How do UCAT universities use UCAT scores?
A consortium of UK university Medical and Dental Schools use the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) as part of the selection process for their medical degree programmes.
It is a test specially created to enable data on each student’s cognitive abilities to be analysed.
Universities use it to make accurate and informed decisions when awarding limited places.
There are four reasoning tests, as well as a situational judgement test which focuses on students’ attitudes, personality and behaviour in a professional medical context.
The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is operated by the UCAT Consortium in partnership with Pearson VUE.
How the UCAT scores work
The number of questions differs between each section of the exam:
- Verbal Reasoning: 44 questions
- Quantitative Reasoning: 36 questions
- Abstract Reasoning: 55 questions
- Decision Making: 29 questions
- Situational Judgement: 68 questions
In each of Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning and Decision Making, you will be awarded a raw score depending on the number of correct answers given. This score is then scaled into a score between 300 and 900 points. You can therefore score between 1200 and 3600 points overall.
Situational Judgement assesses non-academic skills, such as teamwork, empathy and communication skills.
In this section the scoring differs in that the correct answer scores full points but other answers close to the correct answer may also score points. The raw score then falls into one of four bands, with Band 1 being the highest and Band 4 the lowest.
Timing of the UCAT test
For each section of the UCAT test, timing is different. The exam is structured in the following ways:
- Verbal Reasoning: 21 minutes, plus one minute of reading
- Quantitative Reasoning: 24 minutes, plus one minute of reading
- Abstract Reasoning: 13 minutes, plus one minute of reading
- Decision Making: 32 minutes, plus one minute of reading
- Situational Judgement: 26 minutes, plus one minute of reading
Booking a UCAT test
The UCAT Test needs to be done by an individual and can be done online.
Students will need to book between May and October for the following year’s academic intake.
The UCAT will need to be taken by the October of the year before student will apply to university. For students on the Advanced Level Foundation, booking should be done before coming to the UK. Kings advise booking at the nearest centre to the school and will give the earliest suggested dates for registration of the UCAT. This is because we will provide a full day of UCAT preparation and training at one of our colleges.
Preparation for UCAT
A-level students are given preparation support during term 3 of their first year. This will consist of past papers and discussion, as well as Maths support where appropriate.
The UCAT website has the best and most relevant resources for preparing students within the Advisor Toolkit section: www.ucat.ac.uk/