Handbook

All domestic applicants must apply for entry to the Bachelor of Dental Science using UAC. There are a number of different admission categories and detailed requirements for each category are listed below. Each year at least 50% of places will be set aside for applicants who have a significant rural background or who are First Nations applicants.
All domestic applicants will be notified if they have been selected for an interview in the last week of October. Interviews are held in late November/early December at the Orange campus of Charles Sturt, with applicants required to attend the interview in person. Alternatively, in certain circumstances the University may decide to use online interviews.
The interview will be a panel interview and provides applicants the opportunity to demonstrate their communication skills and to further explore their motivation for undertaking a career in dentistry and their commitment to rural and regional dental practice. Applicants’ problem solving, decision making and spatial awareness skills will also be assessed.

Domestic students: Applicants who are current Charles Sturt students
This pathway is only available for current Charles Sturt University students. A minimum of 30 interviews will be made available for Charles Sturt students. 
Selection for interview: Eligibility for interview is based on GPA in the year of application. Interviews may be granted to current Charles Sturt students who meet the following criteria:

• Enrolled in any Charles Sturt course at the time of application


• Have completed a minimum of 4 standard subjects (32 credit points) at Charles Sturt within the last 2 years and achieved a GPA of 5.5 or better at the time of application. At least 2 of these subjects must be in a health discipline.  


• Demonstrate capacity for full-time study by being enrolled in a minimum of 6 standard subjects (48 credit points or more) in the year of application.

IMPORTANT NOTE: As entry into this course is highly competitive, meeting these criteria does not guarantee an interview. Applications will be ranked for interview selection based on GPA, relevance of completed subjects and alignment with CSU Student Charter and Dental Board of Australia’s Code of Conduct. 
Offers into the course: Final offers into the course will be conditional on obtaining a GPA of 5.5 or better at the end of the academic year of application, across a minimum of 6 standard subjects (48 credit points or more) in that year. No final offer will be made, irrespective of performance during interviews, to students who did not achieve a GPA of 5.5 or better at the end of the academic year, across all subjects attempted in the academic year.
Current Charles Sturt students who do not meet the above criteria can apply through the Domestic Students, First Nations or Rural Entry pathways as applicable.
 

Rural Entry Pathway (domestic students)
Selection for interview: To be considered for interview selection, rural domestic applicants must:

• Submit a Rural and Indigenous Pathway form (available on Charles Sturt website) and uploaded with the UAC application


• Complete the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT). Applicants should consult the UCAT ANZ website for information about registration, fees and test dates.

General Admission Pathway (domestic non-First Nations and non-rural students)
Selection for interview: To be considered for interview selection, domestic applicants who do not have a significant rural background and are not First Nations must:

• Complete the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT). Applicants should consult the UCAT ANZ website for information about registration, fees and test dates.

International Pathway
International applicants, including those living or working in Australia, seeking entry to the course should apply direct to the University or via an agent and will be selected for an offer of a place in the course based on previous academic performance. While there is no predetermined grade point average (GPA) cut-off the approximate minimum GPA for consideration based on previous intakes is 6.0 on a 7-point scale. The actual cut-off may be higher depending on the pool of applicants in a given year.
International applicants studying their final year of school, including those studying in Australia, are required to provide school reports for the two final years of schooling.
The closing date for international applications is 30th June.

First Nations Pathway (domestic students)
This pathway is only available to First Nations applicants. There is a separate process for admission.
Selection for interview: First Nations applicants do not need to complete UCAT. To be considered for interview selection, First Nations applicants must:

• Submit a Rural and Indigenous Pathway form. The form is located on the Charles Sturt Bachelor of Dental Science Course brochure and is to be uploaded with the UAC application.

First Nations applicants will be interviewed using a culturally appropriate panel interview format. The panel will be composed of First Nations and non-First Nations members and will:

• Assess the academic abilities and the motivation of the applicant


• Assess the support necessary (if at all) to ensure a successful learning experience


• Assess the suitability of the applicant to practice as a dentist

A minimum overall Academic IELTS score of 7.0 with no score below a 6.5 in each of the individual skill areas or a qualification deemed equivalent.
OR
Attended and satisfactorily completed at least six years of primary and secondary education, including at least two years between years 7 to 12, taught and assessed solely in English in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, UK or USA.