Admissions FAQ
Please be aware this is a list of the most frequently asked questions from prospective undergraduates including information regarding entry requirements. Other information, including entry dates, the selection and interview processes and widening participation can be found in the online prospectus and School Admissions Statement (pdf, 101Kb).
If you cannot find an answer to your specific question, please email your query to dent-ug-admissions@bris.ac.uk. Sending an admissions-related query to any other email address is likely to result in a substantial delay to you receiving a reply.
1. Prior to applying:
- I have not taken the UKCAT/GAMSAT exam. Can I apply to Bristol?
Yes, you can. Bristol does not currently take either the UKCAT or GAMSAT into consideration as part of our entry requirements.
- My GCSE exam results do not meet the requirements, as set out in the prospectus. Can I still apply?
Unless there were exceptional mitigating circumstances which had an adverse effect upon your GCSE exams, it is unlikely that you would be invited for interview, due to the very high number of applications received for our course. Examples of exceptional circumstances would be the death of an immediate family member or having a serious illness at the time of your exams and would need to be verifiable.
- Would I be considered if I re-sat the GCSEs in which I haven’t achieved an A or A* grade?
Yes you would although intense competition for places means we cannot give any insight as to the possible outcome of any future application.
- I would like to visit Bristol Dental School before I apply. Is that possible?
Unfortunately no. As the clinical part of the BDS course is held in a working hospital (Bristol Dental Hospital) it is not possible to arrange ad-hoc visits. Visitors to Open Day will have an opportunity to view the dental school facilities via video footage and a full tour of the dental school and hospital will form part of the schedule for any candidates selected for the multiple mini interviews.
- I have a disability: Can you foresee this causing any difficulties for me?
Understandably it would depend what the disability is and how you manage it. The BDS course is intense, both academically and physically. Furthermore it is likely to be financially challenging. Therefore you should be fair to yourself and only apply for the course if you believe that your disability will allow you to perform all your tasks and responsibilities. It would be extremely disappointing for you to put time, effort and money into the course only to find you will be unable to carry out any treatment. If you would like the Admissions Tutor to provide further information about a specific disability please email dent-ug-admissions@bris.ac.uk or for any health queries please contact the Occupational Health Service on 0117 330 2572 or e-mail at: OH.General@GP-L81133.nhs.uk.
- My qualifications do not appear on the prospectus. Can I still apply?
Yes you can, although you would need to have achieved the equivalent of AAA at advanced level with particularly high scores in Chemistry and Biology. You can view country specific information via the University International Office.
- I am confused about my fee status, could you advise me further?
Please see the information on the Academic Registry website which gives further information. Final decisions on fee classification are made after the offer of a place is made.
- I have missed the deadline of 15 October. Can I still apply?
No, Bristol does not accept late applications. The next entry point for you would be the following September for entry the year after.
- I have heard that Bristol Dental School has a selection process which favours certain types of schools.
This is definitely not the case. All applications are considered on an equal basis and not segregated by type of educational institution attended.
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2.Transfer students:
- I have started a degree course in a different subject but wish to transfer to dentistry. Would this be possible?
No: you would need to complete your course and be on track to achieve a minimum of a 2:1. You could then apply for entry to the BDS course.
- I am studying dentistry at another dental school. Can I transfer to Bristol to complete my course?
No, we do not consider requests for transfers.
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3.At interview:
- I have heard that you select using multiple mini interviews, can you tell me what this involves and how long it takes? Yes: In a typical MMI, applicants will complete a one and a half hour circuit of ten, 7-minute mini-interview stations, rotating from station to station. The MMI is similar to an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) used by Medical and Dental schools as a method of clinical assessment. At each station, candidates will be presented with a task. You will complete the task before moving on to the next station.
- If I perform badly at one of the mini interviews, will that mean I will be unsuccessful in my application?
- We will consider your performance on all stations, and it is quite normal to do better on some stations than on others. So, a poor performance on one or two stations does not necessarily mean that your application will be unsuccessful.
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4.Unsuccessful applications:
- Prior to multiple mini interview: Why was my application unsuccessful without the opportunity of an MMI?
There is considerable interest in the BDS and applications greatly exceed available places. The most common reason for non-selection is that you did not meet the exam requirements or predicted grades, as listed in the prospectus. Furthermore the Dental Admissions Team, who carefully review each application, will also be looking for other criteria to demonstrate your commitment and motivation to study dentistry. This includes work experience, extra curricular activities, contributions to school/college activities, a commitment to helping others and personal achievements. With the number of applications received only the strongest candidates will be picked as only around 25% of applicants will be selected for the MMI stage. This does mean that we, unfortunately, have to disappoint many applicants.
- Following MMI: Why was my application unsuccessful following my MMI?
Although it must have been very disappointing for you, it is not possible for us to make an offer to every interviewed candidate. The MMI process is carefully designed to draw out the best from you and is carried out by experienced members of staff who are looking to see that you have really researched your chosen subject and realistically informed yourself about a career in dentistry. They will also be looking for other personal qualities which will enable you to carry out your future role. Each MMI station is scored by an assessor on three criteria, giving a total of 30 scores from 10 assessors, and these are collated by the Admissions Tutor to pick the highest performing candidates. You may have been unsuccessful because you were unable to demonstrate some of the qualities we look for or because your overall score may have been below that of the other interviewees.
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5.Personal information:
- Do I need to provide my own CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check in advance of starting university?
No, during your Induction Fortnight you will visit our faculty office and complete a CRB form then.
- Do I need to provide any health information in advance of starting university?
Yes, if you accept an offer from us, you will receive a pre-course health questionnaire with requests for blood testing for serious communicable diseases (Hepatitis B, C and HIV), before coming to University, from our Occupational Health Service. Entry onto the course will be subject to satisfactory health clearance by the Occupational Health Service.
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6.Failed Exams:
- I have been rejected by my first choice university as I did not achieve the required A2 grades. Would you consider my application if I re-sit my examinations?
Unfortunately not, we only consider first attempt results.
- Have I missed my chance to study dentistry then?
Not necessarily. You may wish to think about taking a degree in an associated subject. Should you achieve a minimum of a 2:1 (and you had achieved a minimum of BBB at A2 level) you could apply as a graduate entrant.
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7.On the Course:
- I have heard university students have a lot of spare time. How much free time will I have once I am on the BDS course?
Other than the majority of Wednesday afternoons, which are generally kept free for students to pursue sports activities, you will be fully occupied during both the pre-clinical and clinical years. Throughout your pre-clinical years you will be having daily lectures and, although there may be the odd one hour space in your calendar, these slots are normally filled with other things ie: immunisation sessions, careers talks etc. For the duration of your clinical years, with patients to treat on clinics as well as lectures and tutorials, you should understand you will be carrying out conventional working hours. Dentistry is a long and demanding course and only those who are fully committed to becoming a dentist should contemplate applying for a place.
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