University Admissions Tests

Some university courses require you to take an admissions test as part of your application. These tests are usually taken in addition to your A-Level qualifications and may assess your subject knowledge, mathematical ability, critical thinking or other skills relevant to your chosen courses.

If you're considering a competitive course, check the admissions requirements early. Some tests have specific registration and test dates, and missing the deadline could affect your applicaiton.

Examples include:

UCAT - for Medicine and Dentistry at many UK universities
MCAT - for medical school applications in the USA and Canada
LNAT - for Law at selected UK universities
UAT-UK - for selected courses at participating UK universities
IELTS/TOEFL - English language proficiency test

Not every university or course requires an admissions test. Always check the requirements for the specific course and university you are applying to.

UCAT

The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is required for Medicine and Dentistry at many UK universities. It assesses skills including verbal reasoning, decision making, quantitative reasoning and situational judgement.

To find out more about the UCAT, visit the official UCAT website (Click here).

To register and book your test, visit the UCAT registration and booking page (Click here).

UCAT: Key information (Click here)

The UCAT is compulsory for Medicine and Dentistry at many UK universities, but requirements and selection methods differ between universities and courses. Always check the requirements of each university before booking your test.

Please note: You can only take the UCAT once per application cycle.

Students should normally allow around three months to prepare for the UCAT. For students sitting the test in Brunei, testing will usually take place around July to September, so it is important to start preparing well before the testing period.

Our advice: We generally recommend that students aiming for UK Medicine or Dentistry should aim for a UCAT score of 2000 or above. However, there is no universal UCAT score that guarantees an offer, and universities use UCAT results differently.

Tip: UCAT preparation takes time. Don't wait until registration opens before starting to familiarise yourself with the test.

Key dates (2026)

Registration period

20th May 2026

Booking period

23rd June 2026 - 16th September 2026

Testing period (for 2027 entry)

13th July 2026 - 24th September 2026

Fee

£115 (approximately BND200) for candidates testing outside the UK.

Brunei test centre

Synergy Skills Sdn Bhd,

Level 2, Kompleks Kaka,

Spg. 417, Kg.Sungai Tilong,

Jln Muara.

UCAT: What is tested? (Click here)

The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is a computer-based admissions test used by many universities for Medicine and Dentistry. It does not test your knowledge of Biology or Chemistry. Instead, it assesses skills and qualities that are important for studying and practising medicine and dentistry.

The current UCAT has four separately timed subtests, with a total of 184 questions. All questions are computer-based and use multiple-choice formats, although some questions require you to select more than one response or respond to a series of statements.

1. Verbal Reasoning

44 questions | Score: 300–900

Tests your ability to read, understand and evaluate written information. You will be given passages of text and asked to draw conclusions based on the information provided.

2. Decision Making

35 questions | Score: 300–900

Tests your ability to evaluate information, apply logic and make decisions. Questions may involve interpreting information, evaluating arguments, solving logical problems and identifying valid conclusions.

3. Quantitative Reasoning

36 questions | Score: 300–900

Tests your ability to solve numerical problems and interpret quantitative information. Questions may involve data presented in tables, charts or graphs. An on-screen calculator is available.

4. Situational Judgement

69 questions | Band 1–4

Tests your ability to understand real-world situations and identify appropriate responses and behaviours. The questions are based on situations that you might encounter in healthcare or education. No medical knowledge is required.

How is the UCAT scored?

The three cognitive subtests — Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning — are each scored from 300 to 900, giving a combined score of 900–2700.

Situational Judgement is scored separately from Band 1 to Band 4, with Band 1 being the highest.

There is no negative marking, so you should attempt every question.

What do the questions look like?

Verbal Reasoning
You will read passages of text and answer questions based only on the information provided. You are not expected to use outside knowledge.

Decision Making
Questions require you to use logic, interpret information, evaluate arguments and reach conclusions. Some are standard multiple-choice questions, while others require you to give a Yes/No response to a series of statements.

Quantitative Reasoning
You will solve numerical problems, often using information presented in tables, charts or graphs. An on-screen calculator is available.

Situational Judgement
You will be presented with hypothetical situations, often related to clinical or educational settings, and asked to identify the most appropriate response or judge the appropriateness of possible actions. It does not require medical knowledge.

What is a good UCAT score?

There is no single UCAT score that guarantees an offer, and universities use UCAT results differently. Your target should therefore depend on the universities you are applying to.

