UCAT Medical Schools

Where to Apply with a Low, Medium and High UCAT Score

It is important to apply strategically for medicine, and luckily you will receive your score before the application deadline. Different universities will use the UCAT in different ways, whether they have a cut-off score for interview, or how highly they are weighted compared to academic results.

Preliminary 2021 UCAT statistics

• Mean total score = 2499

Cognitive subtest	2021 Mean Score
Verbal Reasoning	572
Quantitative Reasoning	665
Decision Making	610
Abstract Reasoning	651

The following results provides deciles of candidate total scores. Each decile represents 10% of candidates based on their overall test performance. The 1st decile represents a score at the 10th percentile; the 2nd decile represents a score at the 20th percentile, and so on.

Final Decile Rankings 2021

Ranking	Score
1st	2150
2nd	2270
3rd	2360
4th	2430
5th	2500
6th	2570
7th	2640
8th	2730
9th	2850

Situational Judgement Test - Below shows the percentage of candidates placed in each Situational Judgement Test Band. 2021 (to 29th Sept). Number of candidates 37,230.

• Band 1 14%

• Band 2 36%

• Band 3 33%

• Band 4 16%

Low UCAT score medical schools

UCAT score less than 2600

If you have scored a UCAT score of less than 2600, it is vital to apply strategically to universities that place less of a weighting on UCAT scores to maximise your chance of being offered an interview. It is becoming more common to view the applicant as a whole and rather simply by their grades or scores, so if a UCAT has been a weaker area for you, there are still many options.

If you have struggled with the UCAT and received very poor scores, your application may have higher chances of success by applying to a university that does not require the UCAT.

• Medical schools which use the BMAT include Oxford, Cambridge, Leeds, Hull York, Imperial, University College London, Lancaster, and Brighton and Sussex.

• Medical schools that use alternative admission tests are Swansea, Dublin, and Queens Belfast.

• University of Central Lancashire and Buckingham University does not require an admissions test.

University	UCAT score	Description
Sunderland University	Average UCAT score = 2418	Applicants must score within the top 8 deciles to be considered for interview.
Liverpool University	Average UCAT score = 2471	The UCAT is weighted 25% and academics 75% in the application. The minimum score which was accepted for interview is 2019 was 2420.
Keele University	Average UCAT score = 2503 Threshold = 2280	Minimum score of 2280.
Aston University	Average UCAT score = 2529	No minimum score for interview
Plymouth University	Average UCAT score = 2584	A minimum score is set every year for interview. In 2020 this was 2390, and in 2021 was 1400. SJT is not used in consideration for interveiw
East Anglia University	Average UCAT score = 2590	No minimum score for interview

Medium UCAT Score medical schools

UCAT score 2600-2700

Well done on receiving a UCAT score between 2600 and 2700. This score puts you in god standing for your university applications. It is important to look at the specificities of each medical school as each will use this differently whether having a cut-off for interview or a higher average score. Below are a list of medical schools particularly advantageous if you have received a UCAT score in this category.

​University	UCAT score	Description
Anglia Ruskin University	Average UCAT score = 2616	No cut off score
Edge Hill University	Average UCAT score = 2627	A threshold is set each year, however they have not outlined how this will be done for 21/22 applicants.
Cardiff University	Average UCAT score = 2628	No minimum score for interview.
Exeter University	Average UCAT score = 2643 Threshold approx 2500	No minimum score for interview
St Georges University	Average UCAT score = 2632	A minimum score of 500 is required in each section of the UCAT. The total scores are then ranked to select applicants for interview. The minimum score selected for interview usually ranges between 2480-2710
Exeter University	Average UCAT score = 2643	No minimum score for interview, but the lowest score for interview tends to be around 2500.
Leicester University	Average UCAT score = 2656	Applicants are weighted 50% on academic results and 50% on UCAT results. Applicants in the bottom two deciles will automatically be excluded from interview. In 2021 this was scores below 2370
Dundee University	Average UCAT score = 2668	No minimum score for interview.
Aberdeen University	Average UCAT score = 2670 2021 threshold = 2460	There is no minimum cut off score for interview, but it usually is between 2300-2500.
St Andrews University	Average UCAT score = 2678 Threshold approx 2400	UCAT scores are ranked and the top 400 students are selected for interview.

High UCAT Score medical schools

UCAT score +2700

Congratulations - if you have managed to score over 2700 in your UCAT then you have achieved a particularly high score! This gives you plenty of flexibility, and means you are more likely to receive an interview at any of the universities discussed, however it is still important to apply strategically to make the most of your high performance, particularly if other areas of your application (e.g. academic grades) are lacking. Below are a number of universities that place a lot of emphasis on high UCAT scores.

It should be noted that the majority of medical schools stated that if a Band 4 was achieved in the SJT the applicant would automatically not be considered for interview.

​University	UCAT Score	Description
Nottingham University	Average UCAT Score = 2707	Verbal reasoning is given double the weighting to other sections.
Barts (Queen Mary) University	Average UCAT Score = 2714	Students who score in the 3rd decile and above are considered for interview.
Manchester University	Average UCAT Score = 2716 Threshold 2021 = 2640	The UCAT is assessed in 1 of 2 ways. 1. A cut-off is set and applicants that score above this are invited to interview. The cut-off varies by year, but is made to invite approx 900-1000 applicants to interview. 2. Applicants that do not meet the cut off will be assessed holistically, looking at all aspects of their application. This will usually lead to 500-600 applicants being invited to interview.
Kings College London	Average UCAT Score = 2753	No cut-off score is set.
Warwick University	Average UCAT Score = 2753	No official cut off marks. In previous years those who scored minimum 2570-2800 were invited to interview.
Birmingham University	Average UCAT Score = 2763	Cut off scores are used for interview, in 2019 this was 2550. The SJT is not used in the cut off.
Edinburgh University	Average UCAT Score = 2770	No minimum thresholds. SJT Band 4 are automatically rejected.
Bristol University	Average UCAT Score = 2784 2020 threshold = 2690	UCAT scores are ranked for interview and the cut off changes each year.
Sheffield University	Average UCAT Score = 2810 2021 threshold = 2740	Students with scores below 2420 automatically do not get an interview. Previous cut-offs for interview were 2660 and 2740.
Newcastle University	Average UCAT Score = 2909 2020 threshold = 2730	Students with a Band 4 SJT are automatically rejected for interview. There is a cut-off for interviews, and this changes every year.