UKCAT

For many aspiring medical and dental students, the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is one of the
most daunting stages of the Medical School application process. Unlike the exams you’re more
familiar with, this is a two hour computerised exam designed to test aptitude rather than
knowledge. The idea is that high scores indicate candidates with the best potential to successfully
train as doctors.

What Does It Involve?

The exam consists of five sections;

 Verbal Reasoning
 Quantitative Reasoning
 Abstract Reasoning
 Decision Making
 Situational Judgement

How Do UKCAT Universities Use UKCAT scores?

Each university uses the exam results differently. The majority of universities look at your total or
average UKCAT scores, although some will look at individual sub-sections. Some universities place a
great deal of significance on the test. They either rank candidates by their score or have a minimum
cut-off which must be achieved before progressing to the next round.

Many universities use your score in combination with other factors such as your Personal Statement
and A-Level exam results. Some, however, only use it in borderline cases where it is helpful in
deciding between two very similar candidates. It varies hugely!

As the last testing date is approximately two weeks before the UCAS submission date, it’s important
that you use your score to apply strategically. Want to know how each university uses your
score? Use the Medic Portal Comparison Table: https://www.themedicportal.com/application-
guide/choosing-a-medical-school/comparisontool/

How Do UKCAT Scores Work?  

In each of Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning and Decision Making, you
will be awarded a raw score depending on the number of correct answers given. This score is then
scaled into a score between 300 and 900 points. You can therefore score between 1200 and 3600
points overall (average scores around 2500).

Situational Judgement assesses non-academic skills, such as teamwork, empathy and

communication skills. In this section the scoring differs in that the correct answer scores full points
but other answers close to the correct answer may also score points. The raw score then falls into
one of four bands, with Band 1 being the highest and Band 4 the lowest.

What’s the Timing of the UKCAT Test Like?

For each section of the UKCAT test, timing is different. The exam is structured in the following ways:
Information from: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/ and https://www.themedicportal.com/application-
guide/ukcat/ accessed March 2017
  Verbal Reasoning: 21 minutes, plus one minute of reading
 Quantitative Reasoning: 24 minutes, plus one minute of reading
 Abstract Reasoning: 13 minutes, plus one minute of reading
 Decision Making: 32 minutes, plus one minute of reading
 Situational Judgement: 26 minutes, plus one minute of reading

What Are The UKCAT Test Dates And Costs?

Registration opens in May and closes in September. Testing itself then spans from July to end of
September, closing shortly before the UCAS deadline. Keep an eye on the official website to make
sure that you have the latest information – http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/

The cost of sitting the exam varies depending when it is taken but is under £100.

Where Can I Find UKCAT Centres?

To sit the test, you’ll need to register and book your exam at one of the official centres. It’s
recommended that you sit your exam as soon as possible so spaces are available at your local test
centre – don’t leave it until the last minute! The best way to find your nearest centre is to search on
the Test Centre Locator
(https://www3.pearsonvue.com/testtaker/registration/SelectTestCenterProximity/UKCAT/1229293)
where you can search for the nearest centre to your town. Before selecting one of the centres, you
need to register for the exam. All UKCAT candidates must register before they can book their test. 
Candidates need to register for the test personally – this cannot be done by a school/college.
http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/registration/registration/. After registering, you can then select the nearest
centre to you. Remember that the longer you leave registering, the less likely you are to find a date
and a centre that suits you, so make sure you do this early!

How should I prepare? – The first thing you should do is go to the official website and work
through their preparation Toolkit. The toolkit is described below;

 Familiarise yourself with the requirements and question styles in each subtest.  Use the
Official Guide, Practice App and Practice Questions in the Candidate Preparation Toolkit to from the
official website: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/preparation/candidate-toolkit/
 Use the Tour Tutorial to familiarise yourself with the onscreen test format, learn how to
move around the screen and through the test and to use the calculator provided. 
 Use the Question Tutorial to learn strategies for approaching and answering questions.
 Make full use of the UKCAT Practice Tests. UKCAT provides you with three fully timed tests
which mimic closely the testing experience.  It is important to understand the time limitations in
Information from: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/ and https://www.themedicportal.com/application-
guide/ukcat/ accessed March 2017
 each section and to develop strategies to approach each subtest with this in mind.  Test items are of
an equivalent standard to those you will encounter in the test and include new sections and item
types. You may review your responses against answer rationales.
 Spend around 21-30 hours in preparation for the UKCAT. This is the amount of preparation
done by the highest scoring respondents.
 If you have not studied mathematics beyond GCSE level (or recently), make additional time
to revisit and practice your mathematical skills as this will impact on the Quantitative Reasoning
section in particular.
 Go to www.thestudentroom.co.uk where there is advice available from current and past
candidates. This includes links to free practice resources which can be found on the internet, but
please be aware that some information may be out of date and may not reflect the current test. 

