UCAT Frequently Asked Questions

Please refer to the information on our UCAT Test Cycle page.

When you log into your UCAT account after successfully completing the account registration process you will see a box that asks if you have a Private Access Code (PAC).  These codes are only issued to candidates who have been approved to sit the UCATSA, UCATSENSA, UCATSEN50 or the OnVUE online proctored UCAT and are only valid for use after 20 June 2022 when booking opens.  Candidates booking the standard UCAT or UCATSEN do not need a PAC.

Yes.  If you have previously created a UCAT account please use this to book your test.  You do not need to register (create an account) each year you wish to sit the test.  Multiple accounts are not permitted.

If you have forgotten your username and/or password there are options to retrieve these from the sign in page.  Please do not set up a new account as multiple accounts are not permitted.  If you continue to have problems signing in then you need to contact Pearson VUE Customer Services.  

In some cases, a name change may not be needed. Test centre staff will refer to the Pearson VUE Name Matching Guidelines to check whether variations in name are acceptable before turning any candidate away. Some common scenarios where ID would be accepted are given below:

Non-Western names: If a candidate's non-Western names have been entered into the incorrect fields during account registration, their ID will be accepted as long as all the names on their account also appear on their ID.

If you do require a change to your registered name, please email Pearson VUE Customer Services at least 5 working days before your appointment. You must upload a photo of your ID to verify your request.

Name changes are not permitted once you have sat your test.

Although you can register (create an account) from 24 May, you cannot book a test until 20 June.

If you have forgotten your username or password there are options to retrieve these from the sign in page.  Please do not set up a new account as multiple accounts are not permitted.  If you continue to have problems signing in then you need to contact Pearson VUE Customer Services.  

On occasion, accounts cannot be created until they are validated by the Account Processing team.  In this case, you will not be able to create a username and password.  An onscreen message will inform you that your account is not yet complete.  You will then receive an email from Pearson VUE, usually within one business day, with additional instructions. 

If this email has not arrived after 36 hours (and is not in your junk/spam folder) please contact Pearson VUE Customer Services.

The email from Pearson VUE containing your username, confirming your UCAT account has been created may have been diverted into your junk/spam folder.  This email is only for your records. 

If you can sign in to your UCAT Account using the username and password you set up during registration, you have successfully completed the registration process.  You are now ready to book your test when booking opens. 

You are only assigned a candidate ID (in the format UKCAT123456) after successfully registering.  You can find your candidate ID in the left corner of your account.

Registration for the UCAT is only open between certain dates.  Outside of these times you will see a message that says "The feature that you are trying to access is blocked. Please try later".  Please see the UCAT Test Cycle page for details.

You are assigned a unique Candidate ID number when you create a UCAT account with Pearson VUE. The Candidate ID number is in the format (UKCAT + 6 digits) and is given in the top left of your UCAT account. Your Candidate ID number should be used in all correspondence regarding the test.  If you are struggling to find your Candidate ID please refer to this guide.

The test fee is payable at the time of booking by major credit card or UCAT bursary voucher. 

• Tests taken in the UK: £70
• Tests taken outside the UK: £115

Our Bursary Scheme enables UK candidates in financial need to sit the UCAT for free.  To see if you are eligible for a UCAT Bursary visit the Bursary Scheme page.

You can only sit the test once in any test cycle and any instances of multiple testing in the same year will be treated as an example of candidate misconduct. However, there is no penalty for taking the test again in subsequent years.

Yes, overseas test centres are available in many countries.  Use the test centre locator to find your nearest centre.

Yes. Tests can be rescheduled or cancelled without charge as long as you give appropriate notice.  The full policy can be found on this page Rescheduling and Cancelling.

If booking is open, you may book another appointment but you will have to pay again.  Candidates who used a bursary voucher to pay for their test will not be issued a further voucher to cover this cost. 

The booking system will not let you book again until your appointment status changes to a ‘no-show’ state (usually 24 hours).

If you have met the deadline to cancel your test, a refund will be processed.  Please allow up to a week for the amount to show in your bank account or refund back to your credit card.  Apologies if this seems a little long but the timeframe is dictated by your bank or card issuer and Pearson VUE has no control over it.

