UCAT
UCAT Registration 2026 & Key UCAT Test Dates 2026 for 2027 Entry
UCAT Test Dates 2026 have been released, see below.
The UCAT Exam in 2026 will run from 13th July 2026 until 24th September 2026. You can select when you sit the exam.
Thinking of applying to study medicine or dentistry this year, and wondering when and how you need to register for the UCAT.
Find out everything that you need to know about registration, booking and sitting your UCAT exam in 2026, for 2027 entry.
Find out all the key UCAT 2026 dates here and remember to join our mailing list to be updated on any changes to these dates.
👉🏻 Read more:The Ultimate UCAT Guide 2026
UCAT Registration Checklist 2026 - UCAT Dates For 2027 Entry
Dates for UCAT 2026 (confirmed for 2027 entry):
UCAT 2026 - Test Dates (confirmed for 2027 entry)
1. Create An Online Account [Wednesday 20th May 2026 14:00 BST until Wednesday 16th September 2026 15:00 BST ] - do this in advance (in May ideally). Please note they updated this in April 2026 (was previously 12th May).
2. UCAT Booking Opens [Tuesday 16th June 2026 14:00 BST until Wednesday 16th September 2026]
3. UCAT Exam Dates [Monday 13th July 2026 until Thursday 24th September 2026]
4. The UCAT costs £70 for UK candidates, £115 for international candidates
5. You need ID to sit the exam (Passport/Driver’s licence)
UCAT Dates 2026
The UCAT Test Dates for 2026 are from the 13th of July 2026 until the 24th of September 2026.
You must register for the UCAT in 2026 if you are planning to apply for 2027 entry (or deferred 2028 entry). It is very simple to register for the UCAT. You must make an account on the Pearson Vue website - then you must book the exam once the ukcat test dates open for booking.
Registration is a two-step process:
Once you are registered, the next priority is preparation. Work through our UCAT preparation guide and the free UCAT Skills Trainer to practise the four subtests under timed conditions before your test day.
- 1) Account Creation - create a Pearson Vue Account [not booking actual exam]
- 2) Exam booking - Book the UCAT
👉🏻 Read more: The Best UCAT Test Day
👉🏻 Join UCAT Courses in 2026 to boost your score!
What Are The Key UCAT Exam Dates 2026?
In 2026, these are the key UKCAT Exam dates for you to be aware of for the UCAT Test Booking - save them into your diary.
This will help you remember when UCAT registration opens. You must not miss the UKCAT deadline or the UCAT cut-off date!
These are the 2026 UCAT dates confirmed:
- 20th May 2026 - UCAT Account registration opens & Bursary and Access Arrangement applications open (was previously 12th May)
- 23th June 2026 - UCAT test booking opens - the most important date
- 13th July 2026 - Testing starts
- 10th September 2026 - Access Arrangement application ukcat deadline
- 16th September 2026 - UCAT Booking deadline for 2026 (2027 entry)
- 24th September 2026 - Last UCAT test day
- 15th October 2026 - UCAS deadline
- Early November 2026 - Results delivered to UCAT universities
The last UCAT test date is 24th September 2026.
These are confirmed as the UCAT dates for UCAT 2027 entry.
👉🏻 Read more: How To Prepare For The UCAT In 2026 - The Ultimate Guide
How do I apply for UCAT 2026?
UCAT Application 2026
If you are in year 12 in the UK (as of September 2025 - August 2026), you will need to sit the UCAT in Spring/ Summer 2026.
See below on what to do next!
Step 1 - Create an account
Account Creation
Registration for an account for UCAT 2026 opens on 20th May 2026 at 14:00 BST via the Pearson Vue website.
- To register, you must head to the UCAT Pearson Vue page.
- You will be asked to fill in the UCAT questionnaire.
Step 2 - Book UCAT
UCAT Test Booking for 2026 will open on 23rd June 2026 at 2pm BST (UK Time) - make sure you keep this in your diary to book your UCAT exam. It is worth waking up early to get the venue and time that you want.
