UCAT Universities - What is the UCAT cut off?
The University Clinical Aptitude Test or UCAT is the admissions test most commonly used by UK medical schools. If you are reading this blog, I presume you already know that… but do you know how many courses actually use the UCAT in their admissions process?
It’s a whopping 74 programmes, just in the UK!
The way in which the medical schools that require UCAT use it varies significantly from one to another. Considering how well a school’s selection process matches your own strengths and weaknesses is key to making sure you have the greatest chance of a successful application. Of course, the same is true for UCAT dentistry. If you need help deciding where you have the best chances, get in touch with me.
How the UCAT is used
- At the University of Southampton, the University of Newcastle, or the University of Bristol, the shortlisting for an interview is made on the basis of the UCAT score alone, provided the applicant meets their minimum requirements. They are sometimes referred to as high UCAT universities.
- For other programmes, including medical schools at the University of Keele or the University of Cardiff, the UCAT score only plays a minor part in the selection process.
How the UCAT is weighted
- Several medical schools and dental schools do not count the SJT band for shortlisting. They use the composite score from Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning and Abstract Reasoning instead.
- Other universities use the SJT score only to rule out students who score a band 4 but in no other significant way.
- An opposite example of this is Barts and the London Medical School that uses the SJT as an add on to the interview score. They create a final composite result of the interview score + SJT banding. You get an offer if you rank high using the composite score.
- The University of Edinburgh UCAT assessment includes giving the SJT a significant weight in the pre-interview score. The University of Warwick medicine UCAT requirements have a unique criterium - a minimum score for the Verbal Reasoning section.
In this blog, you will find detailed information on how the UCAT is used by each medical school and each dental school in the UK. I have separate blogs on:
Below is the UCAT usage and cut offs for every medical and dental school in the UK. Click on a specific name to read more!
University of Aberdeen UCAT
- A100 - Undergraduate Medicine
- A101 - Graduate Entry Medicine - This course has been cancelled due to COVID as of 2021.
- A200 - Undergraduate Dentistry
Pre-interview, your application is assessed on two factors: Academic performance (60%) and UCAT (40%). After the interview, your application is assessed and scored based on academic performance, UCAT, and interview performance; weighted at 30%, 20%, and 50%, respectively. The SJT is not scored but it can be used in offer making when two applicants have similar final scores. There is no minimum UCAT score.
University of Aberdeen UCAT Medicine cut off
| 2018* | 2017 | 2016** | 2015 | 2014 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home/Scotland | 2360 (590) | 2380 (595) | 2213 (553) | 2180 (545) | 2440 (560) |
| Rest of UK | 2340 (585) | 2440 (560) | 2560 (640) | 2420 (605) | 2550 (637.5) |
| International | 2300 (575) | 2580 (645) | 1850 (625) | 2210 (552.5) | 2620 (655) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
**UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
University of Aberdeen UCAT Dentistry cut off
For Dentistry, in 2015, the lowest score of an applicant who was invited for an interview was 2240 (560).
Overall, the minimum scores of students invited for an interview at Aberdeen in recent years do not seem very high. This is in great part because the UCAT is 40% only of the shortlisting criteria and thus, a lot of weight is also placed on academics. Remember these are the lowest scores. This means almost everyone else had a higher score and the average score was thus significantly higher than what the table shows.
Anglia Ruskin Medical School UCAT
Anglia Ruskin University Medicine UCAT cut off
I was not able to find the Anglia Ruskin UCAT cut off but the following UCAT averages, especially when compared to other medical schools can help you gauge the level of competition.
| 2018* | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average UCAT for applicants who received an offer to study medicine | 2646.1 (661.5) | 2563.7(641) |
| Average UCAT for graduate applicants who received an offer to study medicine | 2646.3 (661.5) | 2588 (647) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
I also know two students personally who had scores of 2480 (620) and they both got interviews in the past at Anglia Ruskin. UCAT cut offs for new programmes are often lower the first couple of years after a medical school opens, but it is likely that the cut off for Anglia Ruskin increases as it gets more established and known.Aston Medical School UCAT
It is not 100% clear to me what weight the UCAT has in the overall pre interview score at Aston university. However, they have said in September 2019, that the academic score represents two third of the pre interview score. The final third includes the UCAT, the personal statement and contextual factor. We can conclude that the UCAT in the last application cycle (2019), was weighted for less than 30% of the pre interview score. The university has also said that after the interview, they still looked at the application holistically, including grades and UCAT to make the offers. This could be different for the next application cycle.