As a general guide, the 2026 average cognitive score was 1918, with a median of 1920. The 2026 deciles were:

1980 – 60th percentile
2050 – 70th percentile
2140 – 80th percentile
2250 – 90th percentile

For a student aiming for competitive UK Medicine courses, 2000+ is a useful benchmark to aim for, while 2100–2200+ places you in a stronger position relative to the overall cohort. However, this should not be treated as a universal “medicine cutoff”. Some medical schools place more or less emphasis on the UCAT, and some use their own scoring or shortlisting methods.

For the Situational Judgement Test, Band 1 is the highest, followed by Band 2, Band 3 and Band 4. In 2026, 15% of candidates achieved Band 1 and 40% achieved Band 2.

Remember: A high UCAT score does not guarantee an offer, and a lower score does not necessarily mean you cannot apply. When choosing your medical schools, look at how each university uses the UCAT alongside your academic results and other selection criteria.

LNAT

The National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT) is used by selected UK universities for Law. It does not test your knowledge of law. Instead, it assesses skills such as comprehension, critical thinking and the ability to construct an argument.

To find out more about the LNAT, visit the official LNAT website (Click here).

To register and book your test, visit the LNAT registration (Click here) and booking page (Click here).

LNAT: Key information (Click here)

The LNAT does not test your knowledge of law. Instead, it assesses the reading, comprehension, critical thinking and reasoning skills needed for studying Law. The test consists of 42 multiple-choice questions based on 12 passages, followed by an essay section where you choose one of three questions and write an essay.

To prepare, practise reading unfamiliar and challenging texts, work on identifying arguments and assumptions, and practise answering questions under timed conditions.

For the essay, practise forming a clear argument, supporting your ideas with relevant examples and presenting your reasoning logically and concisely.

Key dates (2026)

Registration opens

1st August 2026

Testing period (for 2027 entry)

September 2026 - July 2027, depending on university deadlines

Fee

£120 (approximately BND210).

Brunei test centres

Synergy Skills Sdn Bhd,

Level 2, Kompleks Kaka,

Spg. 417, Kg.Sungai Tilong,

Jln Muara.

CfBT Examinations Centre,

Unit 5 & 6, Block D,

Kiarong Complex,

Gadong, Bandar Seri Begawan.

UAT-UK

UAT-UK provides admissions tests for selected undergraduate courses at participating UK universities. It currently offers three tests:

ESAT - Engineering and Science Admissions Test
TARA - Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions
TMUA - Test of Mathematics for University Admission

To find out which universities and courses require the test, check the list of university and course requirements here (Click here).

For more information about the test, including registration, test dates and preparation resources, visit the official UAT-UK website (Click here).

UAT-UK: Key information (Click here)

Testing period

January (Cambridge and Oxford applicants will normally need the October sitting

Fee

£133 (approximately BND230) for candidates testing outside the UK/Republic of Ireland.

Brunei test centres

Synergy Skills Sdn Bhd,

Level 2, Kompleks Kaka,

Spg. 417, Kg.Sungai Tilong,

Jln Muara.

CfBT Examinations Centre,

Unit 5 & 6, Block D,

Kiarong Complex,

Gadong, Bandar Seri Begawan.

Brunei Institute of Leadership & Islamic Finance (BILIF),

Level 3, ILIA Building,

Universiti Brunei Darussalam Campus,

Jalan Tungku Link,

Negara Brunei Darussalam. BE 1410.

English Language Proficiency Tests (e.g. IELTS/TOEFL)

Some universities require international students to demonstrate their English language proficiency. The exact test and required score depend on the university and course.

Common tests include:

IELTS Academic
TOEFL iBT
Other tests accepted by individual universities

To find a test centre and book your test, visit the IELTS test booking page (Click here).

Tip: Some universities may waive the English language proficiency test requirement if you meet certain criteria. If you have a credit in O-Level English, email the university to ask whether this can be accepted as evidence of your English proficiency. You may need to provide proof of your results, and requirements vary between universities.

IELTS Academic: Key information (Click here)

IELTS is widely accepted by universities around the world. For university applications, you will normally need IELTS Academic, but always check the specific requirements of your university.

Key dates (2026)

Multiple test dates are available throughout the year. For PTEM students, we recommend considering a test date in December or January, depending on your university application deadlines and when you need your results.

Fee

BND370

Brunei test centre

CfBT Examinations Centre,

Unit 5 & 6, Block D,

Kiarong Complex,

Gadong, Bandar Seri Begawan.

TOEFL iBT: Key information (Click here)

The TOEFL iBT is another English language proficiency test accepted by many universities worldwide. Test availability and fees vary, so check the official TOEFL website for current test dates and locations in Brunei. Brunei is currently listed as a country where TOEFL iBT is available.

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