How long is the UCAT?

Just under two hours: four timed subtests, each with a short timed instruction section.

Is there a calculator in the UCAT?

Yes, an on-screen calculator is available in Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning.

What is a good UCAT score?

There is no pass mark. In 2026 the mean total was 1918; about 2050 was the 7th decile and about 2250 the 9th decile (top 10%). Each university uses the score differently.

How is Situational Judgement scored?

In Bands 1 to 4, with Band 1 the highest. In 2026, 15% of candidates got Band 1 and 40% Band 2.

Can I resit the UCAT?

Not in the same year. You may sit it once per year; you can sit again in a later year if you reapply.

UCAT Guide: Format, Scores, Dates

What is the UCAT and who needs it?

The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is run by the UCAT Consortium and taken on computer at Pearson VUE test centres. It does not test science knowledge. It tests the thinking skills and judgement that medical and dental schools look for.

For the 2026 cycle, the Consortium lists 51 UK universities plus 7 partner universities abroad. They include almost every UK medical school (for example Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Imperial, KCL, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Queen Mary, Sheffield, Southampton and UCL), many dental schools, and some physician associate courses. The list may change for 2027, so check the official university page and each school's admissions pages.

If you are also applying to Australia or New Zealand, read the UCAT ANZ guide: you sit one or the other, never both in the same year. Graduates may need the GAMSAT, and Irish school-leavers the HPAT.

UCAT format, subtest by subtest

Subtest	Questions	Time	Per question	Score
Verbal Reasoning	44	22 min	30 sec	300–900
Decision Making	35	37 min	about 63 sec	300–900
Quantitative Reasoning	36	26 min	about 43 sec	300–900
Situational Judgement	69	26 min	about 23 sec	Band 1–4

Each subtest has its own short timed instruction section (1 minute 30 seconds, or 2 minutes for Quantitative Reasoning). The whole test is just under two hours. Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning include an on-screen calculator.

Verbal Reasoning: read short passages and decide whether statements are true, false or can't tell, or answer comprehension questions. Speed is the main challenge.
Decision Making: logic puzzles, syllogisms, Venn diagrams, interpreting data and judging the strongest argument. Some questions have several statements to mark yes or no.
Quantitative Reasoning: GCSE-level maths in charts, tables and real-world problems: percentages, rates, ratios and unit conversions.
Situational Judgement: realistic scenarios involving medical or dental students. You rate how appropriate or important each response is.

How the UCAT is scored and what a good score looks like

Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning are each scored from 300 to 900, giving a total from 900 to 2700. Situational Judgement is reported separately in Bands 1 to 4, where Band 1 is the highest. You receive your score report before you leave the test centre.

The Consortium publishes statistics each year. Its 2026 figures (42,359 tests, data to 24 September 2026) give a mean total of 1918, with subtest means of 602 (VR), 640 (DM) and 675 (QR). The total-score deciles were:

Decile	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th
Total	1590	1700	1780	1850	1920	1980	2050	2140	2250

So in 2026 a total of about 2250 put you in the top 10%, and about 2050 in the top 30%. Situational Judgement bands were: Band 1, 15%; Band 2, 40%; Band 3, 34%; Band 4, 11%.

Universities use the UCAT in very different ways. Some set a threshold that changes each year, some score it alongside grades, and some weigh SJT heavily. Many applicants choose their four medical schools after they get their score. There is no single "good" score; check each school's published approach.

UCAT dates and fees

The UCAT 2026 cycle, for entry in 2027, is complete. Registration opened on 20 May 2026, testing ran from 13 July to 24 September 2026, booking closed on 16 September, and results go to universities in early November 2026. The UCAS deadline for medicine was 15 October 2026.

The UCAT 2027 cycle is for students applying in autumn 2027. The Consortium says its dates will be published by February 2027. In 2026 the pattern was:

UCAT 2026 (for reference)	Date
Registration and bursary applications open	20 May
Booking opens	23 June
Testing	13 July – 24 September
Booking deadline	16 September
Results to universities	Early November

Fee (2026): £70 in the UK, £115 outside the UK. UK candidates who meet the bursary criteria have the fee waived. You may sit the UCAT only once per year; sitting twice is treated as misconduct. Check the official site for 2027 fees.

How to prepare: a 5-week UCAT plan

Most students prepare over the summer holiday, but five focused weeks before your test date is plenty. An hour a day, plus a full mock each weekend, works well.

Days 1–2: Take the free practice test, timed. Learn the on-screen calculator and keyboard shortcuts so they don't slow you down.
Week 1, VR and QR: Short timed drills every day. In VR, practise finding keywords rather than reading every word. In QR, practise estimating and working out which numbers you actually need.
Week 2, DM and SJ: Learn each Decision Making question type. For SJ, read the official guidance on professional behaviour and learn why answers are judged appropriate or not.
Week 3: Two full mocks at real timing. After each one, review by subtest and note which question types cost you the most.
Weeks 4–5: A full mock every two to three days, with targeted drills between them. Practise moving on: flag hard questions, guess, and keep going.

Practising with Principly: each of our 13 UCAT mocks runs all four subtests back to back at the real question counts and timings, with an on-screen calculator in DM and QR, explanations for every question and a scaled-score estimate.

Try a UCAT mock now. The free practice test gives you a decile estimate in one short sitting; the full set is 13 timed mocks with worked solutions.

Take the free practice test Get all 13 mocks · £29

Common UCAT mistakes

Running out of time in VR. At 30 seconds a question you cannot read every passage in full.
Leaving answers blank. There is no negative marking, so always guess before time runs out.
Using outside knowledge in VR. "Can't tell" means the passage does not say, even if you know the answer.
Over-using the calculator in QR. It is slow to click; estimate when the options are far apart.
Answering SJ as yourself. Answer as a medical student following professional guidance.
Booking a late test date with no buffer. If you are ill, you need time to reschedule before the booking deadline.

UCAT FAQ

How long is the UCAT?: Just under two hours: four timed subtests, each with a short timed instruction section.
Is there a calculator in the UCAT?: Yes, an on-screen calculator is available in Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning.
What is a good UCAT score?: There is no pass mark. In 2026 the mean total was 1918; about 2050 was the 7th decile and about 2250 the 9th decile (top 10%). Each university uses the score differently.
How is Situational Judgement scored?: In Bands 1 to 4, with Band 1 the highest. In 2026, 15% of candidates got Band 1 and 40% Band 2.
Can I resit the UCAT?: Not in the same year. You may sit it once per year; you can sit again in a later year if you reapply.
When are the UCAT 2027 dates?: The Consortium says the 2027 test cycle dates will be published by February 2027. In 2026, testing ran from 13 July to 24 September.
How much does the UCAT cost?: In 2026, £70 in the UK and £115 outside the UK. UK candidates who meet the bursary criteria have the fee waived.