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Which Dental Schools to Apply to with SJT Band 3 or Band 4

A low SJT band closes fewer doors in dentistry than it does in medicine. Only four dental schools reject Band 4 outright, and most of the rest don't look at the SJT at all. This article sorts every UK dental school by how much weight it gives the SJT, so you can spend your UCAS choices where a low band won't count against you.

Schools that outright reject Band 4

There are 4 dental schools that reject applicants with an SJT Band 4, regardless of the strength of the rest of the application:

  • LiverpoolBand 4 is not considered a competitive score
  • QMULBand 4 is auto-rejected at first shortlisting
  • ManchesterBand 3 or 4 is an automatic rejection
  • SheffieldYou need Band 1 or 2; Bands 3 and 4 are rejected

Two of these, Manchester and Sheffield, reject Band 3 as well. So if you have Band 4, don't use any of your choices on the four schools above, and if you have Band 3, cross off Manchester and Sheffield. Every other UK dental school will still consider you.

Schools where a low SJT band is a disadvantage

These schools will still consider you, but the SJT is scored somewhere in their process, so a low band puts you behind other applicants.

Scored before interview

For these schools, your SJT band is used when calculating your shortlisting score, so a low SJT band can make it harder to get an interview.

  • Liverpool*Up to 20 of the 40 UCAT points come from your SJT band
  • KCLSJT band is ranked alongside your UCAT total, GCSEs and contextual data

*Liverpool also rejects Band 4 outright, so the points only apply to Bands 1 to 3.

Scored at interview or offer stage

For these schools, your SJT band has no effect on whether you get an interview, but it is added to your score afterwards, so a low band can make it harder to turn an interview into an offer.

  • UEACounts inside the interview half of a 50/50 interview-UCAT split
  • QMUL*May be weighed again alongside interview performance at offer stage

*QMUL also rejects Band 4 outright, so this only applies to Bands 1 to 3.

Used only as a tie-break

For this school, the SJT is not scored at all. It is only used to separate applicants who are otherwise tied, so for most people it makes no difference.

  • QUBTie-break between borderline applicants at shortlisting and again after interview

Schools that don't look at SJT

This leaves 7 dental schools that do not look at your SJT band at all. For these schools, applying with SJT Band 1 will be no different to applying with SJT Band 4: your UCAT total, academics and interview do all the work.

*Dundee's published statement only says the SJT isn't used in the initial selection for interview. It is silent about later stages, so don't read it more broadly than that.

So these are good schools to build your list around. This doesn't mean you'll find them easy to get into, since each still has its own UCAT cut-off, academic requirements and interview format. It just means that having a low SJT band will not put you at a disadvantage.

Schools we can't classify yet

Two schools have not published enough for us to say how they treat the SJT. Don't assume they ignore it.

So, where should you apply?

Work through the groups above in order:

  1. 1.Cross off Liverpool, QMUL, Manchester and Sheffield if you have Band 4. With Band 3, cross off Manchester and Sheffield.
  2. 2.Treat KCL, Liverpool, UEA and QMUL with caution. You can apply with a low band, but you are giving away marks that other applicants will have.
  3. 3.Build your list from the seven schools that don't use the SJT. Then check each one's UCAT cut-off, academic requirements and interview format, because those still decide your chances.

With Band 4 you still have 12 of the 16 UK dental schools open to you. A low SJT band changes which schools you should apply to. It does not end your dentistry application.

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Frequently asked questions

Which dental schools reject UCAT SJT Band 4?

Four UK dental schools reject Band 4: Liverpool, QMUL, Manchester and Sheffield. Manchester and Sheffield also reject Band 3.

Which dental schools do not use the SJT at all?

Seven dental schools do not factor the SJT into selection: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Dundee, Glasgow, Newcastle and Plymouth. Dundee's published statement covers initial selection for interview only.

Can I still get into dentistry with SJT Band 4?

Yes. Band 4 rules out four schools but leaves twelve, seven of which do not look at the SJT at all. Choose your UCAS choices from those, then check their UCAT, academic and interview requirements.