The UCAT registration deadline for 2027 entry is the 16th September 2026 (you can sit the exam until 24th September 2026). For those currently in year 12, your UCAT will be in the summer of 2026.
👉🏻 Read more: The Ultimate Guide To Reflective Practice in the UCAT
👉🏻 Read more: How To Create A UCAT Revision Timetable
UCAT tutoring
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A bespoke plan across VR, DM, QR and SJT.
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UCAT ANZ Registration
Please see our UCAT ANZ Page for more information on registering for the UCAT in Australia & New Zealand.
👉🏻 Read more: The UCAT ANZ
UCAT Registration 2026 - Tips
- You may only create one account, if you have taken the UCAT before, make sure that you use the same name
- Register with your legal name as it appears on the photo ID that you intend to use - usually, this is your passport or driving licence for Pearson Vue UCAT takers.
- Once you have registered you will receive an email within 24h providing you with a password.
- If you are concerned that illness, injury or personal circumstances mean you will not be ‘fit to test’ throughout the 2026 test window, you must contact the UCAT Office for advice before sitting your test. If you choose to sit your test against this advice, the university clinical aptitude test (UCAT) will not accept this as a mitigating circumstance.
- Remember, information on this website can change, so please refer to the official UCAT website for more information on this.
Make sure that you contact our UCAT Tutors if you need any help with this process or your UCAT preparation!
👉🏻 Read more: UCAT Test Day: Top Tips
👉🏻 Read more: UCAT Reflective Revision - the most important UCAT Tip
👉🏻 Read more: UCAT Burnout - How To Avoid It
👉🏻 Read more: UCAT Revision Timetable - how to create one
UCAT tutoring
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How Much Does The UCAT Test Cost?
How much does the UCAT cost? If you are taking the test inside the UK, the cost is £70. If you are taking the test outside of the UK, the cost is £115.
In Australia and New Zealand the UCAT ANZ is a separate test with its own fees and dates; see our UCAT ANZ guide for the current cost. If you are taking the UCAT in the UK and meet the eligibility criteria, the UCAT bursary scheme can waive the GBP 70 fee entirely.
When Should I Sit The UCAT Between July-October 2026
It is completely up to you when you want to take the UCAT.
It is, however, paramount that you have enough time for preparation of the UCAT exam. For most, this will be 3 months of preparation, with at least two full weeks before the exam date to focus solely on the UCAT. Preceding this, you will also need to be preparing for the UCAT daily for 2-3 months.
Before picking a date, we must first understand how much time we need to invest into our revision, and the first issue to tackle is the amount of revision required. Obviously, every student is different, with some requiring less time and others more time to grasp the concepts or techniques necessary to answer the different UCAT sections. Therefore, the amount of revision you do will depend on how confident you feel. One thing that is certain, however, is that revision is needed.
You are strongly recommended to book a test date early in the testing period. If you choose to book a late test date and then encounter illness or other issues which prevent you from attending your test appointment you may not be able to reschedule within the test period.
Our research at TheUKCATPeople, both through the classes and the one-to-one UCAT tutoring or online UCAT Courses that we provide, proves that those who complete sufficient revision to a high enough standard consistently score higher on the UCAT - as the saying goes, practice makes perfect!” So, now that we’ve established we need revision to succeed on the UCAT, how do we go about it effectively?
The majority of students tend to take their exams towards the end of August or early September. This gives most students the entire summer holiday to prepare. Remember, the more time you spend preparing for the UCAT, the more likely it is you will do well. We recommend you start preparing as early as you feel is necessary (we usually recommend 3 to 4 weeks before your exam date), and you should start by creating a study plan.
Given this, we normally recommend trying to sit the UCAT at the end of August or the beginning of September, so that it does not clash with other commitments and your subjects at school/college and gives you more time to look at universities and colleges that you intend to apply to and attend medical schools and dental schools open days.
Ultimately, there is no right or wrong answer, sitting the UCAT later will allow you more time for your UCAT preparation, or sitting it earlier will give you more time to work on other aspects of your application such as work experience and the personal statement.
