Skip to main content
NextGen MedPrep logoNextGenMedPrep

UCAT-ANZ — the complete Australia and New Zealand guide

2027 Entry · 5 subtests · July sitting

The University Clinical Aptitude Test for Australia and New Zealand (UCAT-ANZ) is the cognitive admissions test used by every major undergraduate medicine programme in Australia and New Zealand, plus several dental schools. It is the same five-subtest format as UCAT UK, but with a separate cohort, a separate July test window, and separate cut-offs at each school. This guide explains how UCAT-ANZ differs from UCAT UK, walks through each subtest, lists every Australian school that uses it with current cut-offs, and gives you a 3-month preparation plan that has worked for hundreds of successful applicants.

UCAT-ANZ vs UCAT UK — what differs

Pearson VUE runs UCAT in three regional cohorts — UCAT UK for British applicants, UCAT-ANZ for Australia and New Zealand, and UCAT International for everyone else. All three cohorts sit the same five subtests in the same format on Pearson VUE computers. What differs is who you compete against and which schools accept your result.

Separate cohort. Your UCAT-ANZ percentile is benchmarked against other ANZ-region candidates, not the global UCAT pool. The mean and standard deviation drift year to year; a 2,200 in 2025 might be the 80th percentile, in 2026 it might be the 78th. Schools generally publish absolute thresholds (e.g. 2,150+) rather than percentile thresholds because the percentile shifts.

Separate test window. UCAT-ANZ runs over a multi-week window in July each year. UCAT UK runs July to September. The earlier ANZ window aligns with the Australian academic calendar (year-12 mid-year exams finish in late June). You cannot sit UCAT-ANZ outside this window.

Separate cut-offs. A UK school's UCAT cut-off is not transferable to an Australian school's. UCAT-ANZ cut-offs are published per Australian school each year. The new /2700 scale (from the 2025 cycle, i.e. July 2024 sittings onward) replaces the historical /3600 scale — older guidance you find online may still reference the /3600 numbers, which are no longer directly comparable.

You can't use a UK score for an Australian application. Each cohort's score is sealed to that cohort's applications. If you're applying to both UK and Australian undergraduate medicine in the same cycle, you sit both tests. (Most candidates pick one country.)

The five subtests

UCAT-ANZ is two hours long total (with optional short breaks between subtests). Each subtest is timed individually — you cannot return to a previous subtest. Total of approximately 225 questions across the five sections.

Verbal Reasoning (VR)

44 questions · 21 minutes

11 passages of approximately 300 words each, followed by four questions per passage. Questions test whether a statement is True, False, or Can't Tell, plus more nuanced inference and tone questions. Pace: roughly 28 seconds per question. The most under-prepped subtest — speed and skim-reading discipline matter more than content.

Decision Making (DM)

35 questions · 37 minutes

Logic puzzles, Venn diagram interpretations, syllogisms, probability questions, and recognising arguments. Mixed single-best-answer and four-yes/no-statements formats. The most varied subtest — practise across every question type because the mix differs each sitting.

Quantitative Reasoning (QR)

36 questions · 25 minutes

Applied numeracy — percentages, ratios, rates, unit conversions, simple algebra, graph and table interpretation. Calculator on-screen (built into the test interface, not your own). 41 seconds per question. Speed-of-arithmetic matters; the maths itself is no harder than year-10 level.

Abstract Reasoning (AR)

50 questions · 12 minutes

Pattern recognition across abstract shape sequences. Four question subtypes (set-completion, sequence, single-shape, paired-shape). 14 seconds per question — the most aggressive timing of any subtest. Pattern-recognition skill is genuinely trainable; this subtest rewards intensive timed practice more than any other.

Situational Judgement Test (SJT)

66 questions · 26 minutes

Scenarios about working in a healthcare team, professional conduct, and ethical dilemmas. Two question types — "how appropriate is this response" and "how important is this consideration". Scored separately on Bands 1-4 (not added to the cognitive /2700). Best approached by reading the Medical Board of Australia's Good Medical Practice (under AHPRA) and the relevant AHPRA codes of conduct.

Test window and result release

Booking opens: mid-March each year. Book early — the most desirable dates and locations (Sydney CBD, Melbourne CBD) fill within days of opening. Late bookings tend to land in less convenient Pearson VUE centres further from public transport.

Test window: July (typically a 3-4 week window starting the first week of July and running to early August). You select a single date and 2-hour slot within this window. You cannot move once booked unless you pay the change fee. Rescheduling fewer than two weeks out is not permitted.

Result release: Within weeks of sitting — typically your individual score is available on the Pearson VUE candidate portal within 48 hours of test completion. Schools receive a centralised data feed from Pearson VUE in late August/early September. You don't need to send your score yourself; the Pearson VUE feed populates UAC and Tertiary Admissions Centres directly.

