What A levels do you need for dentistry and veterinary medicine?

Dentistry and veterinary medicine sit in the same early-deadline club as medicine: applications are due by 18:00 on 15 October 2026 for 2027 entry, typical offers are AAA including Chemistry and Biology, and grades alone are never enough - most dental schools require the UCAT, and vet schools require substantial, documented animal work experience. Requirements verified against the Dental Schools Council, RVC and Liverpool on 20 September 2026.

Dentistry: the requirements

A levels. The Dental Schools Council's entry-2027 requirements show the pattern across UK dental schools:

• AAA including Biology and Chemistry is the standard at most schools
• Some ask A*AA - and at least one school requires all three grades in one sitting with no retakes
• A minority accept Chemistry plus one of Biology, Physics or Maths, or add PE as an accepted third - but Biology-and-Chemistry is the combination that keeps every door open
• GCSEs matter: schools publish minimums such as grade 7 in Maths and English and grade 8 in Biology and Chemistry - check these before applying, not after
• General Studies is widely excluded

UCAT. Most dental schools use the University Clinical Aptitude Test, sat in the summer or early autumn of your application year, valid for one cycle only. Register early - the booking window closes weeks before the UCAS deadline.

Selection beyond grades. Dental schools assess your personal statement for motivation and commitment, then interview - usually MMI format. Manual dexterity, evidence you understand the profession, and caring or dental work experience all count.

Veterinary medicine: the requirements

A levels. Typically AAA, with named grades in the sciences:

• RVC: A in Biology, A in Chemistry, and a third subject of your choice at A (General Studies excluded) - with a pass in the science practicals. Notably, RVC states predicted A* grades give no advantage over A
• Liverpool: A in Biology or Human Biology, A in Chemistry, and a third subject of your choice - science and non-science third subjects treated equally. If you are not taking Chemistry at A level, Liverpool accepts it at AS (grade B) with another academic science as the second A level
• Four A levels confer no advantage - three appropriate subjects are what count

Work experience is the real gatekeeper. Vet schools require documented experience, and the bar is specific:

• RVC: at least 70 hours (ten days) in veterinary practice plus 70 hours in other animal environments (kennels, shelters, farms, stables, zoos), all within the 18 months before the October deadline - submitted via a supplementary form due five days after they receive your application
• Liverpool: a separate online work-experience submission is mandatory - applications without it are rejected as incomplete

Start logging experience in Year 12. Hours completed more than 18 months before the deadline may not count.

The rules both courses share

• 15 October 2026 deadline, 18:00 UK time. There is no meaningful late route for either course.
• Four-choice limits apply the same way as medicine: you can use at most four of your five UCAS choices for dentistry, and the same for veterinary medicine - keeping a fifth choice for a related backup (bioveterinary or biomedical sciences are common).
• Interviews decide. Both professions shortlist on academics and test fit at interview, typically between November and March.
• Contextual offers exist at several schools - check eligibility, as they can drop requirements by one or two grades.

Dentistry and vet requirements are among the most per-school-specific in the UCAS system, which is exactly what the Tansiky matcher is built for: enter your subjects and predicted grades for a free preview of eligible schools, and the £9.99 report lays out the four-choice strategy, UCAT and experience deadlines, and source links per school.

Further reading: What A levels for medicine? · UCAS deadlines 2027 · How to choose your five UCAS choices

Frequently asked questions

What A levels do you need for dentistry?

AAA including Chemistry and Biology at most schools (some A*AA), plus the UCAT at most, with a 15 October application deadline.

What A levels do you need for vet medicine?

Typically AAA with A grades in Biology and Chemistry and a flexible third subject - plus substantial documented animal work experience.

What is the deadline?

18:00 on 15 October 2026 for 2027 entry, for both courses.

Do dental schools require the UCAT?

Most do, per the Dental Schools Council. Sit it before the October deadline.

How much work experience do vet schools want?

For example, the RVC: 70 hours in veterinary practice plus 70 hours in other animal settings, within the 18 months before the deadline. Liverpool requires a separate work-experience form or the application is rejected.

Sources: Dental Schools Council entry-2027 requirements document, RVC and University of Liverpool 2027 entry pages, UCAS course search and deadline pages - checked 20 September 2026.