UCAT Key Dates & Cost
For the 2026 cycle, UCAT ANZ bookings open on 3 March 2026, the standard booking deadline is 15 May 2026, and the test is sat in a window from 1 July to 5 August 2026. The fee is A$335 (standard) or A$240 (concession, Australia only). You sit the UCAT the year before you’d start university, and a result is valid for that following intake only.
The 2026 UCAT cycle at a glance
Planning for 2027 entry? The 2027 cycle dates are typically released by ACER in early 2027. We update this page as soon as they’re confirmed — until then, the 2026 dates above are a reliable guide to roughly when each milestone falls (bookings around March, deadlines through May, testing across July).
When can I book, and when are the deadlines?
Booking opens on 3 March 2026 through your Pearson VUE account. There are three booking deadlines, and which one you meet affects what you pay:
- Standard deadline — 15 May 2026 (11:59pm AEST): book by this date to pay the standard fee.
- Late deadline — 29 May 2026: booking is still possible after the standard deadline, in a late window that carries an additional fee.
- Final deadline — 5 June 2026: the last window to book, with a higher additional fee again.
The practical advice is simple: book early. Test-centre seats fill, the popular July dates and locations go first, and booking before 15 May means you only ever pay the standard fee. Late and final windows exist as a safety net, not a plan.
When do I sit the test, and when do results come out?
The UCAT is sat in a single annual window: 1 July to 5 August 2026. You choose a date and time within that window when you book.
Your result is available to you within 24 hours of sitting, through your Pearson account. Your score is then sent to the universities you’re applying to in early September 2026, in time for their selection.
A UCAT result is valid for the immediately following intake only — your 2026 result is for 2027 entry and does not carry over to later years. If you defer or reapply for a later year, you sit the UCAT again.
How much does the UCAT cost?
There are two fees, both in Australian dollars:
- Standard — A$335: the fee for tests taken in Australia or New Zealand.
- Concession — A$240 (Australia only): a reduced fee for candidates who hold an Australian Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card. You must apply for the concession and book by the standard deadline (15 May 2026).
Booking in the late or final window adds a surcharge on top of these fees — another reason to get in before 15 May.
How and where do I sit it?
The UCAT is computer-based and sat at a Pearson VUE test centre. Centres operate across Australia, New Zealand and worldwide, so candidates studying or living overseas can sit it too. A limited online-proctored option exists for candidates who meet restricted-eligibility criteria — most people sit at a centre.
You may sit the UCAT only once per cycle. Sitting more than once in the same cycle is treated as misconduct and results in your scores being cancelled. You can sit again in a future year if you reapply.
Don’t lose a date — prepare around the calendar
The cycle gives you a natural preparation arc: the months before July are your runway. A workable plan is to learn each subtest’s question types and traps through autumn, drill them under realistic timing as the deadline approaches, and sit full mock exams in June to build stamina before your July date.
MedPath adapts your practice to the traps you keep falling for, so the time you do have before July goes to the things that will actually move your score.
Build your prep around the calendar.
Learn every UCAT trap, drill it adaptively under realistic timing, and track a predicted band before your July date.
UCAT dates & cost FAQ
When do UCAT 2026 bookings open?+
Bookings open on 3 March 2026. The standard booking deadline is 15 May 2026, with late (29 May) and final (5 June) windows after that, each carrying an additional fee.
When is the UCAT test window in 2026?+
The 2026 testing window runs from 1 July to 5 August 2026. You choose a specific date and time within that window when you book.
How much is the UCAT?+
A$335 standard, or A$240 on the concession scheme (Australia only, for holders of an Australian Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card who book by the standard deadline).
How long is my UCAT result valid?+
For one cycle only. A 2026 result is used for 2027 entry and does not carry over to later years — if you apply for a later intake, you sit the UCAT again.
When will I get my results?+
Within 24 hours of sitting, through your Pearson account. Your universities receive your score in early September.
MedPath is an independent UCAT preparation resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ACER or UCAT ANZ. Figures are re-expressed from official sources and attributed; always confirm dates, fees and requirements at the source before relying on them.