The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

All applicants applying to study medicine at Edinburgh must sit the UCAT or apply in advance for an exemption.

The UCAT (formally UKCAT) was introduced in 2006 as part of the selection process for the majority of the UK University Medical and Dentistry Schools.

All applicants must take the test prior to applying through UCAS. For example if you are applying in September then ordinarily you must take the test between July and September in that particular year.

If you reapply to Edinburgh the following year then you must resit the test.

You cannot revise for the UCAT. There are practice tests on the UCAT website.

Please do not send your test results to the Admissions Office as we are advised by UCAT of your score.

Dates for possible entry to Medicine in 2024

Registration opens	16 May 2023
Booking opens	20 June 2023
Bursary scheme opens	16 May 2023
Testing begins	10 July 2023
Registration and online booking closes	21 September 2023
Access Arrangements / UCATSEN application deadline	19 September 2023
Bursary deadline	29 September 2023
Final booking deadline	21 September 2023
Last testing date	28 September 2023
UCAS application deadline	16 October 2023
Results delivered to universities	Early November 2023

The test is taken at a Pearson VUE Test Centre and the UCAT Consortium have preparation advice and resources available on their web pages from Spring 2023. We would suggest that where possible you book an early test as if you were to fall ill you may still have the opportunity to re-book your test for a later date. Additionally, for candidates still at school, it makes sense to have completed your test over the summer and be ready to focus on schoolwork when schools return in the autumn.

A guide on the test for 2023 will be available soon via the link below.

2023 UCAT Official Guide

More detailed information is also available on the UCAT website.

The University Clinical Aptitude Test Website

Applicants who are normally entitled to extra time in examinations must contact UCAT directly as they will be required to submit evidence of their entitlement prior to sitting the test itself.

Access Arrangements - UCAT

Exemptions from the requirement to sit the UCAT will only be granted under very exceptional circumstances and with prior agreement with the UG Admissions Office. We will not consider applications without UCAT where no prior exemption has been granted.

How we use your UCAT score

Potential applicants who score a Band 4 in the Situational Judgement Test will not be considered for entry.

You are required to meet a minimum UCAT score as part of our entry requirements from 2023 entry. Our minimum UCAT total cut-off score for those applying for 2024 entry is 2470. Any applicant applying with a score below the cut-off will not be considered with the exclusion of FLAG PLUS applicants (see below).

Once all the scores are received we rank them, divide the cohort into deciles (ten equal groups) and allocate a score. We also allocate a score to your situational judgement banding. The points are then added to your academic score to contribute towards your final ranking for shortlisting and possible invitation to one of our Assessment Days. The individual sections of the total score an applicant achieved may be looked at again when final decisions are made where there are applicants with the same ranked score and limited places left to offer.

PLUS FLAG Applicants

Applicants who are eligible for a widening access PLUS FLAG will be considered with any UCAT total score and will be awarded a 10% uplift in their original UCAT total score. PLUS FLAG applicants with a Band 4 in the Situational Judgement Test will not be considered for entry. To check eligibility for a PLUS FLAG please read about widening access on our web pages.

Widening Access

This article was published on 29 May, 2023