Cost: Approximately AUD $280 (2026 fee — confirm with the official UCAT-ANZ site at time of booking). Concession fees and bursaries available for eligible low-income applicants via UCAT-ANZ's own bursary scheme.

Australian schools using UCAT-ANZ (2027 entry)

13 Australian medicine and dentistry programmes currently use UCAT-ANZ. Click any school for the full how-to-get-in guide including cut-off, ATAR threshold, MMI format and intake size.

School-by-school UCAT-ANZ cut-offs

Published UCAT-ANZ cut-off scores and ATAR threshold for each school. Cut-offs flex year to year with the applicant pool — these are our latest tracked numbers from the cycle ending 2026.

SchoolStateCourseUCAT-ANZ cut-offATAR
AdelaideSAmedicineStrong bonus-region effect: ~2730 SA applicants vs ~3140 interstate (2024-2026 entry on old /3600 scale; MedView aggregator consensus). ~410-point gap (~10th percentile) is the most material datapoint for SA applicants. Adelaide does not officially publish cut-offs. UCAT cognitive subtests drive interview shortlist; Situational Judgement used only as tiebreaker at the lowest rank.Minimum entry ATAR 90.00 (adjusted selection rank). Successful applicants typically ~99.75 (commonly cited; not officially published). Adelaide explicitly does not publish ATAR cut-offs.
Adelaide DentalSAdentistrySame UCAT thresholds as for MBBS: ~2730 SA applicants / ~3140 interstate (old /3600 scale, 2024-2026 entry; MedView aggregator). Threshold then composite ranking — Admission weighting: Academic 40% + UCAT 20% + Interview 40%.Minimum entry ATAR 90.00. Successful applicants typically ~98-99+ (Adelaide does not officially publish a cut-off).
Charles Sturt (Rural)NSWmedicineJPM era: UCAT weighted at 100% for the interview-selection stage. Indicative UCAT cut-off for interview invitations (2024) ~3090 on old /3600 scale (~90th percentile).ATAR hurdle (JPM era 2024-2026): Metropolitan 95.50; Greater Western Sydney 93.50; Rural (RA2-5) 91.50.
Charles Sturt DentalNSWdentistryUCAT required for non-Indigenous applicants; First Nation applicants exempt. No published numerical cut-off — used to rank for interview alongside ATAR.CSU does not publish a minimum ATAR for BDS. Used in combination with UCAT and interview for final ranking.
CurtinWAmedicineNo official Curtin-published cut-off. Curtin ranks total UCAT score, not a fixed threshold. Aggregator-derived competitive score ~2970 for local WA applicants (2024-2026 entry, old /3600 scale). Interview shortlist ratio 35 ATAR : 35 CASPer : 30 UCAT (per MedEntry / Curtin official Q&A — Fraser's 35:35:40 reporting is an error).Minimum ATAR (WA applicants) 95.00 (inclusive of bonus points); minimum ATAR (non-WA applicants) 92.00. TISC 2025 (Dec 2024 round) for CUMBS: min rank n/a, lowest n/a — selection is NOT solely on ATAR.
Griffith DentalQLDdentistryNo discrete numerical cut-off published by Griffith. 2022 cycle reported lowest threshold ~78th percentile; 2023+ realistic competitive range 90th+ percentile.BDHS school-leaver ATAR competitive floor 99.85 (GradReady cross-reference). 99+ effective.
MonashVICmedicineDirect Entry only. 2026 entry December round cut-off ~2380/2700 (~94th percentile, post-rebase). 2023 entry on old /3600 scale was ~2990 non-rural / ~2620 rural — not directly comparable due to 2024 UCAT-ANZ rebase.Direct Entry minimum ATAR 90; competitive typically ≥99.45.
Newcastle / JMPNSWmedicineNo published cut-off; first-stage interview selection is essentially 100% weighted on UCAT-ANZ after the ATAR hurdle is met. Lowest recorded UCAT for a JMP interview (non-rural, 2022/2023 cycle) ~95th percentile.ATAR hurdle: Standard / metropolitan 94.30; Rural Bonus Scheme 85.00. Once met, ATAR no longer ranks — UCAT and interview drive ranking.
TasmaniaTASmedicineNo fixed domestic threshold; 2025 indicative cut-off ~2530/2700 (5th decile; Matrix Education). Competitive range observed 70th-85th percentile UCAT total. International applicants need ≥50th percentile cognitive subtests.Non-rural / non-Tasmanian: minimum 95, typical competitive 99.95. Rural or Tasmanian: minimum 95, typical competitive 99.45 (some sources 99.44). Flat since at least 2022.
UNSWNSWmedicineNo official minimum; competitive 2024-cycle cut-off ~3060 total on old /3600 scale (~90th percentile) for non-rural local applicants. UCAT-ANZ feeds the pre-interview composite alongside ATAR.Minimum eligibility ATAR 96.00; competitive interview shortlist ~99.55; median offer-holder >99.60. Rural pathway minimum ~91.05.
UQ DentalQLDdentistryMandatory. All applicants at/above the ATAR floor are ranked directly on UCAT-ANZ aggregate — ATAR acts as a hurdle, not a differentiator. UCAT section scores may separate tied applicants. Discrete percentile cut not officially published; broadly cited as 89th percentile equivalent (GradReady summary).2026 entry: lowest rank offered 95.70 (unadjusted) → 99.00 (with adjustments); median rank offered 99.30 (unadjusted) → 99.95 (with adjustments); highest rank offered 99.95. ATAR floor 99.00 adjusted for QLD Year 12 — one of the highest in Australian dentistry.
UWAWAmedicineDirect Pathway only — competitive UCAT ~3000+ with effective cut-off ~2970 for local WA applicants (old /3600 scale; aggregator-derived). UCAT cut-off year-on-year not officially published.Direct Pathway: HAA / Broadway / Rural streams require ATAR 98 minimum; Indigenous Pathway via CAMDH ATAR 90. Underlying Bachelor of Biomedicine (Specialised) UP056 TISC ranks: 92.00 minimum / lowest selected 96.65 (2024) → 97.50 (2025) — a +0.85 year-on-year tightening.
Western SydneyNSWmedicineNo published cut-off; cohort-dependent. Indicative interview cut-off (2023/2024 cycles) ~3000 total on old /3600 scale (~90th percentile). UCAT-ANZ weighted at 25% of final offer ranking alongside 75% interview.Hurdle ATAR: Metropolitan 95.50; Greater Western Sydney residents 93.50; Rural (RA2-5, 5+ consecutive or 10+ cumulative years) 91.50. Once met, ATAR no longer influences ranking.

