University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

All applicants for both the standard five-year (A206) and six-year (A204) courses are required to sit the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT), formerly known as the UKCAT.

We are expecting applicants to offer a UCAT result for our Dentistry course. We advise applicants to keep up-to-date on the most recent guidance for testing on the UCAT website.

About the UCAT

UCAT has been designed to help universities determine whether you have the best combination of mental abilities, attitudes and professional behaviour appropriate for an aspiring doctor or dentist.

The test is taken online at centres throughout the UK and internationally. Its aim is to probe innate skills and competencies rather than test acquired knowledge.

Further details are available through the UCAT website, which you are advised to visit early in the application process. You are strongly advised that the best way to prepare for the test is by practicing the sample questions on the UCAT website.

The UCAT result is valid only for the year in which you apply (either for direct or deferred entry). If you are making a second application, you must retake the UCAT.

Use of the UCAT

Applications for Dentistry are assessed holistically, which means that we use all of the information available to us to arrive at a decision.

Applicants will firstly be ranked according to their overall UCAT score, and then the Academic Lead for Admissions may also assess the applications by taking into account other information.

The primary data taken into account for the holistic assessment includes:

  • academic achievement, including:
    • qualifications that have gone above and beyond the minimum academic entry criteria;
    • qualifications that are both pending (with the predicted grade) and achieved;
  • overall UCAT score, individual subtest scores and Situational Judgement Test band;
  • contextual data flags.

While the Non-Academic Information Form or Personal Statement does not form a part of the primary data we use, we do reserve the right to take this into account at any point during the application process.

Please note that we do not consider applicants who achieve band 4 in the Situational Judgement Test (SJT) element of the UCAT. Applicants with a SJT band 3 are welcome to apply. However, we will prioritise applicants who are in bands 1 and 2.