Traditional Admissions Process
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Most of our students apply using the traditional process described below, which begins about 13 months prior to enrollment. The deadline to apply to ULSD is December 31 but applicants are encouraged to apply according to the timeline below to increase their chances for admission.
The University of Louisville School of Dentistry (ULSD) is a member of the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS), which is the national application service used by most U.S. dental schools.
Application timeline
The application process begins at least 13 months PRIOR to enrollment.
1
June
- EARLY JUNE - Apply online on the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) application website. Apply early!
- LATE JUNE - Pay $65.00 application fee upon request. Once we have received your verified AADSAS application, you will receive an email requesting our supplemental fee. We do not have a supplemental application.
- Submit 3 letters of recommendation (or 1 pre-professional committee letter)
2
Early August
- Submit all official transcripts to AADSAS. Be sure to verify receipt.
- Authorize submission of official DAT scores to AADSAS. This will allow your DAT scores to be imported to AADSAS directly from the testing center. Applicants may submit other parts of the application prior to taking the DAT, but only complete applications (including official DAT scores) will be reviewed.
- Check your status. Our Admissions staff will email you about the status of your application until completion. Applicants are encouraged to check AADSAS for the status of their application, as well. After applications are deemed complete, they go to the Admissions Committee for review for consideration for an interview.
3
Late August - February
- Attend an interview. An interview is required prior to all offers of acceptance at ULSD. Interviews take place from late August to February. Invitations typically go out beginning late July/early August. IMPORTANT: Residency determination takes place at the interview stage.
- Check for an admission/waitlist offer. Offers and acceptances begin December 15 (or the nearest weekday designated by ADEA).
Final deadline for applications
Admission offers and enrollment
Offers of admission are extended in compliance with American Dental Education Association (ADEA) guidelines. First round offers are sent out on December 15 (or the nearest weekday designated by ADEA). All offers made in December or January have a 30-day response period. Before the deadline, candidates must:
- Return the financial responsibility for non-resident tuition agreement (non-residents only)
- Pay the online tuition deposit (which will be applied to fall tuition):
- $200 for Kentucky residents
- $1000 for non-residents (including international citizens)
- Initiate the criminal background check through an official ADEA-authorized agency (accepted candidates will receive an email requesting payment and authorization to begin the background check).
Applicants placed on the waitlist must send an email back to ULSD in order to remain an active applicant. Additional offers are made as vacancies become available. The waitlist is not ranked and active applicants should submit any fall grades into AADSAS in order to give the Admissions Committee a more accurate assessment of their academic abilities. Waitlist applicants can remain active until classes start in late-July. Historically, many ULSD students have been admitted from the waitlist.
In order to be enrolled and matriculated, candidates must fulfill all requirements of the ULSD contingencies explained in the offer of acceptance. All planned courses listed on the AADSAS application must be completed or waived by the Admissions Committee. Acceptance may be withdrawn for failure to maintain high scholastic or behavioral standards during the remainder of pre-matriculation period.
