UCAT Requirements for Medical and Dental Schools

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4/14/2022

UCAT scores are used in different ways depending on the university:

Some say it contributes generally to the application, while others provide more detailed information
Some use the UCAT only for interview selection, while others also use it for final selection
Some have strict minimum cut-off scores that vary from year to year, while others consider all UCAT scores
Some don't look at the Situational Judgement Test (SJT), while others have a minimum SJT band requirement or include it as part of the interview score

Take a look at each programme's specific requirements below.

Think tactically.

If your score is not great, look for the medical or dental schools that don't use the UCAT as the sole criterion for interview selection. If you have a high score, maximise your chance of success by applying to medical schools that value it highly.

Learn more

UCAT results: what is the average score and what is a good score?

How to get into med school with a low UCAT score

Medical schools List

King's College London

Dental schools list

King's College London

Medical schools

Aberdeen

Applications are assessed and scored objectively as follows:

Academic achievements/predictions (30%)
UCAT score (20%)
The academic and UCAT score are added together. The highest scoring applicants are then invited to an interview
Interview performance (50%), which is added to the already achieved score

Anglia Ruskin

You'll be ranked by your UCAT score. A certain number of students will be invited to an interview, provided the main academic entry requirements are met. Applicants with a Situational Judgement Test score of Band 4 (lowest band) will not be invited for interview for September 2019 entry onwards.

Aston

There are no specific score requirements for the UCAT as the score will be considered alongside all other entry requirements. There is no cut-off score for UCAT or the Situational Judgment Test section of the UCAT.

Birmingham

There is no minimum UCAT cut-off score. Your total UCAT score from the four subtests (i.e. excluding the band result for the Situational Judgment Test), will be ranked among those for all applicants. The scores will be segregated into deciles and an individual score will be allocated to each decile.

The decision whether an offer is made is based on the interview performance data, as well as a separate calculation assessment and a score derived from your SJT result from UCAT.

The following scoring system will be applied to the SJT result:

Band 1 = Maximum score
Band 2 = 2/3 of maximum
Band 3 = 1/3 of maximum
Band 4 = 0

Birmingham has a handy calculator tool that provides an estimation of whether you are likely to be offered an interview or not. The guidance provided by this calculator tool is applicable only for the 5-year MBChB programme (A100) and does not apply to the following categories of applicant:

Graduate Entry Medicine course
Graduate applicant for five-year course
International
Widening Participation

Bristol

Interview selection will be based on the combined score from all UCAT subtests, with the exception of Situational Judgement.

For 2022 entry, the final UCAT threshold score to be invited to interview was 2,870 for home applicants and 2,910 for overseas applicants.

If you're predicted to, or have already achieved the minimum academic entry requirements, your application will be scored with a 100% weighting on the UCAT result. This will be used for interview selection.

While the UCAT score will be used for interview selection once all academic requirements have been met, there's no cut-off score for the UCAT.

Cardiff

There’s no minimum threshold score. However, UCAT scores may be used as part of the selection process.

Dundee

The UCAT accounts for 40% of your pre-interview score or 60% if you're applying as a graduate. At present, the Situational Judgement Test is not used as part of selection, however it may be used as part of your interview.

There's no minimum cut-off score.

East Anglia

UEA does not have a cut-off score. A high score is advantageous but a low score won't disqualify you from being considered.

The overall score is used to rank applicants for selection for interview
The overall score is used alongside the interview score to rank and select applicants
The SJT component score is included within the interview score

Edge Hill

If you meet the minimum academic requirements, you'll be ranked by your UCAT score. A UCAT threshold will be set depending on the number of interviews to be held. If you meet this threshold, you'll be invited to interview.

The UCAT threshold set by the University may differ from year to year as it is dependent on the scores achieved by those who apply in each admissions cycle. Anyone who scores within Band 4 in the Situational Judgement Test will be automatically rejected.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh are currently reviewing the UCAT cut-off score for the 2023 admission cycle. A decision will be taken by 1 June 2022 and will be communicated on the Edinburgh Medical School UCAT page. Those who score a Band 4 in the Situational Judgement section of the UCAT test will not be considered for entry.

