International Exams · Entrance Exams

UCAT Exam Pattern

Four separately timed subtests in just under two hours, scored 900–2700 plus a band.

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UCAT · checked 19 September 2026

UCAT at a glance, from the official notices

The dates, vacancies and rules below are read on the conducting body’s own site and rewritten as each notice appears. The guide beneath carries the full pattern, syllabus, cut-offs and free mock tests.

Free UCAT mock testUCAT syllabusToday’s current affairs
19September 2026

Checked 19 September 2026

UCAT: the facts that matter now

  1. 01

    Registration 20 May; booking 23 June; testing 13 July–24 September; booking deadline 16 September; results to universities early November

    2026 dates

  2. 02

    UCAT Consortium, delivered by Pearson VUE at centres in 130+ countries

    Administered by

  3. 03

    Medicine and dentistry at UK consortium universities and partner schools, for 2027 entry

    Used for

  4. 04

    Verbal Reasoning 44 questions / 22 min; Decision Making 35 / 37; Quantitative Reasoning 36 / 26; Situational Judgement 69 / 26

    Subtests

Pattern

UCAT — How the paper is structured

The standard UCAT, as the consortium publishes it. Extended versions exist for approved access arrangements.
SubtestQuestionsInstruction sectionTimeScoring
Verbal Reasoning441 minute 30 seconds22 minutes300–900
Decision Making351 minute 30 seconds37 minutes300–900
Quantitative Reasoning362 minutes26 minutes300–900
Situational Judgement691 minute 30 seconds26 minutesBand 1–4
UCAT 2026 key dates, UK time.
DateEvent
20 May 2026, 14:00Registration opens; bursary and access-arrangement applications open
23 June 2026, 14:00Booking opens
13 July 2026Testing starts
10 September 2026, 15:00Access-arrangement application deadline
16 September 2026, 15:00Booking deadline
24 September 2026Last test date; bursary application deadline at 15:00
15 October 2026UCAS deadline for medicine and dentistry
Early November 2026Results delivered to universities
Scoring
One mark per correct answer, two for a fully correct Decision Making multiple-statement question, partial credit in Situational Judgement, and no deduction for wrong answers. Raw marks are converted to a 300–900 scale per cognitive subtest, and the Situational Judgement Test to Bands 1 to 4, Band 1 the highest.
Fees
£70 at UK test centres and £115 outside the UK, paid at booking. UK candidates on certain benefits can apply for a bursary that waives the fee.
How universities use it
Some rank applicants by total score, some set a cut-off, some weight it with academic results and the personal statement, and some use the Situational Judgement band as a screen. Each consortium university publishes its approach, and the consortium’s How Universities Use the UCAT page collects them.

Exam resources

Everything for UCAT

Six resource pages, each kept in step with the latest official notification.

UCAT SyllabusUCAT syllabus — what each of the four subtests tests, the question types in each, and how each is marked.UCAT Exam PatternUCAT exam pattern — subtest timings and question counts, scaled scoring and the SJT band, the 2026 key dates, fees and how universities use the result.UCAT Previous PapersUCAT practice material — the official question tutorials, question banks and timed practice tests, and why paid courses are unnecessary.UCAT Mock TestsUCAT mock tests — the official timed practice tests, sat in one two-hour block, and how to read a score against the deciles.UCAT PreparationUCAT preparation — a summer plan around the testing window, technique for each subtest, when to book, and sitting the test from India.UCAT Study MaterialUCAT study material — the consortium’s free tutorials and practice tests, and the reasoning and data-interpretation practice that supports them.

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