More information about the individual sections can be found in the official guide and below:

UKCAT Verbal Reasoning

The UKCAT Verbal Reasoning (VR) section requires you to read a 200 to 300 word passage of text.
After this, you have to answer 4 related questions. With only 21 minutes to answer 44 questions,
this is generally considered the most time pressured section of the UKCAT exam. TOP TIP: Read the
questions first, then scan the passage for the answers.

UKCAT Verbal Reasoning: Section Summary

 Number of scenarios: 11
 Number of questions per scenario: 4
 Total number of questions: 44
 Total time: 21 minutes (+ 1 minute reading time)

UKCAT Verbal Reasoning: Question Format

There are two types of verbal reasoning question in the UKCAT:

1. True / False / Can’t Tell

Following the passage you are presented with four statements. For each statement you must decide
if, based on the passage of text, it is true, false or you cannot tell if it is true or false.

2. Free text

Following each passage you will be presented with four questions or incomplete statements. You
must then choose which of four free text answers applies. This question style assesses critical
thinking abilities, such as identifying conclusions and proving causality.

Since 2013, evidence suggests that the UKCAT verbal reasoning section is skewed towards this
question type. Many students have found that this makes the exam more difficult. It is certainly
harder to complete these questions to time.

Information from: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/ and https://www.themedicportal.com/application-

guide/ukcat/ accessed March 2017
UKCAT Verbal Reasoning Tips

Read with a critical eye

As Verbal Reasoning tests your ability to read and interpret short passages of text, getting into the
habit of reading short articles and summarising them in bullet points will help your efficiency and
accuracy in this section.

Summarising the articles you read will be great UKCAT preparation: it will help you to familiarise
yourself with digesting passages of text to pick out key information. Remember to read with a critical
eye – for example, is an opinion presented as fact? Is something explicitly stated or just implied? You
could even team up with a friend, pick an article each and create Verbal-Reasoning-style questions
for the other to answer, with ‘true’, ‘false’ and ‘can’t tell’ options.

How should I answer UKCAT Verbal Reasoning questions?

Watch this short video to get a feel for what UKCAT Verbal Reasoning questions are like, and how to
answer them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZe6mXXqKKg

UKCAT Quantitative Reasoning

As a doctor, a large part of your duties will involve problem-solving, drug calculations and perhaps
clinical research, so good problem-solving skills are crucial. The UKCAT Quantitative Reasoning
section tests these abilities using basic numerical skills to GCSE standard.

UKCAT Quantitative Reasoning: Section Summary

 Number of scenarios: 9
 Number of questions per scenario: 4
 Total number of questions: 36
 Total time: 24 minutes (+ 1 minute reading time)

UKCAT Quantitative Reasoning: Question Types

In the Quantitative Reasoning section, you will encounter 9 scenarios, each with 4 questions.

For each scenario, you are presented with data and asked to use this data to solve problems. This
data can take the form of tables, graphs, charts, as well as two and three-dimensional shapes. There
are five potential answers to choose from, and some of these will include ‘can’t tell’.

You will have access to an online calculator throughout the exam. This will be important during
UKCAT quantitative reasoning. However, you shouldn’t need it for every question.

That’s because the key emphasis is on problem solving. As the UKCAT website says: ‘items are less to
do with numerical facility and more to do with problem solving’.

By developing a clear strategy for the quantitative reasoning section, you can do a lot of the
arithmetic in your head. This will allow you to save time and complete the test.

Information from: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/ and https://www.themedicportal.com/application-

guide/ukcat/ accessed March 2017
UKCAT Quantitative Reasoning Tips

Practice your maths

Practising your maths is an important aspect of UKCAT preparation! Questions will assess your ability
to interpret data and will test your basic mathematical skills – for example, you might be asked to
work out the percentage of profit made using a set of figures.

