UCAT Exam Preparation Online in India: Get Best Tutors for UCAT exam preparation

The UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) is a computer-based exam that evaluates essential mental abilities required for health science professions such as medicine and dentistry. It is divided into five subtests: verbal reasoning, decision making, quantitative reasoning, abstract reasoning, and situational judgment. The UCAT exam is used by universities in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand to select high-demand health science courses’ students, and its importance has risen as universities now consider it as one of the three key criteria for selecting medical and dental students, along with high school final exam scores and interviews. The UCAT exam accurately analyzes the traits needed to be a successful medical student and doctor.

What Is UCAT

Health-related professions are crucial to society and come with a great responsibility to be well-educated. The UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) is a prerequisite for universities preparing students for these professions, and is used as one of three key criteria in selecting students for high-demand fields such as medicine and dentistry.Though the UCAT can be quite daunting, Rostrum’s tutor’s and resource materials provided by us ensures an effective preparation for the UCAT exam. This website provides you with all the details you need to know to understand what UCAT is exactly and what is expected of you. (Keep reading to get an insight into university specific information on UCAT and resources for help and tutoring!!)

The UCAT is a two-hour computer-based test that evaluates a variety of mental talents that institutions consider vital for practicing medicine and dentistry. It is divided into five timed subtests, each of which has a set of multiple-choice questions.

Why Should You Take the UCAT Exam?

Due to the high demand for health science courses, universities are adopting a new approach for selecting students for medical school, which includes evaluating desired attributes such as problem-solving, empathy, and abstract reasoning abilities through tools like UCAT and interviews. Although UCAT is necessary for admission, it also helps develop the skills required for medical students and doctors, making it a helpful tool for personal growth. Additionally, UCAT provides universities with a comprehensive understanding of a student’s potential as a health professional beyond just their academic scores.

Which Universities Offer the UCAT?

Note that the following is a list of the universities and details for only the first ten universities have been provided since almost all universities have similar requirements.

1. University of Aberdeen.

The University of Aberdeen considers UCAT scores along with academic achievement when selecting candidates for interviews, but they are not the sole factor. A minimum cut-off score is not used, and the applicant’s UCAT score is compared to all other applicants to determine a score (UCAT: 40%, academic: 60%). The total numerical score from the four subtests is used to calculate the Aberdeen score, while the SJT may be used for offer comparison among individuals with similar results.There is a wide variation of UCAT scores among applicants to Aberdeen. For entrance in 2016:

Applicants: The lowest applicant total score was 1580, while the highest was 3140. All applications had an average score of 2430.
Interview: For candidates that were invited for an interview, the lowest overall score was 2240, and the highest was 3140.
Offers made: For successful applicants who received offers, the lowest total score was 2320 and the highest was 2850.

UCATSEN: Take the UCATSEN if you qualify for 25% extra time on public exams. In order to take the UCATSEN in 2019, you must apply to the UCAT Office. You can schedule a test before your eligibility is determined, but we recommend that you wait for confirmation before taking the test.

2. Anglia Ruskin University.

Anglia Ruskin University ranks applicants (who satisfy the minimal academic standards) through their UCAT score, therefore narrowing the field for interviews. Additionally, individuals who reside in or are studying in the East of England will receive additional shortlisting points, with Essex.

Last year, the cut-off score for the interview was higher than in years past. In contrast to 2,390 for 2021 entry and 2,430 for 2020 entry, the number for 2022 entry was 2,640 (2,590 for local applicants).

3. Aston University.

Aston University doesn’t provide a minimum UCAT score criteria because the candidate’s score will be taken into account together with all other entry requirements. As a result, neither the UCAT nor the Situational Judgment Test (SJT) portion of the UCAT have a lower cut-off score.

Candidates with disabilities may be qualified to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test Special Educational Needs (UCATSEN), or they may ask for modifications to the UCAT to accommodate specific requirements. Candidates who don’t believe the UCATSEN or special examination arrangements will satisfy their unique demands may get in touch with UCAT and provide proof.

