Undergraduate Medical School

UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)

 

General Overview

Applicants wishing to apply for medicine and dentistry must complete the University Clinical Aptitude Test prior to application. Applicants should note that this is not a test of prior knowledge and will not involve essay writing. 

The University Clinical Aptitude Test is taken into consideration along with all other aspects of your application. The test is designed to be a test of aptitude rather than academic achievement. The test assesses a wide range of mental abilities and behavioural attributes which have been identified as important by university medical and dental schools.

Bursary schemes are available for UK candidates who meet the required criteria.

Candidates who present themselves for the test are declaring themselves fit to take the test. Applicants who are experiencing exceptional circumstances at the time of their test are advised to reschedule their test to an alternative date. Only circumstances notified to us in the form of an annotation from UCAT may be considered further. For further information please visit the UCAT website - https://www.ucat.ac.uk/register/access-arrangements/

Applicants who have not sat the UCAT will not be considered for entry.

Please visit www.ucat.ac.uk for further information, registration, test deadlines and bursaries.

 

 

 

How we use UCAT at the University of Glasgow (entry in Sept 2025)

The UCAT results are an important part of the MBChB Admissions process. The incorporation of the UCAT results into the admissions process is reviewed on an annual basis.

For September 2025 entry the Medical School will interview approximately 80% of applicants. An interview or entry is not guaranteed. Applicants should note that they will be considered within their year of application and by the standard presented during that admissions cycle alone.

We consider the UCAT with all other aspects of the application. Interviews are allocated accordingly by UCAT score for those that meet all other screening aspects (i.e minimum academic requirements and satisfactory personal statement and reference). The range of scores we consider changes each year as the performance of each admissions cohort varies. Additionally, we are required to manage the number of students admitted to our programme in line with targets set by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council (i.e. Home, Rest of UK and International). Therefore, the lowest total UCAT score we consider for interview may vary based on the applicant group.

UCAT score thresholds can be accessed by visiting our MBChB Admissions Data document.

While thresholds vary year to year, we anticipate 2025 entry scores will be more reflective of the 2024 entry statistics rather than previous years. 

The 2024 entry UCAT minimum interview thresholds were:

• 2450 for Scottish applicants
• 2500 for non-Scottish UK applicants
• 2800 for International and EU candidates

Admissions figures for 2024 entry will be published on the website in due course.

 

UCATSA, UCATSENSA and UCATSEN50

We will no longer require receipt of evidence from applicants directly to support your eligibility for UCATSEN.

Applicants who have undertaken an extended version of the test without appropriate supporting documentation will be flagged to us once we receive the formal results from UCAT in November, but we no longer require to check and confirm all extended version applications at the application stage.

As stated in UCAT guidance, results may be declared void if candidates cannot evidence their entitlement to extra time when it is requested by their chosen universities, so it is important that you provide the information required within the specified timeframe (prior to application deadline on 16th October).  We are happy to discuss further. Please email med-sch-admissions@glasgow.ac.uk if you need further information or advice.

Please note that the University can offer up to 25% additional time for examinations for eligible students, in addition to a range of support and provisions. Candidates who have been allowed more than 25% extra time in examinations should be aware that they should discuss their support needs with the Disability Service at the University to ascertain what support arrangements the University could put in place for them, should they enter as a student. Information on the Disability Service can be found at www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/disability/.

We would strongly encourage early contact with the Disability Service.

 

Test Validity and Reliability

The UCAT has been developed to assist in creating a 'level playing field' for applicants from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds. All test questions are written by assessment experts and must pass detailed trials and analysis to ensure that they are valid and reliable.

All questions, test duration, sequencing and style will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and matched against candidate performance to ensure that the test is culturally fair and bias is minimised.

There is a constant programme of new item development in order to "refresh" the tests on a regular basis; this strategy includes the testing of new questions as non-scoring components of the test.

See the UCAT website for up-to-date information.

 

Test preparation

You are strongly recommended to book a test date early in the testing window. If you choose to book a late test date and then encounter illness or other issues which prevent you from attending your test appointment you may not be able to rebook within the testing window.

When registering on the UCAT website please ensure you enter your full name as it appears on your birth certificate and/or passport. You should also do this when completing your UCAS application. We ask you to do this as it helps UCAT subsequently to match your test results to your UCAS application.

NOTE: The University medical and dental schools participating in UCAT do not endorse any commercially available preparatory course or material for the UCAT.

The test is designed to be a test of aptitude rather than academic achievement and does not draw on any particular body of knowledge or curriculum that you can learn in advance. We encourage you to practise answering the types of questions that will be presented in the UCAT and to familiarise yourself with the test format so that you know how to move the mouse, answer questions, and move through the test. We encourage you to sit the practice questions on the website at least three times before sitting the actual test.

Candidates who reapply must undertake the UCAT in the summer of each individual year of application.

Please visit www.ucat.ac.uk for further information, registration, test deadlines and bursaries.

 

Interviews

You may be invited to attend an interview. These normally take place between December and February, with offers normally being made by late March each year.

Candidates receiving offers are those who not only achieve the academic standards required but who also show they have seriously considered the implications of a medical career and who display the characteristics desirable in a future doctor, as well as demonstrating a commitment, motivation, and enthusiasm for a medical career. Although specific work experience in a hospital or general practice is not essential, it is important for all applicants to find out about the realities of a career in medicine.

Meeting minimum entry requirements does not guarantee an interview.