How is the UCAT scored?

UCAT scores are one of the foundational elements for many medical and dental school applications. The UCAT is scored out of 3600, putting together a combination of the total marks for each sub-section: Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, and Abstract Reasoning (all scored out of 900 individually). The SJT component of the UCAT is scored using a banding system, whereby Band 4 is the lowest and Band 1 is the highest achievable score. In the UCAT ANZ, the SJT is also scored out of 900. When you sit the UCAT, you’ll be given your score right away and will receive a breakdown of your score out of 900 for each subsection, a total score out of 3600, and a band for the SJT out of 4 (or score out of 900 for UCAT ANZ).

What is a High UCAT Score?

A high UCAT score is generally considered to be a top decile or top 10% score. Decile rankings are based on performance each year. In 2022, a top decile UCAT score was 2880 or above. Aiming for a top 10% UCAT score can, in most cases, guarantee you interviews for medicine or dentistry. Some universities will have a higher emphasis on UCAT scores even above this value. For example, the average UCAT score that students who were invited to interview at Kings College London for Medicine 2022 entry was 2920. In general, having a top 10% UCAT score is very advantageous, but for certain universities, you may need to aim higher than this.

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What is a Good UCAT Score?

A good UCAT score is generally above 2700, but this does not mean that you will be guaranteed interviews with such a score. Medicine and dentistry are extremely competitive, and it’s important that you apply strategically. You should be aware of UCAT cut-off scores for each university that you apply to and ensure that you’re applying only to universities that will accept your UCAT score alongside other qualifications.

What is a Low UCAT Score?

A low UCAT score is generally 2400 or lower. Having such a score will make the application for medicine or dentistry extremely difficult. If you attain a low UCAT score, you should look into contextual offers for universities as these can lower the UCAT requirement needed. For example, in 2020, the lowest UCAT score obtained that was invited to interview at Cardiff was 1980. So it’s definitely still possible to progress with your medicine or dentistry application if you have a low UCAT score, but you’ll need to be very wise with where you apply and make use of any widening participation criteria that you may meet.

When will I get my UCAT Score?

You will get your UCAT score immediately after you finish the test. The results will be handed to you via paper as you are leaving the test centre. This means you will get your UCAT score before the deadline for medical school application, which will allow you to decide which universities to apply to.  The results will automatically be sent to the universities you apply to in early November. You do not need to pass your test result to the universities you apply to or include it in your UCAS application

What UCAT Score is Needed for Medicine?

Scores of around 2600-3000 are needed for most universities. Each medical school has its own scoring system and requirements for the UCAT, including cut-off scores. Have a read of our other blog post for the most up-to-date UCAT scores needed for medicine for each university in 2023.

What are UCAT Deciles?

UCAT Deciles are a way of ranking your test performance compared to other candidates who have taken the same test. The UCAT exam is divided into deciles, with each decile representing 10% of the total number of test-takers. For example, if your UCAT score falls within the 7th decile, it means your score is higher than 60% but lower than 70% of all test-takers. It is important to note that deciles are just one way that schools interpret UCAT scores and would be considered alongside other factors when assessing an applicant’s suitability for a medicine or dentistry program.

UCAT Deciles for Previous Years

Decile Rank	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
1st	2150	2120	2150	2170	2170	2160	2230
2nd	2270	2250	2270	2290	2280	2280	2340
3rd	2360	2340	2360	2370	2360	2360	2420
4th	2440	2420	2430	2450	2420	2420	2480
5th	2510	2500	2500	2510	2480	2490	2540
6th	2580	2570	2570	2580	2540	2550	2600
7th	2660	2660	2640	2650	2610	2610	2670
8th	2760	2750	2730	2730	2730	2690	2750
9th	2890	2880	2850	2850	2800	2810	2860

SJT Deciles for Previous Years

	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
Band 1	25%	20%	14%	30%	17%	21%	28%
Band 2	39%	36%	36%	36%	40%	34%	42%
Band 3	26%	31%	33%	24%	33%	32%	21%
Band 4	9%	14%	16%	9%	10%	12%	9%

What are UCAT Percentiles?

UCAT percentiles represent your relative performance compared to other candidates who have taken the same test. The UCAT exam is scored on a scale from 300 to 900, with each score corresponding to a percentile rank. For example, if a you score in the 80th percentile, it means your score is higher than 80% of all test-takers.

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Which Universities Accept Low UCAT Scores?

The UCAT is becoming increasingly competitive, and universities that accept lower scores one year may not accept them the following year. Further, sometimes a university has a low cut off score, but the actual lowest score they’ll invite to interview may be much higher depending on their interview invite criteria. If you happen to get a low UCAT score, it’s worth looking into universities that place lower emphasis on the UCAT. For example, Exeter puts a 25% weighting towards an applicant’s UCAT score and 75% towards academic qualifications, so if you satisfy their academic points criteria, you can get away with a much lower UCAT score. For 2022 entry, the average UCAT score for applicants invited to interview at Keele University was 2453, so this is also a university to look into with a lower UCAT score.

Where Should I Apply With a Bad UCAT Score?

If you score lower than 2400 in the UCAT, you may be very limited in universities that you can apply to for medicine or dentistry. Firstly, you should consider taking the BMAT (until 2024 entry) as this will open up further doors for you. Secondly, you should consider any widening participation criteria you may have to qualify for contextual offers which can lower the UCAT score needed for certain universities. Thirdly, you should ensure you have the most up-to-date information about UCAT scores needed for medicine in 2023 and apply it to your strengths.

Why are UCAT Scores Scaled?

UCAT scores are scaled to ensure fairness and comparability across different cohorts of test-takers. Scaling allows for adjustments to be made to raw scores based on the difficulty of the questions and the performance of the test-takers. Scaling helps to ensure that there is a fair and accurate measure of candidates’ abilities and allows for meaningful comparisons.