If you need special accommodations for the UCAT test and UCAT cannot fulfill your needs, you can contact Aston Medical School with supporting documentation before the end of the testing cycle. If you submit your application without a UCAT result, Aston Medical School will let you know if they will accept it. However, requests made after the UCAT testing period will not be considered.

4. University of Birmingham.

There is no minimum score for the UCAT. After determining whether your application meets the requirements for academic and non-academic requirements, your UCAT results—with the exception of the band result for the Situational Judgment Test (SJT) component—will be utilized.

Although this may change in the future, the band score for the Situational Judgement Test (SJT) component of the UCAT will never be used.

University of Birmingham asks candidates to be aware of the fact that they are unable to provide advice regarding the threshold score because it is subject to change based on the number and quality of applications received each year.

5. University of Bristol.

The University of Bristol requires all applicants to take the UCAT exam, and their scores from all subtests except the Situational Judgement test will be used to select candidates for interview. The threshold score for interview selection may change each year depending on the strength of the applicant pool.

The University treats all test scores equally during application evaluations and advises applicants to contact Pearson directly if they encounter any issues during the exam. The University no longer requires evidence of eligibility from applicants taking the UCATSEN, which must be sent directly to UCAT. Additionally, some applicants may be eligible for the UCAT bursary program, which provides free exam registration.

6. Cardiff University.

Cardiff University may use the UCAT as part of their interview selection process, but there is no minimum UCAT threshold score.

They assert: “If we have too many applicants with outstanding academic scores, we will use a UCAT tariff to select those for interviews. Each year, we evaluate each applicant’s academic score before deciding whether or not to use the UCAT.”

7. University of East Anglia.

Before applying, ALL applicants must take the UCAT in the year of application. There is no threshold score at UEA. Advantageous is a high score; A candidate is still eligible for consideration even if they have a low score. Further details can be found on the UCAT website.

The applicants are ranked according to the total score when they are selected for an interview.

Along with the interview score, the overall score is used to rank and select applicants for offers.

8. Edge Hill University.

Before applying to either the MBChB Medicine with FY or MBChB Medicine Programs, all applicants must take the UCAT. Scores from the UCAT cannot be used to support an application outside of the appropriate cycle. Candidates will need to retake the UCAT exam if they are applying again. Without completing a year-relevant UCAT, applications to Edge Hill University Medical School will not be considered. A bursary is available from the UCAT Consortium for some candidates.

9. University of Edinburgh.

A Band 4 on the Situational Judgement Test will disqualify potential applicants for admission.

As part of the entry requirements starting in 2023, one will need to get a certain minimum score on the UCAT. Total UCAT cutoff score for 2023 admission applicants will be 2470. With the exception of FLAG PLUS applicants (see below), applications from candidates with scores below this threshold will not be considered.

After the have received all of the scores, they rank them, divide the cohort into deciles (ten equal groups), and assign a score to each one. Candidate’s banding of situational judgment also receives a score from the University. After that, the points are added to the academic score to help one get to the top of the list for a chance to be invited to theAssessment Days. When final decisions are made, the applicant’s total score may be looked at again if there are applicants with the same ranked score and limited spots available.

10. University of Exeter

The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) will be required of candidates who will enroll in the BMBS program no later than two full academic years after completing their level 3 (A level or equivalent) studies. After receiving all scores in November of the year of application, a threshold score will be established. Exeter will produce a decile score from the UCAT score. The UCAT score is then given a 25% weight by Exeter.

For local students- The lowest UCAT score for students who were invited to Exeter's interview for 2022 entry was 1840, while the average score of students who were invited to an interview was around 2570.

