2027 Entry · 3 cognitive subtests + SJT · July sitting
The complete
UCAT-ANZ guide
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. Same format as UCAT UK — but a separate cohort, a separate July test window, and separate cut-offs at each school.
~2 hrs
Total test time
/2700
Cognitive scale
13
AU schools
The difference
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 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 test
The four subtests
UCAT-ANZ is about 106 minutes total (with optional one-minute breaks between subtests). Each subtest is timed individually — you cannot return to a previous one. From the 2025 cycle it has three cognitive subtests reported on a /2,700 scale, plus a separately-banded Situational Judgement Test. (Abstract Reasoning was removed.) Bars below are scaled to the minutes you get in each subtest.
Verbal Reasoning
22 minutes
11 passages of ~300 words, four questions each. True / False / Can't Tell plus inference and tone — roughly 30 seconds per question. The most under-prepped subtest; skim-reading discipline beats content knowledge.
Read the guideDecision Making
32 minutes
Logic puzzles, Venn diagrams, syllogisms, probability and argument recognition. Mixed single-best-answer and four-yes/no formats. The most varied subtest — the question mix differs every sitting.
Read the guideQuantitative Reasoning
25 minutes
Applied numeracy — percentages, ratios, rates, unit conversions, simple algebra and data interpretation, with the on-screen calculator. 41 seconds per question; speed of arithmetic matters more than difficulty.
Read the guideSituational Judgement
27 minutes
Healthcare-team scenarios, professional conduct and ethics. "How appropriate" and "how important" question types, scored on Bands 1-4 (not added to the /2700). Read the AHPRA / Medical Board of Australia codes cold.
Read the guideQuestion counts and per-subtest timings are set by the UCAT ANZ Consortium and adjusted periodically — confirm the current cycle at ucat.edu.au before you book.
Timing
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. You cannot move once booked unless you pay the change fee, and rescheduling fewer than two weeks out is not permitted.
Result release
Your individual score is available on the Pearson VUE candidate portal within 48 hours of test completion. Schools receive a centralised data feed in late August/early September — you don't send your score yourself; the 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 are available for eligible low-income applicants via UCAT-ANZ's own bursary scheme.
Where it's used
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.
Adelaide (medicine)
Adelaide, SA · undergraduate entry
Strong 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.
Adelaide Dental (dentistry)
Adelaide, SA · undergraduate entry
Same 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%.
Charles Sturt (Rural) (medicine)
Orange, NSW · undergraduate entry
JPM 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).
Charles Sturt Dental (dentistry)
Orange, NSW · undergraduate entry
UCAT required for non-Indigenous applicants; First Nation applicants exempt. No published numerical cut-off — used to rank for interview alongside ATAR.
Curtin (medicine)
Bentley, WA · undergraduate entry
No 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).
Griffith Dental (dentistry)
Gold Coast, QLD · undergraduate entry
No discrete numerical cut-off published by Griffith. 2022 cycle reported lowest threshold ~78th percentile; 2023+ realistic competitive range 90th+ percentile.
Monash (medicine)
Clayton, VIC · dual entry
Direct 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.
Newcastle / JMP (medicine)
Newcastle, NSW · undergraduate entry
No 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.
Tasmania (medicine)
Hobart, TAS · undergraduate entry
No 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.
UNSW (medicine)
Sydney, NSW · undergraduate entry
No 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.
UQ Dental (dentistry)
St Lucia, QLD · undergraduate entry
Mandatory. 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).
UWA (medicine)
Crawley, WA · dual entry
Direct 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.
Western Sydney (medicine)
Campbelltown, NSW · undergraduate entry
No 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.
The numbers
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.
| School | State | Course | UCAT-ANZ cut-off | ATAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide | SA | medicine | Strong 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 Dental | SA | dentistry | Same 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) | NSW | medicine | JPM 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 Dental | NSW | dentistry | UCAT 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. |
| Curtin | WA | medicine | No 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 Dental | QLD | dentistry | No 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. |
| Monash | VIC | medicine | Direct 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 / JMP | NSW | medicine | No 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. |
| Tasmania | TAS | medicine | No 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. |
| UNSW | NSW | medicine | No 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 Dental | QLD | dentistry | Mandatory. 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. |
| UWA | WA | medicine | Direct 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 Sydney | NSW | medicine | No 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. |
Free tools
Plan your prep and know your numbers
Three free tools to turn raw practice marks into a plan. See where your score lands against Australian and NZ cut-offs, convert mock marks into a predicted /2700 score, and work out how many prep hours you need to close the gap.
