The UCAT UK and UCAT ANZ exams are set to undergo significant changes in 2025. The Abstract Reasoning subtest will be eliminated, leading to a new format that includes three cognitive subtests: Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, and Quantitative Reasoning, along with the Situational Judgement Test.
Changes in UCAT UK and UCAT ANZ 2025
Starting in 2025, the structure and timing of the UCAT UK and UCAT ANZ exams, along with the noticeable change in test format comparing to UCAT 2024, will be as follows:
| Subtest | Questions | Instruction section | Subtest Time (Changes) | Scoring |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 44 | 1 minute 30 seconds (+30 sec) | 22 minutes (+1 min) | 300-900 |
| Decision Making | 35 | 1 minute 30 seconds (+30 sec) | 37 minutes (+6 min, 6 questions added) | 300-900 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 36 | 2 minutes (+1 min) | 26 minutes (+1 min) | 300-900 |
| Total Score | 900-2700 | |||
| Situational Judgement | 69 | 1 minute 30 seconds (+30 sec) | 26 minutes (no changes) | 300-900 (Band 1-4 for UCAT UK) |
To maintain the overall duration of the UCAT at approximately two hours, the instruction periods for each subtest have been carefully adjusted. This change is particularly beneficial as there are no breaks between the subtests. The extended instruction times provide candidates with brief opportunities to recover from potential test fatigue.
In explaining this significant adjustment to the test format, the analysis conducted by the UCAT Consortium indicates that Abstract Reasoning demonstrates a lower level of predictive validity compared to the other sections of the test. The organisation also highlights that the Abstract Reasoning subtest has shown notable potential for improvement through coaching. Over the past decade, historical data from UCAT indicates that candidates have consistently improved their performance in Abstract Reasoning while reducing their response times. By removing the Abstract Reasoning subtest, additional time can be allocated to the remaining subtests, allowing for an increase in the number of questions in the Decision Making subtest.
According to our UCAT experts, this change could benefit some students, as Abstract Reasoning was considered one of the most challenging sections. However, they also believe it might increase competition, as students have historically shown significant improvement in this section through focused preparation.
Key Dates in 2025
The dates for UCAT UK will be published in January 2025.
For UCAT ANZ: Deadline times are 11.59pm AEST – Australian Eastern Standard Time
| Concession Scheme opens Access Arrangements open | 3 February 2025 |
| BOOKING OPENS | 4 March 2025 |
| Concession application deadline | 9 May 2025 |
| Access Arrangements application deadline | 16 May 2025 |
| BOOKING DEADLINE | 16 May 2025 |
| Late booking deadline Late Access Arrangements application deadline | 30 May 2025 |
| FINAL late booking deadline | 6 June 2025 |
| Cancellation deadline | 11 June 2025 |
| Testing begins | 1 July 2025 |
| Last testing date | 5 August 2025 |
| Results delivered to universities | Early September 2025 |
The results of the UCAT ANZ 2025 are exclusively applicable to the 2025 university admissions cycle, which means they can only be used for university entry in 2026. Additionally, candidates are not allowed to take both the UCAT ANZ and UCAT UK tests in the same year under any circumstances – this violation will be considered a misconduct.
The upcoming practice tests from UCAT are set to debut in early March 2025. In response to these changes, Prep Zone is refreshing our UCAT preparation resources to ensure that our students are fully prepared for UCAT 2025.