11. University of Glasgow
12. University of Glasgow
13. Hull York Medical School.
14. Keele University.
15. Kent and Medway Medical School.
16. King’s College London.
17. University of Leicester.
18. University of Liverpool.
19. University of Manchester.
20. University of Newcastle.
21. University of Nottingham.
22. Plymouth University.
23. Queen Mary University of London.
24. Queen’s University Belfast.
25. University of Sheffield.
26. University of Southampton.
27. St George’s, University of London.
28. University of Sunderland.
29. University of Warwick.
30. University of Auckland (Medicine)
31. University of Otago (Medicine, Dental Surgery)
32. Monash University (Medicine)
33. University of Adelaide (Medicine, Dental Surgery)
34. University of Newcastle/University of New England (Medicine)
35. University of New South Wales (Medicine)
36. University of Western Sydney (Medicine)
37. University of Queensland (Medicine-conditional entry, Dental Science)
38. Griffith University (Dentistry)
39. University of Tasmania (Medicine)
40. University of Western Australia (Medicine, Dentistry)
41. Curtin University (Medicine)
42. Charles Sturt University (Medicine, Dental Science)
43. Flinders University (Clinical Science/Medicine)
44. Charles Darwin University (Clinical Science)

The UCAT Exam and its Structure-
UCAT exam format-

Verbal reasoning-

This part has 44 questions and 21 minutes to solve them. They will be presenting you with 11 passages of text.
It presents you with written information and assesses your ability to critically evaluate it and think carefully about it. It also tests your ability to find out if certain specific conclusions can be drawn from the presented information.
There are no requirements of having prior knowledge to answer these questions.
To comprehend complex information and convey this to patients in a clear and understandable manner, doctors and dentists need to have excellent verbal reasoning skills.
Medical professionals must be able to apply and interpret published findings in their own practice. They must be able to evaluate such materials and arrive at their own conclusions regarding the reliability of any findings.
You will then be given four responses to a question or incomplete statement. You must select the best or most appropriate response. There will only be one response available to you.
For the other questions, you need to carefully read each section of the text and then decide if the statement provided makes sense. There are three possible responses to choose from:

True: The statement is accurate in light of the information in the passage.

False: The statement is false based on the information in the passage.

Can’t say: The passage’s information cannot tell you whether the statement is true or false.

Decision making-

There will be 29 questions for you to choose from, some of which may make use of text, tables, graphs, or diagrams. The question itself may contain additional information. This subtest will give you 31 minutes to answer the questions.
Your capacity to evaluate arguments, apply logic to arrive at a decision or conclusion, and analyze statistical information is measured on the Decision Making subtest.
Decisions that may be complex are frequently required of dentists and doctors. This necessitates exceptional problem-solving abilities, as well as the capacity to evaluate, control, and deal with uncertainty.
There will be four different answers to some questions, but only one correct answer; and some questions will ask you to answer five statements with a “yes” or “no” next to each one.
You will be allowed to use a simple on-screen calculator. It’s possible that you’ll also need a pen and whiteboard.
To answer any questions, you do not need to be familiar with specific mathematical or logical reasoning terms.

Quantitative reasoning-

There will be 36 questions for you that are related to tables, graphs, or charts. This subtest will give you 25 minutes to answer the questions.
Your ability to solve problems by utilizing numerical skills is measured on the Quantitative Reasoning subtest.
It assumes a level of familiarity with numbers. However, solving problems is more important than numerical ability in answering questions.
Data must constantly be reviewed and applied to one’s own practice by dentists and doctors.
Drug calculations based on patient weight, age, and other factors must be accurate on a practical level.
Clinical research at a higher level necessitates the ability to comprehend, evaluate, and apply complex statistically presented results. Universities that are looking at applicants need to know that they can handle these kinds of situations.
You must extract relevant information from tables and other numerical presentations in order to solve problems.
The majority of questions will be displayed as sets of four connected to the same data questions.
There are some questions that do not share data and stand alone. There are five answers to each question. The task at hand is to select the best option.
In this section, you can use a simple on-screen calculator. It’s possible that you’ll also need a pen and whiteboard.

