduate PA / PA Studies | If you have taken UCAT: automatic interview if total cognitive score in top third + SJT Band 1 or 2; SJT Band 4 = excluded | Applicants who have not taken UCAT are still considered via normal shortlisting |
St George’s, University of London | MPAS / Physician Associate Studies | 500 minimum in each UCAT section, plus a yearly overall cut-off is used. UCAT is used to select for interview and for wait-listing | Standard entry requirements include a 2:2 or above in a life science or healthcare subject; must apply via usual channels. |
University of Sheffield | MMedSci / PA Studies | No evidence of a UCAT requirement in their published entry criteria | They require a 2:1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject |
Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) | MSc PA Studies | No specific mention of UCAT on their PA programme page | They require a 2:1 or equivalent in a biological, biomedical, or health professions degree |
Brunel University | MSc PA | No mention of UCAT requirement in the publicly available programme information | They require a First or 2:1 in life/health sciences |
Observations & Advice
Summary:
• Manchester: UCAT gives a big advantage (automatic interview if top third + Band 1/2), but not compulsory.
• St George’s: UCAT is mandatory, with section minimums and an overall cut-off.
• Many PA programmes do not list UCAT as a mandatory requirement — for some, it’s optional or only used if already taken (e.g. Manchester). This may change going forward.
• Some programmes (like St George’s) treat UCAT as a filtering tool (i.e., you must meet section minima and overall cut-offs).
• Always check for SJT band restrictions (Manchester excludes Band 4) when UCAT is used.
• If a university doesn’t mention UCAT at all, it often means they don’t use it (or at least not publicly) — they may rely more on academic record, reference, statement, interview, and experience.