Aston Medical School UCAT cut off
For 2019, there was no UCAT cut off score and all 4 SJT bands were accepted. The overall possible score (3600 to 1200) was split in equal deciles, and points were awarded to students in 0.5 increments.
They have not set a minimum requirement as they are evaluating the importance of the UCAT in the selection of students to study medicine. Their selection process is new and likely to change frequently in the near future until they establish a method they feel is fair and reliable.
| 2017* | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum UCAT Score of those interviewed - Home/EU Widening Participation |
2050 (512.5) | 1900 (450) |
| Minimum UCAT Score of those interviewed - Home/EU Main Pool |
NA | 2110 (527.5) |
| Minimum UCAT Score of those interviewed - Internationals |
1570 (392.5) | 1510 (377.5) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
You may stop a moment and wonder if I wrote these numbers right as they look significantly different than the cut offs seen in other medical schools. The data comes directly from the university so it is correct. It is important to be careful in understanding how to interpret such a table though. It is likely that the minimum score of someone accepted has been low because the school gave more weight to other aspects of the student’s application. The process is still competitive, but less on the UCAT factor. This also has no bearing on how the selection will be done in the next application cycle.
University of Birmingham UCAT
At Birmingham medical school, the way the UCAT is used depends on the programme of study.
For the undergraduate medicine programme, applications of Home/EU students receive an overall score: 60% academic and 40% UCAT. There is no minimum UCAT score. The score you are given for the UCAT depends on the decile you fall into. The decile and it’s converted score is as follows:
| Decile of your UCAT score | Converted score at Birmingham for undergraduate medicine entry |
|---|---|
| 10th | 4.000 |
| 9th | 3.556 |
| 8th | 3.111 |
| 7th | 2.667 |
| 6th | 2.222 |
| 5th | 1.778 |
| 4th | 1.333 |
| 3rd | 0.889 |
| 2nd | 0.444 |
| 1st | 0.000 |
The score out of 4 for your UCAT is added to a score out of 6 for your academics to rank you for an interview offer.
International applicants to the undergraduate medicine programme are not ranked using the same formula. Instead, as an international applicant, if you meet the minimum academic requirements, your pre-interview score is just based on your overall UCAT performance.
For the Graduate Entry Medicine programme, the UCAT counts for 25% of the pre-interview score and is also split into deciles to be given a numerical value out of 4. Other elements that make up 80% of the selection are:
- Degree result (50%)
- A level results (25%)
- Years in employment or caring roles (25%)
The SJT band is used at the interview stage for both programmes.
For the undergraduate Dentistry programme, the scores of all applicants are ranked and divided into quartiles. All those in the bottom quartile have their application rejected. The higher quartile your score is in, the more credit you get towards being selected for an interview. SJT banding is not taken into account. The UCAT is only one aspect looked at to select for an interview.
Birmingham University Medicine UCAT cut off
As explained above, the selection process at Birmingham University for most students has traditionally given a lot more weight to GCSEs than UCAT scores. There is no Birmingham UCAT cut off and minimum scores would not be very relevant for the UCAT. On the University website, the cut off for their threshold score (a combination of UCAT and Academics) is available. For this to be helpful to you, you will first need to calculate your academic score and then combine it with your UCAT score.
The website of the University of Birmingham is actually fantastic. They have been very innovative and provide an offer calculator. I suggest this is the best method to check your likely competitiveness before applying there. Please note that it does not include estimates for the 4-year medicine programme at the moment.
Below you can find the UCAT threshold score that has been used in recent years to select international applicants to the programme.
| 2015* | 2016** | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCAT Threshold - used for international applicants to the 5 year programme | 2470 (617.5) | 2560 (640) | 2620 (655) | 2550 (637.5) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
University of Bristol UCAT
- A 100 - Undergraduate Medicine
- A 108 - Gateway to Medicine
- A 206 - Gateway to Dentistry
- A 208 - Undergraduate Dentistry
For the undergraduate Medicine, the gateway to Medicine and the gateway to Dentistry programmes, the UCAT score is used to rank applicants prior to the interview.