Abstract reasoning-

There will be fifty questions pertaining to sets of shapes for you to answer. This subtest will give you 12 minutes to answer the questions.
In this subtest, you will encounter each of the following four types of questions:

You will be given two sets of shapes with the names “Set A” and “Set B” for type 1. A test shape will be presented to you, and you will be asked to choose whether it belongs to Set A, Set B, or neither.
You will be given a series of shapes for type 2. The subsequent shape in the series will be up for grabs.
You will be given a statement involving a group of shapes for type 3. You will be asked to choose the shape that makes the statement complete.
You will be given two sets of shapes with the names “Set A” and “Set B” for type 4. You will be prompted to select one of the four response choices from Set A or Set B.

Situational judgment-

You will be asked 66 questions about a series of scenarios, each of which may have up to six questions. You will have 26 minutes to respond to all subtest questions.
The situational judgment test, or SJT, measures your ability to comprehend real-world situations, identify key factors, and respond appropriately to them.
Questions do not necessitate prior knowledge of procedures or medicine.
Integrity, perspective taking, teamwork, resilience, and adaptability are all evaluated on the test.
SJTs are frequently used in the selection of foundation doctors and dentists, general practitioners, and other medical specialties in the medical and dental fields.
You will be asked to rate the appropriateness of a series of statements in response to the scenario for some of the questions, while you will be asked to rate the importance of a series of statements in response to the scenario for others of the questions.
You will be required to rate each response from either two or four possible options for some of the questions. In other questions, you will be asked to select one of the three options that is most or least appropriate for dealing with the situation.

You are encouraged to attempt all questions since there are no negative marks for incorrect responses because all of the questions are multiple choice. Integrity, teamwork, problem solving, communication, spatial awareness, and empathy are a few characteristics among many others that doctors must possess.

Scoring in the UCAT Exam-

You will receive an email from Pearson VUE within a few hours of taking UCAT when your UCAT score report is ready to be viewed via your Pearson VUE online account. To view your UCAT score report, you must first log into your Pearson VUE account.

The UCAT is graded on a scale of 3,600 points. Your performance in four areas – verbal reasoning, decision making, quantitative reasoning, and abstract reasoning – is measured on a scale from 300 to 900 and then totaled up to reach your overall UCAT score.

Scores for situational judgment are assigned to one to four bands.

The data reveals that, with the exception of a few graduate entry programs, a UCAT score of more than 2800 (700) is considered an excellent UCAT score. A score of more than 700 has proven to be sufficient to meet the cut-offs of the vast majority of programs each year, regardless of the UCAT distribution curve or percentiles. This has worked well for undergraduate candidates, graduate candidates, and international candidates.

Few Tips to Start Your UCAT Preparation-

1. TACKLE EACH SECTION ON ITS OWN

To prepare well for the UCAT, it’s important to focus on each section’s specific skills by studying the exam structure. The Quantitative Reasoning and Decision Making sections, for example, require vastly different approaches. Each part of the exam assesses distinct abilities, so seeking outside help in areas where you struggle could be beneficial. One-on-one tutoring sessions can be personalized to your specific needs and hone the skills required for success.

2. RECOGNIZE HOW TIMING WORKS

It’s important to manage your time effectively as each section has strict time constraints, with some parts allowing only 15 seconds per question. In addition to knowing how to answer the questions, being able to respond to them quickly is crucial. It’s important to practice with a timer and develop strategies to get used to the time constraints. It’s also important to understand that you’re unlikely to be able to answer all of the questions within the time limit, which is different from most tests taken in school.

3. ENSURE EFFICIENCY IN PREPARATION

It’s easy to become overwhelmed during your UCAT preparation and end up doing question after question for hours without improving. This is why thorough planning with specific objectives is critical.

Set modest goals for yourself each day, and make sure to go over all of the questions you get wrong to ensure you learn from your mistakes. Make sure to spread out your revisions and give yourself enough time to prepare so that you don’t have to rush through everything.

