Learn about the UCAT score Conversion
Use This 2023 UCAT score Conversion Table to Make Sense of Your Raw Scores
The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is a clinical aptitude exam. It is required by the majority of institutions in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand for admission to medical school and various other health-related degrees. Furthermore, it is used in collaboration with other admissions processes such as the UCAS application and academic qualifications. It is also your opportunity to stand out from other applicants and demonstrate your aptitude for a demanding programme of study.
There are a total of five subsections, and four of them contribute to the final scaled score using a UCAT raw score convertor. It might be challenging to comprehend how the raw results for each UCAT component translate into scaled scores. To help you better understand what your scaled UCAT 2023 score could look like, our team has also developed a raw score in this UCAT conversation table as a UCAT score convertor.
Why would this be useful? Your total scaled score may be used to calculate your UCAT 2023 percentile and estimate your chances of being invited to a medical school interview.
What Is The UCAT?
The UCAT is a computer-based aptitude exam that consists of five separately timed subtests in multiple-choice format. There are four cognitive subtests (Verbal Reasoning (VR), Decision Making (DM), Quantitative Reasoning (QR) and Abstract Reasoning (AR)) and a fifth non-cognitive subtest on Situational Judgement (SJ). Please visit our guide on How to Prepare for UCAT, including UCAT Abstract Reasoning and UCAT Verbal Reasoning, and our guides on undergraduate medical schools if you want to learn more about it.
How Is UCAT Scored?
It is not possible to directly compare the raw scores between the four cognitive subtests (VR, QR, AR, and DM) since the number of questions differs. Therefore, the raw marks from each section are transformed into scale scores, which have a common range of 300 to 900. The cognitive subtest UCAT marks to UCAT score conversion is as below in this UCAT scoring table.
| Cognitive Subtests | Questions | Scale Score Range | Marking |
| Verbal Reasoning | 44 | 300 – 900 | Questions are worth 1 mark each. |
| Decision Making | 29 | 300 – 900 | Single answer questions are worth 1 mark.Multiple statement questions are worth 2 marks. 1 mark is awarded to partially correct responses on the multiple-statement questions. |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 36 | 300 – 900 | Questions are worth 1 mark each. |
| Abstract Reasoning | 50 | 300 – 900 | Questions are worth 1 mark each. |
The separate scale scores for Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning, and Abstract Reasoning are added up to produce the overall scale score. Your UCAT percentile, which indicates how you placed in relation to the other test-takers in your cohort, is determined using your entire score. This shows the UCAT percentage to score.
As for the Situational Judgement Test, full marks are awarded for a question if your response matches the correct answer. Partial marks are also awarded if your response is close to the correct answer. Scores for the Situational Judgement Test are expressed in one of four bands, with band 1 being the highest. Alongside your band, you are given an interpretation of your performance:
| Band 1 | Those in Band 1 demonstrated an excellent level of performance, showing similar judgement in most cases to the panel of experts. |
| Band 2 | Those in Band 2 demonstrated a good, solid level of performance, showing appropriate judgement frequently, with many responses matching model answers. |
| Band 3 | Those in Band 3 demonstrated a modest level of performance, with appropriate judgement shown for some questions and substantial differences from ideal responses for others. |
| Band 4 | The performance of those in Band 4 was low, with judgement tending to differ substantially from ideal responses in many cases. |
As the Situational Judgement test is a measure of non-cognitive attributes, it is used by universities in a different manner from the cognitive subtests. The majority of medical schools do not utilise SJT to select which applicants to invite for interviews. However, your raw SJT score will also be modified into a number between 300 and 900. The SJT is also often considered when institutions seek to discriminate between individuals with comparable total UCAT scores.
UCAT Score Calculator
As mentioned previously, your raw UCAT 2023 subsection scores can be converted to UCAT scores ranging from 300 to 900.
How to Calculate UCAT Score
Our team of experts has prepared a 2023 UCAT raw score to scaled score convertor table utilising previous UCAT data and statistics.