For the Dentistry course, the UCAT is worth 35% of the pre-interview score. The personal statement makes up 35%, and the academic assessment makes up the other 30%.
The SJT is not used for scoring.
Bristol University Medicine UCAT cut off
In 2018, the Bristol medical school UCAT cut off was 2730 (682.5)
Cardiff University UCAT
- A 100 - Undergraduate Medicine
- A 104 - Medicine with a preliminary year
- A 200 - Undergraduate Dentistry
- A 204 - Dentistry with a preliminary year
There is no Cardiff University Medicine UCAT cut off. The UCAT uses the UCAT is normally only applied in borderline cases for their Medicine programmes and as part of the overall academic score for the Dentistry programmes.
University of Dundee UCAT
- A 100 - Undergraduate Medicine
- A 104 - Gateway to Medicine
- A 200 - Undergraduate Dentistry
- A 204 - Gateway to Dentistry
For the undergraduate medicine programme, Dundee weights different achievements in the selection process: academic score (60%), UCAT decile (40%). UCAT forms part of the pre-interview ranking but there is no specific cut off score to be met. The SJT is not used for interview selection but having a score of Band 4 may affect whether an offer is given.
For the undergraduate dentistry programme, the UCAT score is added to the academic score to rank candidates for interview.
For the gateway programmes, I could not find detailed information other than it is used alongside the rest of the application.
Dundee University Medicine UCAT cut off
| 2016** | 2017* | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest UCAT of interviewed applicant - HOME/Scottish |
2147 (537) | 2110 (527.5) |
| Lowest UCAT of interviewed applicant - HOME/Rest of the UK |
2506 (627) | 2220 (555) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
The average UCAT score for the 2016 cohort that was invited for an interview was 2740.
Dundee University Dentistry UCAT cut off
In 2016, the lowest UCAT score was 2200. The average score for entrants to dentistry in 2016 was almost 2570.
University of East Anglia UCAT (Norwich Medical School UCAT)
For both programmes, you are ranked based on your academic achievements and UCAT subsection scores for Home and EU students. In the previous admissions cycle the weight was spread as follows: academics 67% and UCAT 33%. If you are an international student, then the ranking is solely based on your UCAT result.
The UCAT is used again after the interview. It is combined with the interview score to make the final offers. SJT banding is included within the interview score.
University of East Anglia Medicine UCAT cut off
There is no cut-off for the UCAT score in the selection process. For the undergraduate medicine programme, the medical school has advised that it is unusual to get an interview with a UCAT score lower than the third decile. See below the minimum UCAT score of students who received an interview or an offer for Norwich medical school in the last few years.
| 2012* | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016** | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A104 All applicants |
Lowest UCAT - Got an interview |
2420 (605) | 2380 (595) | 2350 (588) | |||
| Lowest UCAT - Got an offer |
1900 (475) | 2380 (595) | 1910 (478) | 1950 (488) | |||
| A100 (Home/EU) |
Lowest UCAT - Got an interview |
1960 (490) | 2230 (558) | 2140 (535) | 2133 (533) | 2150 (538) | 2030 (508) |
| Lowest UCAT - Got an offer |
2130 (533) | 2300 (575) | 2140 (535) | 2340 (585) | 2347 (587) | 2340 (585) | |
| A100 Internationals |
Lowest UCAT - Got an interview |
2130 (533) | 1870 (468) | 1760 (440) | 2107 (527) | 2230 (558) | 2040 (510) |
| Lowest UCAT - Got an offer |
2320 (580) | 2180 (545) | 1760 (440) | 2347 (587) | 2540 (635) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
Edge Hill University UCAT
For both programmes, applicants who meet the minimum academic criteria are ranked on the basis of their UCAT score. This rank decides who progresses to interview.. If you have a band 4 in the SJT section, you are automatically disqualified. The UCAT threshold is significantly lower if you meet widening participation criteria.
University of Edinburgh UCAT
All achieved and predicted grades are used, alongside UCAT performance, personal statement, and reference. Once all UCAT scores are received they are ranked and divided into octiles (i.e. eighths) and allocated a score. A score is also allocated to your situational judgement banding.
Applicants with a low UCAT score may be eliminated based on this alone, but a high UCAT score will not guarantee selection for interview as other factors are also considered. The points are then added up to your total score to contribute towards your final ranking.
