UCAT dates for 2027 entry and beyond
6 min read ยท updated 2026-10-13
The UCAT is sat in the summer before you apply to medicine or dentistry. The UCAT Consortium will publish UCAT 2027 registration and booking details in March 2027; until then, the 2026 cycle shows the pattern to plan around.
The 2026 cycle (for 2027 entry)
- โ 20 May 2026: registration opened, with bursary and access arrangement applications
- โ 23 June 2026: booking opened
- โ 13 July 2026: testing started
- โ 16 September 2026: booking and registration deadline
- โ 24 September 2026: last test day and bursary deadline
- โ 15 October 2026: UCAS deadline for medicine and dentistry
- โ Early November 2026: results delivered to universities
UCAT 2027 (for 2028 entry)
Expect the same shape: registration in late May 2027, testing from July to late September, and the UCAS deadline in mid-October. The Consortium says instructions for registering and booking UCAT 2027 will be published in March 2027. You can sit the UCAT once per cycle, and the test is the same difficulty throughout the window.
The test
Just under 2 hours, four multiple-choice subtests:
- โ Verbal Reasoning: 44 questions, 22 minutes, scored 300-900
- โ Decision Making: 35 questions, 37 minutes, scored 300-900
- โ Quantitative Reasoning: 36 questions, 26 minutes, scored 300-900
- โ Situational Judgement: 69 questions, 26 minutes, reported in Bands 1-4
- โ Total cognitive score: 900-2700; there is no negative marking
2026 scores
In 2026, 42,359 candidates sat the test. The mean total score was 1918; the 9th decile (top 10%) started at 2250, and the 5th decile at 1920. In Situational Judgement, 15% reached Band 1 and 40% Band 2.
UCAT or UCAT ANZ?
Australian and New Zealand universities use the UCAT ANZ, which has the same content but an earlier timetable. You can't sit both in the same year; if you are applying to both regions, sit the UCAT ANZ and send the result to UK universities.
FAQs
When is the UCAT 2027?๏ผ
Dates are published in March 2027. Based on the 2026 cycle, expect registration from late May and testing from mid-July to late September 2027.
When do UCAT results come out?๏ผ
You get your score report at the test centre, and it appears in your UCAT account within about 24 hours. Universities receive results in early November.
Can I take the UCAT twice?๏ผ
Only once per test cycle.
What is a good UCAT score?๏ผ
In 2026, the mean total was 1918 and the top 10% scored 2250 or more. Universities use scores differently, so check each course.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these official sources on 2026-10-13.
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