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***Please note that as of 2024, the UCAT is replacing the BMAT as an admissions test for clinical courses at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities.***

 

University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) Guide

Everything you should know before taking the UCAT test and how to be successful!

WHAT IS THE UCAT?

The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is an admissions test used by various UK universities to assess applicants for medicine and medicine-related degree courses. The UCAT assesses a candidate's cognitive abilities, critical thinking skills, and situational judgement—essential qualities for success in the demanding fields of medicine and veterinary medicine.

WHO NEEDS TO SIT THE UCAT?

The UCAT is for applicants to medicine, veterinary, and some dentist courses at 30 different UK universities and several other institutions around the world. The UK Universities using the UCAT for their medicine-related and clinical courses are:

Aberdeen University
Anglia Ruskin University
Aston University
Birmingham University
Bristol University
Cardiff University
Dundee University
Edge Hill University
Edinburgh University
Exeter University
Glasgow University
Hull York Medical School
Keele University
Kent and Medway Medical School
King’s College London
Leicester University
Leeds University
Liverpool University
Manchester University
Newcastle University
Norwich Medical School (UEA)
Nottingham University
Plymouth University
Queen Mary University of London (Barts)
Queen’s University Belfast
Sheffield University
Southampton University
St Andrews University
St George’s, University of London
Sunderland University
Warwick University

As per usual, we recommend that you check the relevant course pages of the university/universities you’re applying to to ensure that the information you have on admissions tests is completely up to date.

HOW IS THE UCAT STRUCTURED?

The UCAT is a two-hour long, computer-based test that, through five different sections, is made up of 225 questions. The five sections of the test and their respective timings are as follows: verbal reasoning (21 minutes), decision making (31 minutes), quantitative reasoning (25 minutes), abstract reasoning (12 minutes), and situational judgement (26 minutes). The UCAT score is in two parts. The first four sections are each marked with a score between 300 and 900, the sum of which gives an overall score. The other mark comes from the final situational judgement section, for which the test is placed in a band between one and four.

CAN I CHOOSE WHICH QUESTIONS I ANSWER IN THE UCAT?

Applicants must answer all of the questions presented to them in the UCAT exam to the best of their abilities.

HOW IS MY SCORE IN THE UCAT TEST USED?

The UCAT score is used by medical schools as one of a number of factors (including GCSE grades, predicted A-level grades, personal statement, work experience, etc.) helping them to decide which applicants to invite for interview and accept onto their medicine or veterinary medicine course. Some universities will rank their applicants by score, typically only shortlisting those with the highest scores, whilst other institutions have a low cut-off score, below which applicants will not be considered further. Universities each put a different weighting on elements of the application such as UCAT score, GCSE grades, predicted A-levels, etc.

WHAT IS A GOOD UCAT SCORE?

There is no single minimum UCAT score that you need to get into any given medical school. In general, a score in the top 20% of the cohort would be considered a high UCAT score. In 2022, this would have required a score of 2750 or more in the UK, or 2830 or more in Australia and New Zealand. In the UK, the average overall UCAT score has been roughly around 2500 for the past few years. This is the score you’re likely to need if you want to ensure you’re making a competitive application.

DO I NEED TO KNOW A SPECIFIC MEDICINE CONTENT

The UCAT syllabus is designed so that students taking a wide variety of qualifications or have a background in international education systems can access the mathematical content. However, this isn’t to say it’s completely comprehensive in its overlap with every course out there. We recommend that students cross-reference their syllabus with the official UCAT syllabus before pressing on with revision. We also have specialist tutors who have experience of advising students taking other qualifications and help them fill in knowledge gaps.

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How to register for the UCAT Test

WHEN IS THE UCAT TEST IN 2024?

The UCAT does not have to be sat on the same day by every applicant. Test slots run from the 8th of July until the 26th of September. We recommend registering as soon as possible and booking your test date well in advance, as tests can book up quickly.

Test centres are located around the country, but for some there may not be a convenient or close location at which to take the UCAT, meaning that advanced planning is required. We recommend checking the UCAT website, where a list of dates and test centres is available, for more detailed information.

WHEN IS THE DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION?

The UCAT Website opens for account creation on the 14th May 2024, with test booking open from the 18th of June. The deadline for booking is the 19th of September (with the earlier deadline of the 15th September for students with any access arrangements).

