Admissions Tests
Admissions Tests
Some medical schools require you to sit an entry exam, particularly for graduate entry, so you should investigate this before applying. Find out more about admissions tests below.
You usually need to register and complete admissions tests by a specific date. Check with the university you want to apply to as to which admissions test they use, which is likely to be one of the following:
- University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) - used in the selection process by a consortium of UK university medical schools
- The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) – a subject-specific admissions test for certain medicine and related courses
- The Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) - used by a few graduate-entry medical schools
After taking the appropriate test, your score will be directly communicated to the Universities you have applied to.
Preparing for admissions tests
Preparing for admissions tests
It can help to work through some practice tests online, so you know what to expect. Even 10 minutes preparation a day can help your performance.
The following resources can be helpful when preparing for admissions tests:
- The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) website has tips and practice material available on their preparation advice and practice tests page. UCAT research shows that students who do the best have carried out at least 30 hours practice on the free papers available on their website.
- The UCAT YouTube channel has advice from past candidates as well as a playlist collecting admissions videos from the majority of their consortium universities
- The Medical Portal - UCAT advice
- Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing - Preparing for BMAT - free preparation materials, including past papers
- The Medic Portal - their guide to BMAT
- The Medical Portal - GAMSAT guide
- GradMed also offers preparatory courses for GAMSAT. You have to pay for some of their resources but they do have some free advice. You can buy books or even go on courses to practice, but some medical schools feel the courses aren’t really worth the money.
- You can practice general aptitude tests for free on our Recruitment Tests page, which you might find helpful for certain sections of the admissions test.
Bursaries for admissions tests
Bursaries for admissions tests
Check with individual courses, but it is extremely rare for any of them to offer financial support due to the large volume of applicants.
The UCAT offers bursaries, but eligibility criteria apply.
See our GAMSAT bursary award for more information on our available funding and criteria.
Test scores and shortlisting
Admissions scores and shortlisting
The threshold is likely to change every year for admissions test scores, as the performance of the applying cohort as a whole changes every year.
Thresholds vary depending on the number of applicants, and the average score of applicants who apply. Any national changes in scoring will also change thresholds for individual universities.
Some universities do publish information on previous years applications. For example, Newcastle University gives information on it's previous UCAT score thresholds and admissions for recent recruitment cycles.
Also, while the score is usually the main criteria used to shortlist for interview, it is not the only criteria. Other factors are taken into account.
In order to widen access and encourage participation in medicine by students from all backgrounds, many universities take account of contextual information and the threshold may also vary for applicants who fulfil certain criteria.
GAMSAT Bursary Award
Our GAMSAT bursaries are designed to provide financial assistance to those applying to medical schools requiring the GAMSAT Aptitude Test.
Applications for the September test cycle GAMSAT Bursary Award will open on 15 May 2023 and close at midnight 28 May 2023.
You will be able to apply through the following link during this window - GAMSAT Bursary Application Form.
If you have any questions regarding the information above, or the bursary, please contact us at: gamsatbursary@newcastle.ac.uk.
We aim to respond within 3 working days.