Everything You Need To Know About UCAT 2026
1 month ago by Chris
Do you want to study medicine or dentistry in 2027? If so, you will need to sit UCAT 2026. This blog describes everything you need to know about UCAT 2026.
What is UCAT?
UCAT stands for University Clinical Aptitude Test. The UCAT is a 2-hour long computer-based exam that is required to gain entry into most medicine and dentistry courses across Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Who is eligible to sit UCAT?
UCAT ANZ 2026 is open to anyone applying to a listed medicine or dentistry course in Australia or New Zealand. The earliest you can sit UCAT is in your final year of secondary school. Graduate applicants and those who have previously sat UCAT are also able to sit it again. If you are an international student applying to an Australian or New Zealand university, check with your preferred university to confirm whether UCAT is required.
Which universities require UCAT?
A full list of courses that require UCAT 2026 can be found here: https://www.ucat.edu.au/about-ucat/universities
Each university varies in how it uses UCAT scores, but most use UCAT scores to select students for interview and for final offers of a medicine or dentistry place.
When will UCAT 2026 be held?
UCAT 2026 will take place from July 1 to August 5. Students can choose their preferred testing date when booking their UCAT test. This date can also be changed if required.
Registrations open 3 March 2026. It is advisable to book early, as popular testing dates and locations can fill quickly.
Where can I sit UCAT 2026?
UCAT 2026 will be held in a range of Pearson VUE testing centres across Australia and in some overseas locations. Most UCAT 2026 testing centres are located in major cities, but some are also located in regional and rural areas.
For a full list of UCAT 2026 testing locations, please visit: https://www.ucat.edu.au/register/test-centre-locations
How do I register for UCAT?
You can register for UCAT 2026 by creating an online account with Pearson VUE, and then booking your preferred UCAT 2026 testing date.
UCAT registrations and bookings for UCAT 2026 open 3 March 2026 and close 15 May 2026 at 11:59 pm (AEST). There is a late booking deadline closing 29 May 2026, and a final late booking deadline closing 5 June 2026.
You can register for UCAT at: https://www.ucat.edu.au/register/booking-your-test/
What is the cost to sit UCAT 2026?
It will cost $335 AUD to sit UCAT 2026.
If UCAT 2026 is taken overseas (outside Australia and New Zealand), the cost is $405.
If you book between the 16th and 29th of May there is an additional late fee of $85. If you book between the 30th of May and 5th of June you will incur an additional late fee of $185.
The deadline for each booking period ends 11:59pm AEST.
Note that all UCAT ANZ fees are charged in Australian Dollars (AUD).
How often can I sit UCAT?
If you are applying to Auckland or Otago, you will need to sit the UCAT in your first year of university, but you will first become eligible to sit UCAT in your final year of secondary school. You can sit the exam only once in that year and, if needs be, once a year every year after that.
However, your UCAT score must be from the year prior to when you plan to start university as your UCAT scores are only valid for one year. If, for example, you sit the UCAT in high school and then take a gap year, you will need to sit UCAT again.
What is being tested in UCAT? What is the content of UCAT?
The UCAT aims to assess qualities considered desirable in medicine and dentistry, such as problem solving, empathy and critical thinking.
The UCAT consists of four separately timed subtests, taken in order as follows:
- UCAT Verbal Reasoning: assesses your ability to quickly read a text and answer questions.
- UCAT Decision Making: assesses your ability to make decisions and judgements using complex information.
- UCAT Quantitative Reasoning: assesses your ability to evaluate information presented in a numerical form.
- UCAT Situational Judgement: assesses your ability to understand real world situations and to suggest appropriate behaviour in dealing with them.
What is the structure and timing of UCAT?
The UCAT is made up entirely of multiple-choice questions, with a total of 184 questions across four separately timed subtests, distributed as follows:
| UCAT Subtest | # of UCAT Questions | Allocated Instruction Time | Allocated Test Time |
| UCAT Verbal Reasoning | 44 | 1 minute 30 seconds | 22 minutes |
| UCAT Decision Making | 35 | 1 minute 30 seconds | 37 minutes |
| UCAT Quantitative Reasoning | 36 | 2 minutes | 26 minutes |
| UCAT Situational Judgement | 69 | 1 minute 30 seconds | 26 minutes |
| Total | 184 | 6 minutes 30 seconds | 111 minutes |
Each UCAT subtest is preceded by 1.5-2 minutes for reading instructions.
UCAT is very different to traditional knowledge-based tests encountered in school and university. It is also highly time pressured. Therefore, undergoing preparation with quality UCAT 2026 courses is essential to succeed.
