What is the UCAT and when do students sit the exam?

The UCAT is a two hour multiple choice test which is administered on computer at a test centre throughout July and early August. It can be taken for the first time in Year 13, and then again in the first year of uni and then every year for as many times as a candidate wants.

The UCAT assesses a range of abilities identified by universities as important to practicing in the fields of medicine / dentistry / clinical sciences:

• the ability to evaluate information presented in a written form,
• the ability to make sound decisions using complex information,
• the ability to evaluate information presented in a numerical form,
• the ability to understand real world situations and identify critical factors and appropriate behaviour in dealing with them.

Updated on: 09/10/2025