Aptitude tests

University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

The UCAT helps medical schools select applicants with the skills, attitudes, and professional behaviour needed to succeed as doctors. It doesn’t test you on school subjects. Instead, it assesses your thinking skills, attitude, professionalism and other qualities you’ll need to become a healthcare professional.

UCAT is part of the medical school application process. However, graduate entry programmes in Scotland use the Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) instead.

Find out more about routes to medical school.

UCAT registration and booking your test

UCAT registration opens on 13 May 2025 for 2026 entry to medical school. You must take the online test between 7 July 2025 and 19 September 2025. You’ll sit the test at a Pearson Vue centre approved by the UCAT Consortium or at home if you meet the eligibility criteria.

Booking your test is a 2-step process:

• Create your UCAT account
• Book a UCAT test

You should book your test through your UCAT account, where you’ll also find information about availability.

Find out more about the UCAT registration process.

Access arrangements

If you are disabled, UCAT can provide access arrangements such as:

• extra time to complete the test
• rest breaks to help you manage your disability during the test
• access to comfort aids or items and devices needed for medical reasons

Some comfort aids do not need prior approval, but you must inform the test centre 5 days before you sit your test. Other access arrangements require approval. You should contact UCAT with the correct supporting evidence before you book your test.

Find out more about access arrangements.

UCAT test fee

Your UCAT test fee of £70.00 is payable when booking online using a major debit or credit card. 

Sitting the UCAT

The test takes approximately 2 hours to complete. Each section of the multiple-choice test is timed separately. These are:

• Verbal reasoning - assesses your ability to critically evaluate information presented in a written form.
• Quantitative reasoning - assesses your ability to critically evaluate information presented numerically.
• Decision making - assesses your ability to make sound decisions and judgements using complex information.
• Situational judgement - measures your capacity to understand real-world situations and to identify critical factors and appropriate behaviour in dealing with them.

Find out more about the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT).

Getting your UCAT results

You’ll know your UCAT score before you leave the test centre. You can also access your score report approximately 24 hours after you sit the test by logging into your UCAT account.

As you’ll have your test result before the UCAS deadline, you can use it when deciding which medical schools to apply to.

Find out more about getting your UCAT score report.

How medical schools use your UCAT score

Medical schools use UCAT scores in different ways. For some universities, they are a significant factor in the application review process, while for others, scores are evaluated alongside other indicators. Some medical schools have a threshold score you must achieve to be considered for admission.

Scottish medical schools UCAT requirements

Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT)

You’ll need to take the GAMSAT if you're a graduate with a university degree who wants to study medicine. Graduate entry programmes include the following:

• Scottish Graduate Entry Medicine (ScotGEM)
• Medical degree for healthcare professionals (HCP-Med)

Find out more about graduate entry programmes.

Test structure, content, and fees

The test assesses skills and knowledge relevant to studying and practising medicine. It also evaluates your scientific reasoning, critical thinking, problem-solving, and written communication skills.

There are 3 parts to the test:

1. Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences.
2. Written communication.
3. Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences.

You’ll sit parts 1 and 3 at an in-person test centre. Your essays for part 2 will be completed by remote proctoring.

The standard registration fee for GAMSAT is £292.00. Your score will be valid for 2 years.

Discover more about the GAMSAT.