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Entrance Requirements

It is important to understand that there are Academic Requirements (ie the minimum achievements required in examinations) as well as Non-Academic Requirements for Dentistry. In addition, all applicants must take the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT).Academic performance and non-academic attainment are only two of the selection criteria considered by the Admissions Committee. No guarantee of an interview or a place can be made either on examination results or indeed upon non-academic attainment alone.

The UKCAT

General Overview

There has been a widespread feeling for some time amongst those involved in admissions to medical and dental schools that degrees are failing to discriminate between candidates at the upper end of the scale of academic ability. The UKCAT was conceived to improve fairness and objectivity of the admissions process for medicine and dentistry. The test offers Universities the ability to select students on the basis of characteristics relevant to success in their chosen profession. The test also offers the significant advantage of helping widen access by identifying academic potential in applicants from less-advantaged educational backgrounds.

The test when considered alongside other factors will help Universities select candidates who have the best combination of mental abilities, attitudes and professional behaviours required for dentists in their careers. Further details regarding the test are available from the UKCAT website www.ukcat.ac.uk

Test Preparation

The medical and dental schools participating in UKCAT do not endorse any commercially available preparatory course or material for the UKCAT. The test is designed to be a test of aptitude rather than academic achievement and does not draw on any particular body of knowledge or curriculum that you can learn in advance. We would however encourage candidates to practise answering the types of questions that will be presented in the UKCAT and to familiarise themselves with the test format so that they know how to navigate through the test. In taking this approach candidates will become familiar with the different types of questions and in particular understand the time restrictions imposed within the test.

There are practice questions (including a fully timed test) available for free on the UKCAT website www.ukcat.ac.uk

Admissions Requirements

As the UKCAT is an entry requirement for Dentistry at Aberdeen, all applicants to Aberdeen must complete the UKCAT by the appropriate closing date for that year's entry.

Candidates who reapply must undertake the UKCAT in the summer of each individual year of application.

Applicants should ensure that they register early for a test as being unable to gain a test sitting will not be accepted as an extenuating circumstance for non-completion of the test.

For more information about the key dates for taking the test, see http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/pages/details.aspx?page=keyDatesInformation