UCAT ANZ: Structure, Scoring Pattern, Registration Steps, and Universities Accepting Test Scores

Are you seeking admission to a medical, dental, or clinical science degree program in Australia or New Zealand? Then, you need to take the UCAT ANZ (or the University Clinical Aptitude Test for Australia and New Zealand). This is a standardised exam that undergraduate students have to take to enrol in these courses. This blog covers everything you need to know about this entrance examination. You will learn about the exam format, scoring, registration process, universities that accept test results, exam difficulty level, and more. Keep reading to get your answers!

UCAT ANZ: An Overview 

The University Clinical Aptitude Test for Australia and New Zealand is a mandatory admission test that you must take to enrol in undergraduate-entry medicine, dentistry, or clinical science at a participating university. The exam is conducted by the Z Consortium of universities in Australia and New Zealand for admission to their courses. Therefore, the exam results are considered along with your academic record and can even be considered for interviews.

The good news is that it is a computer-based test, and you can take this exam in any Pearson VUE test centre. Pearson VUE test centres are located worldwide.

Fun Fact: A similar test exists in the UK. Therefore, if you want admission in a UK university for a medical or dental program, the test you need to take is called UCAT.  UCAT = Admission to UK Universities UCAT ANZ = Admission to New Zealand and UK Universities

New Structure of UCAT ANZ

As of 2025, there will no longer be a section on Abstract Reasoning. The exam will only test your verbal reasoning skills, decision-making, and quantitative reasoning. Situational Judgement is also a part of the paper. The examination format is explained in the table below:

S/N	Subtest	Number of Questions	Test Duration	Score Range
1	Verbal Reasoning	44	22 minutes	300 – 900
2	Decision Making	35	37 minutes	300 – 900
3	Quantitative Reasoning	36	26 minutes	300 – 900
4	Situational Judgement	69	26 minutes	300 – 900
	Overall Cognitive Total			900 – 2700

Situational Judgement is sometimes calculated in bands as well as scores.

To learn more about UCAT ANZ, watch this video:

Scoring Pattern 

The UCAT ANZ consists of 3 subtests (verbal, quantitative, and decision making) that are scored on a scaled score range from 300 to 900. The total score for the subtests is calculated by adding the scores of these three sections. This results in the total score being  900 to 2700. There is no negative marking for these sections.

On the other hand, the Situational Judgment (SJT) section is scored differently. The score is often described as bands. Here, 1 is the lowest band, and 4 is the highest band. A scaled score is also calculated ( 300- 900) for the SJT. The SJ scoring pattern  is explained in the table below:

S/N	Band	Description	Scaled Score Range
1	Band 1	Excellent performance; judgment aligns closely with the expert panel	300 – 900
2	Band 2	Good, solid performance	300 – 900
3	Band 3	Modest performance; some appropriate judgment	300 – 900
4	Band 4	Low performance; judgment differs substantially from ideal	300 – 900

What is a Good UCAT ANZ Score?

A good score in this examination is a score that is above 2090+. This score is competitive and is enough to make you stand out from the crowd. You can secure an interview easily if your academic record is also good. The exam scores are explained in more detail in the table below. This will help you understand what an average score, a good score, a competitive score, and an outstanding score are.

S/N	Category	Total Score Range (out of 2700)	Percentile (Approx.)	Admission Possibility
1	Average	1930 – 2000	50th – 60th	May meet minimum cut-off, generally not competitive.
2	Above Average	2090+	Top ~30% (7th decile)	You could secure an interview depending on your academics.
3	Very Competitive	2270+	Top ~10% (9th decile)	High chance of interview if academics/SJT are solid.
4	Outstanding	2310+	Top few per cent (90th+)	Excellent chance at interviews at most universities.

UCAT ANZ Registration Fee For Students 

The examination fees vary depending on where you are taking the test. Typically, those taking the test from New Zealand and Australia have to pay less compared to those  living overseas. The fees are as follows:

S/N	Fee Type	Amount (AUD)
1	Registration fee for tests taken in Australia or New Zealand	325
2	Concession fee (fee reduction available to Australian students)	240
3	Tests taken overseas / outside Australia and New Zealand	395
4	Late Fee (for late bookings)	+85
5	Final Late Fee (for final late bookings)	+185
6	Refund Fee (if you cancel the test before the deadline)	50 deducted
7	Rescheduling Fee (if you reschedule the exam after the given date: 29 June)	25

Steps to Register for the UCAT ANZ.

You can register for the UCAT ANZ by visiting the official website.  While registering, ensure that you have your ID with you. For example, your passport/and/or driver’s license. The registration process is divided into 2 main steps (creating a Pearson account and booking a test). These are explained below:

Creating a Pearson Account 

First and foremost, you need to create a Pearson VUE account. When you create a Pearson account, you will be asked to provide your details, such as your date of birth, your address, and other details. Once you create your account, you will receive an email containing your username. You can use it to log in to your account. You will also be provided with a UCAT ANZ ID number. You can see this in the top right corner of your account. You need to note it down. It can take up to one day to set up your account. 

Booking Your Test

Secondly, you need to book your test. You can log in to your Pearson VUE account and book your exam date and centre. At this stage, you can pay your examination fee. Once you have booked your test, you will receive a payment confirmation and a booking confirmation. Print out both for future reference.

