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UCAT Score Calculator

2027 Entry · Free tool

Enter your current UCAT mock score and your target score below. The calculator estimates how many hours of structured tutoring you typically need to close the gap, and recommends a NextGen MedPrep package built for that volume. Based on outcomes from 1,000+ NextGen MedPrep students over the last three application cycles.

How the UCAT is scored
The three cognitive sub-tests are each scored 300–900 and add to a cognitive total out of 2,700. Situational Judgement is reported separately as a band 1–4.
What is a good score
The UK median cognitive total is around 1,875 / 2,700. Scores ≥ 2,025 are competitive at most UK medical and dental schools, ≥ 2,175 is top-decile.

Calculate your prep hours

How the calculator works

We track the score gain per hour of structured tutoring across our student cohort. The relationship is roughly logarithmic — early hours produce larger gains than later hours, because the easiest fixes (timing strategy, question-type familiarity) compound fastest.

Typical patterns we see:

  • From baseline ~1,900 → 2,400: typically 30-50 hours of tutoring + ~100 hours independent practice
  • From ~2,200 → 2,600: typically 40-60 hours tutoring + ~120 hours independent practice
  • From ~2,400 → 2,900: typically 50-80 hours tutoring + ~150 hours practice — the top decile is harder to reach
  • From ~2,700 → 3,100+: typically 60-100 hours with section-specialist tutors; the very top of the distribution requires perfecting all four sub-tests simultaneously

These ranges hold for applicants who start with a baseline mock taken under realistic timed conditions. The single biggest predictor of variance is whether you do timed practice between sessions — students who don't typically need 30-50% more tutoring hours to hit the same target.

UCAT cognitive score bands (2027 entry context)

Where each cognitive total sits across the UK applicant distribution under the modern 3-section /2,700 scale. Use this to set realistic targets when picking firm and insurance choices.

Cognitive totalPercentileSchool competitiveness
2,475+Top 1%Competitive everywhere including Imperial, Cambridge, Oxford
2,175+Top 10%Competitive at all UK schools that weight UCAT heavily
2,025+Top 25%Competitive at most UK medical schools
1,875+~MedianAcceptable at schools that weight GCSE / personal statement heavily
1,725+Bottom 25%Below cut-off at most non-contextual routes; widening-participation routes may accept
900+Bottom 10%Strongly consider contextual offers + dental schools; UK medicine harder at this band

For per-school predicted cut-offs (not just averages), see our NGMP TrueScore methodology page.

Frequently asked questions

The modern UCAT has three cognitive sub-tests (Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning) each scored on a 300–900 scale. The three sub-test scores add to a cognitive total out of 2,700. Situational Judgement is reported separately as a band 1–4.

The UK median cognitive total is around 1,875 / 2,700. Scores ≥ 2,025 are competitive at most UK medical and dental schools, ≥ 2,175 is top-decile. Each school has its own published threshold — see our /truescore page for predicted cut-offs at every UK medical and dental school.

The calculator estimates the tutoring hours typically needed to close the gap between your current practice score and your target, based on outcomes from NextGen MedPrep students over the last 3 application cycles. Actual hours required vary with study habits, prior maths and English skill, and exam-day form.

Most successful applicants start UCAT prep 3-6 months before sitting the test. The strongest predictor of score is volume of timed practice in the final 4 weeks. Plan ~150-200 total hours of prep, spread across the three cognitive sub-tests plus full mocks.

On the modern /2,700 scale: 2,475+ is roughly top 1%, 2,175+ top 10%, 2,025+ top 25%, 1,875 is the median, 1,725 is bottom 25%, < 1,725 is bottom 10%. Use our /truescore methodology page to see how each UK medical and dental school weights UCAT within its overall selection algorithm.

You receive your cognitive sub-test scores and SJT band immediately after the test. You cannot retake the UCAT within the same application cycle. Plan your UCAS strategy after seeing the actual score — our /truescore page tells you which schools are within reach.

Ready to hit your UCAT target?

One-to-one UCAT tutoring with top-1% scorers. Structured packages tailored to your starting score and target.

Reviewed by Isaac Butler-King, medical student at the University of Glasgow. Last reviewed: 26 June 2026