Once all scores are received they are ranked. The cohort is divided into deciles (ten equal groups) and then allocated a score. Edinburgh also allocates 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 an assessment day. Your total score may be looked at again when final decisions are made, and there are people with the same ranked score and limited places left to offer.

Exeter

Applications will be weighted to create an Exeter score: 25% coming from UCAT and 75% from academic attainment. A threshold Exeter score will be set each year - if you achieve above this score you'll be invited to interview.

Glasgow

If you meet the minimum requirements, your UCAT score will be used to determine whether you receive an interview. The range of scores considered changes each year as the performance of each admissions cohort varies.

The Situational Judgement section of the UCAT test will not be taken into consideration for entry in 2022.

Hull York

Your total UCAT score will be assigned points as part of the selection process. Top scoring applicants are invited to interview. You’re assigned up to 15 points for your Situational Judgement Test score and up to 40 points for your total UCAT score.

Up to an additional 15 points will be awarded if you meet at least two criteria based on contextual information (applies to UK school leavers only).

Keele

Home applicants with a total UCAT score below 2,280 or with a Situational Judgement Test score in Band 4 will not be considered.

Shortlisting for interview is based on the roles and responsibilities (R+R) form. People with the highest R+R scores are selected for interview. If the number of applicants tied on the threshold R+R score exceeds the number of interview slots available, applicants with this score will be ranked on total UCAT score.

Kent and Medway

Kent and Medway operated a selection threshold of total UCAT score 2,470 or above and UCAT Situational Judgement Test Band 3 or above in 2020.

The University does not necessarily commit to the same or similar threshold for selection for 2022 entry.

King's College London

King’s does not have a threshold UCAT score in any particular year. The overall UCAT score averaged across the four subtests is given more consideration than the individual subtest scores. The Situational Judgement Test is also taken into account when shortlisting.

Leicester

Leicester does not have a minimum UCAT score but it forms a significant part of their selection for interview. Applicants with Band 4 in the Situational Judgement Test will be automatically rejected pre-interview.

Your academic score (up to 32 points) will be combined with a score based on your UCAT results (also up to 32 points) giving a maximum possible score of 64 points overall. Your combined score will determine whether you are invited for interview.

Liverpool

Invitation to interview is highly competitive and dependant on UCAT performance and academic success (both achieved and predicted).

Home applicants will need to score Band 1-3 in the Situational Judgement Test for the application to be processed. The overall score will be used (not individual subtest scores) in ranking applicants.

Manchester

Applicants who achieve Band 4 in the Situational Judgement Test (SJT) will not be considered. People with SJT Band 3 are welcome to apply but priority will be given to those in Bands 1 and 2 in both UCAT and holistic assessments.

The UCAT threshold will be based on the standard of scores received for that year. If the number of highly scoring applicants exceeds the number of interview slots available, people will be ranked according to UCAT total score and SJT band.

If your UCAT score does not meet the UCAT threshold, Manchester will include your application as part of a holistic assessment using all the information available to them to arrive at a decision. Applicants who are in Bands 1 and 2 will be prioritised, those in Band 4 will not be considered.

Newcastle

Applicants who meet the academic threshold are ranked based on UCAT scores. A UCAT threshold is set depending on the number of interviews to be held. If you meet the UCAT threshold, you will be invited to an interview.

The UCAT threshold depends on the number of applicants, and the average score of those who apply. The threshold for 2021 was 2,820 and for 2020 it was 2,730.

Nottingham

There is no fixed UCAT threshold score when selecting for interview. If you achieve Band 4 on the SJT, you won't be considered for an interview.

You'll be awarded points for each grade you achieve at GCSE level (up to 32 points). If you've met the minimum GCSE requirements (5 or higher for six-year courses, 12 or higher for five-year courses), your UCAT results will then be used.

The scoring for VR (doubled), QR, AR and DM sections of the UCAT is as follows:

801 - 900 UCAT score = 12 points
701 - 800 UCAT score = 10 points
601 - 700 UCAT score = 8 points
501 - 600 UCAT score = 6 points
401 - 500 UCAT score = 2 points

The scoring for SJT Bands is as follows:

Band 1 = 60 points
Band 2 = 45 points
Band 3 = 20 points
Band 4 = 0 points

Your GCSE score and UCAT scores are then added together to create your final score which will be used to decide who will be invited to interview.

