What Is A Good UCAT Score In 2025
The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is an important evaluation tool for potential medical students, and admittance to medical institutions frequently depends on UCAT scores. Although the UCAT score criteria can change widely amongst universities, it is crucial for prospective medical students to fully comprehend these requirements. We will examine the importance of UCAT scores and look at examples of UCAT score requirements at various universities.
| Entry Year | Verbal Reasoning | Decision Making | Quantitative Reasoning | Abstract Reasoning | Total | Total UCAT Tests Sat |
| 2024 | 591 | 623 | 649 | 652 | 2,516 | 35,625 |
| 2023 | 567 | 616 | 658 | 659 | 2,500 | 36,374 |
| 2022 | 572 | 610 | 665 | 651 | 2,499 | 37,230 |
| 2021 | 570 | 625 | 664 | 653 | 2,511 | 34,153 |
| 2020 | 565 | 618 | 662 | 638 | 2,483 | 29,375 |
What is a Good UCAT Score?
As stated earlier, the UCAT Exam is given by plenty of aspirants who aim to attend medical and dental programs. In concrete terms, more than 30,000 students appeared for the UCAT Exam. but the question is, what score should you be aiming for? In order to do that, we must look into what scores are considered good, high and average.
As said, there are more than 30,000 aspirants; hence, there is intense competition for the few spots available at medical and dental schools; it is understandable that every student wants to know if their UCAT score was higher than that of the other students in the year.
Regretfully, it is impossible to say with certainty what constitutes a high or best UCAT score. The UCAT is only one part of the application; your Personal Statement, A-level grades, GCSE, and interview performance must all be great as well. Therefore, even if there are proposed cut-offs, there is no such thing as the “best score you need to get into X Medical School.”
Is that the dead end, then? Certainly not!
In this article, we will try to address the question by looking at the mark distributions of the previous years so that you get an idea of where your score stands.
But in order to know that, we need to know the UCAT Exam itself; the UCAT Exam consists of four sections:
- Verbal Reasoning
- Decision Making
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Situational Judgement
The UCAT’s first three portions are graded and scored similarly, which leads to the calculation of an average score. Each of the first four parts converts your raw score into a score between 300 and 900. When all four of these scores are combined, the ultimate UCAT score ranges from 1200 to 2700. Sometimes, this score will be transformed back into a 300–900 scale average.
Learn everything about the UCAT Exam, from pattern to syllabus, here!
What UCAT Score Is Needed For Medicine in the UK?
The score needed to study medicine in the UK depends on the college to which you are applying. Therefore, if you plan to attend a high-ranking college, you need to score high, for instance in order to get into Warwick you will be required to score 2600 to be in a safe zone.
Where should you apply for medicine with an average UCAT score?
These are the universities you can consider these Universities:
University of Aberdeen
Your academic performance and UCAT score will be taken into account when choosing you for an interview. There is no minimum UCAT score required; instead, your score is determined by comparing your entire performance to that of other applicants.
In UCAT – SJT, people with a Band 4 are typically not taken into consideration.
Anglia Ruskin University
Your UCAT score will be used to rank you. As long as they fulfil the primary academic entry requirements, a specific number of students will be contacted for interviews.
Candidates will not be called for interviews if their SJT score is Band 4.
Aston University
Since the UCAT score will be taken into account together with all other entry requirements, there are no specific score requirements.
University of Birmingham
Since the UCAT score will be taken into account together with all other entry requirements, there are no specific score requirements.
For instance, the top 10% of applicants will obtain a maximum score of 4.0 in this process, placing them in the highest category. During the interview phase, the UCAT SJT band score will be considered.
Brighton and Sussex Medical School
If necessary, your UCAT score could be utilised as a final discriminator, and it should also be taken into account when choosing candidates for interviews.
Hull York Medical School
You must have at least a Band 3 in SJT to be admitted to Hull York Medical School.
You may receive up to 40 points for the UCAT, up to 30 points for GCSEs, up to 15 points for SJT, and up to 15 points for contextual information as part of the interview selection process.
A survey of admitted students suggests that a rough minimum score of 2680 is needed, despite the fact that Hull York does not keep records on UCAT admissions.
Leicester University
Academic competence and UCAT score are given equal weight at Leicester University. According to their statement, “Individuals with lower UCAT scores will be evaluated individually, considering the entirety of their UCAS application.”
You must receive a UCAT score of 32 plus an academic score of 32 for a total score of 64 in order to be considered for an interview. The minimal score needed for an interview in 2023 was 59.5, indicating that the necessary UCAT scores fluctuate based on academic aptitude.
Norwich Medical School (UEA)
UCAT results are used by Norwich Medical School to rate candidates for interviews. To decide who will be offered a spot, they then combine the results of the UCAT and an interview. The lowest UCAT score needed for an interview in 2022 (the most recent data available) was 1970, while the average was 2700.
They state: “A low score does not disqualify an applicant from consideration; a high score is advantageous.”
Nottingham University
Nottingham University will award you points depending on your UCAT score (12 points for 801–900, 10 points for 701–800, etc.) and your eight best GCSEs (4 points for an A*, 3 points for an A, etc.). The average number of points needed to get an interview is 131+.
Notably, Nottingham also doubles the Verbal Reasoning score, and SJT counts toward the total points. According to them, there isn’t a set score requirement to be chosen for an interview.
