The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is famously difficult and given that usually only those in the top 80% or 90% get into university medical and dental programs, competition is fierce.
While the test itself is supposed to test innate skills and there isn't a specific curriculum for it, you can tip the balance in your favour by being familiar with what's on the exam and preparing for it.
In this article, we'll look at some of the resources you can use when studying for the UCAT.
Official UCAT Practice Materials
As with any exam or test, it's best to start at the source. The official UCAT practice materials are the most likely to be representative of what you'll see on the exam as they're provided by the same people who make the exam.
On the UCAT website for Australia and New Zealand (UCAT ANZ), you can find out more information about the UCAT, the test format, the scoring system, and eligibility for the exam. This is also the site where you can register for the exam.
The UCAT website is also very clear that their resources are the only official ones and that they don't collaborate with any other of the companies to create these materials.
The official website has question banks for each of the five main sections of the exam: verbal reasoning, decision-making, quantitative reasoning, abstract reasoning, and situational judgement.
There are also practice tests you can take and much like the exam itself, you should do these on a desktop computer rather than a mobile device or tablet.
Fraser's UCAT
Fraser's UCAT is a company that offers courses for students preparing for the UCAT. These courses include group tutorials, comprehensive courses, private tutorials, and concentrated courses.
These courses aim to teach students about the theory behind the UCAT, how to plan and prepare for the UCAT, and understand the various question types that you'll face during the exam.
They offer mock exams and mentoring as well as many free resources on their website where you can search for articles on the UCAT, its format, the different parts of the exam, and how it's scored, for example.
You can also use their quizzes and trainers to practise the kinds of skills that are tested during the UCAT.
Private tutoring starts at $140 and group tutoring from $70 a week but there are several programs and lots of other free resources out there.
MedEntry
MedEntry is a website that dubs itself as “Australia's most successful UCAT prep”, which is a big claim. Fortunately, a free trial is available so you can see for yourself whether this is true or not.
There are free resources on the site such as a free trial of the learning platform, the UCAT handbook, a free bootcamp, the UCAT guide, sample questions, and a free UCAT exam.
The premium packages include the UCAT preparation software with over 20,000 sample UCAT questions, an AI coach, and video lessons. You can also get tickets to UCAT workshops, online support, tutoring, interview training, and application reviews.
There are different tiers for the packages and they start at $295, $595, and $2570 depending on which tier you choose.
You can also pay for weekly UCAT classes, intensive UCAT classes, and virtual one-on-one UCAT training outside of these packages with the prices being for a similar budget.
The Medic Portal
The Medic Portal is a website that offers UCAT, BMAT, and interview prep for the UCAT and while this is a British site, you can still use it for your UCAT prep as the UCAT in the UK and Australia are the same with the only difference between where the exams are taken.
The site is full of useful information about becoming a doctor, choosing medical schools, preparing for interviews, etc., but just keep in mind that not all information on the site will be fully applicable to Australian students.
UCAT Ninja
UCAT Ninja is another British website that includes UCAT practice questions and is far cheaper than a lot of the other options at around $20 for the year.
This includes access to 25,000 UCAT practice questions, dozens of tutorials, and mock exams. The $20 price tag is actually the minimum you need to pay for all this, but UCAT Ninja works on a model whereby you can pay more for it if you feel like it.
The major benefit of this resource is obviously the price and the cost is low enough that you can give it a try without breaking the bank.
UCAT Textbooks
If you prefer the printed word, there are plenty of UCAT textbooks, guides, and practice questions available in print.
Just keep in mind that while these may contain a lot of useful information, the UCAT is taken on a desktop computer so you can't really practise the exam format using a book.
That said, textbooks can still be a useful resource if you want to study and you often find yourself somewhere without access to a desktop computer.
Online Forums
You can also find out more about the UCAT exams, study tips, and practice questions by asking online. After all, the test is very difficult and you're not the first person to have questions about it. You can contact your fellow UCAT students or even ask questions of students who've already done the UCAT.
Just remember that as with any other source of information, you need to check the validity of the source and even if someone is trying to be really helpful, that doesn't mean that they have all the accurate or up-to-date information.
You should always double-check everything that you get told online and with the UCAT, you can always go to the official website for more information.
Social Media
If you're looking for help with the UCAT, it can't hurt to ask for some assistance online. You can either post to your socials that you need help with it or join social media UCAT groups and ask questions there.
Much like with online forums, make sure the people you get your information from know what they're talking about!
You can also use social media to let word of mouth do its job and even if none of your friends or followers can help with UCAT, they might know somebody who can and even put you in contact with them.
YouTube Channels
YouTube is a vast resource with information on anything you could possibly think of and that includes the UCAT.
In addition to the official UCAT YouTube channel which has a handful of videos on the UCAT and preparation advice, other channels also offer UCAT preparation and study advice.
Again, double-check any information you get from unofficial sources against the information being given out by official UCAT channels.
Private UCAT Tutors
While a lot of the websites we've listed here also include private tutoring solutions, you can always go directly to the tutors themselves.
You can get private tutoring specifically for UCAT or even tutors that can focus on exams or study techniques. The great thing about them is that they'll tailor the sessions and activities to what works for you rather than provide you with generic classes.
Thanks to the internet, tutoring has become incredibly widespread and there are tutors for every subject and every budget so you're bound to find one that's right for you.
Naturally, you get what you pay for and the very best tutors charge a premium, but even students on a budget can find good tutors if they do their research.
Tutoring is generally offered in-person face-to-face, online via video conferencing software like Xoom, Skype, etc., or in small groups.
One-on-one tutoring is often the most expensive option but it can also be the most cost-effective since the tutor will spend every minute of the session focusing on you and what you need to learn. When you pay for one-on-one tutoring, you're also paying for the time the tutor spends preparing each session and also their travel costs, which is why rates are usually higher.
Since online tutors don't have travel costs to contend with and can schedule more sessions each week as a result, they tend to be cheaper and for certain subjects, just as effective as face-to-face sessions.
For those on a strict budget, splitting the cost of the tutor's time and expertise with other students can make them far more affordable. While you won't enjoy the benefits of having sessions tailored specifically to you, small group sessions do present students to learn from one another as well as the tutor and can be very effective for some students.
Just search UCAT and where you live on the Superprof website and you can start your search for UCAT tutors today!
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