UCAT – What You Need To Know: The Definitive Guide

Everything you need to know about the UCAT! In this article, you will learn how to start preparing and then excelling at the UCAT.

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Hello and welcome to our blog on everything you need to know about the UCAT! 

 The UCAT is an important part of the Medical and Dental School application process and achieving a good score will make you more likely to get invited for interviews.

What is the UCAT?

The UCAT – or ‘University Clinical Aptitude Test’ – is an admissions test sat by students applying for Medical or Dental school in the UK. It is a mental aptitude test and therefore assesses your problem solving and critical thinking abilities, unlike the BMAT which primarily assesses your academic knowledge.

The reason the UCAT is included in the Medical and Dental applications process is because often, the majority of students will have extremely similar academic profiles, the same predicted grades and wonderful personal statements.

Due to this, over the years it has become more difficult for universities to compare students and, therefore, they have brought in extra measures to help differentiate prospective students.

That being said, doing well in the UCAT isn’t the be-all-and-end-all of getting into Medical or Dental school, if it doesn’t go as well as you’d hope on the day, you can make up for it through your Personal Statement and Interviews.

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Which universities require the UCAT?

There are 30 Medical Schools, and 14 Dental Schools, in the UK which accept undergraduate entry, and the majority of these include the UCAT as part of their admissions process.

UCAT Universities

UCAT Universities
University of AberdeenKing’s College London*
Anglia Ruskin UniversityUniversity of Leeds*
Aston UniversityUniversity of Leicester
Bangor UniversityUniversity of Liverpool*
University of Birmingham*University of Manchester*
University of Bristol*University of Newcastle*
Cardiff University*University of Nottingham
University of Dundee*Plymouth University*
University of East AngliaQueen Mary, University of London*
Edge Hill UniversityQueen’s University Belfast*
University of EdinburghUniversity of Sheffield*
University of ExeterUniversity of Southampton
University of Glasgow*University of St Andrews
Hull York Medical SchoolSt George’s, University of London
Keele UniversityUniversity of Sunderland
Kent and Medway Medical SchoolUniversity of Warwick

*are also a Dental School. 

You can find out more about how each university uses the UCTA with our UCAT University Guide!

Who needs to sit the UCAT?

If you’re hoping to apply for a medicine or dentistry course at a UK university, then you’ll most likely need to sit the test. Some universities ask for the BMAT instead of the UCAT, so you may end up needing to do both admissions tests if your five choices consist of UCAT and BMAT universities. For example, if you were applying to UCL, Imperial, Oxford and Bristol, you’d have to sit the test even though only one of your choices (Bristol) requires the test.

Where is the UCAT test held?

Much like a driving theory test in the UK, you sit the UCAT at a Pearson Vue test centre. For those that haven’t sat their theory tests or are international applicants, Pearson Vue centres are controlled computer-based test centres. 

The test venues ensure that you cannot cheat or get any external help. There are lots of these centres all over the UK (and internationally too) and you can usually travel to one without too much trouble.

How to register for the UCAT

The best way to register for the test is to follow the instructions from the UCAT website. They will take you to the Pearson Vue website where you can find your nearest test centre and follow the instructions for booking your test.

You’ll need to register and create an account with them. The UCAT website has the registration dates – make sure you do it before the deadline!

How to book the UCAT

Once you’ve registered, you’ll be sent a link with booking instructions. At this point, you’ll be asked to pay for the test (see the section below on the cost of sitting the exam). You’ll also be sent links for rescheduling or cancelling should you need to do it.

How much does it cost?

The cost of the UCAT varies depending on when and where you sit it. The UCAT website will have the details and is updated for each specific year. Generally, the test costs £70 if it is taken in the UK and £115 if the UCAT is taken outside the UK.

UCAT Exam Structure

As we briefly mentioned, the test itself is split into 5 sections.

Section 1: 

Verbal Reasoning

  • The aim of this section is to ‘assess the ability to critically evaluate information presented in a written form
  • It consists of 44 questions
  • You are allotted 1 minute to read the section instructions, and 21 minutes to complete the questions
  • You have approximately 28 seconds per question

Section 2:

Decision Making

  • The aim of this section is to ‘assess the ability to make sound decisions and judgements using complex information
  • It consists of 29 questions
  • You are allotted 1 minute to read the section instructions, and 31 minutes to complete the questions
  • You have just over 60 seconds per question
  • The aim of this section is to ‘assess the ability to critically evaluate information presented in a numerical form
  • It consists of 36 questions
  • You are allotted 1 minute to read the section instructions, and 25 minutes to complete the questions
  • You have just over 40 seconds per question

Section 4:

Abstract Reasoning

  • The aim of this section is to ‘assess the use of convergent and divergent thinking to infer relationships from information
  • It consists of 50 questions
  • You are allotted 1 minute to read the section instructions, and 12 minutes to complete the questions
  • You have approximately 14 seconds per question
  • This section is used to assess your understanding of real-world situations and how to deal with them
  • It consists of 69 questions
  • You are allotted 1 minute to read the section instructions, and 26 minutes to complete the questions
  • You have just over 22 seconds per question

What to expect on the day

For those who have sat their driving theory test, the environment on the day will be familiar. If you haven’t, this is what will happen:

When you leave the reception area to take the test, you’ll have to leave all of your things in a locker so try not to bring anything valuable like a laptop with you! It may be a computerised test, but computers are provided by the test centre. You’ll have to sign a document saying you won’t cheat, then you’ll be given a desk number to go to and get set up.