Your total results throughout the UCAT’s four cognitive parts will be converted into an overall scaled score. If you are doing practice papers, you can first use this table to calculate your estimated score on a scale of 300-900. See the UCAT score conversion table below and use it as a UCAT score calculator.
| Estimated Score | Verbal Reasoning | Quantitative Reasoning | Abstract Reasoning | Decision Making |
| 300 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 330 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| 350 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 5 |
| 380 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 6 |
| 400 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 7 |
| 430 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 8 |
| 450 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 9 |
| 480 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 10 |
| 500 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 11 |
| 530 | 18 | 18 | 22 | 12 |
| 550 | 20 | 19 | 24 | 13 |
| 580 | 21 | 20 | 26 | 14 |
| 600 | 23 | 21 | 28 | 15 |
| 630 | 24 | 22 | 30 | 16 |
| 650 | 26 | 23 | 32 | 17 |
| 680 | 27 | 24 | 34 | 18 |
| 700 | 29 | 25 | 36 | 19 |
| 730 | 30 | 26 | 38 | 20 |
| 750 | 32 | 27 | 39 | 21 |
| 780 | 33 | 28 | 40 | 22 |
| 800 | 35 | 29 | 41 | 23 |
| 830 | 36 | 30 | 42 | 24 |
| 850 | 38 | 31 | 43 | 25 |
| 880 | 39 | 32 | 44 | 26 |
| 900 | 41 | 33 | 48 | 27 |
How is UCAT Score Calculated?
If you already have your estimated score, you can then use this UCAT score calculator to determine how you rank amongst other test takers. A score in the first decile, for instance, is comparable to a score higher than 10% of applicants. On the other hand, if you scored in the ninth decile, you outperformed 90% of the candidates– well done!
| Estimated Score | Verbal Reasoning | Quantitative Reasoning | Abstract Reasoning | Decision Making |
| 300 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 330 | 14% | 11% | 11% | 15% |
| 350 | 18% | 17% | 15% | 19% |
| 380 | 20% | 22% | 18% | 22% |
| 400 | 25% | 28% | 22% | 26% |
| 430 | 27% | 33% | 25% | 30% |
| 450 | 32% | 39% | 29% | 33% |
| 480 | 34% | 44% | 33% | 37% |
| 500 | 39% | 47% | 36% | 41% |
| 530 | 41% | 50% | 40% | 44% |
| 550 | 45% | 53% | 44% | 48% |
| 580 | 48% | 56% | 47% | 52% |
| 600 | 52% | 58% | 51% | 56% |
| 630 | 55% | 61% | 55% | 59% |
| 650 | 59% | 64% | 58% | 63% |
| 680 | 61% | 67% | 62% | 67% |
| 700 | 66% | 69% | 65% | 70% |
| 730 | 68% | 72% | 69% | 74% |
| 750 | 73% | 75% | 73% | 78% |
| 780 | 75% | 78% | 77% | 81% |
| 800 | 80% | 81% | 82% | 85% |
| 830 | 82% | 83% | 85% | 89% |
| 850 | 86% | 86% | 89% | 93% |
| 880 | 89% | 89% | 91% | 96% |
| 900 | 93% | 92% | 94% | 100% |
As for the situational judgement component of the UCAT, you can use your raw score to determine what estimated band you fall under.
| Estimated Band | Situational Judgment |
| Band 1 | 56-66 |
| Band 2 | 37-55 |
| Band 3 | 17-36 |
| Band 4 | 0-17 |
You can then estimate how you rank amongst other test-takers using this percentile table:
| Estimated Band | Situational Judgement |
| Band 1 | 81% |
| Band 2 | 54% |
| Band 3 | 25% |
| Band 4 | 0% |
What Is a Good UCAT Score?
Top candidates are distinguished by medical schools using the UCAT in addition to your UCAS application and academic qualifications. For example, the website of UNSW states that interviews are provided depending on your selection rank and UCAT total score.
A good UCAT score is generally regarded as a score that is higher than the average UCAT score of that application year. As for a specific number, the UCAT 2022 data show that the typical total scaled UCAT score was 2516. Hence, for that year, it would be anticipated that a competitive UCAT score would be higher than 2540. Use our UCAT score calculator to find out more about how you performed in comparison to other applicants. For more information, check out our article, What is a Good UCAT Score?
Visit the official UCAT website to learn more about general UCAT scores. If you’d like to learn more about how our UCAT tutors can help you prepare for the exam, call us today!
FAQs
What is a good UCAT score?
A good UCAT score is anything in the 80th-90th percentile. In 2023, this was between 2760-2890
How are UCAT scores converted?
Raw scores for each of the five sections are taken and combined to give an overall score and a band for the Situational Judgement section.
What percentile is my UCAT score?
Your percentile UCAT score is your score compared to other candidates. For example if you score in the 7th percentile, you scored better than 70% of other candidates taking the test in the same period.
What is the minimum UCAT score for medicine?
The minimum score varies depending on medical school. It is advised to aim for at least 2500, with the most competitive medical schools requiring a UCAT score of above 2800.
What is the average UCAT score in 2023?
The mean UCAT score in 2023 was 2516. This is based on 35,625 taking the test. Candidates scoring in the 5th percentile scored 2510.
