What score should I be aiming for in my UCAT?

It’s a difficult to say what a good ucat score is as there isn’t just one score that’s the best and it all depends on which university that you apply to. But here’s a short guide of what scores were the average for 2020 and what your score may mean for you.

What was 2020 entry average UCAT score?

In 2020, the average UCAT score of the year was 628. The average UCAT score in 2019 was lower – 621. You can find more statistics on the UCAT website.

Good UCAT Score

A score above 650 tends to be above average and has been since 2014. However, bear in mind that while more medical schools will be an option for you with an above average score, a lot of the applicants who will be applying to those schools might have scored well above 650 as well. Many medical schools tend to rank you against other students who apply there also.

A UCAT score above 650 tends to be a good score.

Even if you are up against people with scores well above the average, ensure you apply to universities that will assess you on other components too, such as your grades and your personal statement. A strong personal statement and high grades boost your application even more and will help you out a lot, even if other people out there have higher UCAT scores.

Furthermore, bear in mind that even within this narrow range, there is still a difference between a score between 650-700 and 700-750. While the latter is, in fact, an above average score, the latter is a lot closer to an excellent score and your application might be viewed more favourably.

Scores below 650

These are generally considered low scores and if your average score is below 650 (across all four components that are scored out of 900, which is all apart from Situational Judgement), you should probably focus on applying to schools that do not weigh the UCAT as heavily as other components of your application.

Don’t stress that this slightly restricts you on where you can apply to, there are still many options available. Ensure to do lots of research into university entry requirements and make sure you apply strategically. A few universities to name that have low UCAT cut off points are Cardiff, Keele, and Plymouth.

If you missed out on a high UCAT score but you are an academically strong student with a strong personal statement, you might want to apply to some BMAT universities such as Oxbridge, UCL or Imperial. And if you aren’t so academically strong and have a low UCAT score, maybe apply to Brighton and Sussex. Note: don’t apply to too many BMAT universities, as you sit it after you have applied and you do not know your score in advance.

Scores above 750

If you score above 750, you have truly achieved an extremely high score! So well done – as it is not easy. A lot of opportunities stand in front of you in terms of schools you will be sending your application to. But please note, even in this range, you still need to be strategic in your choices.

With this score you can apply to almost all medical schools, however, don’t forget you still need to apply strategically as you may be weaker in other components in your application. But if your score is the strongest component of your application, then definitely use this to your advantage and apply to UCAT heavy medical schools such as Newcastle, Edinburgh, Barts The London and St Andrews.