UCAT Exam: Dates, Eligibility, UCAT Syllabus, Preparation Tips & More

Eligibility Criteria for UCAT Exam

UCAT eligibility for Indian students is quite simple, and you must only meet the following criteria to sit for the U CAT exam:

• You must complete or be in the final year of your higher secondary education or higher to take the exam i.e. complete 10+2 years of school education or undergraduate degree.
• To meet UCAT eligibility, you must be eligible to apply for medical programs at UK universities.

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How to Apply for UCAT Exam?

Now that you have understood what is UCAT test, here is the step-by-step process to apply for the UCAT tests:

• Find out the important dates related to university clinical aptitude tests.
• As soon as the portal is open for registration, create an account and book your test.
• You will have to pay a registration fee of £120 i.e. 11,370 INR, through a credit card.
• You will be given the option to choose the date, time, and test center for booking your UCAT exam.
• Go through the testing rules carefully and only carry necessary items to the test centre.
• Book your test as early as possible to avoid missing an entire year.
• You will be given your UCAT reports even before leaving the test center, and the report can be accessed online on your account within 24 hours.

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Next, let’s explore the ucat exam syllabus.

Syllabus for UCAT Exam

The UCAT syllabus 2022 is designed to test the mental abilities required to excel in medical and dental schools. There are 5 subtests of the exam in the UCAT exam syllabus, including Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning, and a non-cognitive subtest of Situational Judgment. Each test version is drawn out randomly from a large question bank and is balanced in terms of difficulty level.

Take a look at the number of questions in each subtest of the UCAT syllabus for Indian students and the time allotted to complete each section.

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Now you know the UCAT syllabus for Indian students. Next, let’s explore…

When are UCAT Exams Held?

The registration for UCAT exams begins by the end of May or early June. The exams are held on multiple dates starting from July and continuing up to September. You can expect to get the results in early November. It is advisable to appear for the test as early as possible. If you are planning to appear for the UCAT exams in 2022, here are the key dates that you must be aware of:

Can I Reschedule the UCAT?

You can reschedule the university clinical aptitude test using your UCAT account. To reschedule the UCAT before or after the scheduled date, you will have to give a notice at least 24 hours prior to the exam or you will be charged the registration fee again.

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Now you know when to begin your UCAT syllabus 2022 preparation. Next, let’s explore where…

Where are UCAT Exams Held?

The UCAT exam can be taken at Pearson VUE centers throughout the UK and worldwide. Some test centers where UCAT tests are held in India are located in Nagpur, Bhopal, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Surat, Mumbai, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Vellore, Noida, Kolkata, and Coimbatore, among others.

What is the Score Range and Marking System for UCAT Exam?

Your UCAT exam score will depend only on the number of questions you answer correctly because there is no negative marking. The questions presented to you are not influenced by your performance in other questions. Within the 4 cognitive subtests, the scores are converted to a range from 300 to 900, which means the total score is generated on a scale of 1200 to 3600. Coming to the situational judgment test, marks are awarded depending on how close your answer is to the correct response. The final scores are expressed in terms of bands, band 1 being the highest.

Let us briefly discuss the marking scheme of each of the four cognitive tests:

• Verbal reasoning: Each question carries 1 mark.
• Decision making: Questions with single answers carry 1 mark while multiple statement questions carry 2 marks each, wherein you will be awarded 1 mark for a partially correct answer.
• Quantitative reasoning: Questions carry 1 mark each.
• Abstract reasoning: Questions carry 1 mark each.

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Next, let’s explore…

Who Accepts the UCAT Exam?

As discussed earlier, UCAT tests are accepted mainly by UK universities for offering admission to medical and dental programs. We have curated a complete list of UK as well as non-UK associate member universities accepting UCAT exam for entry in 2023:

• University of Aberdeen
• Anglia Ruskin University
• Aston University
• University of Birmingham
• University of Bristol
• Brunel University London
• Cardiff University
• University of Chester
• University of Dundee
• University of East Anglia
• Edge Hill University
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Exeter
• University of Glasgow
• Hull York Medical School
• Keele University
• Kent and Medway Medical School
• King's College London
• University of Leicester
• University of Liverpool
• University of Manchester
• University of Newcastle
• University of Nottingham
• Plymouth University
• Queen Mary University of London
• Queen's University Belfast
• University of Sheffield
• University of Southampton
• University of St Andrews
• St George's, University of London
• University of Sunderland
• University of Warwick
• University of Worcester
• American University of the Caribbean
• University of Kurdistan Hewler

Now you know the universities accepting UCAT exam. Next, let’s explore a few tips and tricks to fasten the preparation.

How to Prepare for UCAT Tests?

You can prepare for UCAT syllabus using the official practice materials developed by UCAT Consortium and made available for free. The UCAT preparation material includes question tutorials, test tools, candidate advice, UCAT videos, question banks, and practice tests. Here are a few UCAT preparation tips:

• You can start self-study by using the free resources available on the official UCAT website.
• Taking UCAT mock test will help you understand the paper format and time management.
• You can enroll in preparation courses and get one-to-one advice and counseling.
• For better ucat exam preparation, you must identify your weak areas and work upon them.
• You can purchase various books and question banks for the UCAT aptitude test and practice more and more.
• While practicing, mark the important sections and repeated questions.

Next, check out the…

Sources for UCAT Practice and Mock Tests

If you have chosen self-preparation, then referring to UCAT provided study materials is the best place to start. Otherwise, take note of the sources where you can access or enroll for various UCAT preparation materials:

• Kaplan Test Prep
• Udemy
• The MSAG
• The Medic Portal
• Medical School Expert

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Now that you have a complete idea about what is UCAT exam, we advise you to start preparing for the exam 4-6 months before the exam date. You can sit for the UCAT only once a year, and the scores will be valid for one year. When you submit applications to universities accepting UCAT through UCAS, Pearson VUE will directly send your scores to the universities for evaluation. If you have decided to take the UCAT exam, make a strategic preparation plan and keep tracking your progress from time to time.

However, during the process, if at any step you need end-to-end guidance, connect with our counsellors by subscribing to Yocket premium services. They will surely make your study abroad experience successful!

Frequently Asked Questions about UCAT Exam

Ques. Is UCAT exam difficult?

Ans. Yes, UCAT exam is difficult compared to other entrance exams that you may have encountered. The questions are completely different from anything that you have learned in school or college, which is what makes the paper difficult. However, if you understand the paper pattern and types of questions in the different sub-tests, cracking the paper will become relatively easier for you.

Ques. What are the average UCAT scores for admission to top universities?

Ans. To get into one of the top universities, you must aim for a score of 650 or above in each subtest.

Ques. Is a UCAT score below 600 considered low?

Ans. A score of 620-630 in each sub-test is good enough, but a score below 600 is relatively low, especially for getting into leading universities offering medicine and dental programs.

Ques. Which universities in Australia and New Zealand accept UCAT?

Ans. Some of the universities in Australia and New Zealand accepting UCAT are the University of Newcastle, University of New South Wales, La Trobe University, Monash University, University of Queensland, Flinders University, Griffith University, etc. in Australia and the University of Auckland and the University of Otago in New Zealand.

Ques. Is UCAT only required for medicine programs?

Ans. Yes, the UCAT exam is an aptitude test for medicine and dentistry programs offered at various universities in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Although the exam is not compulsory for admission, it is considered while evaluating applications and the selection of candidates.