When is the best time to begin preparation for UCAT?

When to begin UCAT preparation is a difficult question and one that is very individual. Many NZ students are unaware that they can sit the UCAT in year 13. However, sitting the UCAT in year 13 (and again in the first year of university) confers a significant advantage. You will gain an insight into the difficulty, style and conditions of the exam, and it will help with your confidence when you sit the exam the following year. Furthermore, if you excel in the UCAT, you will be eligible to apply for medicine in Australia, which broadens your chances of securing entry into medicine or dentistry.

MedEntry recommends that you begin your UCAT preparation as early as possible. Because the UCAT is a skills-based exam, you cannot ‘cram’ for it in a short period of time. You need to learn, practice and master the skills required to succeed in the UCAT over a period of time

There are various options available to you.

Option 1: You may choose to purchase a package that begins from the moment of purchase until you sit the UCAT exam. For more information see: https://www.medentry.co.nz/ucat-headstart

Option 2: On the flipside, of course, cost may be an issue. We offer students access to online materials until the end of the next UCAT cycle (early-August). After that, to continue to access materials, you would need to re-enrol. MedEntry provides students who have enrolled in MedEntry in the previous year an automatically applied Last Year's Student Discount. Please see: https://www.medentry.co.nz/pricing#ucat-packages

Updated on: 09/10/2025