UKCAT Abstract Reasoning

The UKCAT Abstract Reasoning (AR) section is an assessment of spatial awareness and reasoning.
There are both static and dynamic shapes and you have to identify the patterns among distracting
material.

As a doctor, you will be faced with both reliable and unreliable information, and you’ll need to make
judgements about possible diagnoses from test results – so this section of the UKCAT is designed to
assess your ability to evaluate and generate hypotheses, as well as your critical thinking.

UKCAT Abstract Reasoning: Section Summary

 Total number of questions: 55

 Total time: 13 minutes (+ 1 minute reading time)

UKCAT Abstract Reasoning: Question Types

There are four types of Abstract Reasoning question in the UKCAT:

1. Type 1

You are presented with two ‘sets’ of shapes (Set A and Set B) followed by five ‘test shapes’. You need
to decide if the ‘test shape’ fits into Set A, Set B or neither set A nor set B.

2. Type 2

You are presented with a series of shapes, alternating from one box to the next. You need to say
which of four shapes would come next in the sequence.

3. Type 3

You are presented with a ‘statement’ of two sets of shapes – where changes have been applied to
one set of shapes to create a new one. You must then apply the same changes to a set of test shapes
and choose which of four options comes next.

4. Type 4

A  variation on Type 1 questions, but instead of five sequential ‘tests shapes’ you are presented with
four ‘test shapes’ simultaneously and have to decide which one of the four belongs to either Set A or
B.

Information from: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/ and https://www.themedicportal.com/application-

guide/ukcat/ accessed March 2017
UKCAT Abstract Reasoning Tips

Complete practice questions

The Abstract Reasoning section tests your ability to recognise patterns. The best way to prepare for
this is by completing practice questions, as this will enable you to recognise the kinds of patterns
that commonly feature in the exam.

Familiarise yourself with looking at different examples and asking yourself questions: how many
shapes are there in each box and does the tile fit this format? Do the shapes or patterns rotate
clockwise or anti-clockwise? With Abstract Reasoning, practice makes perfect.

UKCAT Decision Making

In 2016, UKCAT Decision Making (DM) was piloted, designed to replace Decision Analysis in
2017. This section is designed to assess your ability to apply reasoning and logic to a problem. 

UKCAT Decision Making: Section Summary

 Total number of items: 29 items – based on text, charts, tables, graphs or diagrams
 Total time: 32 minutes (1 min for instruction and 31 mins for items)

What’s the difference between Decision Analysis and Decision Making?

UKCAT Decision Analysis

In the old Decision Analysis questions, you’re provided with a table in which a code is written. You
are then asked a series of questions using this code to see how you apply your logic and decision
analysis skills in providing the best translation of a sentence, suggesting what code would represent
a sentence best, or other variations.

UKCAT Decision Making

The Decision Making questions are very different – don’t be fooled by the similar name! In this style
of question you’ll be provided with short scenarios where you’ll have to logically assess the
legitimacy of suggested answers.

UKCAT Decision Making: Question Types  

For UKCAT Decision Making, you will face two types of question format:

1. You’ll be presented with four answer options, where only one option is correct
2. You’ll be asked to respond to five statements, by answering ‘yes’ or ‘no’ next to each
statement

You will be provided with a basic on-screen calculator for this section, and you may need to use your
pen and booklet for rough workings.

There are four components of decision making questions in the UKCAT Decision Making:
Information from: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/ and https://www.themedicportal.com/application-
guide/ukcat/ accessed March 2017
1. Deductive Reasoning

You’ll be provided with an opening statement, and you’ll have to decide which of the
following conclusion statements you are provided with follows.

2. Evaluating Arguments

After reading the question, and any text with it, you’ll be provided with a choice of arguments. You’ll
then have to choose which is the best argument.

3. Statistical Reasoning

Here, you need to be able to make conclusions based on data (numbers and graphs) provided to
you.

4. Figural Reasoning

In these items, you have to make conclusions based on sequences given to you.

UKCAT Decision Making Tips

Read closely and familiarise yourself with graphs

Decision Making assesses your ability to evaluate arguments, gain information using statistics, draw
conclusions and understand sequences. For questions involving statistics, familiarise yourself with
interpreting graphs and tables. You might find it useful to look at A-Level/GCSE Biology or Maths
papers to get used to interpreting information presented in graphs to reach an answer.

