UCAT Bursary and Test Fees: Cost, Eligibility, Deadlines and Refunds

How much does the UCAT cost?

The UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) costs £70 if you sit it at a test centre in the UK and £115 if you sit it outside the UK. You pay by debit or credit card when you book, and UK candidates who qualify for the UCAT bursary pay nothing.

These are the UCAT 2026 fees (the test sat in summer 2026 for 2027 entry). The UCAT Consortium had not published 2027 fees or dates as of 24 October 2026; it says instructions for the UCAT 2027 will appear in March 2027.

The price covers one sitting. You can only sit the UCAT once in a test cycle, so a second attempt means waiting for the next year (see whether you can resit the UCAT). If you searched "how much is the UCAT out of", that is about scoring, not price: see UCAT scores and scoring.

What is the UCAT bursary?

The UCAT bursary is a full fee waiver from the UCAT Consortium for UK candidates from low-income households. Once approved, it is applied automatically when you book, so the test costs you nothing.

• It covers the whole test fee. It is not a cash payment and does not cover travel or preparation.
• You can have one bursary per test cycle, and you must reapply each year with evidence that meets that year's rules.
• In 2025, 16.6% of UK test takers sat the UCAT on a bursary (17.1% in 2024), according to the UCAT Bursary Scheme Policy 2026.
• Your results are flagged to UCAT Consortium universities to show you had a bursary. UCAT states this will not disadvantage you, and some universities use the flag to identify applicants from under-represented backgrounds.

Who is eligible for the UCAT bursary?

You are eligible if you are a UK candidate and you, or a parent or guardian living at the same address, receive one of the qualifying awards or means-tested benefits below. You upload one piece of evidence for one criterion.

Three rules catch people out:

• Over 21 and out of full-time education: you must receive the qualifying award or benefit yourself; a parent's benefit does not count.
• Never accepted: scholarships, bursaries or free school meals at independent or fee-paying schools, Child Benefit, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Council Tax or Housing Benefit, a Postgraduate Loan, an Advanced Learner Loan, a Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary, annual accounts or a P60.
• No student finance for religious or cultural reasons: submit a Help Request through your UCAT account to ask what alternative evidence to send. UCAT also says it occasionally considers other evidence case by case.

How do you apply for the UCAT bursary?

You apply inside your UCAT account by uploading one document, ideally before you book your test. UCAT usually processes applications within 3 to 5 working days, and an approved bursary waives the fee automatically when you book.

1. Create your UCAT account when registration opens (20 May 2026 for the UCAT 2026 cycle).
2. Open the bursary application in your account and upload one piece of evidence as a PDF, JPEG or PNG.
3. Wait for the outcome by email (check your junk folder) and on your account dashboard. If nothing arrives within 3 to 5 working days, submit a Help Request.
4. Book your test once approved. The fee is waived automatically when you book.
5. If you had already paid, submit a Help Request through your UCAT account to claim the fee back, before the redemption deadline.

Booking itself, including choosing a test centre and date, is covered in our UCAT registration and booking guide.

When is the UCAT bursary deadline?

For the UCAT 2026 cycle, the bursary application and evidence deadline was 24 September 2026 at 15:00 UK time, and the deadline to redeem a bursary (or claim a refund of a fee already paid) was 16 October 2026 at 17:00. Both have passed.

If you applied by the deadline but UCAT asks for more evidence, it usually allows a short grace period of about 1 working day after it processes your application. Dates for UCAT 2027 had not been published as of 24 October 2026.

What happens if your UCAT bursary is refused?

UCAT sends a written explanation, and if your evidence was missing, unclear or the wrong type, you are given further chances to send acceptable evidence before the usual deadlines. If the final decision still goes against you, you can appeal under the UCAT Appeals Policy.

• An application is rejected if UCAT decides you are not entitled to a bursary or the evidence does not meet the policy.
• Appeals should normally be made within 5 days of the final decision, and UCAT does not consider new appeals after 31 October.
• Without an approved bursary you book at the standard fee (£70 in the UK in 2026).

Can you get a refund, reschedule or cancel the UCAT?

Yes, free of charge, if you reschedule or cancel at least 24 hours before your appointment; a cancellation is refunded to your card, normally within 10 working days. With less notice, or if you miss the test, you get no refund and must pay again to rebook.

• Change or cancel online in your UCAT account, or call Pearson VUE Customer Services on +44 (0)208 616 5106 (Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00 UK time). UCAT does not accept changes by email or Help Request.
• A reschedule is not complete until you receive a confirmation email.
• A missed test (a "no-show") is never refunded, whatever the reason: illness, transport problems and arriving without acceptable photo ID all count.
• Bursary holders: if you cancel in time and rebook in the same test year, the bursary is applied again. If you miss a bursary-funded test, you pay the full fee to rebook, UCAT will not issue a second bursary, it may ask you to repay the fee and it may bar you from future bursaries.
• Need extra time or other access arrangements? They cannot be added to an existing booking: you cancel (normal rules apply), apply, then rebook.

Does the UCAT cost more outside the UK or online?

Sitting the UCAT outside the UK costs £115, against £70 in the UK, and the bursary is only open to UK candidates. UCAT does not list a separate price for sitting the test online.

• Pearson VUE delivers the UCAT at test centres across the UK and in more than 130 other countries, so most international candidates book a local centre.
• Online proctored testing (OnVUE) is by application only, mainly for candidates with no test centre within reasonable reach, or in exceptional medical circumstances.
• The UCAT ANZ, used in Australia and New Zealand, is a separate test with its own fees and dates: see UCAT ANZ. Universities outside the UK that take the UK UCAT are listed in universities that accept the UCAT outside the UK.

What free official UCAT resources are there?

Every official UCAT preparation resource is free on ucat.ac.uk, including four full practice tests. You do not need to pay anyone to see the real question formats.

• A tour tutorial and test tools guide showing the on-screen calculator, navigation and the flag and review function.
• Question tutorials with strategies and worked examples for each subtest.
• Question banks and four timed practice tests (how to use them is in our UCAT official question bank guide).
• A downloadable preparation checklist and recorded "Get UCAT Ready" webinars.

For costs beyond the test fee, such as interview travel and university bursaries, see our guide to bursaries and financial help for medicine, and the wider picture in how much it costs to become a doctor in the UK. If you want structured preparation, our 1-to-1 UCAT tutoring runs online, and the UCAT guides hub covers every subtest.

Checked against ucat.ac.uk on 24 October 2026. Fees, evidence rules and dates change each cycle, so confirm them on the official site before you book.