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Leeds — Dentistry
Figures are on the current UCAT scale of 2700 unless a cell says otherwise.
Leeds - Dentistry
BChD Dental Surgery (A200), 5 years
How this university scores applications, with the figures it publishes.
High level summary
Simple summary. Excruciating detail below.
| Question | Answer |
|---|
| Is there a score to clear? | No. The UCAT is folded into one overall score along with other things, so a lower UCAT can be offset by a stronger score elsewhere, and a high one can be dragged down the same way. |
| How to read the UCAT figures here | Only the lowest score is published. It belongs to one applicant, usually one who was strong somewhere else. Matching it is not the same as being competitive. |
| What else counts | GCSEs are a gate. Meeting the minimum is what counts; beating it earns nothing.
The SJT band is a gate. Clear it; a better band earns nothing more. |
| The odds | Of every 100 who applied, about 24 were interviewed.
(All applicants, 2024 entry (released under FOI).) |
| Where it is decided | Before interview. Most applicants never get one, so the score does most of the work here. |
UCAT requirements
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| SJT bands 3 and 4 | Exclude the applicant |
| Personal statement | Only statements relevant to dentistry are accepted |
| Resits | One resit attempt allowed. Access to Leeds offers up to two grades lower |
| Access to Leeds | Offers up to two grades lower |
Released under FOI - applications, interviews and places, A200
| Entry year | Applications | Interviews offered | Places |
|---|
| 2023 | 673 | 480 | 72 |
| 2024 | 2202 | 520 | 70 |
What Leeds refuses to release
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Withheld | UCAT cut-off, average, highest and lowest scores of successful applicants. Leeds has since published the lowest score SHORTLISTED on its own website, which is a narrower figure than the ones refused |
| Exemption cited | Section 36(2)(c) FOIA - prejudice to the effective conduct of public affairs |
| Leeds' argument | Releasing scores would encourage applicants to target specific numbers and undermine holistic admissions |
| Confirmed by Leeds | There is no predetermined UCAT cut-off |
| Also confirmed | GCSEs are reviewed at initial screening but not after shortlisting; personal statements are considered; work experience is not mandatory |
| Note | Section 36 is a qualified exemption and does not require a qualified person's opinion for statistical information. See the Read me for the challenge routes |
Deferrals
| Entry year | Deferred students |
|---|
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 8 |
Summary of the selection model
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Scoring approach | Strictest SJT rule in UK dentistry - bands 3 AND 4 both exclude, where most schools only exclude band 4. Only personal statements relevant to dentistry are accepted. One resit attempt allowed. Access to Leeds offers up to two grades lower |
| UCAT | Required. SJT band 3 or 4 excludes the applicant |
| UCAT threshold | No cut-off. Lowest shortlisted 2026 entry, of 2700: 1720 UK, 1590 widening participation, 1740 international. SJT band 3 or 4 excludes |
| UCAT lowest accepted | Lowest shortlisted, 2026 entry, of 2700: 1720 UK, 1590 widening participation, 1740 international. The widening participation figure is 130 points below the standard one. |
| UCAT average accepted | Unknown. Leeds refused the mean, the highest and the distribution under section 36(2)(c). |
| Interview format | Online MMI |
| Data status | Lowest shortlisted scores published. Mean, highest and distribution still refused under section 36(2)(c) |
Source
FOI via WhatDoTheyKnow: University of Leeds, application, interview and place counts released; UCAT scores refused under section 36(2)(c) | Web: https://www.dentalschoolscouncil.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/DSC-Entry-Requirements-entry-2026.pdf ; https://medicinehealth.leeds.ac.uk/homepage/248/understanding-ucat (lowest shortlisted scores, read 17 September 2026)
Lowest UCAT score shortlisted for interview, A200
| Entry year | UK students | Widening participation | International students | Scale |
|---|
| 2026 entry | 1720 | 1590 | 1740 | of 2700 |
| 2025 entry | 2500 | 2260 | 2290 | of 3600 |
| 2024 entry | 2730 | 2190 | 2800 | of 3600 |
Entry requirements
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Country | England |
| Course (UCAS code) | BChD Dental Surgery (A200), 5 years |
| GCSE | Minimum six GCSEs at grade 6 including Chemistry, Biology (or Dual Science), English and Maths |
| A level | AAA including Biology and Chemistry. General Studies and Critical Thinking excluded |
| Scottish Highers / Advanced Highers | Contact admissions |
| IB | 35 points including 6 in HL Chemistry and Biology plus a further HL at 6 |
| English language | IELTS 7.5 overall with no less than 7.5 in Spoken English (university requirement for Leeds medicine and dentistry) |
| Resits accepted? | Yes, with conditions - one resit attempt |
Volumes, places and competition
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Figures cover | All applicants, 2024 entry (released under FOI) |
| Places | 70 |
| Applications | 2202 |
| Interviewed | 520 |
| Interviews per place | 7.43 |
| Previous years - application year and UCAT figure | No figures published. SJT bands 3 and 4 exclude the applicant |
Further detail
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Course type | Standard entry |
| Degree requirement (graduate routes) | Unknown |
How the UCAT is turned into a score
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Is a UCAT points conversion published? | No points conversion has been published. What the University does say about the UCAT is in the row below. |
| How the UCAT is used, in the University’s own words | Strictest SJT rule in UK dentistry - bands 3 AND 4 both exclude, where most schools only exclude band 4. Only personal statements relevant to dentistry are accepted. One resit attempt allowed. Access to Leeds offers up to two grades lower No cut-off. Lowest shortlisted 2026 entry, of 2700: 1720 UK, 1590 widening participation, 1740 international. SJT band 3 or 4 excludes |
Entry requirements and places, as shown on the comparison table
| Item | Detail |
|---|
| Degree requirement | Unknown |
| SJT - how the band is used | Bands 3 AND 4 both exclude the applicant. This is the strictest SJT rule in UK dentistry. |