UCAT Bursary Scheme

Bursary Eligibility

The Bursary Scheme is open to UK candidates.  To be eligible for a bursary you (or your parent/guardian) need to meet one of the criteria below and provide one piece of evidence to support your application. 

If you are over 21 and no longer in full-time education, we expect to see evidence in your name.

Eligibility Criteria

Evidence Required
Free School Meals A recent letter (dated 2022 or 2023) from your school/college confirming you receive free school meals (Local Authority funded only).
16 to 19 Bursary (England), or EMA (Scotland, Wales or NI) Your official award letter or communication for academic year 2022/23 or 2023/24.  We must be able to see your name and the date of the award.  
Evidence that relates to scholarships/bursaries at independent or fee-paying schools is not accepted.
Learner Support (FE 19+) or equivalent for Scotland, Wales or NI Your official award letter for academic year 2022/23 or 2023/24.
Undergraduate Student Finance maintenance award (full rate) Your award letter (all pages) for academic year 2022/23 or 2023/24.   
This includes a full rate (means-tested) undergraduate:
  • Student Finance England Maintenance Grant/Loan
  • Student Awards Agency Scotland Young / Independent Students’ Bursary
  • Student Finance Wales or Northern Ireland Maintenance Grant
Check what qualifies as a full-rate maintenance award.  
Postgraduate loans are not accepted.
Universal Credit The first page of your or your parent/guardian's Universal Credit statement, dated within the last 3 months. We must be able to see the name and address of the claimant, the date, and the award amount.  
Working or Child Tax Credit The first page of your or your parent/guardian's award letter for financial year 2022/23 or 2023/24.  We must be able to see the name and address of the claimant and the date of the letter.
Income Support, or
Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA), or 
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)		 Your or your parent/guardian's award letter (all pages) from the UK Jobcentre Plus, dated 2023.
A parent/guardian in receipt of JSA or ESA must be entitled to the income-based benefit (e.g. means-tested) and not a contribution-based award.  This is specified on the final page of the award letter.
Asylum Support Your or your parent/guardian's official award letter, dated in the last 12 months.

We DO NOT accept as evidence: P60 (end of year certificate); annual accounts; council tax/housing/child benefit letters.  

We reserve the right to request additional evidence if, in our view, the initial supporting documentation is not sufficient to verify your eligibility.


Key Dates 2023

Bursary scheme opens:

16 May at 9:30 (BST)

Booking opens:

20 June at 06:00 (BST)

Application and evidence deadline:

29 September at 16:00 (BST)

Voucher expiry date:

16 October at 17:00 (BST)


Application Process

Step 1: Create a UCAT Account as a candidate ID is required to make an application.  Returning candidates should use their existing candidate ID. 

Step 2: Apply for a bursary with correct supporting evidence by 16:00 (BST) on 29 September 2023.  We recommend you apply before booking your test, but you still may apply if you have already paid for or sat your test. 

Step 3: Receive your bursary voucher code by email (within 3 business days).  If you have not had a reply within this time (after checking junk/spam folders), please email the UCAT Office. 

Step 4: Use your bursary voucher to book your test. 

  • During the booking checkout process there is an option to 'add a voucher or promo code'.
  • If you have already paid for your test, you can arrange a refund up to 17:00 (BST) on 16 October by emailing Pearson VUE Customer Services and quoting your voucher code.

APPLY FOR A BURSARY


Missed tests (no-shows) paid for by bursary voucher

  • If you miss a test (‘no-show’) that is paid for by a bursary voucher for any reason you will have to pay the test fee to book another appointment. We will not issue another bursary voucher to cover this cost. Failure to present correct photo ID and missing the deadline to reschedule/cancel your test counts as a ‘no-show’.
  • If you have booked a test using a bursary voucher and then decide not to sit the UCAT, you MUST cancel your test (giving the required minimum notice).
  • UCAT incurs a charge for any missed tests (‘no-shows’) paid for by bursary voucher. In these circumstances, UCAT reserves the right to request repayment from you of the full test fee


Results Delivery

When UCAT results are delivered to our Consortium Universities, we also indicate whether a candidate has been in receipt of a bursary.  This will not disadvantage your application.  Some Universities may use this information to help identify candidates from backgrounds under-represented at university.  To ensure your result is flagged in this way you must have redeemed your bursary voucher by 16 October 2023.


Data Privacy

Data collected from bursary applications may be used for research purposes.  Further details can be found in our Data Privacy Policy.