3-month preparation timeline

Three months at 10-12 hours per week is the realistic upper bound for productive UCAT-ANZ prep. The test is heavily speed-based and pattern-driven; beyond ~120 hours of practice, returns flatten sharply.

Month 1 — content + technique

  • Week 1. Sit a diagnostic full mock under timed conditions. Score honestly, identify your weakest subtest.
  • Week 2. Learn the technique for each subtest from a structured guide. Identify Verbal Reasoning skim-reading patterns, Quantitative Reasoning calculator shortcuts, and Decision Making question-type families.
  • Weeks 3-4. Subtest-by-subtest practice without strict timing — focus on accuracy and method first. 200-300 questions per subtest across the two weeks.

Month 2 — timed subtest blocks

  • Move to timed subtest blocks — full subtest under proper timing, 4-5 times per week.
  • Focus on Abstract Reasoning intensively this month — it's the most trainable subtest and the most under-prepared by most candidates.
  • Build the Situational Judgement Test reading habit — 10 SJT scenarios per day plus the Medical Board of Australia's Good Medical Practice (under AHPRA) and the relevant AHPRA codes of professional conduct.

Month 3 — full mocks + pacing

  • Two full timed mocks per week for the first two weeks, with full review between mocks.
  • Identify your most reliable subtest order on test day — most candidates do best with VR first (still fresh), AR and DM in the middle (peak focus), QR fourth (algorithmic), SJT last (lower cognitive load).
  • Week 11-12: one final mock, then taper. Sleep + exam logistics + travel planning matter more than last-week cramming.

Test-day logistics: arrive 30 minutes early, bring photo ID, plan transport with a 30-minute buffer. Pearson VUE provides pen and laminated note board; you cannot bring your own. Familiarise yourself with the on-screen calculator interface before test day — many candidates lose minutes hunting for the calculator button.

Common pitfalls

  • Calculator misuse. The on-screen calculator opens with a click and closes when you click off it. Many candidates lose 5-8 minutes on Quantitative Reasoning fumbling with the calculator. Practise on the official Pearson VUE interface or a faithful third-party replica so the keystrokes are automatic.
  • SJT bands surprise. Many candidates score in the cognitive 80th percentile and land in SJT Band 3 because they treated SJT as a knowledge test. SJT requires judgement under AHPRA and Medical Board of Australia rubrics — the Good Medical Practice code under AHPRA is the relevant document, not UK regulator materials. Read the codes of conduct cold; don't intuit your way through.
  • Abstract reasoning pattern recognition. The 14-second-per-question pace makes Abstract Reasoning the great equaliser — even strong candidates miss 10+ questions if they haven't built fast pattern-recognition reflexes. Drill it daily from month 2 onwards.
  • Reading every Verbal Reasoning passage in full. 28 seconds per question means roughly 2 minutes per passage — including reading. Train skim-reading techniques (signal words, paragraph topic sentences, question-first reading) from the start.
  • Burning through all the practice material in month one. Pace your high-quality practice material across all three months. Many candidates exhaust the ACER-equivalent practice banks too early and then have no realistic timed material for the final month.