University of Edinburgh UCAT Medicine cut off
The University of Edinburgh does not have a UCAT cut off but I have added below statistics on the minimum and average UCAT scores of students who received offers in the last few years.
| 2016** | 2017* | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest UCAT of applicant with an offer | 2213 (553) | 2350 (588) | 2330 (583) |
| Average UCAT applicant with an offer | 2840 (710) | 2860 (715) | 2860 (715) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
University of Exeter UCAT
Candidates are tiered according to their academic performance. When there are more applicants in a tier than there are places remaining on the course, the UCAT/GAMSAT is used to rank applicants within the tier, with higher scoring applicants being offered an interview.
The university states that you are unlikely to be selected for an interview with scores of less than 2,500.
University of Exeter UCAT Medicine cut off
I would recommend you do not rely on the UCAT data here to look at your chances too much. In reality, because of the way the selection for interviews is done, a lot more emphasis is placed on A level achieved or predicted grades.
For those who wrote the UCAT in 2016 and 2017, the threshold to get an interview was a UCAT score of over 2670. But even a much higher UCAT score does not really help if you do not have at least 2 predicted A* at A levels for a home applicant, or potentially even higher grades for an international student.
University of Glasgow UCAT
For their shortlisting process on the medicine undergraduate programme, the University of Glasgow includes academic, personal statement, reference, and UCAT score. The applicant pools are split as follows:
- Home/E.U
- Rest of UK
- International
University of Glasgow Medicine UCAT cut off
| 2016** | 2017* | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum UCAT that got an interview | 2653 (663) | 2680 (670) | 2600 (650) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
In the following table, you can see the minimum UCAT scores of students who were interviewed, split by applicant pool:
| 2012* | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016** | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland/EU - Lowest UCAT interviewed |
2460 (615) | 2570 (643) | 2630 (658) | 2680 (670) | 2653 (663) | 2680 (670) | 2650 (663) |
| Rest of UK - Lowest UCAT interviewed |
2460 (615) | 2570 (643) | 2630 (658) | 2680 (670) | 2653 (663) | 2680 (670) | 2680 (670) |
| Internationals - Lowest UCAT interviewed |
2460 (615) | 2570 (643) | 2630 (658) | 2680 (670) | 2653 (663) | 2680 (670) | 2600 (650) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
University of Glasgow UCAT Dentistry cut off
The minimum scores for the Dentistry programme are different from the ones in the Medicine programme. Here is a summary of the UCAT statistics for the last 3 years:
| 2016** | 2017* | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum UCAT that got an interview | 2533 (633) | 2540 (635) | 2470 (617.5) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
Hull York Medical School UCAT
For the undergraduate medicine programme, HYMS uses the UCAT score in the shortlisting process alongside other criteria: GCSE results (30 points), UCAT score (40 points), UCAT SJT (15 points), Contextual information (15 points). You must also achieve Band 1, 2 or 3 in the SJT subtest of the UCAT. HYMS also uses the SJT banding as an extra interview station.
For the Medicine with a gateway year programme, the pre interview rankings is based on the combination of the UCAT overall score, the UCAT SJT banding and academic grades.
Hull York Medical School UCAT cut off
The medical school does not use cut offs as explained above and I have not found the minimum scores from previous years but I have included the average UCAT scores for students invited for interview and who received an offer for 3 application cycles.
| 2014 | 2015* | 2016** | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average UCAT scores of interviewed | 2713 (678) | 2721 (680) | 2653 (663) |
| Average UCAT scores of offers | 2733 (683) | 2717 (679) | 2653 (663) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
Keele University UCAT requirements
Applicants with UCAT scores in the lowest two deciles or with an SJT in Band 4, will not be considered. Keele also uses UCAT score in borderline cases. So in short, a low result is used to disqualify some candidates but the UCAT is not given a lot of weight, if at all, in the shortlisting for an interview.
Keele University Medicine UCAT cut off
For 2019 entry (UCAT written in 2018), the threshold was a score of 2,280.
Kent and Medway Medical School UCAT requirements
Kent and Medway Medical School split their applicant pools as follows:
- Group A - Pre A level.IB students, GCSEs achieved from English school data
- Group B - Post A level/IB achieved from English school data or pre-graduate student in final year of a bachelor degree
- Group C - Post bachelor’s degree, relevant subject
- Group D - Others including international or scottish qualifications
Once minimum requirements are met, students are selected based on their UCAT score to get to the next stage of assessment. Top UCAT scores are not necessarily given an interview. They are just selected to move to the next assessment point.