What do I need to take with me when sitting UCAT?
You must take acceptable identification and the email confirming your test appointment into UCAT. You cannot take anything else into UCAT, such as food, drink, your phone or a bag. All of these items must be left in a locker before entering the UCAT exam room.
You cannot take paper and pens into the UCAT test, but you will be provided with a small noteboard and marker pen so you can make notes during the test. You cannot take in a calculator, but you will be able to use the onscreen UCAT calculator.
What UCAT score do I need to get into medicine?
The UCAT score that you need to get into medicine depends on the university to which you are applying. Otago and Auckland university use UCAT scores differently. At Auckland, UCAT is weighted at 15% of the entry criteria. At Otago, applicants must achieve a certain UCAT threshold score to be eligible.
When and how will I receive my UCAT score?
You will receive your UCAT score within 24 hours of sitting your test (usually within an hour). You will receive an email shortly after the test confirming that your results are available.
You will be able to see your UCAT percentile ranking (which is what matters) on the UCAT Official website in September.
Pearson VUE does not disclose how it calculates UCAT scores, but you can find out more in our blog series about UCAT scoring.
Your UCAT results will automatically be sent to the universities – you do not need to do this yourself.
What is UCAT scored out of?
UCAT is marked based on the correct answers that you provide during the test. There is no negative marking in UCAT. As each UCAT subtest has a different number of questions, raw marks are converted into scaled scores that share a common range between 300 – 900. The total UCAT cognitive score ranges from 900 to 2700 and is derived from your combined scaled scores for UCAT Verbal Reasoning, UCAT Decision Making and UCAT Quantitative Reasoning. For the UCAT Situational Judgement test, full marks are awarded if your answer matches the correct answer, and partial marks if your answer is close to the correct answer.
The following table summarises scoring for each UCAT subtest:
| UCAT Subtest | Questions | Scaled Score Range | Question Marking |
| Verbal Reasoning | 44 | 300 - 900 | 1 mark per question |
| Decision Making | 35 | 300 - 900 | Single answer: 1 mark Multiple answer (drag and drop): fully correct; 2 marks partially correct: 1 mark |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 36 | 300 - 900 | 1 mark per question |
| Total Cognitive Scaled Score Range | 900 - 2700 | ||
| Situational Judgement | 69 | 300 - 900 | Your response matches answer = full marks; your response is a close answer = partial marks |
Is UCAT important?
Yes! Both Auckland and Otago Universities make UCAT part of the process for applying to study medicine and dentistry. Thus, applicants need to reach both the academic and UCAT thresholds set by the universities.
Is UCAT hard?
Yes! Many practising medical specialists believe that UCAT was the hardest test they ever sat. UCAT questions are completely different to those you will have encountered at school or university. While the difficulty of an individual UCAT question may not be significant, there is extreme time pressure which means that the vast majority of students do not finish the UCAT exam. It is a two-hour long test requiring high levels of concentration.
The good news? It is possible to prepare for and do well in UCAT.
How can I prepare for UCAT?
MedEntry provides a range of quality UCAT 2026 courses run by expert doctors, academics and psychometricians. These courses provide comprehensive preparation for UCAT 2026. Successful preparation for UCAT can be summarised in five key steps:
- Understand the importance of UCAT
- Familiarise yourself with UCAT-style questions
- Learn strategies for tackling each type of UCAT question
- Attempt full length UCAT practice exams under timed conditions
- Identify your weaknesses and work on them
These steps reflect how high-scoring students approach UCAT preparation. Simply doing practice questions is not enough – understanding why each strategy works, and systematically addressing your weak areas, is what separates good scores from great ones.
Will the UCAT make special arrangements for students who need them?
Yes, special arrangements are available for UCAT. You need to apply and be approved for access arrangements before your UCAT test can be booked.
Applications must be accompanied by suitable official documentation, which must be submitted before 15 May 2026.
Access arrangements include extra time for the test or rest breaks between sections, access to medical items, access to medically necessary food and drink at your workstation, adjustable height desks, font size / colour scheme adjustments on the computer, wheelchair access and a separate room.
What happens if there’s a problem with my UCAT test?
If you need to reschedule your test, this can be done up to 24 hours before your appointment at no additional cost. However, if you do not attend your test and have not rescheduled, your fee will not be refunded.
If there’s an incident during the UCAT test, such as a technical problem, you must notify the invigilator immediately by raising your hand.
Where can I get more information?
You can find more information about UCAT from:
And by contacting MedEntry!