Free UCAT-ANZ practice

Take a full free UCAT-ANZ practice test built to the same difficulty as the official Pearson VUE banks, with timed subtests and detailed feedback per question.

Free UCAT practice test Book a UCAT tutor

Frequently asked questions

When do I sit UCAT-ANZ?
UCAT-ANZ runs over a single multi-week test window in July each year. Booking opens in March and closes in May. Year-12 applicants sit between their mid-year exams and the start of UCAS-equivalent applications. The score is valid for one application cycle only — there is no rollover.
Can I sit UCAT-ANZ twice in the same year?
No. Pearson VUE permits only one sitting per test cycle for UCAT-ANZ. If you want to apply with a different score next cycle, you sit again the following July. This is the single biggest difference from many other admissions tests where multiple sittings are permitted — UCAT-ANZ is a one-shot test each year.
How does UCAT-ANZ differ from UCAT UK?
Same test format, but separate cohorts and separate test windows. UK candidates sit between July and September; ANZ candidates sit in July only. Results are reported on the same /2700 scale (from the 2025 cycle, i.e. July 2024 sittings onward) and use the same subtest names, but the cut-off scores reported by UK and Australian schools are not directly comparable because they reflect different applicant pools. A UCAT-ANZ score cannot be used in a UK application and vice versa — you must sit the relevant version.
What is a good UCAT-ANZ score for Australian medicine?
Competitive UCAT-ANZ for top Australian undergraduate medicine programmes (UNSW, Monash undergraduate, UWA Direct Pathway, Adelaide) typically sits around the 80th percentile or above — roughly 2150-2250 on the new /2700 cognitive scale. WSU and Curtin admit at slightly lower thresholds (~2050+). The threshold flexes year to year based on the cohort distribution.
How is the Situational Judgement Test scored?
The SJT is scored separately from the four cognitive subtests on a 1-4 banding scale (Band 1 best, Band 4 worst). It is not added to the /2700 cognitive total. Different Australian schools use SJT differently — most use Band 1 or 2 as a threshold, with Band 3 reviewed individually and Band 4 typically excluded. Some schools weight SJT into a composite alongside ATAR and the cognitive subtests.
Do international applicants sit UCAT-ANZ?
Most Australian medical schools require UCAT-ANZ from international applicants applying to undergraduate medicine, the same as domestic applicants. International applicants sit at Pearson VUE test centres in their home country. Test fees are slightly higher for non-ANZ centres. Confirm specific test requirements with each school — a small number of programmes accept ISAT or use a separate international ranking system.
Are there contextual adjustments for UCAT-ANZ?
Some Australian schools apply contextual adjustments — bonus weighting to ATAR or composite rankings — for applicants from rural backgrounds, low-SES postcodes, or Indigenous heritage. These adjustments operate on the ATAR or final composite, not the raw UCAT-ANZ score. UCAT-ANZ itself is not contextualised. Universities Australia's widening-access schemes (Rural Pathway, Indigenous Entry, Educational Access Scheme) attach to the ATAR layer.
How long should I prepare for UCAT-ANZ?
Three months of focused preparation (10-12 hours per week) is typical for competitive candidates. Some applicants prepare longer with lighter weekly loads, building familiarity over six months. Shorter than three months risks under-preparation on the abstract reasoning and decision-making subtests, which take the longest to learn. Beyond three months, returns diminish — the test is heavily speed-based and over-practising can lead to mechanical answering.
What if my score is lower than I expected?
Apply strategically. Lower-ATAR-weighting schools (Western Sydney, Curtin, WSU rural pathway) may still be reachable. If the score is significantly below your target threshold, consider applying once with what you have, supplement with a strong portfolio for schools that weight non-cognitive factors, and plan to re-sit the following July if you don't receive offers. Don't withdraw or skip a cycle unless your score is genuinely uncompetitive at every school.
Can I use UCAT-ANZ for dental school in Australia?
Yes — several Australian dental schools use UCAT-ANZ as the primary cognitive test (Adelaide, La Trobe, JCU dentistry). Some use GAMSAT for graduate-entry dental programmes (Melbourne, UQ post-grad). The same UCAT-ANZ sitting can be used across medicine and dentistry applications in the same cycle.

Related Australian medicine guides

Reviewed by Isaac Butler-King, medical student at the University of Glasgow. Last reviewed: 28 May 2026