4. ALLOW YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO PREPARE

Because the UCAT is unlike any other exam you’ve taken before, you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to study and become familiar with the structure. While some people just require a month, you may require two months depending on your other obligations, such as exams.

Each student’s preparation period for the UCAT will be different. It’s critical not to procrastinate your preparation because you won’t have enough time to master the necessary skills. It’s also essential not to get started too quickly, as you can get burned out and run out of resources. We recommend that students revise consistently for 2-3 months prior to the UCAT, with more intense practice for the final two weeks.

5. BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH MEDICAL ETHICS

The ‘Situational judgment’ element of the exam, which assesses the ability to comprehend real-world situations, recognise crucial factors, and respond appropriately, is often the most difficult part for students. However, because the scenarios and cases in this section of the UCAT frequently refer to medical ethics, you should aim to be well-versed in this subject. Knowing medical ethics will also assist you deal with ethical difficulties you’ll encounter throughout MMI interviews.

6. PERFECTIONISM SHOULD BE AVOIDED

While we may believe that practice makes perfect, perfectionism can sometimes work against us when studying for the UCAT. To do well, you must understand that you will almost certainly have to guess certain questions in order to get marks for the easier and less time-consuming difficulties. In the end, easy and difficult questions are worth the same number of points, and you want to get as many points as possible in the time you have.

Finally, keep your cool and try to enjoy the ride. Though it may seem counterintuitive, approaching the test with positivity rather than stress will almost certainly improve your results.

Why Rostrum?

Rostrum offers a comprehensive UCAT educational course. Our instructors and tutors acknowledge that UCAT can be stressful and overwhelming. They take into this account and work on helping make your journey easier.

They have graduated from top medical schools in the UK. Our top UCAT topic specialists have effectively created the broad course curriculum. The course is designed to thoroughly prepare and instill the confidence required to pass the UCAT exam, with small batch sizes and one-on-one classes for personalized coaching.

You get complete control over the format of your sessions. Our individual course will allow you to create your own fully personalised study schedule with your assigned UCAT tutors. If you want flexibility without compromising your UCAT performance, our one-on-one sessions are for you.

Brilliant Mentors
Our mentors are excellent educators who run each session efficiently to ensure productivity.

One-on-one Classes
We offer one-on-one classes in order to focus on individual preparation.

Reliable Curriculum
Our training content is based on official exam prep resources to ensure excellent results.

Collaborative Classes
With their highly interactive seminars, our trainers turn dry topics into engaging modules.

Mock Tests
We conduct mock tests to familiarize students with sitting full-length practice exams under timed conditions.

Updated Information on the Latest 2022 Cycle-

The Consortium had another successful year in 2022, with 36,374 candidates taking the test. This was significantly higher than the number of test takers prior to the pandemic (2019 – 29,375), despite being slightly lower than the record number of candidates in 2021 (37,230).

Although a shift was observed with an increased number of testers choosing to sit in August this year, which is a positive step in terms of our advice to candidates regarding their preparation, September proved to be the busiest month for testing as usual.

The test was also used by a number of new Consortium members in 2022. This year, applicants to Brunel University London, University of Chester, and University of Surrey were all required to take the test.

In keeping with previous years’ mean scores, the mean total score for 2022 was 2500.

UCAT 2023 Test Dates Released-

If you are planning on applying for entry into medical colleges in 2024 or a deferred entry in 2025, you need to sit for the UCAT 2023 exam.

The key dates that have been released, are as follows-

16 May (9.30am BST) – UCAT Account creation opens; Bursary and Access Arrangement applications open

20 June (6am BST) – Booking opens

10 July – Testing starts

19 September (12 noon BST) – Access Arrangement application deadline

21 September (12 noon BST) – Booking deadline

28 September – Last test day

29 September (4pm BST) – Bursary Scheme application deadline

16 October – UCAS deadline