Once you finish the exam, you’re free to get your things and go. They will print out your results there and then before giving them to you, so don’t forget them!

UCATSEN

This is the test for students who would usually be allowed extra time in assessments and exams e.g. students with dyslexia. The time for this test is 25% longer than the UCAT (two and a half hours instead of two) and this time is spread across each section of the exam.

To sit the UCATSEN, you must apply for access arrangements with your initial application. The arrangements must be confirmed at least 10 days before you sit the test, so it’s really important to not forget to do this!

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UCAT Key Dates

This page on the UCAT website will tell you all you need to know about dates. Below are rough dates for you to have in mind:

UCAT-Key-Dates.jpg
UCAT-Key-Dates-diagram
  • Registration and booking opens – May
  • Testing begins – Early July
  • Testing ends – 1st October
  • UCAS application deadline – 15th October
  • Results sent to universities – Early November

It’s important to note that you’re only allowed to sit the UCAT once during each test cycle (i.e. each year). This means that whatever score you get, you’re stuck with it for this application cycle and can only re-sit the following year. 

When booking your exam date, you want to make sure you have enough time to prep but also not leave it too late. Sitting it anytime in September or October means you have to juggle test prep with schoolwork and everything else going on with your university application, meaning it’s better to sit the test sometime over the summer. Obviously, it also depends on anything else you’ve got happening over the summer, but make sure you’ve got enough time to focus on it properly.

Applying strategically to medical school

You may want to apply strategically to Medical and Dental schools by taking your UCAT early so you have access to your results before sending off your UCAS application. This means you can compare your UCAT results with each of the Medical and Dental School’s UCAT cut off scores from the previous year. When applying to Medical and Dental schools, it is important to remember that cut off scores may vary each year and some universities place less emphasis on the UCAT as part of their entry requirements. 

How is the UCAT Scored?

Sections 1 – 4 are all scored between 300 and 900 – this means that the lowest score you can get overall is 1200 and the highest is 3600. Each question is worth 1 mark. We have a guide on how to score highly on the UCAT which you should check out. 

The situational judgement section is scored slightly differently. You rank answers from what you are most likely to do to what you are least likely to do in each situation. The questions are then marked by comparing your answers to that of a panel of experts (mainly doctors). 

You will get the maximum number of points for having the same answer as these experts, you get some marks (but not full marks) for getting a reasonable answer but not the most appropriate one, and no marks for the least likely answer. These points are then added together, and you are given an overall band (1-5), with band 1 being the best and band 5 being the worst.

The best way to ensure success is through consistent practice. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become with the exam format, and the better your chances of achieving a high score.
With UCAT.Ninja you can access to their 20,000 practice questions to hone your skills and gain confidence at a price that fits to your budget regardless of your financial situation. .

UCAT Results

You will be given a print-out of your test results immediately after you sit it. This is just so you know your own scores and can alter your application accordingly. You’ll also be able to see your scores online in the same account you booked the test through. The main thing to note here is that you do not need to submit your UCAT score to UCAS yourself, this will be done for you.

UCAT-Results-Report

Resitting The Test

As we’ve mentioned before, the rules only allow you to sit the test once per application cycle. If you don’t do as well as you’d have hoped, don’t worry too much about it as you may still get offers from universities! If you don’t, then you’ll have to re-sit the test the following year.

How to prepare for the UCAT

Seeing as the UCAT is an aptitude test, it’s pretty hard to revise for it in the same way you would a normal exam. The test aims to assess your cognitive reasoning and problem-solving skills, which often can’t be learnt over a short period of time. That being said, there are lots of resources available for you to practise the types of questions that will come up. This can be extremely useful as you learn the general pattern of what answers are correct, as well as becoming familiar with the questions and sections themselves so that you feel more prepared on test day.

The UCAT website has a wide range of resources here. There are also lots of courses you can go on to help you prepare for the test (we obviously recommend our own!). 

You can begin your preparation with UCAT.Ninja, which provides you with 20,000 practice questions to help you boost your score for as little as £1. .

UCAT Tips

We've got all the tips and tricks you need to score highly on the UCAT.

Learn everything there is to know about the UCAT, with our UCAT Bundle and be guided by a tutor who scored in the top 10% – meaning you’re truly getting expert help. 

Want to learn how to smash the UCAT, then this bundle is the one for you…

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