👉🏼 Read more: How To Choose The BEST UCAT Test Date For You
Can you reschedule UCAT?
How to change the date of your UKCAT
You can postpone your exam so if you feel unwell or unprepared the best thing to do is to reschedule your UKCAT exam. However, if you postpone the exam too late then you may not be refunded your fee, so make sure you reschedule the UCAT in advance.
You can cancel or reschedule your ukcat test appointment as long as you give the appropriate amount of notice.
It can be done by contacting the Pearson Vue Customer Services Team.
👉🏻 Read more: How To Prevent UCAT Burnout
👉🏻 Read more: UCAT Reflective Revision - the most important UCAT Tip
What should you take for your UCAT Exam on test day?
In terms of what you should bring to the UCAT exam and what you need to take to your UCAT exam, you should take:
- A printout confirmation of your booking from Pearson Vue
- One piece of photographic identification from the approved list meets the requirements stated on the Pearson Vue website.
- You cannot take any personal belongings into the UCAT (UKCAT), nor can you take any food or drink. Anything that you do bring will need to be stored in a locker at the test centre.
- UCAT Calculator - remember you cannot take your calculator to the exam, this is provided as an online UCAT calculator. This is needed for the UCAT quantitative reasoning section.
- UKCAT Whiteboard - you are provided with a whiteboard and marker pen to use. If you fill up your UCAT whiteboard, raise your hand and a new one will be provided to you. This is often used in UCAT Decision Making
- UCAT Earplugs - Earplugs in the UCAT, in theory, should be provided for your UCAT exam, however, some centres may not have this. Instead, they may have ear muffs for you to use. If you prefer using earplugs it is recommended that you take them with you just in case.
- Water - unfortunately, you may not take in any food or drink into the exam, water can be provided by asking the invigilator
- Pens and Pencils - these are not needed for the exam as a marker is provided to be used.
- Keyboard - This is always provided, and will always have a number pad, which is excellent for UCAT quantitative reasoning.
Attend one of our 1-1 UCAT Courses run by doctors to learn more UCAT test day tips.
👉🏼 Read more: The Ultimate UCAT Revision Timetable
UCATSEN & UCAT Access Arrangement Guide 2026
Introduction
Find out everything that you need to know about the UCAT SEN, UCAT Access Arrangements and the UCAT Bursary.
UCATSEN & Access Arrangements
For anyone entitled to extra time in their exams, there are four different extended versions of the UCAT test. Please see below for more information about these exams and who might qualify for each exam. It is possible to arrange access arrangements for the UCAT exam - however, this will need to be done in advance.
Are You Entitled To UCAT Access Arrangements?
Anyone with special educational needs, disabilities or medical conditions that normally entitle them to extra time in exams may well be able to have extra time in their UCAT exam. For more information on this please visit the UCAT Access Arrangements website.
How Do I Arrange Extra Time For The UCAT?
To ensure that you qualify for the UCAT, make sure that you contact them early on in the process and let them know about your requirements, you may then be allowed to sit the UCATSEN exam.
When Should I Apply For UCATSEN?
It is recommended to apply as soon as the booking opens, this will help give the maximum amount of time to ensure that you have enough time to make the necessary arrangements for your exam. The official UCAT website states that this is best done 10 working days in advance of your exam.
UCATSEN
The UCAT SEN allows 25% extra time for the test. The UCATSEN application can be booked through the web account or by calling Pearson Vue customer services.
UCATSA
This allows extra rest time only - here you will receive 5 minutes of rest before each section.
UCATSENSA
This allows you to 25% UKCAT extra time and 5 minutes of breaks before each section.
UCATSEN50
This allows 50% UCAT extra time - it is only for those who normally get 50% of extra time on your UCAT. These can all be booked through customer services from Pearson Vue - contact them sooner rather than later. See more information on booking access arrangements click here.
Do I need to apply for access arrangements again if I did so in a previous year?
