UCAT
wHAT IS THE UCAT?
The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) lasts just under 2 hours. The test is sat under timed conditions and is comprised of multiple-choice questions.
The UCAT consists of four separately timed sections:
- Verbal reasoning
- Decision making
- Quantitative reasoning
- Situational judgement
wHY DO i HAVE TO TAKE THE UCAT?
We have chosen to use the UCAT as part of our shortlisting process as it is the one measure we have for all our applicants and we know the test has some capacity to predict students’ aptitude for our course.
If you are applying to other universities who require UCAT, you only need to take the test once.
Do I HAVE TO PAY TO SIT THE TEST?
The UCAT costs £70 for tests taken in the UK and £115 for tests taken outside the UK.
The UCAT consortium run a Bursary Scheme, open to UK candidates. For more information about the scheme and for its eligibility criteria, please see: https://www.ucat.ac.uk/register/bursary-scheme/.
how do i register?
Applicants can register to sit the UCAT by creating a UCAT account (from 13 May 2025) and then booking a test from 17 June 2025. The test is usually taken between July and September. For more information about registering for the UCAT, please see UCAT's pages on booking a test.
The UCAT is delivered in Pearson VUE test centres throughout the UK and in over 130 countries worldwide. A list of all available test centres can be found using the Pearson VUE Test Centre Locator.
CAN I APPLY FOR ACCESS ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE UCAT?
Yes, more information about UCAT's access arrangement policies can be found on their Access Arrangements web page.
How do i prepare for the ucat test?
There is absolutely no need to attend a formal course to prepare for the UCAT and we would instead advise applicants to prepare using the free official practice materials which have been developed by the UCAT consortium.
When and how do i receive my results for the ucat?
You will receive your results either on the day you sit the test or shortly after (if sitting online).
We will receive your UCAT results automatically so there is no need to inform us directly of your results or include them on your UCAS application. As tutors conducting interviews will not be aware of applicants' UCAT scores, we also ask that you do not include your score on your UCAS application.
UCAT publish preliminary mean score and deciles in mid-September, with final scores published after testing ends.
HOW WILL THE UNIVERSITY USE MY UCAT SCORE IN SHORTLISTING?
As part of the process to decide which applicants are called to interview, we establish a numerical ranking on the basis of GCSE performance and UCAT results.
For UCAT results, we will look at an applicant’s overall cognitive subtest score. We will not use an applicant’s situational judgement score at this stage of the process.
do you accept the UCAT ANZ?
If you are applying to both UK or partner consortium Universities and Australian/New Zealand consortium universities you should sit the UCAT ANZ 2025.
Candidates who wish to wish to use their UCAT ANZ 2025 results to apply to Oxford must complete the online form on the UCAT ANZ Results Collection page of the UCAT UK website in October 2025.
Please do note that candidates who attend the UCAT are declaring they are fit to test. Candidates aware of anything that might affect their performance on the day should not sit the test. Full details can be found on the UCAT Consortium's Fitness to Test policy page.