Everything you need for the UCAT in one place: scores and deciles, our free score calculator, section-by-section strategy with worked examples, timings, retakes and test day. Written by our UCAT experts and kept current for the 2026 format.
The guides are organised into clusters so you can work through the UCAT in a logical order: start with what the UCAT is and how it is scored, set a target with the scores and deciles guides, then drill each section with the strategy guides and question-type breakdowns. Every guide links back here and across to its related guides.
Drill timed questions with instant feedback and worked solutions across Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning and the SJT, no sign-up needed.
Start training freeStart here: what the UCAT is, how it is scored for 2026, how hard it is, and what changed when Abstract Reasoning was removed.
Ultimate UCAT guide: what is the UCAT?What counts as a good UCAT score, how scaled scores, deciles and percentiles work, and where to apply with the score you have.
UCAT scores and scoring guideTurn raw marks into a scaled score out of 2700 with percentile, decile and SJT band, and master the in-test on-screen calculator.
UCAT score calculator & converterHow medical and dental schools weight the UCAT, their cut-off scores, and how to build a smart shortlist around your result.
Universities & UCAT cut-off scoresKey UCAT dates for the cycle, how to register and book, choosing the best test date, and the access and bursary schemes.
UCAT registration & key datesHow to prepare: books and resources, a week-by-week revision timetable, whether courses are worth it, reflective practice and avoiding burnout.
How to prepare for the UCATWhere to find quality UCAT practice questions and mocks, and how to use them with the section strategy guides below.
UCAT practice questions & testsThe full Verbal Reasoning method plus every question type: true/false/can't tell, best answer, inference, keyword scanning, traps and speed.
Verbal Reasoning: complete strategy guideThe full Decision Making method and worked examples for syllogisms, logical puzzles and the strongest-argument question type.
Decision Making: complete 2026 guideThe full Quantitative Reasoning method plus question types: percentages, ratio and proportion, geometry and financial maths.
UCAT Quantitative Reasoning overviewThe full SJT method: most/least appropriate questions, what each band means to universities, and using GMC Good Medical Practice to score Band 1.
SJT: complete 2026 guideAbstract Reasoning was removed from the UCAT for the 2026 test (2027 entry). Kept for reference and reapplicants; see what is in the UCAT now.
Abstract Reasoning (legacy)What to expect on test day, how to use the noteboard, per-section timings and how to handle time pressure and stay calm.
UCAT test day: what to expectWhether you can resit the UCAT, the rules on retaking, and how to actually improve your score as a reapplicant.
Can you resit the UCAT?The UCAT ANZ for Australian and New Zealand medical and dental schools: format, dates and how it differs from the UK UCAT.
UCAT ANZ guideA guide for parents: how to support your child through UCAT preparation without adding pressure.
UCAT parents' guideFree UCAT Skills Trainer drills by section
From diagnostic to test day: a structured plan with 1-1 expert support at every stage.
The UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) is the admissions test for most UK medical and dental schools. The 2026 test, for 2027 entry, has three cognitive subtests, Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning, plus the Situational Judgement Test. Abstract Reasoning has been removed.
Each cognitive subtest is scaled from 300 to 900, giving a total cognitive score from 900 to 2700. The Situational Judgement Test is reported separately in four bands, with Band 1 the strongest. There is no negative marking.
A good score is one that sits above the average for the cycle. In recent years roughly 2500 and above has been competitive and 2700 and above strong, but the threshold that matters depends on the universities you apply to. See our scores and deciles guide for the latest figures.
The UCAT runs across the summer in the year before entry. Sit it once you have completed focused preparation, leaving a buffer before the UCAS deadline. Our registration and test-date guides walk through booking and choosing the best slot.
Most applicants prepare for around six to eight weeks of consistent practice. Our preparation guide includes 4, 6 and 8 week revision timetables so you can match the plan to the time you have.
Yes. Abstract Reasoning was removed from the UCAT for the 2026 test (2027 entry), and the scoring and timings were updated. Our what-is-the-UCAT and 2026 changes guides explain exactly what is different now.
You can sit the UCAT once per cycle, but you can take it again in a future cycle as a reapplicant. Our retake guides cover the rules and, more importantly, how to actually improve your score the second time.
It varies by applicant, but many find Decision Making and the time pressure of Quantitative Reasoning the most demanding. Each section guide below breaks the question types down with worked examples and timing tactics.
Ultimate Package students from our 2025/26 cycle, with their UCAT scores and offers, who trained with us for the UCAT, personal statements and interviews.
“Harry got my UCAT up to 2,590, working through the sections I kept dropping marks on week by week. Gemma then ran my interview practice so the MMI stations didn't catch me out, and Dr Akash mentored me the whole way through. I'm off to King's for Medicine.”
“The interview prep was the part that actually moved the needle. Proper mock MMIs, not just lists of questions, and feedback that was honest about what I was getting wrong. I ended up with four offers and firmed UCL.”
“The Ultimate Package kept me organised from UCAT through to interviews. They knew what dental schools actually ask and tightened up my personal statement. Four offers in the end, and I'm going to Birmingham.”
“Vet applications come down to the written SAQs as much as the interview. Dr Rebecca went through my SAQs line by line, sharpened my answers and prepped me for the panels. I came away with four offers and chose the RVC.”
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