Plymouth University
Plymouth University selects candidates for interviews based on their UCAT results as well as their A-Level and GCSE scores.
Each year, the UCAT criterion may change depending on how well a candidate performs overall. The criteria for 2023 entry was 2,680, greater than in prior years, compared to 2,610 for 2022 entry and 2,400 for 2021 entry. Data for the 2024 cycle is not available.
Queen Mary University of London (Barts)
Your UCAT score and UCAS tariff are weighted 50:50 at Queen Mary/Barts. To be taken into consideration, your UCAT score must be at least in the third decile.
The minimal UCAT score needed to be considered for an interview in the 2024 admissions cycle was 2620. Compared to the prior admissions cycles, this is lower.
Where To Apply With a Good UCAT Score
Following is the list of colleges you can apply to if you have a good UCAT score:
Applicants must meet a specific score in order to be considered for admission to St. George’s University, a medical school in London, which has quite high cut-off scores. This score was 2710 (678) in 2022 compared to 2620 (655) the year before. Successful applicants in 2021 averaged 2725 (681), which is unquestionably at the higher end of the UCAT percentiles.
It should come as no surprise that King’s College London, one of the most renowned universities in the capital of the United Kingdom, has strict requirements for candidates for one of its most competitive programs. The average score for shortlisted applicants in the 2021 admissions cycle was 2788 (697), compared to the previous year’s average of 2774 (694). You don’t have to meet a specific score to be formally considered, though, as KCL doesn’t use cut-off scores.
One of Scotland’s most prominent medical schools, the University of Edinburgh, is known for its selective admissions, as seen by its UCAT criteria. The UCAT cut-off score for 2025 entry was 2450 (613), which isn’t particularly high. This score is significantly higher than the average scores of successful applicants in prior years, who scored an average of 2700 (675) in 2021 and 2780 (695) in 2020. It follows that meeting the requirements might not be sufficient to secure an offer at Edinburgh.
Candidates with the highest scores will be called for interviews. You should be invited for an interview if your UCAT score falls within the top third of the national results. Suppose you fulfil the very minimum of academic standards. Please be aware that this will change each year due to changes in the UCAT cut-off. Applicants that match the expanding participation criteria will have a lower cutoff and be given preference for SJT bands 1 and 2. You will be required to score 2750 and beyond.
Newcastle invites candidates for interviews based on a threshold or cut-off UCAT score. Please be aware that candidates with a band 4 SJT score will not be taken into consideration. You will be required to score 2800 – 2870.
When deciding who to invite for an interview, Southampton does not rely on academic credentials or personal statements. Additionally, Southampton offers 4-year and 6-year programs with varying UCAT cut-offs. A score of around 2750 will be safe.
Candidates who fulfil the requirements for both work experience and education are ranked based on their UCAT results. Please take note that only graduate students are eligible. The threshold is 2660.
Can you get into medicine with a very low UCAT score?
First, you need to understand what a low score actually is; anything less than 2500 in the UCAT Exam is considered a low score or below-average score. However, if one is scoring marks around this range, one must understand it is not the end of the road; with strong academic grades and good extracurricular activities, you still have a chance. Therefore, you must apply to colleges which take a holistic approach towards their admission and have low UCAT scores for their admission.
Keele University Medical School
Keele modified their shortlisting procedure for admission in 2025. Although they currently award points based on UCAT quintiles, their minimum score is still 2280 with band 3. Five points are given for individuals in the top 20%, followed by four points for those in the second quintile, three for those in the third quintile, two for those in the fourth quintile, and one point for anybody between 2280 and the fourth quintile. Band 1 receives two points for situational judgment, whereas Band 2 receives one point. Band 4 members are instantly disqualified, and Band 3 members receive no points.
University of Sunderland Medical School
A numeracy test has been added to Sunderland’s interview selection process, and candidates must have a UCAT score in the top 8 deciles and at least a Band 3 in Situational Judgement, which is often around 2280. Additionally, candidates must complete their interview selection tool, which asks them to write about and reflect on job experiences that they feel helped them build the abilities and qualities they could need for a future career in medicine.
University of Central Lancashire Medical School (UCLan)
UCLan will require applicants to take the UCAT starting in 2024. The average score for the student who was invited for an interview was 2597.
Although there are only a few domestic spots available, UCLan chooses students for interviews based on their academic background, personal statement, and UCAT score.
University of Cardiff Medical School
Despite not having a UCAT cutoff point in the past, Cardiff now states on its website that if more students have full academic points than they can interview, a UCAT threshold will be applied. Their average UCAT score for admission in 2022 was 2490. Cardiff’s selection method does not specify how the UCAT Situational Judgement Score is applied.
FAQs on What is A Good UCAT Score in 2025
Q. What is the minimum UCAT score required for medicine?
A. There is no minimum UCAT score as such because it varies from college to college; for example, a top college like King’s College London would want a higher score of around 2700, a Lower threshold universities may consider applicants with scores of 2300–2500.
Q. What score do you need to pass the UCAT?
A. There is technically no passing score in the UCAT. Also, a good UCAT score or average UCAT score depends on the university you are planning to attend; for some universities, 2500 would be an average score, and for some universities, 2500 would be a good UCAT score.
Q. How long does it take to get UCAT results?
A. According to the official UCAT website, it takes around 24 hours to get the result.