Also Read: UCAT Registration 2025-26: Dates, Steps to Register, Cost, Rescheduling, and Tips 

Universities That Require UCAT ANZ

Certain Australian and New Zealand Consortium universities have made it mandatory for students to take this examination. That is, if you want to enrol in the specific courses. The following are the universities and the programs. We have also provided the QS Ranking 2025 of these universities for you to decide which university is right for you..

S/N	University Name	Country	QS World University Ranking 2025	Courses/Programs Requiring UCAT ANZ
1	University of Adelaide	Australia	82	Medicine, Dental Surgery, Oral Health
2	Central Queensland University	Australia	499	Medical Science (Regional Medical Pathway provisional entry to UQ)
3	Charles Sturt University	Australia	951–1000	Dental Science, Medicine (Joint Program in Medicine)
4	Curtin University	Australia	183	Medicine
5	Flinders University	Australia	387	Clinical Sciences, Medicine
6	Griffith University	Australia	268	Dental Health Science (compulsory), Medical Science (optional)
7	Monash University	Australia	36	Medicine
8	University of Newcastle / University of New England	Australia	227	Joint Medical Program
9	University of New South Wales	Australia	44	Medicine
10	University of Notre Dame Australia	Australia	NA	Medicine Pathway
11	University of Queensland	Australia	50	Medicine (provisional entry pathway), Dental Science
12	University of Southern Queensland	Australia	NA	Medicine Pathway (provisional entry to UQ MD, Darling Downs-South West Medical Pathway)
13	University of the Sunshine Coast	Australia	NA	Medicine Science (optional), provisional entry pathway to MD program at Griffith University
14	University of Tasmania	Australia	301–350	Medicine
15	University of Western Australia	Australia	93	Doctor of Medicine via Bachelor of Biomedicine (Specialised), Doctor of Dental Medicine via Bachelor of Biomedicine (Specialised)
16	Western Sydney University	Australia	201–250	Medicine (Joint Program in Medicine)
17	University of Auckland	New Zealand	83	Medicine
18	University of Otago	New Zealand	175	Medicine

UCAT ANZ Results 

You will receive your examination results within 24 hours! You can access your score report by logging into your Pearson VUE account. You can save it as a PDF or print it out. This is provided to let you know of the outcome. 

On the other hand, the Preliminary statistics are provided in late August. Summary statistics and percentiles for the Total Score are provided by September. When it comes to universities, you do not have to send your results. Your results will be automatically sent to the respective universities by the examination conducting authority.

Exam Centres 

The UCAT ANZ exam is held at Pearson VUE test centres. The examination centres are located in Australia and New Zealand. Some of the popular test centres are as follows:

S/N	Country	Location
1	Australia	Sydney
2	Australia	Melbourne
3	Australia	Brisbane
4	Australia	Adelaide
5	Australia	Perth
6	New Zealand	Auckland
7	New Zealand	Wellington
8	New Zealand	Christchurch
9	New Zealand	Dunedin
10	Australia	Hobart

UCAT ANZ Exam Difficulty Level

The University Clinical Aptitude Test for Australia and New Zealand is considered a difficult examination due to the time constraints and skills being tested. 

1. The questions are not complex, but you are given a very limited time to answer each question. Therefore, you need excellent time management and rapid decision-making skills.
2. Besides this, the exam tests your aptitude and not your knowledge of tests. Therefore, key skills necessary for careers in medicine and dentistry are tested.
3. The verbal reasoning and decision-making section has the most difficult questions. However, quantitative reasoning consists of  straightforward questions that you can answer if you have strong mathematical skills

In short, this is an exam that requires adequate preparation for you to clear it.

Also Read: What is GAMSAT? Exam Format, Scoring, Registration, and Top Universities Explained

5 Tips to Prepare for UCAT ANZ

To clear this examination, proper preparation is required. Here are some useful tips that will help you ace the difficult exam. Using these tips will also help you obtain the score you want.

1. Understand the new examination format. Getting to know the same will help you allocate time appropriately for each section of the exam.
2. Use the official preparation materials. This is the most accurate description of the test. You can view the tour tutorials, question banks, and full practice tests.
3. Take time pto ractise tests, and learn mental shortcuts (For example, for the Quantitative Reasoning section) to develop speed in solving problems, and to learn how to manage time.
4. Get to know which subtests/questions are your weaknesses and work upon them. Dedicate time to learn about your weak areas. Carefully review the explanations for the questions you got wrong and learn what went wrong.
5. Ensure that you study for the Situational Judgement Test (SJT) separately. Learn about the key principles of medical professionalism, and practise a variety of SJT scenarios to get an understanding of the types of dilemmas you might encounter. This will help you prepare for this section.

UCAT ANZ is the exam for students who want to enrol in a medical or dental course in New Zealand or Australia. Certain universities have made it mandatory, while others have kept it as an option, and other alternative tests would be acceptable. This exam assesses your verbal reasoning, decision making, quantitative Reasoning, and situational judgment. Your scores in this exam, along with your overall academic record, play a key role in the admission process. Hence, it’s worth taking the test.

FAQs

Related Articles:

UCAT Scores: Minimum, Average, and Highest Scores Needed for Medicine	Top 5 UCAT Preparation Courses for 2025: Which One Is Right for You?
UCAT Dates: Important Deadlines For UK University Applicants	Preparing for the UCAT: 10 Proven Tips for 2025 Success
What is the dental admission test	Health Professions Admission Test (HPAT): Format, Dates, and Registration Process for Medical Students in Ireland