The UKCAT preparation you complete for Verbal Reasoning will also help with Decision Making
questions. Familiarise yourself with reading paragraphs of text and interpreting the information
given. Look at the language used – does the statement present the information as a certainty or
likelihood? Does the associated argument logically address the statement given or is it vague with
loose terminology? The clues are often in the language used, so get used to reading the statements
and questions closely.

UKCAT Situational Judgement

The UKCAT Situational Judgement Test (SJT) assesses your non-academic abilities including: ethics,
empathy, integrity, communication skills and team working. You are presented with 19 scenarios
following which you have to rate how appropriate or important it is to carry out an action.

UKCAT Situational Judgement: Section Summary

 Number of scenarios: 19
 Number of questions per scenario: 2 to 5
 Total number of questions: 68
 Total time: 26 minutes (+ 1 minute reading time)

UKCAT Situational Judgement: Question Types  

Information from: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/ and https://www.themedicportal.com/application-
guide/ukcat/ accessed March 2017
There are two types of situational judgement question in the UKCAT, designed to assess your
integrity, communication and adaptability:

1. Appropriateness

After each scenario you are presented with an action. You need to rate how appropriate this action
is in the context of the scenario. The options are: ‘very appropriate’, ‘appropriate, but not ideal’,
‘inappropriate, but not awful’ and ‘very inappropriate’.

For example, if you see a colleague struggling, would it be appropriate to speak to them? Or report
them to your supervisor? Or perhaps both? Remember the most appropriate response may not be
one of the answers.

An important thing to remember for Situational Judgement is that the action in the question
shouldn’t be assumed to be the only action taken – for example, it may be appropriate to speak to
your colleague, as well as speaking to your supervisor.

2. Importance

After each scenario you are presented with a number of actions. You need to rate how important it
is to carry out that action in the context of the scenario, from ‘very important’ to ‘not important at
all’.

Those actions which are considered essential should be awarded high importance. If an action is
inconsequential, or even detrimental, then if will be of low importance.

UKCAT Situational Judgement Tips

Read General Medical Practice

The Situational Judgement section tests your empathy, ethics and communication skills by examining
the appropriateness or importance of different responses to a scenario.

Before tackling these questions, it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the General Medical
Council’s Good Medical Practice. This is crucial reading for aspiring medics and will inform you about
all aspects of good practice, including communication skills, maintaining trust, patient safety and
teamwork. After reading, you can then apply what you have read to Situational Judgement practice
questions.

1. Keep in mind the main ‘themes’.

These form the repertoire of a good doctor. Some of these themes include: honesty and integrity,
safety, dealing with pressure, and team-working. You should select the answers which show that you
excel in these themes.

The best response to the above scenario would be the one that exemplifies your ability to deal with
pressure and team-working. Maybe your colleague is legitimately unwell, and deserves the benefit
of the doubt. Speaking to them in an empathetic way might be the best way to start. In this way, you

Information from: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/ and https://www.themedicportal.com/application-

guide/ukcat/ accessed March 2017
have kept calm and professional but you have also demonstrated the value you place in your team
members.

2. Do rate the response, and not the scenario

Many situational judgement scenarios portray your actions as incorrect or problematic. Then when it
comes to the response, your selection of the answer can be clouded by the actions of the scenario. It
is important you focus on how appropriate or important the response to the scenario is, rather than
the scenario itself. The question will really test how well you respond when something has gone
wrong.

For example, the scenario could have said that as a doctor, you could have given the wrong
medication to a patient. However, the given response may include apologising to the patient for
making the mistake. Although the scenario itself was negative, this response demonstrates honesty
and integrity (one of the key themes as mentioned above) and so is very positive.

3. Be aware of your stated role

Most of the time, the scenario will highlight what your role is: you could be a school pupil, a medical
student or even a doctor. This is not just the scenario spouting text to fill up space. It is likely that
one of the responses you need to judge is related to how you act WITHIN your role.

An example scenario states that a patient has asked you if they are likely to get better from their
illness. The response clearly says that you confirm this to the patient. No doctor would shirk away
from telling a patient this great news. But, if the scenario states that you are a work experience
student, then clearly you are not in any position to tell the patient anything about their health, as
you are not qualified. If the question asked what the appropriateness of this response would be, the
correct answer would be ‘a very inappropriate thing to do’.

Information from: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/ and https://www.themedicportal.com/application-

guide/ukcat/ accessed March 2017