UCAT-ANZ score predictor
Enter your UCAT-ANZ score and see where you stand against the published cut-offs at every Australian medicine and dentistry school.
Check your standingUCAT score converter
Sat a mock? Convert your raw marks per subtest into a predicted scaled score on the /2700 cognitive scale using the latest consortium data.
UCAT prep calculator
Enter your current and target score and estimate how many focused prep hours you need to hit your goal before the July sitting.
Work out your hours3-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.
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 — VR skim-reading patterns, QR calculator shortcuts, DM question-type families.
- Weeks 3-4. Subtest-by-subtest practice without strict timing — accuracy and method first. 200-300 questions per subtest across the two weeks.
Timed subtest blocks
- Move to timed subtest blocks — full subtest under proper timing, 4-5 times per week.
- Drill Decision Making intensively — it's the most varied subtest, so practise every question type until the formats are automatic.
- Build the SJT reading habit — 10 scenarios per day plus the Medical Board of Australia's Good Medical Practice (under AHPRA) and the relevant codes of professional conduct.
Full mocks + pacing
- Two full timed mocks per week for the first two weeks, with full review between mocks.
- Rehearse pacing across the sections — VR (skim-reading), DM (varied formats), QR (calculator-driven), SJT last (lower cognitive load).
- Week 11-12: one final mock, then taper. Sleep, exam logistics and 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 a 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.
Avoid these
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 it. 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.
Reading every VR passage in full. 30 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 early. 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.
Tutoring packages
1-on-1 UCAT-ANZ tutoring
Work directly with tutors who scored in the top percentiles. Each package includes a personalised action plan tailored to your strengths, weaknesses and target Australian school — built around the July sitting.
Included in all packages
Kickstart
For students building a solid UCAT foundation.
- 4 hours of core teaching across all UCAT sections
- Unlimited question submissions to tutors + tutor phone access
- Performance tracking for every mock you complete
- FREE Personalised weekly revision plan
- After four sessions, all students so far have seen a 15%+ score increase across all areas
- Data-led support on weak areas from day one
Advance
For students who want targeted improvement.
Includes Kickstart
- 4 hours of core teaching
- Performance tracking on every mock you complete
- FREE Personalised weekly revision plan
Plus
- +4 hours of targeted, question-specific refinement sessions
- Deep dives into the exact areas your data shows are weakest
- Focused drills to turn weaknesses into strengths
- Unlimited question submissions to tutors + tutor phone access
Mastery
For students aiming for top-10% scores.
Includes Kickstart & Advance
- 4 hours of core teaching
- Performance tracking on every mock you complete
- FREE Personalised weekly revision plan
- 4 hours of targeted refinement sessions
- Deep-dive weakness analysis
- Smart drills and focused practice
Plus
- +4 hours of high-intensity, data-led refinement sessions
- Double the time, double the refinement for peak performance
- Built to get you test-day ready with total confidence
- Priority booking and support for sessions
- Advanced test-taking strategies for top percentile scores
- FREE four conference tickets included
- Unlimited question submissions to tutors + tutor phone access
Elite
For students committed to exceptional results.
Includes Kickstart & Advance
- Complete core teaching foundation
- Performance tracking on every mock you complete
- FREE Personalised weekly revision plan
- Targeted refinement sessions
- Deep-dive weakness analysis
- Smart drills and focused practice
Plus
- 18 hours comprehensive intensive teaching
- Maximum contact time for mastery
- Extended practice with expert feedback
- FREE four conference tickets included
- Unlimited question submissions to tutors + tutor phone access
- Exam day prep & mental strategies
- Full mock exam analysis
Prices shown in Australian dollars. Packages are delivered online by 1-to-1 tutors and can begin at any point before the July sitting.
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.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Keep reading
Related Australian medicine guides
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