UCAT Cut Off Scores for All UK Dental Schools (2027 Entry)
Dental schools use the UCAT even more heavily than medical schools, and with only 16 of them the cut-offs are steep. This table shows the lowest UCAT score invited to interview at every UK dental school, taken from their own admissions data, so you can see where your 2026 score is competitive for 2027 entry.
Compare your total against the column below, then use the dentistry selector to check the full picture with your GCSEs and predicted grades. Applying to medicine instead? See the medical school cut-offs.
Cut-offs by dental school (2027 entry)
Home applicants, 2700-point scale, sorted highest to lowest. “Cut-off” is the lowest UCAT total that got an interview in the cycle shown. Figures marked ~ are our estimate for 2027 entry. Figures marked * were converted from the old four-section scale. Click any school for the full entry requirements and sources.
| School | UCAT cut-off | How UCAT is used | SJT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | 23402026 entry | Ranks on UCAT | Any band |
| QMUL | 22102026 entry | UCAT + A-Levels | Band 4 rejected |
| Manchester | 22002026 entry | Ranks on UCAT | Bands 3–4 rejected |
| Birmingham | 21902026 entry | Holistic | Any band |
| Newcastle | 21502026 entry | Ranks on UCAT | Any band |
| Plymouth | 21202026 entry | Ranks on UCAT | Any band |
| Glasgow | 2080~estimate | Ranks on UCAT | Any band |
| UEA | 2050~estimate | Ranks on UCAT | Any band |
| Sheffield | 2020~estimate | Ranks on UCAT | Bands 3–4 rejected |
| KCL | 1910*2024 entry | UCAT + GCSEs + SJT | Band 4 rejected |
| Leeds | 1850*2025 entry | Holistic | Any band |
| Dundee | 1480*2023 entry | Holistic | Any band |
| Cardiff | No fixed cut-off | UCAT + GCSEs | Any band |
| Liverpool | No fixed cut-off | UCAT + SJT | Band 4 rejected |
| Portsmouth | No fixed cut-off | Holistic | Any band |
| QUB | No fixed cut-off | UCAT + GCSEs | Any band |
How to read the table
The spread is wide: Bristol interviewed nobody below 2340, while Dundee went down to 1480. A cut-off is not a target - it is where the interview list stopped last year. Schools that rank on UCAT fill their interview places from the top down, so the cut-off moves every year with the applicant pool and a score just above it is a gamble. Schools that combine UCAT with GCSEs or A-Levels have no single UCAT threshold: a strong academic record can pull a lower UCAT through, which is why their figure is often much lower.
Schools listed as holistic or minimum only use the UCAT as one factor among several, or just as a floor. Your best chance with a modest score is usually there, or at a ranking school whose cut-off sits comfortably below you. The SJT column shows the one thing that can end an application outright: several schools reject Band 4 (or Bands 3 and 4) before they look at anything else.
See where your score actually gets an interview
Enter your UCAT, GCSEs and predicted grades and the selector applies every dental school's published rules - cut-offs, weightings and SJT policy - to show where you are competitive for 2027 entry.
Frequently asked questions
What UCAT score do I need for dentistry?
Dentistry cut-offs are often higher than medicine at the same university, because there are far fewer places. Bristol interviewed nobody below 2340 for 2026 entry, QMUL, Manchester and Birmingham were all above 2190, and Newcastle and Plymouth sat around 2120 to 2150. Schools that weight GCSEs or use the UCAT holistically, such as Cardiff, Dundee and Leeds, interviewed applicants with considerably lower scores.
Which dental schools have the lowest UCAT cut-off?
Dundee, Leeds and KCL have interviewed applicants below 2000, and Cardiff, Liverpool, QUB and Portsmouth score the UCAT alongside academics with no published UCAT-only threshold. Sheffield, UEA and Glasgow sit around 2000 to 2100. These are the schools to target if your score is below 2000.
Do dental schools reject SJT Band 4?
Some do. Manchester and Sheffield reject Bands 3 and 4, and KCL, Liverpool and QMUL reject Band 4. The rest either ignore the SJT or score it as a small component. Check the SJT column before you apply.
Are dentistry UCAT cut-offs the same every year?
No. Most dental schools rank applicants on UCAT and interview from the top down, so the cut-off is wherever the list stopped that year. With small cohorts the figure can move by 100 points or more between cycles, so treat last year's number as a guide to competitiveness rather than a target.
Still working out your score? Convert raw marks with the free UCAT score calculator, then check the full requirements on each school's page above. Policies change each cycle - confirm with the university before you submit.