The final assessment point that decides who gets an interview is beyond the scope of this blog and varies for each of the 4 groups above. For group A, as an example, they look at your grades in relation to the average of your school but for group D, they give more weight to the personal statement.
Kent and Medway University Medicine UCAT cut off
In 2019, for group A applicants, the UCAT threshold was 2420 (605 - which corresponds to the 40th percentile that year). UCAT SJT band also had to be 3 or above. This is one of the lowest UCAT cut offs in the UK in 2019. This often happens when a programme is new but cut offs or thresholds tend to go up in the following few years as the programme becomes more known. It may also be low as it is not the only factor they look at to decide who gets an interview.
King’s College London UCAT
- A 100 - Undergraduate Medicine
- A 101 - Extended Medical Degree Programme
- A 102 - Graduate Entry Medicine
- A 202 - Graduate Entry Dentistry
- A 205 - Undergraduate Dentistry
- A 206 - Enhanced Support Dentistry Programme
For all the above programmes, students are called for an interview on the basis of their academics, personal statement, references, and the score in the UCAT. However, the exam results and the UCAT score are the most important factors. King’s College does not have a threshold UCAT score. The overall score, including the SJT, counts more than a score in any given section. Typically, looking at the UCAT of students whom I have worked with over the last 10 years, a very good UCAT is often needed to get into KCL.
After the interview, the offers are made on the interview performance and the UCAT score predominantly.
King’s College London Medicine UCAT cut off
As described above, a cut off is not used. However, here are the statistics that show the lowest UCAT of interviewed applicants and applicants who received an offer over a few years.| 2015* | 2016** | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest UCAT to get an interview (Home) |
2630 (658) | 2493 (623) | 2580 (645) |
| Lowest UCAT to get an interview (EU) |
2587 (647) | 2720 (680) | |
| Lowest UCAT to get an interview (Internationals) |
2440 (610) | 2373 (593) | 2470 (618) |
| Lowest UCAT to get an offer (Home) |
2440 (610) | 2440 (610) | 2470 (618) |
| Lowest UCAT to get an offer (EU) |
2630 (658) | 2493 (623) | 2580 (645) |
| Lowest UCAT to get an offer (Internationals) |
2760 (690) | 2587 (647) | 2740 (685) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
University of Leicester UCAT
For both programmes, the UCAT is scored and used in conjunction with an academic score. Both areas are scored out of 32 points. The total score (out of 64) is used to rank applicants for the interview. Applicants with band 4 in SJT are automatically disqualified.
University of Liverpool UCAT
For the medicine programme, the UCAT is only used for undergraduate applicants. If you are a graduate applicant, you need to write the GAMSAT instead. For undergraduate applicants, once you meet the minimum academic requirements, you are then ranked on your UCAT score. A minimum of band 3 in SJT is required for home/EU applicants but band 4 is accepted for international applicants.
University of Liverpool Medicine UCAT cut off
For Home/EU applicants, the UCAT cut off in 2017 was 2460 (615); the score in 2018 was 2420 (605).
University of Manchester UCAT
- A 104 - Medicine with a foundation
- A 106 - Undergraduate Medicine
- A 204 - Dentistry with a foundation
- A 206 - Undergraduate Dentistry
For both Medicine programmes, there are 2 key ways the UCAT can be assessed:
- If you score in the top 3 deciles of UCAT scores nationally and you score band 1 or 2, at the SJT, then, as long as you meet the minimum academic requirements, you are invited for an interview.
- If you do not meet the above UCAT cut off, then you may still get an interview. The University of Manchester looks at the whole application, including grades, personal statement, and UCAT results. In this group, students who score band 4 at SJT are disqualified and students who score band 1 and 2 are more likely to get invited than those who score a band 3. A UCAT cut off is usually determined in this group.
For both Dentistry programmes, the UCAT is used as part of the holistic assessment of the applicant. You also need an SJT band 1 or 2 to be eligible for an interview.
Applicants are ranked according to their UCAT result. The cut-off threshold for this exam varies each year, depending on the results of that year’s cohort of applicants.