If you need to change the version of the test you have booked, you first need to cancel your existing appointment (giving the appropriate notice).  Once your appointment is cancelled the booking system will allow you to book the correct version of the test.  If you have used a bursary voucher to book your test you may re-use the same code.  Please note: Pearson VUE operate a live booking system so the date, time and location of your new appointment is likely to change depending on availability at the time.  It is for this reason that we advise you do not book your test until you receive confirmation of your approved access arrangements.

Yes.  If you have already paid for your test you can still apply for a bursary.  When your application has been approved you will need will need to email Pearson VUE Customer Services with your bursary voucher code to arrange for a refund. 

You need to email Pearson VUE Customer Services to arrange for a refund.  Please complete ALL fields and quote your bursary voucher code for the refund to be processed.  You cannot obtain a refund from the UCAT Office.

Once your refund has been processed, please allow up to a week for the amount to show in your bank account or refund back to your credit card.  Apologies if this seems a little long but the timeframe is dictated by your bank or card issuer and Pearson VUE has no control over it.

Please contact the UCAT Office with these queries.

Details of the access arrangements available for the UCAT and how to apply for them, can be found here: Access Arrangements

Details of how to apply for access arrangements can be found here: Access Arrangements

Access arrangements are not normally approved for a short-term injury or illness.  The UCAT is delivered over a period of 12 weeks so you would be expected to sit the standard test once you have recovered.  If you have a test booked, you should reschedule your appointment until you are fit to test. 

If you are concerned that illness, injury or personal circumstances means you will not be ‘fit to test’ throughout the 2022 test window, you must contact the UCAT Office for advice before sitting your test.  If you choose to sit your test against this advice, UCAT will not accept this as a mitigating circumstance.

If you were diagnosed with a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) after leaving education, or the diagnosis came too late for your school/college/university to put any recommendations in place for your exams, note this in your application and provide your diagnostic assessment report as evidence.

If your disability or long-term medical condition occurred after leaving education, or the diagnosis came too late for your school/college/university to put any recommendations in place for your exams, note this in your application and provide a recent letter (dated 2022) from a GP or specialist (e.g. a consultant or psychologist) which:

• includes a clear outline of your disability or long-term medical condition.
• explicitly recommends a specific amount of extra exam time (e.g. 25%) and/or other accommodations in public examinations.
• makes it clear that any recommendations are based on the GP or specialist’s clinical opinion. A letter that simply states your exam preferences or wishes would not be sufficient to approve access arrangements.

If you have any other legitimate reason you should contact the UCAT Office with details so we can advise on the evidence you will need to support an application.

The UCATSA, UCATSENSA and UCATSEN50 can only be booked once the UCAT Office has approved your application. 

Although the booking system does not stop you booking a UCATSEN before your eligibility has been approved, we strongly recommend you wait for confirmation before booking a test.  You must not sit the UCATSEN until your application has been approved.  Booking a UCATSEN does not mean you are approved to sit this version of the test; you must still make an application for access arrangements to have your eligibility for extra time approved. 

If you need to change the version of the test you have booked, you first need to cancel your existing appointment (giving the appropriate notice).  Once your appointment is cancelled the booking system will allow you to book the correct version of the test.  If you have used a bursary voucher to book your test you may re-use the same code.  Please note: Pearson VUE operate a live booking system so the date, time and location of your new appointment is likely to change depending on availability at the time.  It is for this reason that we advise you do not book your test until you receive confirmation of your approved access arrangements.

If you sit an extended version of the test without approval, your chosen Universities will be told that we cannot confirm your entitlement to extra time and they may not accept your result.

You should make an access arrangements application with appropriate supporting evidence.  We will assess your application and advise you how to proceed.  Your application must meet the normal deadlines.

Any unapproved items you take with you to the test centre must be stored in a locker and can only be used outside the testing room.  If they are required during testing, please raise your hand to notify the invigilator.  You are advised, if possible, to use the break between subtests to limit the impact on test time.

The UCAT Office does not inform Universities which approved version of the test you have sat.  Nor do we pass on details of your disability, special needs or medical conditions. 

Yes, you must apply each time you sit the UCAT.  Any access arrangements approved by the UCAT Office are only valid for that year’s sitting of the UCAT.  We do not keep evidence after the usual retention period.

Our decision applies solely to your sitting the UCAT.  It does not relate to any aspects of University admission processes, your fitness to study medicine/dentistry or your fitness ultimately to practice.

Please contact the UCAT Office with these queries.

