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Science guides to help you get ahead
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Guide Chapters
The UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) is an important test for students who want to study undergraduate medicine or dentistry at certain universities in Australia and New Zealand.
Entry requirements into these degrees, including the UCAT cut-off scores, may change yearly depending on how students perform, so it’s important for you and your parents to know what the cut-offs are each year and how to prepare.
Use this article to see what you need to gain entry into your preferred medical or dental program next year.
In this blog, we’ll cover:
UCAT: The University Clinical Aptitude Test, a required test for admission into certain undergraduate medical and dental programs in Australia and New Zealand.
Cut-off score: The minimum UCAT score required to be considered for further stages of the selection process, such as interviews.
Decile: A division of the UCAT score distribution into 10 equal parts. The 1st decile represents the lowest 10% of scores, and the 9th decile represents the top 10% of scores.
Interview offer: The stage after UCAT, where shortlisted candidates are invited to interview based on their UCAT scores.
Admission: The final decision for admission, often a combination of UCAT, interview performance, and ATAR.
MMI (Multiple Mini Interview): A type of interview used by medical schools to assess applicants’ personal qualities and communication skills.
Provisional entry: Some universities offer a conditional spot in their medical programs based on the UCAT score and other requirements like ATAR.
The UCAT is a test that students must take if they want to study undergraduate medicine or dentistry in Australia at certain universities.
Each participating university will use the UCAT score together with other factors, such as a student’s ATAR, to determine admission into the relevant clinical degree.
The minimum UCAT score that will allow progression is known as the UCAT cut-off.
The UCAT cut-off scores change every year and differ by university and program. They are influenced by factors such as the applicant pool, the number of places available, and performance in that particular year.
Think of the UCAT cut-offs as a proxy for selecting a certain percentage of the top-performing students—students will naturally aim to be in these top percentiles regardless of what score that corresponds to.
Scoring above the cut-off doesn’t guarantee admission, as the UCAT score is not the only factor taken into account.
Our UCAT experts are here to guide you toward success. With a structured, step-by-step approach, we’ll help you strengthen your logical reasoning, critical thinking, and understanding to tackle the exam confidently.
Learn more about our Matrix UCAT Course here.
UCAT cut-off scores serve as a filter for advancing candidates to the next stage of clinical degree admissions. With increasing competition, going past the cut-off is essential. A high UCAT score will improve your chance of progressing through the admission process. It may also offset lower performance in other admission criteria.
On the other hand, while a strong academic record may offset a lower UCAT score, it may not offset a UCAT score below the threshold. In any case, it is critical to perform well.
The UCAT assesses vital skills like critical thinking and problem-solving, which universities prioritise.
Achieving a score above the cut-off not only improves your chances of moving forward but also shows universities that you’re capable of a successful clinical career.
The factors that affect the UCAT basically come down to quality and demand: how well did the cohort sitting the UCAT perform, and how many students apply to each relevant degree program?
While the UCAT is a significant factor in relevant medical school applications, it’s not the only criterion. Many participating universities also consider:
Understanding the role of UCAT alongside these other components will help you better prepare for the overall admissions process.
UCAT percentile and total cognitive scaled score
The table below explains UCAT deciles, which show how your score compares to other students. A decile splits all test-takers into 10 groups.
For example, being in the 1st decile means your score is in the bottom 10%, while the 9th decile means you’re in the top 10%. The higher your decile, the better your score.
This table shows the UCAT percentiles and the total cognitive scaled scores for each decile.
Decile | UCAT Percentile | Total Cognitive Scaled Score |
1st Decile | 10th Percentile | 2150 |
2nd Decile | 20th Percentile | 2290 |
3rd Decile | 30th Percentile | 2390 |
4th Decile | 40th Percentile | 2480 |
5th Decile | 50th Percentile (Median) | 2570 |
6th Decile | 60th Percentile | 2660 |
7th Decile | 70th Percentile | 2770 |
8th Decile | 80th Percentile | 2900 |
9th Decile | 90th Percentile | 3060 |
The table below shows the estimated UCAT cut-offs for 2024 for medical schools in Australia and New Zealand.
Use this to see what you need to aim for to get into your desired medical or dental program next year.
Note this represents the aggregate score of the first three (cognitive) subtests, each university may use the aggregate score and the situational judgement score differently.
University | Program | UCAT Cut-off estimate (Score) | UCAT Decile | Other Requirements |
University of Adelaide | Medicine, Dental Surgery, Oral Health | 2730 (local), 3140 (interstate) | 7th Decile (local), 9th Decile (interstate) | Interview offer: 100% UCAT Admission: 20% UCAT, 40% interview, 40% academic results |
Central Queensland University | Medicine | 3050 | 9th Decile | Interview offer: 100% UCAT Admission: 25% UCAT, 25% ATAR, 50% MMI |
Charles Sturt University/Western Sydney Joint Med | Medicine (Joint Medical Program) | 3090 | 9th Decile | Interview offer: 100% UCAT Admission: UCAT, minimum ATAR, Interview |
Curtin University | Medicine, Surgery | 2970 | 8th Decile | Interview offer: 30% UCAT, 35% ATAR, 35% Casper score Admission: 20% UCAT, 40% ATAR, 40% Interview |
Flinders University | Clinical Sciences/Medicine | 2870 | 7th Decile | Admission: 10% UCAT, 90% ATAR |
Monash University | Medicine | 3080 | 9th Decile | Interview offer: 100% UCAT Admission: UCAT, ATAR, MMI |
University of Newcastle/University of New England | Joint Medical Program | 3110 | 9th Decile | Interview offer: 100% UCAT Admission: Personal Qualities Assessment, Multiple Skills Assessment (UCAT not used) |
UNSW | Medical Studies | 3060 | 9th Decile | Interview offer: UCAT Admission: UCAT, ATAR, interview |
University of Queensland | Medicine (provisional entry), Dental Science | 3030 (provisional entry), 2560 (Rural Access) | 9th Decile (provisional), 5th Decile (rural) | Interview offer: 100% UCAT Admission: ATAR, UCAT, Year 12 English, MMI |
University of Southern Queensland | Biomedical Sciences (Medicine Pathway) | 3050 | 9th Decile | Interview offer: 100% UCAT Admission: 25% ATAR, 50% MMI, 25% UCAT |
University of Tasmania | Medicine | 2530 | 5th Decile | Admission: ATAR, UCAT score used only as secondary ranking, Tasmanian Senior Secondary Chemistry or equivalent, and Year 12 English |
University of Western Australia | Medicine (Direct Pathway), Dental Medicine (Direct Pathway) | 2970 | 8th Decile | Interview offer: 100% UCAT Admission: 30% ATAR, 20% UCAT, 50% Interview |
University of Auckland | Medicine, Surgery | N/A | Varies | Interview: 100% GPA Admission: 60% GPA, 15% UCAT, 25% MMI |
University of Otago | Medicine, Dental Surgery | Bachelor of Medicine: Verbal Reasoning: over 20th percentile Situational Judgement: over 10th percentile | Varies | Admission: Pass the HSFY papers, UCAT |
The UCAT can be an important step in your journey toward a medical or dental degree. UCAT cut-off scores are always high, so you need to prepare early and do your best.
Whether you are just beginning or looking to refine your study strategy, a comprehensive preparation plan will help you increase your chances of getting into your dream program.
With Matrix+ online, we provide you with clear and structured online lesson videos, quality resources, and forums to ask your Matrix teachers questions and for feedback.
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