University of Manchester Medicine UCAT cut off
Remember the selection criteria and policy change year on year so be cautious when interpreting the meaning of the UCAT thresholds.
| 2015* | 2016** | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest UCAT to get an interview | 2660 (665) | 2613 (653) | 2660 (665) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
Newcastle University UCAT
For all 3 programmes, once the minimum academic requirements are met, the shortlisting for interview is made on the UCAT score alone. SJT scores are not used.
University of Newcastle Medicine UCAT cut off
I have analysed the previous years UCAT cut offs at the University of Newcastle for Medicine in a separate blog.University of Nottingham UCAT
- A 100 - Undergraduate Medicine in Nottingham
- A 10L - Undergraduate Medicine in Lincoln
- A 108 - Medicine with a foundation year in Nottingham
- A 18L - Medicine with a foundation year in Lincoln
For both Medicine undergraduate programmes, the UCAT can give you a maximum of 40 points. The pre interview score is out of 56 so that means the UCAT is worth roughly 71% of your pre-interview score. An SJT Band 4 is not accepted. The score is done according to the following rules:
| UCAT Score per section | Points |
|---|---|
| 801 to 900 | 9 |
| 701 to 800 | 8 |
| 601 to 700 | 7 |
| 501 to 600 | 6 |
| 401 to 500 | 5 |
| 301 to 400 | 4 |
Situational Judgement Test
| SJT Band | Points |
|---|---|
| Band 1 | 4 |
| Band 2 | 2 |
| Band 3 | 1 |
| Band 4 | 0 |
For the Medicine with a foundation year programmes, shortlisting for interview is done with a score that is a combination of the UCAT and GCSEs. It’s not 100% clear if they use the same scoring as they do for the undergraduate medicine programmes. SJT band 4 is also not accepted.
University of Nottingham Medicine UCAT cut off
Looking at a UCAT cut off on its own would not make sense. In order to get an idea of the competitiveness, you should calculate your score using the UCAT points allocation above and the points for academics. The scale for those can be found on the university website. Then you can compare you final score to the following thresholds:
- In the 2018 entry - the threshold score to get an interview was 52
- In the 2019 entry - the threshold score to get an interview for the Nottingham pathway was 50 and all applicants who met the academic threshold, with predicted AAA and that got an SJT band of 1, 2 or 3 were shortlisted for interview in the Lincoln pathway.
University of Plymouth UCAT
For both programmes, once the minimum academic requirements are met, you are shortlisted for an interview based on a UCAT score cut off, set each year.
University of Plymouth Medicine UCAT cut off
| 2016** | 2017* | 2018 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCAT cut off | 2493 (623) | 2400 (600) | 2330 (582.5) | 2390 (597.5) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
Queen Mary University of London UCAT (Barts)
- A 100 - Undergraduate Medicine London
- A 101 - Graduate Entry Medicine
- A 110 - Undergraduate Medicine Malta
- A 120 - Foundation programme in Medicine London
- A 200 - Undergraduate Dentistry
For the Medicine and Dentistry programmes, the UCAT counts for 50% of the pre interview score. The remainder is based on academic achievements.
Bart’s and the London School of Medicine UCAT cut off
In a separate blog, I have delved into the previous years UCAT cut off at Barts and the London Medical school per applicant group. The cut off for the programme in Malta is lower than for the programmes in London. For the application cycle starting medical school in 2020 for example, the minimum cut off score for the undergraduate programme in Medicine at Malta was 2281.
For the foundation programme, there is a minimum requirement for the UCAT overall score to be above 2000 before enrolling.
Queen’s University Belfast UCAT
For both programmes, the UCAT is used in conjunction with the GCSE score to rank applicants for interview. GCSEs are worth a total of 36 points while the UCAT is worth a total of 6 points. Another way to say this is that the UCAT counts for just less than 15% of the total pre interview score. The SJT is not considered at all. The 6 points for the UCAT are allocated using the following table.
| UCAT Banding | Points |
|---|---|
| 1200 – 1899 | 0 |
| 1900 – 2099 | 1 |
| 2100 – 2299 | 2 |
| 2300 – 2499 | 3 |
| 2500 – 2699 | 4 |
| 2700 – 2899 | 5 |
| 2900 – 3600 | 6 |
Queen’s University Belfast Medicine UCAT cut off
The UCAT does not have a significant weight in the pre interview score at Queen’s University Belfast compared to other medical schools in the UK. This means relatively low UCAT scores can still lead to an interview but the applicants need other aspects of their application to be strong. The lowest UCAT score of an interview in 2016 (UCAT written in 2015) was 2080 (520).
