Many of you have sent us questions via our social media channels (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook).
Please remember, much of our information about UCAT scores for certain universities is from last year's admissions cycle. You can ask each university to provide the minimum scores for this year, however, in most cases, we would expect them to be unable to share this information while the admissions process is underway.
Think of this advice as a nudge in the right direction and a supplement to your own research. We do our best to ensure the accuracy of our content, but cannot make any guarantees.
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You can find the information for previous years here. It is likely to be similar this year, but will not be confirmed before applications go out.
Learn more by visiting Glasgow’s undergraduate medicine website.
According to the University of Dundee’s website, there is no minimum UCAT cut-off score, but it does not mention the SJT specifically. In previous years, the SJT has not been included, but that does not mean it won’t be this year.
2250 is quite a low score. That does not mean you cannot apply this year, however. Consider universities that place less emphasis on the UCAT, such as Cardiff, Keele, Queen’s University Belfast, Plymouth, Lincoln, Sunderland and Liverpool. Check each university’s website or contact them to confirm eligibility.
Alternatively, this article on alternative options to study medicine may help you find another route, including applying to universities that use the BMAT.
Please see the answer to number 3 as well as the MSC graduate-entry requirements. If you do go for graduate entry, consider taking a relevant first degree, such as biomedical science.
Please see the answer to number 3.
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2560 is good enough to get a place, providing you have a solid application.
Consider: Cardiff, Keele, Queens University Belfast, Plymouth, Lincoln, Sunderland and Liverpool. Check each university’s website or contact them to confirm eligibility.
We cannot say if you are likely to get an offer on the strength of your UCAT score alone. You should call each university’s admissions office or check their website for any cut-off scores they may have.
Since this is a relatively low score, consider the universities mentioned in question 3, which focus more on exam results. The UCAT is sometimes only used in borderline cases.
You could also consider sitting the BMAT.
You should also consider the strengths of your application and apply accordingly. If you got good exam results, universities such as Cardiff and Dundee might be a good choice as they put less emphasis on the UCAT (see question 3).
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Consider: University of East Anglia/Norwich Medical School, Hull York Medical School, University of Leicester, St George’s University of London, University of Southampton, Anglia Ruskin University, Aston University, or Edge Hill. Graduate requirements can vary, check each website for specific eligibility requirements.
University admission is not based solely on your UCAT. You should look at your application as a whole and compare it to each university’s requirements. That being said, you have a solid score and should be able to choose from many different institutions. Check their websites, or this article about UCAT requirements (for rough guidance).
Check out our article for international students that provides advice on admissions as well as other aspects of your study including costs and funding, visa and English requirements.
According to Queen Mary’s website, the lowest UCAT score for School Leavers last year that received an offer for interview was 2300.
If you’re a graduate, the website also says that “the lowest UCAT score for Graduates with a 1st class degree that received offers for interview ... was 2520. The lowest UCAT score for Graduates with a 2.1 that received offers for interview this year was 2960.”
In theory, that should be high enough for both Queen Mary University of London and Sheffield, based on information from previous cohorts. Get in touch with their admissions team or check their websites for more details.
On their website, they say “This section score may form part of the assessment at the interview.” In this respect, it is unclear to what extent this subtest will be factored into the mark. If you want certainty, you could consider only applying to universities that explicitly say they do not factor the SJT in.
SJT scores were notably lower than in recent years, however. This may well be taken into account.
Check out this article on how to choose the right medical school for you. Consider applying to universities where your score exceeds the minimum UCAT requirements (this article only gives approximations).
Aston’s website says “ We do not have a cut off score for the UCAT and we accept all four SJT bands (1-4).” It does not say to what extent the SJT plays a part in their final decisions, however.
You could consider looking into Plan B options, such as the BMAT, a gap year, or studying abroad.
You could also apply to universities that don’t place much emphasis on the UCAT (see question 3).
Check out our UCAT requirements article.
Dundee may well be a good choice as they have generally placed less emphasis on the UCAT. King’s takes a holistic approach, but the UCAT is factored in heavily and your score may well be too low. Please do check with each institution by calling or checking their website, however.
For the UCAT ANZ, the SJT section score is provided as a scaled score between 300-900 (just like the other sections), instead of bands. If you’ve sat the UCAT ANZ and want to apply to UK courses, please contact the UCAT UK office (ucat@nottingham.ac.uk) for any queries.
Please note that the UCAT ANZ can be used for medical school admission in the UK, but the UCAT UK cannot be used for admission to programmes in Australia and New Zealand.
Consider the strengths of your application, then make a spreadsheet to display all the information before making your final decision. Dundee and Plymouth may be worth considering.
Again, we would refer you to our UCAT requirements article. You could also consider: the University of Aberdeen, University of Bristol, Cardiff University, Keele University and Plymouth University. But this is not an exhaustive list. Check each institution’s website for cut-off scores.
You cannot guarantee admissions based on any particular UCAT score, particularly as your UCAT score isn't the only factor in an admissions decision. We would advise you to look at the strengths of your application and the cut-off scores of each university. Create a spreadsheet and work through each university one by one. If you scored above the UCAT cut-off for the university in question, as you mention above, and your A-level and GCSE results are high enough, then consider options such as location and the type of course you are interested in (read “Factors to Consider When Choosing a Medical School”).
A score of 2830 positions you in the 88th percentile for the UCAT 2021, so this would be considered a high score. It means you scored higher than 88% of UCAT candidates this year, which is an excellent achievement. Consider that half of UCAT candidates will score between the 25th percentile and the 75th percentile. In 2021, this range included scores from 2310 (577.5 average) to 2680 (670 average). Scores above this range - which put you in the top quarter of UCAT candidates - are generally considered to be high scores.
As mentioned above, you need to look at your application as a whole. Your UCAT score is good, but not superlative, so consider the other components of your application to make a strategic choice. If your A-level results are especially strong, you may be in a compelling position for a strategic application.
Write down the requirements (or most recent available requirements) for each university. This article about UCAT requirements may help you.
You could consider sitting the GAMSAT, or alternatively, studying medicine in eastern Europe.
You can learn more about your options at the Medical School Council’s list of graduate-entry requirements.
In some respects, it doesn’t matter if the UCAT is hard in a given year, provided that it is hard for everyone! It is your percentile score that really matters. Many universities set their minimum requirement against a certain percentile score.
It’s also worth considering that the UCAT is also used in Australia and New Zealand, which use their own high school examination systems. Since the contents of the UCAT (UK) and UCAT (ANZ) are identical, it is unlikely that the UCAT was harder this year specifically to counter the inflated A-level grades in the UK.
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