Yes, you must apply each time you sit the UCAT. Any access arrangements approved by the UCAT Office are only valid for those years sitting of the UCAT. They do not keep evidence after the usual retention period.
UCAT Bursary
There is a UCAT bursary scheme that allows anyone in financial need to sit the UCAT for free. You must meet one of their eligibility criteria. You must apply for a bursary, especially if you are already entitled to access arrangements.
The UCAT bursary and access arrangement application windows both open on 20 May 2026, the same day as account registration. If you are approved for a bursary, the GBP 70 fee is waived automatically at checkout. You can also explore wider funding through our bursary guide.
- Free school meals - needs a recent letter from school/college demonstrating that you receive free school meals
- 16-19 bursary - needs the official award letter
- Learner support - needs official award letter
- Full rate maintenance grant
- Universal Credit
- Working or Child Tax Credit
- Asylum Support
You then need to contact the UCAT people to fill in their UKCAT bursary form to apply for this.
Contact the UCAT Team for more information on how to apply for the UCAT bursary.
👉🏻 Learn More: 1-1 UCAT Tutoring in 2026
Ultimate Package
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UCAT Test Centres Pearson Vue
Remember that you need to create an account on the Pearson VUE website, before choosing a test centre. You can only create an account once each year, so please remember your UCAT login details and password. You are going to have to complete a questionnaire during the login process.
Once you have made an account you will be able to book your exam during the testing period. You can use a test centre locator to help you look for one of the UKCAT test centres where you can sit the exam.
UCAT Contact Number & Details
If you encounter any issues - please call the Pearson Vue UCAT Team on:
- In the UK: 0208 616 5106
- From overseas: +44 208 616 5106
👉🏻 Learn More: 1-1 UCAT Tutoring in 2026
Frequently asked questions
When does UCAT registration open in 2026?
UCAT registration for 2026 opens on 20 May 2026 at 14:00 UK time via the Pearson VUE website. The bursary and access arrangement application windows open on the same day. Creating your account is free and separate from booking your exam, so set it up early even if you do not plan to book straight away.
When does UCAT booking open in 2026?
UCAT booking opens on 23 June 2026 at 14:00 UK time. This is when you select your test date, time and centre, so it is worth logging in promptly to secure your preferred slot. Popular dates and centres can fill quickly, especially around late August and early September.
What are the key UCAT 2026 dates for 2027 entry?
Account registration, bursary and access arrangements open 20 May 2026; booking opens 23 June 2026; testing runs 13 July to 24 September 2026; the access arrangement deadline is 10 September; the booking deadline is 16 September; and the UCAS deadline is 15 October 2026. Results are sent to universities in early November.
When is the UCAT exam in 2026?
The UCAT 2026 test window runs from 13 July 2026 to 24 September 2026. You choose your own test date within that window when you book. The last possible test date is 24 September 2026, but you must book before the deadline of 16 September 2026.
When is the UCAT 2026 registration and booking deadline?
The UCAT 2026 booking deadline is 16 September 2026 at 15:00 UK time, which is the last point at which you can register and book a test. The final test date is 24 September 2026. Do not leave booking until the last minute, as late dates may be unavailable if you need to reschedule.
How much does the UCAT cost in 2026?
The UCAT 2026 fee is GBP 70 for tests taken in the UK and GBP 115 for tests taken outside the UK. The fee is paid at the point of booking through Pearson VUE. If you qualify for the UCAT bursary scheme, the UK fee is waived automatically when you check out.
How do I register for the UCAT?
Registration is a two-step process. First, create a Pearson VUE account on the UCAT website from 20 May 2026 and complete the candidate questionnaire. Second, once booking opens on 23 June 2026, log back in to book your test date, time and centre. You can only create one account per cycle.
What is the UCAT bursary and how do I apply?
The UCAT bursary scheme waives the test fee for UK candidates facing financial hardship who meet the eligibility criteria, such as receiving free school meals, the 16 to 19 bursary, Universal Credit or a full maintenance grant. Applications open on 20 May 2026, and once approved the fee is waived automatically at checkout. The bursary deadline is 24 September 2026.