Each year we create a number of versions of the test drawn from a large question bank.  The test version that you sit is selected at random and within each subtest questions are presented randomly.  All test versions are balanced to ensure that the scale scores that candidates receive are equivalent.  Questions in the UCAT have been pretested and have passed rigorous data analysis and statistical screening.

The standard UCAT is 2 hours and subtest timings can be found here.  We also offer a range of extended versions of the test for candidates with a documented medical condition or disability. 

We advise you to prepare for the UCAT using the free official practice materials which have been developed by the UCAT Consortium.  We believe that all everyone should have access to free preparation materials to support their test preparation.  The resources and advice here have been produced by ourselves using feedback from previous high-scoring candidates.

We recommend you view these resources before moving on to the Practice Tests.

No.  Whilst there are many commercial companies offering coaching for the UCAT, we do not work with any of these companies or endorse the use of their materials. These courses can cost candidates a great deal of money and we would advise you to be sceptical about their claims.  Commercial organisations are not affiliated with UCAT.  They may be using items that are not necessarily of the standard you will encounter in the UCAT and this may distort your performance whilst practising.  We advise all students to prepare for their test using the free Official UCAT Preparation Resources.

You should make sure to arrive 15 minutes before your appointment time to complete the check-in process and bring the following:   

• Official photographic identification from our list of permitted ID that meets the requirements of the country where you are testing.  Please refer to the Photo ID Policy.

• A printed or electronic copy of your appointment confirmation email from Pearson VUE.  

Candidates are asked to comply with the latest health and safety guidelines outlined on the Pearson VUE website. 

You must take official photographic identification that meets the requirements of the country where you are testing.  Please refer to the Photo ID Policy for a list of list of permitted ID.

Nothing is allowed into the testing room apart from the indoor clothes worn and any permitted comfort aids.   

All personal belongings (including bags, coats, hats or head coverings, papers, books, pens, watches, wallets, keys, IDs, mobile phones) must be placed in the lockers provided before you enter the test room.  The only exceptions permitted are religious apparel, headwear worn for medical reasons and small hair clips/bands (less than 1cm wide).  

Food and drink (including water) is not permitted in the test room (unless approved as an Access Arrangement) as it may damage technical equipment.  If brought it must be left with the invigilator and used outside the test room. 

Staff will conduct a routine visual inspection of your clothing, hands/arms and any comfort aids before you enter the test room.

The exam rules can be found on the Test Day page.  You should familiarise yourself with these before your appointment as they explain what you must do if you have any issues during testing.  Please also refer to the section on Test Day Problems. 

Please refer to the information on the Test Day page which covers the steps you should take if there is a problem during your test.

You are permitted to leave the test centre room, but the test cannot be paused and will continue running. You are advised, if possible, to take any breaks between subtests to limit the impact on test time.

If you raised an issue during testing that was not satisfactorily resolved you may request an incident investigation.  The issuing of an incident case number does not automatically result in UCAT or Pearson VUE taking any action unless an incident investigation is requested.  Please refer to the Test Incident page for advice on how to proceed.

The UCAT is marked on the number of correct answers you give.  There is no negative marking for incorrect answers.  Your performance on one question does not influence which other questions are presented.

The cognitive subtests are scored differently to the Situational Judgement Test subtest.  For further information, visit the Scoring page of our website.

When you leave the test centre you will be given a copy of your UCAT Score Report.

Your score report will also be accessible online through your UCAT account. You should allow approximately 24 hours after your test for this to be uploaded. 

If you need a copy of a score report from 2018 or earlier, these will be available for a fee of £25 GBP. You can order one by contacting Pearson VUE Customer Services.

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In mid-September we publish interim results which give candidates an early indication of the decile they are within (although this is subject to change until testing is completed).  Once testing has ended final mean scores, deciles and a 'Percentile Look Up' facility is added to the Test Statistics page.

The UCAT, which is predominantly used as an admissions test for UK universities, has now been adopted by a consortium of universities in Australia and New Zealand.  We refer to these universities informally as the UCAT ANZ Consortium and their test as the UCAT ANZ.  However it is identical in format and content to the UCAT.  Candidates should only apply to sit this version of the test if they are intending to apply to a relevant course at one of the UCAT ANZ Consortium member universities in Australia or New Zealand.  Further details can be found on their website.

If you are applying to both Australian/New Zealand and UK universities for 2023 entry please refer to this information.

Candidates are not permitted to sit both the UCAT and the UCAT ANZ in the same year.  In this event only the test result obtained at the first sitting will be valid.