The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is a medical and dental course admissions test used, and created by, multiple universities across the UK, Australia and New Zealand. It is used to assess candidates in conjunction with your UCAS application and is an important part of your application. Make sure to check the entry criteria for your desired course to see if the test is a requirement.
The importance of your UCAT score varies across universities. Some universities weigh UCAT and school grades equally, while others place more importance on it than your grades. Similarly, some universities only use UCAT to shortlist pupils that meet the predicted grades for interview, while other universities use other parts of the application process, as long as the required UCAT score has been met.
It is your responsibility to book the test. Full details of the application process and test dates can be found on the UCAT website. The test costs £70 if taken in the UK, and £115 if taken internationally. Bursaries are available for UK candidates so definitely check these out if they’re applicable! In the UK, tests are sat in multiple Pearson VUE test centres.
This guide will help answer any questions you may have about the structure of the UCAT, where to access practice tests, and help you prepare effectively.
The UCAT website also provides a comprehensive checklist that you can use to help plan and prepare for your test.
Understanding the UCAT
The UCAT is a computerized multiple choice test that lasts just under 2 hours. You cannot pause once started. The test is split into 4 sections; verbal reasoning, decision making, quantitative reasoning, and situational judgement. Abstract reasoning has been removed from 2025. Questions are randomly presented, so you will have a different test to your friends.
- Verbal reasoning. This part is 22 minutes long, consisting of 44 questions. Questions are either multiple choice or true/false.
- Decision making. This part is 37 minutes long and 35 questions. Here you will be given either text, diagrams, tables or graphs, and answers will either be multiple choice or yes/no. You will be given an on screen calculator to use.
- Quantitative reasoning. This part is 25 minutes long and consists of 36 questions. These questions are all related to numerical data, and answers are multiple choice. You have an on screen calculator here too. Most data sets have about four questions associated with it, other data sets only have one question. Again, multiple choice, but with 5 answer options.
- Situational judgement test. This part is 26 minutes long with 69 questions. Here you will be told a hypothetical clinical scenario, each with up to six questions, and discuss appropriate courses of action.
Access arrangements for extra time can be requested here.
UCAT Preparation, Sample Tests and Past Papers
Universities use the UCAT to help rank students, so it is an incredibly important part of the application process, and therefore super important to prepare for it. The UCAT does not test your knowledge of the Maths and Science school curriculum. It is important to prepare as early as possible, but it is recommended to start preparing for the UCAT test around 2 months prior. This way you can reduce stress and burnout and feel much more confident on the day. The UCAT website has some good guidance on how to prepare for the test and includes question tutorials and past papers.
UCAT doesn’t recommend using any of the commercially available practice tests as they are not affiliated with them, meaning the questions may not accurately represent the UCAT. If you are incredibly worried and need more guidance they can be a useful tool, but should be taken with a pinch of salt. Check out the reviews before purchasing anything!
To be as prepared as possible, I would recommend working closely with the UCAT checklist, completing all the question tutorials and sample questions to become as familiar with the question types as possible. Once you’re familiar with these you can then work to target particular sections that you find more challenging. Other skills to practice are speed reading and using the on-screen calculator. There is no negative marking, and you can flag questions to return to them later. This can help you develop a strategy for completing the test.
UCAT scores
Your results from the UCAT will be available well before the UCAS deadline, so they can be used to help guide your UCAS applications. The first four sections can score between 300-900 points each, so total at between 900-2700. In these sections, questions are worth one mark each, with multiple statement questions worth 2 marks (one per statement). In the final section (situational judgement) is scored by band, with band 4 the lowest and band 1 the highest.
Different universities will ask for different scores, just like with your predicted grades. Because of this, what is determined a ‘good’ UCAT score varies, particularly since different universities place a different importance on the UCAT. In general, a score of around 2800+ puts you in the top 10-20% of pupils. The mean score in the past two years has been around 2500. This changes with each cohort of students. Most universities won't give you a clear score that it requires, as it is used in combination with your UCAS application and grades. Looking at 2024, Bristol university’s interview threshold was 2870, Edinburgh was 2470, and St Andrew’s was around 2400.
What are the changes to the UCAT test in 2025?
The main change is the removal of the Abstract Reasoning section of the UCAT. This has a knock on effect, making some sections slightly longer, as outlined above, and changing the total scores. Analysis found this subtest was not an effective predictor of candidate performance, and could be easily coached.
UCAT Tuition
With tutors based in London and available online to families around the world, Keystone is one of the UK’s leading private tutoring organisations. Find out more about our UCAT Tutors.