UCAT 2026 DatesBooking, testing window, results, fees and bursary — 2027 entry
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UCAT 2026 — the test for 2027 entry (or deferred 2028 entry) — runs from 13 July 2026 to 24 September 2026. The booking deadline is 16 September 2026 (15:00 UK time), the fee is £70 in the UK or £115 elsewhere, and the UCAT Consortium sends results to universities in early November, after the 15 October 2026 UCAS deadline.
What are the key UCAT 2026 dates?
All times are UK time, as published by the UCAT Consortium. It advises noting the dates down, because "we are unable to make exceptions to our deadlines".
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 20 May 2026 (14:00 UK time) | UCAT registration opens; bursary and access arrangement applications open |
| 23 June 2026 (14:00 UK time) | Booking opens |
| 13 July 2026 | Testing starts |
| 10 September 2026 (15:00 UK time) | Access arrangement application deadline |
| 16 September 2026 (15:00 UK time) | Booking deadline; UCAT registration closes |
| 24 September 2026 | Last test day |
| 24 September 2026 (15:00 UK time) | Bursary scheme application (and evidence) deadline |
| 15 October 2026 | UCAS deadline (18:00 UK time for medicine and dentistry) |
| 16 October 2026 (17:00 UK time) | Last day to request a refund if you paid and were later approved for a bursary |
| Early November | Results delivered to universities |
How much does UCAT 2026 cost, and who gets a bursary?
The fee is paid by debit or credit card when you book. The UCAT Bursary waives it for UK candidates who meet the eligibility criteria — you apply through your UCAT account and upload one piece of evidence, and only one bursary is allowed per test cycle.
| Where you sit the test | Fee |
|---|---|
| Test centre in the UK | £70 |
| Test centre outside the UK | £115 |
| Approved UCAT Bursary holder | Fee waived automatically at checkout |
| Evidence | What the document must show |
|---|---|
| Free School Meals | Official school/college letter confirming Local Authority-funded free school meals for 2025/26 or 2026/27 |
| 16 to 19 Bursary (England) or EMA (Scotland, Wales, NI) | Official award letter for 2025/26 or 2026/27 |
| Learner Support (FE 19+) or equivalent | Official award letter for 2025/26 or 2026/27 |
| Full-rate undergraduate maintenance award | All pages of a full-rate, means-tested SFE, SAAS, SFW or SFNI award letter for 2025/26 or 2026/27 |
| Universal Credit | Your or your parent/guardian's statement dated within the last 3 months |
| Income Support, income-based JSA or ESA | All pages of a UK Jobcentre Plus award letter dated 2026 |
| Asylum Support | Official award letter dated within the last 12 months |
If you are over 21 and no longer in full-time secondary or undergraduate education, the Consortium requires the qualifying award or benefit to be in your own name. A missed test paid for by a bursary is not covered by a second bursary.
What does the test involve and when do I get my score?
UCAT is taken at Pearson VUE test centres in the UK and more than 130 other countries; UK candidates are not normally eligible for online proctored testing (OnVUE) unless they live somewhere particularly remote. The standard test is just under two hours, and you may sit it only once per test cycle.
| Subtest | Questions | Time | Scored as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 44 | 22 minutes | 300–900 |
| Decision Making | 35 | 37 minutes | 300–900 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 36 | 26 minutes | 300–900 |
| Situational Judgement | 69 | 26 minutes | Band 1–4 |
- You get a score report before leaving the test centre; it is uploaded to your UCAT account after about 24 hours.
- After the 15 October deadline UCAT matches your details with UCAS and sends results straight to your chosen UK universities in early November. Universities only accept results supplied by the UCAT Office.
- Rescheduling or cancelling is free up to 24 hours before your appointment; after that, or if you miss the test, there is no refund.
What counts as a good score? See the official deciles on what is a good UCAT score, or check each school's recent cut-offs on TrueScore.
UCAT 2026 dates — FAQs
Sources (accessed 19 September 2026)
Every fact on this page comes from one of these documents, each opened on the date above. Where a source did not state something, this page does not state it either. Admissions rules change between cycles — check the source before you act on it.