The UKCAT (UK Clinical Aptitude Test - www.ukcat.ac.uk) tests mental ability, problem solving, logical reasoning, critical thinking and information management. It is designed so that medical schools can make a more informed decision about applicants and ensure that the candidates they select have the best combination of mental ability, attitude and professional behaviour required for doctors to be successful in their clinical careers.

It does not have any science or curriculum content, so in theory, it cannot be revised for, although it is possible to practise questions to become familiar with the format.

Most medical schools require applicants to sit the UKCAT. Applicants must register for the test on-line between May 1st and September 26th and it can be taken at an external centre between 7th July and 10th October. It costs £60 and lasts for 2 hours (this increases if the applicant takes the examination late). There are around 150 test centres in the UK (the closest to Ashbourne is at London Bridge, Southwark). Applicants will receive their results 1-2 months after they have taken the exam. UKCAT is entirely computer based and is not focused towards factual knowledge.

The UKCAT is only valid for one year. If student’s application to medical school is unsuccessful and they reapply the following year, they must retake the UKCAT.

Universities not signed up to UKCAT are Queen’s Belfast, Bristol, Cambridge, Imperial, Liverpool, Oxford, Royal Free and University College.

The UKCAT tests a wide range of mental abilities and behavioural attributes identified by university Medical and Dental schools as important. The questions are all multiple-choice questions and the subsections are separately timed.

The multiple-choice questions aim to give applicants the right answer plus several other answers that are almost correct but not quite. These are not trick questions but they require the applicant to read all the options carefully. The paper is positively marked so applicants should put an answer for each question. If applicants don’t know the answer then they should eliminate any that are obviously wrong and then make a best guess.

There are five parts to the test:
1) Verbal Reasoning
2) Quantitative Reasoning
3) Abstract Reasoning
4) Decision Analysis
5) Non-Cognitive Analysis