Plymouth

The UCAT threshold is influenced by overall applicant performance in the UCAT and the number and quality of applications received. The threshold for 2022 was 2,610 and for 2021 it was 2,400.

Applicants are considered for interview based on relevant academic qualifications alone.

Queen Mary (Barts)

Your overall UCAT score will be used in selection for interview in conjunction with your academic performance to date.

For school leavers/gap year students and graduates, applicants will be ranked according to a 50:50 weighting applied to the UCAT score and academic ability as measured by UCAS tariff. Academic ability for graduates is based on a weighting of degree classification or postgraduate degrees compared to other applicants who apply in that same year.

You will not be offered an interview if you obtained a total UCAT score below the third decile.

Queen's Belfast

UCAT will be scored and used in conjunction with a GCSE score to rank for interview.

UCAT will be scored using your overall results from the VR, QR, AR and DM sections. Applicants can obtain up to a maximum of 6 additional points as follows:

2,900 - 3,600 UCAT score = 6 points
2,700 - 2,899 UCAT score = 5 points
2,500 - 2,699 UCAT score = 4 points
2,300 - 2,599 UCAT score = 3 points
2,100 - 2,299 UCAT score = 2 points
1,900 - 2,099 UCAT score = 1 point
1,200 - 1,899 UCAT score = 0 points

SJT results will not be used for 2022 entry except, if necessary, to inform decisions on borderline applicants who have achieved a similar score at interview. Consideration is being given to its use for 2023 entry.

Sheffield

In addition to academic requirements, all applicants must have achieved a minimum score to be given further consideration. This minimum score will be calculated in Spring 2023. You must meet both the academic entry requirements and the UCAT entry requirements. The SJT is only considered for those who are invited to attend a Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI).

If you meet or exceed both the minimum academic requirements and the minimum UCAT requirement, you will be ranked based on your UCAT score after the application deadline to determine who is invited to attend an MMI.

For Graduate Entry Medicine (A101), you must achieve a score of 2,430/3,600 or above to be given further consideration. You must meet the UCAT entry requirements and the academic entry requirements and the widening participation criteria. The SJT is only considered for those who are invited to attend an MMI.

For widening access entry, you are required to meet the same UCAT threshold of 2,430/3,600 as all other applicants. You're not ranked on your UCAT score.

Southampton

You'll be ranked by UCAT score and the top number are invited to interview. Southampton does not currently use the Situational Judgement Test.

Applicants will be ranked by UCAT score to determine who should be invited to a selection day. The ranking does not apply to applicants in the widening access programme but you must complete UCAT.

St Andrews

To be considered for interview, you must have:

A strong academic record
A positive reference
Relevant, medically related work experience

If you meet these requirements, you will be ranked on the basis of your UCAT global score.

Those ranked in the top 400 or so will be given an interview. Where applicants have the same interview score, the global UCAT score will be used to differentiate between them.

The SJT score will be used as an element of the interview, with the score being incorporated into the interview score.

St George's

Both the UCAT section scores (500 minimum each section) and the overall cut-off score (calculated every year) must be met to be considered. UCAT results are used to select applicants invited to interview and may be used to rank a post-interview waiting list.

The SJT score will not be used for 2022 entry but will be used for 2023 entry in decision making. The UCAT overall cut-off score for 2022 is 2,710 for both home and international students.

Sunderland

Your UCAT score must be within the top 8 deciles of the cohort and SJT must be within Bands 1-3.

Shortlisting for interview is based on academic requirements, an interview selection tool and your UCAT score.

Warwick

The total UCAT score required varies year on year and is dependent on the UCAT performance of applicants. The lowest UCAT score for an applicant with an undergraduate degree who was invited for an interview was 2,670 for 2021.

In the first round of selection, those with a Verbal Reasoning score at or above the national mean will be considered. Those scoring below the cohort mean will be rejected at this stage. Those with scores above the mean will then have points awarded for their total UCAT score, with higher total UCAT scores receiving higher points.

For 2022 entry, the minimum Verbal Reasoning score was 570. This may change for 2023 entry.

Worcester

You will now be required to take the UCAT for graduate entry in 2023.

This is the first year that the UCAT is being used for Worcester so there is no threshold information currently available.

