Question 1

What is a good UCAT score for 2026 entry?

Accepted Answer

The cut-offs in our matrix are minimum thresholds — clearing them gets you considered, not admitted. To convert into interviews and offers, international applicants should aim materially above the published floor. As a benchmark: ~2,400+ is genuinely competitive at Oxbridge, Imperial, and the most selective UCAT-weighted programmes; ~2,250–2,400 sits above the international cut-off at most top schools (Bristol, Imperial, Barts, KCL, Birmingham, Southampton); ~2,100–2,250 only just meets the floor at mid-tier schools and is rarely enough on its own. UNIKEY's HK target scores typically sit ~150–250 points above the school's published international cut-off.

Question 2

How is the UCAT scored in 2025/26?

Accepted Answer

From 2025, the UCAT consists of three cognitive subtests — Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, and Quantitative Reasoning — each scaled 300–900, giving a total out of 2,700. Situational Judgement is scored separately and reported as Band 1 (highest) to Band 4 (lowest). Abstract Reasoning has been removed.

Question 3

Are the cut-off scores in your matrix what I should aim for?

Accepted Answer

No — they are the minimum threshold to be shortlisted, not a target. International medicine is significantly more competitive than the cut-offs alone suggest. A score that "just meets" a school's cut-off rarely converts into an offer; in practice, successful international applicants score noticeably above the floor and pair it with strong predicted grades, GCSEs, personal statement, and interview performance. Use the cut-off matrix to rule schools out, and the HK Target Score column as a more realistic benchmark.

Question 4

Which UK medical schools have the lowest UCAT cut-offs?

Accepted Answer

Per our 2026-entry estimates, the lowest published interview cut-offs sit at Norwich (~1,690), Aberdeen (~1,830), Dundee (~1,845), Edinburgh (~1,850), Warwick (~1,875), and Kent & Medway (~1,910). These can be useful targets for applicants with mid-range UCAT scores, but international competition typically pushes successful candidates well above these floors — treat them as a starting point, not a finish line.

Question 5

Are these conversion estimates official?

Accepted Answer

No. The UCAT Consortium does not publish an official raw-to-scaled conversion table — scaled scores are determined by Item Response Theory and vary per test form. Raw-to-scaled values here are community-derived estimates for rough practice-test benchmarking. Cut-off scores are UNIKEY-internal benchmarks for international applicants and Hong Kong students, not official school-published thresholds.

Question 6

How does my SJT band affect my application?

Accepted Answer

SJT bands are used differently by each medical school. Most UCAT-weighted schools (Aberdeen, Barts, Birmingham, Brighton & Sussex, Edinburgh, Hull York, Keele, Kent & Medway, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth) require Band 3 minimum (Band 4 rejected). Manchester is the strictest at Band 2 minimum. Imperial, KCL, Norwich, Queen's Belfast, Sheffield, St George's, and UCL use SJT in scoring or as a tiebreaker.

Question 7

Should I retake the UCAT if I score below the cut-offs?

Accepted Answer

The UCAT can only be sat once per admissions cycle, so a "retake" means waiting until the next year. If your score sits below the cut-offs at your target schools — or only just meets them — and your other application elements (predicted grades, GCSEs, personal statement) are strong, it is often worth deferring a year to resit rather than applying with a weak position. Speak with an admissions consultant before deciding.

Medical School	Cut-Off (Estimated)		HK Target Score †		SJT	GCSE	Score-Based	UCAT Weighting
Medical School	Interview	Offer	Interview	Offer	SJT	GCSE	Score-Based	UCAT Weighting
Aberdeen Medical School	1830	N/A	2030	2080	Band 3	N	N/A	N/A
Aston Medical School	1980	2050	2180	2230	N	Y	Y	N/A
Barts & Queen Mary Medical School ★	2150	2250	2200	2250	Band 3	N	N/A	Y (50%)
Birmingham Medical School ★	2025	2220	2185	2260	Band 3	Y	Y	Y (40%)
Brighton & Sussex Medical School	1980	2030	2180	2230	Band 3	N	N/A	N/A
Bristol Medical School ★	2250	2270	2220	2240	N	N	N/A	Y (100%)
Brunel Medical School	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Band 3	N	N/A	N/A
Cambridge Medical School ★	2200	2200	2400	2450	N	Y	N/A	N/A
Cardiff Medical School	2025	2080	2100	2100	N	Y	N/A	N/A
Dundee Medical School	1845	1900	2000	2050	N	Y	Y	N/A
Edinburgh Medical School ★	1850	1900	1870	2000	Band 3	N	N/A	N/A
Exeter Medical School	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N	N	Y	Y (25%)
Glasgow Medical School ★	2100	2150	2200	2250	N	N	N/A	N/A
Hull and York Medical School	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Band 3	Y	Y	N/A
Imperial College London ★	2265	2265	2415	2465	Y	Y	N/A	N/A
Keele Medical School	2000	2000	2100	2100	Band 3	N	Y	N/A
Kent and Medway Medical School	1910	1970	2110	2160	Band 3	N	N/A	N/A
King's College London ★	2100	2175	2250	2250	Y	Y	Y	N/A
Lancaster Medical School	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N	N/A	N/A
Leeds Medical School ★	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N	N/A	N/A
Leicester Medical School ★	1950	2000	2200	2250	Band 3	Y	Y	Y (50%)
Liverpool Medical School ★	2055	2110	2255	2305	Band 3	Y	Y	N/A
Manchester Medical School ★	2100	2100	2150	2200	Band 2	N	N/A	N/A
Newcastle Medical School ★	2170	2170	2265	2315	Band 3	Y	Y	N/A
Norwich Medical School	1690	1750	1890	1940	Y	N	N/A	N/A
Nottingham Medical School ★	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Band 3	Y	Y	N/A
Oxford Medical School ★	2130	2180	2300	2350	N/A	Y	N/A	N/A
Plymouth Medical School	1980	2040	2230	2280	N	Y	N/A	N/A
Queen's Belfast Medical School	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Y	Y	Y	Y (12.5%)
Sheffield Medical School ★	2150	2200	2300	2350	Y	N	Y	N/A
Southampton Medical School ★	2130	2190	2280	2330	N	N/A	N/A	N/A
St Andrews Medical School	1980	2030	2230	2280	N	N	N/A	N/A
St George's Medical School	1970	2020	2220	2270	Y	N	N/A	N/A
University College London ★	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Y	Y	N/A	N/A
Warwick Medical School ★	1875	1930	2125	2175	N	N	N/A	N/A

UCAT Score Converter 2025

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UK Medical School UCAT Cut-Off Scores (2026 Entry)

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