UCAT Scores

You’ll get your UCAT scores before the UCAS deadline, which means you can be strategic about which medical school you apply to. But how is the test scored? And what is a good UCAT score?

Read on for everything you need to know about UCAT scores.

Jump to sections:

• UCAT Test Results
• How Is The UCAT Scored?
• 2021 Entry Interim UCAT Scores
• Previous UCAT Scores
• What Is A Good UCAT Score?
• What Is An Average Score?
• What Is A Low Score?
• Where Should I Apply with My UCAT Score?

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UCAT Test Results

You’ll get your UCAT test results immediately after you finish the test. Your results will be handed to you as you leave the test centre.

Your UCAT score will also be available online via your Pearson VUE account, but you should allow up to 24 hours for them to be uploaded.

Your results will be shared with UCAS on the application deadline, after which universities will then be able to see your UCAT scores.

How Is The UCAT Scored?

UCAT scoring is out of 3,600. The scoring is spread across four sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning and Decision Making. Your performance on each of these sections is scaled to a score between 300 and 900 – and then added together, to get your overall UCAT score.

The Situational Judgement section is scored differently. Instead of getting a score, you’ll be put into one of four bands, depending on your performance. Band 1 is the highest, and band 4 is the lowest.

Each year UCAT scores are sorted into deciles, with each one representing 10% of candidates. For example, a UCAT score in the 1st decile means that you have scored in the bottom 10% of all UCAT takers. A score in the 10th decile means you are in the top 10%.

2021 Entry Interim UCAT Scores

Interim UCAT scores are released mid-way through the testing period, and they’re a good chance for you to get a sense of how you’ve performed.

The 2021 entry interim UCAT scores have just been released, and it shows that the mean interim score is 2,578. For Situational Judgement, 35% of candidates scored in Band 1, 38% scored in Band 2, and 20% scored in Band 3. Just 6% scored in Band 4.

Please note that the interim UCAT scores are for tests up until September 20, when 19,461 candidates had sat the exam. A further 15,000 students still need to sit the test, so the final results will vary.

The UCAT Consortium explained: “Candidates should use these figures as a rough guide to judge their own performance as these numbers will change as the testing cycle progresses. As an example, the 2019 preliminary mean score was 2,541 and the final mean score was 2,483.”

2021 Entry Interim Deciles

The interim UCAT score deciles for 2021 are:

Previous UCAT Scores

UCAT scores vary each year. The easiest way to compare previous year scores is by reviewing the scores for each decile – but please remember that these don’t include the Situational Judgement results, because that’s scored differently.

The table below shows deciles for the last five years:

The table below shows the average score for each section:

Students usually struggle the most with Verbal Reasoning, with the average score at around 570. In comparison, students tend to be most comfortable with Quantitative Reasoning, getting an average score of 678. Abstract Reasoning scores tended to fall between 630 and 640, while Decision Making scores see more variation.

Scoring is different for Situational Judgement,  but as you can see below, most students scored Band 2 in this section.

What Is A Good UCAT Score?

A good UCAT score will vary from year to year. Typically a score above 650 would represent a good outcome, and above 680 would normally be considered a high score.

If you manage to get a high score, you might be wise to apply to universities that place a higher emphasis on the test, as this could boost your chances of getting an interview.

What Is An Average UCAT Score?

The average UCAT score changes each year, but is generally between 620 and 630. In 2019, the average UCAT score was 620.

What Is A Low UCAT Score?

A low UCAT score is generally below 610. Students with a low score may worry that it means they can’t get into medical school. But that’s not necessarily the case.

It just means you will need to be strategic with your applications. You might also choose to sit the BMAT, or consider a gap year.

Where Should I Apply with My UCAT Score?

You’ll know your score before you apply to university, which allows you to be strategic with your UCAS applications. But first, you need to know how different medical schools use the UCAT in their admissions process. You can review our UCAT Universities or Medical School Comparison pages for more details.

If you scored highly, it might be a good idea to apply to universities that place a lot of emphasis on the UCAT. Many of these have a UCAT cut-off score and rank their applicants this way; the higher your score, the higher your chance of getting an interview.

If you didn’t get the score you were hoping for, it’s a good idea to apply to universities that place more emphasis on other admissions criteria. Some medical schools put more weighting on GCSEs, A-Level predictions and personal statements. BMAT universities might also become more appealing.

We’re working on a series of blogs that will advise you where is best to apply with your current UCAT score. Sign up to our newsletter to get the updates.

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More UCAT

• UCAT
• UCATSEN
• UCAT Dates and Prices
• UCAT Universities
• Verbal Reasoning
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Abstract Reasoning
• Decision Making
• Situational Judgement
• UCAT Preparation
• UCAT Practice Questions