UCAT Results: Common Questions Answered

With the UCAT testing period underway, you may be asking questions such as: When and how will I get my UCAT results? How does scoring work in the UCAT? How will universities use my UCAT scores?

This blog answers your questions about UCAT results.

When and how will I get my UCAT results?

You will receive an email from Pearson VUE within 24 hours (usually within an hour) of completing your UCAT test letting you know that your UCAT statement of results is available. The email will provide instructions on how to access your UCAT score report via your Pearson VUE account. 

Do I need to give my UCAT score to the universities?

No, your UCAT results will be automatically sent to the UCAT Consortium universities (but not to those outside the consortium) by UCAT – you do not have to do this yourself.

How does scoring work in the UCAT?

The UCAT is marked on the number of correct answers you provide in UCAT. There is no negative marking for incorrect answers. An incomplete or unanswered UCAT question will be marked as incorrect. Your performance on one question does not influence which other questions are presented.

There are different forms of the UCAT test with UCAT subtest questions being presented randomly. This ensures that every candidate’s UCAT test experience is different. However, the forms are equated and balanced to ensure the scaled score that candidates receive are equivalent between UCAT test forms.

As the number of UCAT questions varies between the four cognitive subtests it is not possible to make a direct comparison of the raw marks between these subtests. Raw marks are therefore converted to scaled scores that share a common range from 300 to 900.

Your total UCAT scaled score is generated by summing the individual scaled scores of UCAT Verbal Reasoning, UCAT Decision Making, UCAT Quantitative Reasoning and UCAT Abstract Reasoning. The total scaled score for these cognitive UCAT subtests ranges from 1200 to 3600.

UCAT scoring is very complex, and is outlined in more detail in our blog.

How will universities use my UCAT scores?

Most universities use a combination of three criteria when selecting students into medicine or dentistry. These include:

1. UCAT scores (either cognitive subtests* only, or all UCAT subtests)

2. Medical interview performance

3. Secondary school performance (ATAR / IB) or GPA

*UCAT cognitive subtests include UCAT Verbal Reasoning, UCAT Decision Making, UCAT Quantitative Reasoning and UCAT Abstract Reasoning

Each university is different, and some universities change their medical entry requirements at short notice. Further, they are often not transparent about their admission criteria, such as cut off UCAT scores required for entry. You can find out more about how universities will use UCAT scores in our blog.

UCAT 2023 results are valid for the 2023 university admissions cycle ONLY, that is, for entry to university in 2024.

What is a good UCAT score?

In general, for standard applicants to medical courses in Australia, students need to be in the top 10% of those sitting UCAT. Rural students, students who live in certain regions (for example for WSU), those from disadvantaged or low socio-economic schools, those applying for Bonded Medical Places and those applying to dentistry generally have lower UCAT score requirements for entry. For more details check out our blog: https://www.medentry.edu.au/blog/what-is-a-good-ucat-anz-score

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