Dental schools

Aberdeen

A minimum UCAT cut-off score is not used. A score is allocated based on your overall UCAT performance, compared with all other applicants to Aberdeen (academic - 60%, UCAT - 40%).

The SJT will not be scored, but it may be used in offer making when there are applicants with similar scores.

Birmingham

Birmingham will look at academic criteria first, and then the total UCAT score will be used in the process to shortlist applicants for interview.

Bristol

Those who are predicted to, or have already achieved the minimum academic entry requirements, will have their application scored with a 100% weighting on the UCAT result, which will be used to select applicants for interview.

The combined score from all subtests, with the exception of Situational Judgement, will be used in the interview selection process.

While the UCAT score will be used to select applicants for interview once all academic requirements have been met, there is no cut-off score for the UCAT.

Cardiff

If you meet the minimum entry requirements at Level 2 (typically GCSEs) and Level 3 (typically A-levels), your application will be given an academic score. If you're applying for the BDS programme, your overall score will also include UCAT and your personal statement.

Dundee

The UCAT accounts for 40% of your pre-interview score or 60% if you are applying as a graduate. At present the SJT is not used as part of selection, however it may be used as part of your interview.

There is no minimum cut-off score.

Glasgow

The UCAT forms an important part of the BDS entry requirements and if your score is deemed to be too low then you will not be selected for interview, regardless of your qualifications.

The cut-off scores vary from year to year:

2020 = 2,530
2019 = 2,470
2018 = 2,540

For applicants who meet the criteria, the UCAT score is used to select the required number for interview. The score considered for interview changes every year as the performance of each cohort varies and is not released by Glasgow during the application cycle.

King's College London

The overall UCAT score averaged across the four subtests is given more consideration than the individual subtest scores, and the Situational Judgement Test is also taken into account when shortlisting.

You'll be ranked based on GCSE/IGCSE performance, UCAT score and contextual information.

Liverpool

The UCAT scores will be considered along with the personal statement and academic attainments. There’s no UCAT cut-off score.

Applicants with SJT score of Band 4 are unlikely to be considered.

Manchester

Applicants will firstly be ranked according to the overall UCAT score. The Academic Lead for Admissions will then begin to assess applications by taking into account other information.

Applicants who achieve Band 4 in the Situational Judgement Test (SJT) will not be considered. People with SJT Band 3 are welcome to apply but priority will be given to those in Bands 1 and 2.

Plymouth

UCAT test results will be used alongside A-levels and GCSEs to select for interview.

The target scores for previous years:

2022: 2,510
2021: 2,290
2020: 2,280

Queen Mary (Barts)

You will not be offered an interview if you obtained a total UCAT score below the third decile.

For school leavers/gap year students and graduates, applicants will be ranked according to a 50:50 weighting applied to the UCAT score and academic ability.

Decisions after interview are made once all interviews have been completed and are based on interview performance and the Situational Judgement Test score alone.

Queen's Belfast

Your UCAT will be scored and used in conjunction with the academic score to rank for interview.

UCAT scoring is based on the overall results from four papers, as follows:

2,900 - 3,600 UCAT score = 6 points
2,700 - 2,899 UCAT score = 5 points
2,500 - 2,699 UCAT score = 4 points
2,300 - 2,599 UCAT score = 3 points
2,100 - 2,299 UCAT score = 2 points
1,900 - 2,099 UCAT score = 1 point
1,200 - 1,899 UCAT score = 0 points

GCSEs will be scored using a points system as shown below:

Full GCSEs

A*/9 = 6 points
A/7+8 = 3 points
B/6 = 2 points
C+C*/4+5 = 1 point

GCSE short courses

A*/9 = 2 points
A/7+8 = 1.5 points
B/6 = 1 point
C+C*/4+5 = 0.5 points

The threshold for previous years is as follows:

2021 = 33 points and above
2020 = 32 points and above
2019 = 32 points and above
2018 = 30 points and above
2017 = 28 points and above

Sheffield

The UCAT is used in conjunction with an existing selection procedure to identify applicants with potential for success at undergraduate level.

The UCAT cut-off scores for previous years are as follows:

2021 = 2,690
2020 = 2,570
2019 = 2,520

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