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO TAKE THE UCAT?

Registration for the UCAT costs £70 for applicants within the UK, and £115 for applicants outside of the UK. Head over to the UCAT website for more details on paying for and booking your test.

Tips from a successful top UK university medicine student

HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR THE UCAT?

  1. Familiarise Yourself with the UCAT Format: Understand the format and structure of the UCAT by reviewing official practice materials and past papers.
  2. Practice Under Timed Conditions: Regularly practise answering UCAT questions under timed conditions to improve your time management skills. For access to bespoke, true-to-life mock papers with which to practise your timing skills, head to our Admissions Test Resources hub and browse our exclusive collections.
  3. Improve Critical Thinking: Engage in activities that promote critical thinking, such as reading diverse materials and engaging in discussions.
  4. Stay Calm and Composed: Approach the UCAT with confidence in your abilities and trust in your preparation.
  5. Seek Support: Consider seeking guidance from teachers or mentors experienced in UCAT preparation to receive valuable feedback and insights. Previous UK Medical Students who sat the UCAT themselves, such as our mentors here at Oxbridge Applications, are also a great source of knowledge to draw on, as they can give you an accurate picture of what it means to perform like a real top Medical Student.

UCAT PREPARATION MATERIALS

In addition to official UCAT practice tests, we at Oxbridge Applications have written a series of additional mock papers. Our students have 33% more questions to practise with. Our mock UCAT papers can be found here and are included with our admissions test tuition. All of our UCAT tutors are highly-trained Top UK University medicine graduates who can share their personally insights of having sat the test. You can contact our Oxbridge-graduate Consultants on +44 (0) 20 7499 2394 or email [email protected] to discuss which of our test training would suit you best. We also have an online testing portal for students who want to sit the exam in timed, test conditions.

WHAT IS THE BEST STUDY GUIDE FOR THE UCAT?

At Oxbridge Applications, we pride ourselves in providing up-to-date advice and unrivalled expertise. As well as collating information from publicly available sources, we also conduct our own research into the application process; for example, by surveying the thousands of students we support each year. Speak to an Oxbridge Applications expert today for advice on your specific situation!

How to Pass the UCAT Test?

The best advice we can offer to pass the UCAT exam is to begin exam preparation early and practise often.

Most students who don’t get through the UCAT to be invited to interview tell us that they didn’t spend enough time familiarising themselves with the type of questions that can arise. They typically say that they were caught off guard by a particular question and it put their timings off for the rest of the test.

START EARLY

Although you may require scientific concepts studied later on in your school studies, challenge yourself to get ahead of the syllabus so you can begin practising UCAT questions, especially the skills-based questions. Some students also find it necessary to build up their skills for the situational judgement part of the exam in particular, since this is usually a new skill to get used to.

REFLECTION

Reflect on your personal strengths and weaknesses. No two students should have the same revision strategy for the UCAT, since you all have varying abilities. Try to identify which part of the syllabus you find easiest or more difficult so that you can strategically target your revision to the weaker sections.

DON'T RESTRICT YOUR PRACTICE MATERIALS

Don’t restrict your practice materials: Once you have tried all of the real past papers, and have moved on to additional materials like our bespoke UCAT papers, you should then look wider at similar materials. For example, take a look at past papers for the BMAT or other medicine admissions tests as an additional challenge.

COLLABORATION 

Work with a friend or teacher to discuss questions and identify your own personal revision goals. Working with others can be a huge motivation and keep you on track in the weeks and months leading up to the test. We have specialist UCAT tutors who can work with you one-to-one to refine your test technique.

Strategic Guidance

Unsure about your Oxbridge application? In our one-hour consultation, our experts strategise your application, assess your potential, and resolve queries to maximise your success. Contact us at [email protected] or +44 (0) 20 7499 2394.

UCAT Admission Private Tuition x4

Available all year-round and includes 4 private admissions test tuition sessions and four test papers, which are marked by expert Oxbridge-graduate tutors.

UCAT Admission Private Tuition x6

Available: Year-Round and includes 6 private admissions test tuition sessions and six test papers which are marked by expert Oxbridge-graduate tutors.

Past UCAT test papers

Prepare for your admissions test with our mock papers.

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