If your child wants to study medicine or dentistry in the UK, the UCAT will be part of their application. It is sat in the summer between Year 12 and Year 13, before the UCAS deadline in October. It is also the part of the application families tend to know least about.
The short version
- The UCAT is a computer-based test of about two hours, sat at a test centre.
- It has four parts: Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning and Situational Judgement.
- It is sat once, in the summer after Year 12. Results come straight after the test.
- BMAT has ended. Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial and UCL use the UCAT too.
- Medicine applications go through UCAS by 15 October of Year 13.
What is in the test
| Subtest | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 44 | 22 minutes |
| Decision Making | 35 | 37 minutes |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 36 | 26 minutes |
| Situational Judgement | 69 | 26 minutes |
The first three are the “cognitive” subtests. Each is scored from 300 to 900, giving a total between 900 and 2700. Situational Judgement is reported as a band from 1 (best) to 4. There is no negative marking, so every question should be answered, even with a guess.
Abstract Reasoning was removed from 2025, so older books and courses that include it are out of date.
The dates
For this year’s applicants, the dates were:
| What | 2026 dates |
|---|---|
| Registration opened | 20 May |
| Booking | 23 June to 16 September |
| Testing | 13 July to 24 September |
| UCAS deadline for medicine and dentistry | 15 October |
Dates for next summer will be published in the spring. My advice is to book a test date in the first half of August. That leaves July for final preparation after exams, and it leaves September free for the personal statement and choosing universities with the score in hand.
How universities use the score
Every university uses the UCAT differently. Some rank applicants mainly on UCAT score to decide who to interview. Others combine it with GCSE results or use a threshold. A few give Situational Judgement a lot of weight.
This matters because your child gets their score before applying. With the score in hand, they can choose universities where their score counts in their favour. A good but not outstanding score can still lead to interviews if the universities are chosen well.
The UCAT rewards speed and calm under time pressure. Both can be trained. Very few students are fast enough without practice.
Manju Pillai
How to prepare
- Start in spring of Year 12, lightly. A couple of short sessions a week to learn the question types.
- Build up after the summer exams. Four to six weeks of regular timed practice is typical.
- Practise on screen. The test is on a computer, with an on-screen calculator. Practising on paper gives a false picture.
- Use timed full mocks near the end. Timing is where most marks are lost.
- Protect A levels. Predicted grades still matter. The UCAT should not take over Year 12.
The rest of the application
The UCAT is one part. Medical schools also look at GCSEs, predicted A level grades (usually including Chemistry), the personal statement, work experience or volunteering, and the interview. Start thinking about work experience and volunteering in Year 12 if you have not already.
How we help
Our medicine entrance coaching covers the UCAT, the personal statement and interview practice, fitted around A level work.
Thinking about medicine?Our medicine entrance coaching covers the UCAT, personal statements and interviews.
Can my child sit the UCAT more than once?
Only once per application cycle. If they reapply the following year, they sit it again.
Is there help with the test fee?
The UCAT Consortium runs a bursary scheme for eligible students. Check the official UCAT website for the current criteria.
Does Oxford or Cambridge still use BMAT?
No. BMAT ended after the 2023 sitting. Both now use the UCAT for medicine.