How do I apply for UCAT access arrangements or extra time?
If you normally receive extra time or other support in exams due to a disability, medical condition or special educational need, apply for UCAT access arrangements as soon as applications open on 20 May 2026. Options include UCATSEN (25% extra time), UCATSA (rest breaks), UCATSENSA (both) and UCATSEN50 (50% extra time). The application deadline is 10 September 2026, and you must reapply each cycle.
How is the UCAT scored in 2026?
From 2025 the UCAT has four subtests. Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning are each scored from 300 to 900, giving a total cognitive score out of 2700 (Abstract Reasoning was removed). The Situational Judgement Test is reported separately as Band 1 (best) to Band 4 and does not add to the 2700 total.
Can I sit the UCAT at home in 2026?
No. For 2026, almost all candidates sit the UCAT at a Pearson VUE test centre. Online proctored testing from home is only available in limited regions where no test centre is reasonably accessible, and it must be arranged through the UCAT Office. When you book, you select a physical centre using the Pearson VUE test centre locator.
Can I reschedule or cancel my UCAT test?
Yes. You can reschedule or cancel your UCAT appointment through your Pearson VUE account as long as you give enough notice before your test date. Rescheduling close to the appointment may mean you lose your fee, so act early if you feel unwell or unprepared. Always check the latest notice periods on the official UCAT website.
When should I sit the UCAT in 2026?
Most students sit the UCAT in late August or early September, which gives the full summer holiday to prepare. Allow roughly three months of preparation with at least two clear weeks of focused revision before test day. Booking earlier in the window leaves a buffer in case illness or other issues force you to reschedule.
What ID and items do I need on UCAT test day?
You need one piece of valid photographic ID from the approved list, usually a passport or driving licence, with your name exactly matching your registration. The test centre provides an on-screen calculator, a whiteboard and pen, and earplugs or ear defenders. You cannot bring personal belongings, food or your own calculator into the test room.
How many times can I sit the UCAT?
You can only sit the UCAT once per admissions cycle, so there is no resit within the same year. If you are unhappy with your score you cannot retake it that cycle, but you can apply strategically to universities that place less weight on the UCAT or you can resit in a future cycle if you reapply.
Do I need to add my UCAT score to UCAS?
No. Your UCAT results are sent automatically to the universities you apply to in early November, so you do not need to enter your score on your UCAS form. You will receive your score on screen immediately after the test, which helps you decide where to apply before the UCAS deadline of 15 October 2026.
What happens if you fail the UCAT?
There is no pass or fail in the UCAT. You receive a scaled score out of 2700 across the three cognitive subtests, plus a Situational Judgement band. Medical schools set their own thresholds and weight the score differently, so a lower mark is not the end of the road: you simply apply more strategically to schools that place less emphasis on the UCAT.
Can I study medicine in the UK without the UCAT?
For standard entry, almost every UK medical school now requires the UCAT, as the BMAT was discontinued after 2023. A small number of graduate-entry courses accept the GAMSAT instead, and a few foundation or gateway routes have different criteria, but the great majority of applicants will need to sit the UCAT.
Can you sit the UCAT after Year 12?
Yes. You normally sit the UCAT in the summer or early autumn of the year you apply through UCAS, which for most students is the break between Year 12 and Year 13. Your score is only valid for that admissions cycle, so there is no benefit to sitting it during Year 12.
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Keep reading
More UCAT guides
- Ultimate UCAT Guide 2026 - What is the UCAT Test?
- How to Prepare for the UCAT: Books, Resources and Study Plan in 2026 for 2027 Entry
- UCAT Scores and UCAT Scoring Guide 2026 for 2027 Entry
- UCAT Deciles 2015-2026
- UCAT Australia and New Zealand ANZ 2026 for 2027 entry
- UCAT Verbal Reasoning 2026
- UCAT Decision Making 2026
- UCAT Quantitative Reasoning 2026
