The UCAS Application

In this week’s newsletter we are focusing on the UCAS application, specifically qualifications, the personal statement and the academic reference.  

Students hoping to study medicine or dentistry from 2026 should start thinking about their applications now. You can also use this information as a checklist for the fast-approaching 15 October 2024 deadline.

When Should Your Students Begin the Application Process? 

Applications to medicine and dentistry take longer than for most other courses. Therefore, we recommend that your students begin the application process just under one year in advance of the deadline of 15 October the following year for completed applications. 

Qualifications and Grades 

A student must enter all their qualifications from secondary education onwards into UCAS. This helps universities to understand whether a student meets their entry requirements. 

This includes where your student has results, or are still awaiting exams and results, and ungraded work.  

Personal Statement 

A personal statement is an opportunity for your students to tell their chosen universities why they would like to study medicine or dentistry and explain the skills and experience they possess that would make them a good doctor or dentist. Personal statements are submitted as part of student UCAS applications and should be a maximum of 4000 characters. 

How do Medical and Dental Schools use Personal Statements? 

This is the most often asked question. The short answer is in different ways.  

Few universities formally score the personal statement. Few medical schools use it as part of the selection process for interview.

Dental schools tend to use the personal statement more, sometimes screening it for signs of less advantaged school students who can be informed of contextual offers.

Some applicants for dentistry put their fifth choice as dental hygiene or dental therapy. Please note that dental schools also use personal statements to screen for these applicants and they are usually excluded from consideration for these courses, as they prefer students who seek future work as dental hygienists and therapists as their goal rather than a back up choice.

Medical and Dental Schools may use the personal statement for discussion at interview, so it is a good idea for your students to write about what they would be prepared to expand on if asked. 

The best way to check how each medical and dental school use personal statements is to check each institution's entry requirements. 

Keep an eye on our Studying Healthcare website where we will publish entry requirements for 2025 applications for medical and dental schools as soon as they are known. 

What to Write in a Personal Statement 

Personal Statements for 2024 Submission  

Visit the Studying Healthcare website for more information on what your student needs to write in a Personal Statement as part of their application for medical or dental school. 

The UCAS website also has great information on writing a personal statement.

Personal Statements from 2025 

UCAS is reforming personal statements for applications submitted in 2025 for 2026 entry. The current format will be replaced with three free-text questions.  

The questions are: 

• Why do you want to study this course? 

• How have your qualifications and studies helped you prepare for this course or subject? 

• What else have you done to prepare outside of education and why are these experiences useful? 

Medical and dental schools are still considering how they will use these reformed personal statements. We will keep you updated with the latest information later in the academic year. 

Academic Reference 

The academic reference provides an informed view of your student from an educational professional. It complements the information in their personal statement. Your student must have a reference from their school or college included in their application before it can be sent to UCAS.  You student can read more about how to choose a reference on the UCAS website. 

Additional Information  

Separate to the UCAS application, medicine and dental courses will also require an UCAT admissions test. Admissions tests are taken between August and November in the same year as your student submits their application. (students applying for 2025 entry should already have taken their UCAT test).

Registration usually commences in May/June. Students will need to plan ahead to ensure that they meet the registration deadline and have sufficient time to prepare. 

The Medical Schools Council and Dental Schools Council will be providing a joint webinar for teachers and advisers on how universities use the UCAT and how best to prepare students later this academic year. More details coming up via this newsletter soon. 

The UCAT admissions test costs £70. There is a bursary available for eligible students.  

More information on the UCAT test, bursary and preparation resources can be found on the UCAT website. 

Support Package

UCAS offers a support package targeting students who might disregard university as an option for them, because of initial financial barriers or because they believe they will not achieve the entry requirements published by universities. 

Students in receipt of free school meals will no longer have to pay for their university application. Teachers will need to verify student free school meal status through the UCAS portal.

Also, applicants will soon be able to view historic entry grades data and offer rates displayed for each course on the UCAS website so students can see how their predicted or achieved grades compare to those of successful applicants to the courses they are interested in. 

More information is available on the UCAS website. 

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