How to Interpret Your UCAT Scores
Posted: August 26, 2026 by Chris
If you have just sat the UCAT, congratulations! You have made it through one of the most demanding tests you will sit as part of your medical school application. This blog explains how to interpret your UCAT UK 2026 score report.
How do I access my UCAT score report?
After sitting the UCAT, you will receive a copy of your UCAT score report before leaving the test centre. Your score report will also be available through your Pearson VUE online account within 24 hours of sitting your test.
How do I interpret my UCAT Score Report?
Your UCAT Score Report will provide you with a scaled score ranging from 300 to 900 for each subtest, as well as a total score for the cognitive subtests, ranging from 900 to 2700. The cognitive subtests are Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, and Quantitative Reasoning.
Subtest scores are derived (scaled) from your raw score (the number of questions you got right) using statistical methods that are not made publicly available. You can find more information about UCAT scoring and scaling in our blog series.
A separate score is provided for UCAT Situational Judgement, which is a "non-cognitive" UCAT subtest. Your score for Situational Judgement will be expressed as a band between Band 1 and Band 4, with Band 1 being the highest. You will be given an interpretation alongside your band indicative of your performance, for example: "Band 1 - Those in Band 1 demonstrated an excellent level of performance, showing similar judgement in most cases to the panel of experts."
What UCAT score is required to get into medicine?
Universities generally use your UCAT score alone, or a combination of your UCAT score and academic performance, when making interview offers.
The UCAT score and percentile required to obtain an interview or offer depend on several factors, including the university you are applying to, your academic performance (GCSEs, A-levels or a combination of the two), and the type of place you are applying for (required scores are typically lower for Foundation or Widening Access places, for example).
Most universities shortlist candidates using the total UCAT cognitive score, with or without the Situational Judgement component. A few may set additional minimum cut-off scores per subtest. Some medical schools determine threshold scores each year and may give an indication of what these have been in previous years on their website.
In general, a UCAT percentile of about 90 will secure a medical interview at most universities, provided academic performance is also strong.
UCAT preliminary test statistics are published near the end of the UCAT testing cycle in mid-September. Final statistics are made available after UCAT testing ends, usually in the first week of October. You can test data on the UCAT UK Consortium website.
You can also find more information in our blog on what makes a good UCAT score.
What should I do now?
Now that the UCAT is behind you, take some time to rest before turning your attention back to other priorities.
Once you've taken a well-deserved break, continue to focus on your school or university studies, as these remain an important factor in medical school entry.
Research how each university uses UCAT scores, and start shortlisting universities to apply to strategically based on your performance, to give your applications the best chance of success.
You should also write your UCAS Personal Statement. Your Personal Statement shows medical schools why you want to study medicine and become a doctor. Some medical schools don't consider the Personal Statement, while others use it as a selection criterion for interviews. Personal Statements need to be submitted by the UCAS deadline in mid-October.
You should also consider commencing interview training, as interviews are a very important (and often overlooked) element of the entry process If you get shortlisted and a university invites you for an interview, you might not get much notice, so it’s a good idea to start preparing for interviews right after you’ve submitted your UCAS application.
Well done on your preparation for the UCAT this year, and best of luck with the rest of your application.