University of Sheffield UCAT
For both Medicine programmes, applicants are split initially into:
- Widening participation group
- Main group
For those in the widening participation group, as long as they meet the minimum academic requirements and score a given UCAT cut off, they are invited for an interview.
If you fall into the main group of applicants, then once you meet the minimum requirements, you are ranked against other applicants based on your UCAT score.
For the Dentistry programme, the UCAT is one element that forms part of the pre interview criteria. The other elements are academic performance, and personal statement.
The SJT portion counts for both Medicine and Dentistry programmes.
University of Sheffield Medicine UCAT cut off
The University of Sheffield has mentioned that although the UCAT cut off for the next year cannot be predicted, in previous years, the cut off has fallen between the 70th and 73rd percentile. Here is a summary of the cut offs in the last 3 years:
| 2016** | 2017* | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Widening participation minimum threshold | 2466 (616) | 2460 (615) | 2470 (617.5) |
| Home / EU cut off | 2466 (616) | 2460 (615) | 2470 (617.5) |
| Internationals cut off | 2653 (663) | 2690 (672.5) | No cut off |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
University of Sheffield UCAT Dentistry cut off
In previous years, the lowest UCAT score to receive an interview was 2070.
University of Southampton UCAT
- A 100 - Undergraduate Medicine
- A 101 - Graduate Entry Medicine
- A 102 - Widening participation in Medicine
For the undergraduate and graduate programmes in Medicine, students are ranked on their UCAT results for interview selection. The SJT is not looked at.
For the widening access programme, the UCAT is looked at in conjunction with the rest of the application.
University of Southampton Medicine UCAT cut off
I am often asked what is the Southampton graduate medicine UCAT cut off separate from the undergraduate one, so I have separated them in the table below:
| 2016** | 2017* | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A 100 Interview Cut off | 2253 (563) | 2580 (645) | 2510 (628) |
| A 101 Interview Cut off | 2867 (717) | 2850 (713) | 2850 (713) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. Score for 2018 for example refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
University of St Andrews UCAT
The selection process at St Andrews is holistic. There is no UCAT cut off score or ranking used, but the score adds to an individual’s application.
University of St Andrews Medicine UCAT cut off
In previous years, the lowest score accepted has been around 2,400.
St George’s University of London UCAT
UCAT scores are used to rank applicants and the top applicants (usually around 600) are invited for an interview. After the interview, offers are solely based on the interview performance; however, if two applicants have the same interview score, the UCAT scores are used as a deciding factor.
University of St George’s Medicine UCAT cut off
Typically, a score of 500 or above in each section of the test is needed and in 2018, the overall cut off score was 2590 (647.5). For the 2019 entry SJT (Situational Judgement) of the UCAT exam was not used.
University of Sunderland UCAT
The University of Sunderland takes a holistic approach to select candidates; so they do not use UCAT cut off scores or rankings. Their use of the UCAT is similar to Keele University and is only used to eliminate the lowest scoring applicants.
University of Sunderland Medicine UCAT cut off
The minimum UCAT score required by the university of Sunderland is in the top 8th decile and having an SJT band 1-3.
Warwick University UCAT
Warwick places extra emphasis on the Verbal Reasoning section; anyone who scores below the cohort mean for this section is rejected. The remaining applicants are awarded points based on their academic achievements and total UCAT scores. Higher UCAT scores, and higher performance at degree, gain higher scores.
University of Warwick Medicine UCAT cut off
| 2015 | 2016** | 2017* | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut off to get an interview | 2710 (678) | 2706 (677) | 2600 (650) |
| Lowest UCAT who got offers | 2730 (683) | 2706 (677) | 2600 (650) |
*The year refers to the year the UCAT was written and not the academic entry year. The score for 2018, for example, refers to the cohort who wrote the exam in 2018 and entered medical school in September 2019.
** UCAT 2016 only had 3 sections counted. I have estimated an equivalent score as if it had 4 sections to make it easier to compare across the years.
The lowest UCAT score for an applicant with an undergraduate degree, who was invited to the selection centre was 2,650 for the 2018 entry.
