UCAT Score Statistics: Understanding Means, Medians, and Deciles

The UCAT statistics page publishes data for each testing year going back to 2006. For 2025 and later years, this data is presented under the new three-subtest cognitive format. The statistics include: mean total scaled score (the average of VR + DM + QR across all candidates), mean scaled score for each individual cognitive subtest, and the decile table showing the total score required to be in each of the 10 equal segments of the distribution. The statistics also show the SJT distribution — what percentage of candidates achieved each band in a given year. These distributions are important for contextualising SJT performance: in 2025, Band 1 was achieved by approximately 25% of candidates, which is higher than in some earlier years, suggesting either a cohort effect or a calibration effect from the format change. The UCAT also publishes historical data with Abstract Reasoning removed — a recalculated dataset from earlier years that allows comparison on the current three-subtest format. This recalculated historical data is the most useful reference for 2026 applicants, as it shows score distributions under conditions directly comparable to today's format.

The decile table is the most directly useful component of the official statistics for preparation planning. Using the 2025 data, identify the decile that corresponds to your target competitive level for your chosen universities. For example: if your primary target university uses UCAT to invite the top 20% of applicants to interview, you need to be in the 8th decile — which in 2025 required a score of approximately 2150 or above. Set this target as your preparation score objective, then add a buffer. Because decile thresholds can shift between years and because mock scores do not perfectly predict sitting scores, targeting 2200 when your competitive threshold is approximately 2150 builds in a useful margin. Most students' sitting scores differ from their best mock score by 50–150 points in either direction.

The mean score tells you where the average candidate sits — approximately 1939 in 2025. This is your 50th percentile benchmark. A score below the mean is below average; a score above the mean puts you in the upper half. But 'above average' is a very different thing from 'competitive at a top UCAT-weighted university.' Many students make the mistake of thinking that scoring above the mean is sufficient for a strong application. For universities like Bristol, Newcastle, or Glasgow — which use UCAT as a primary ranking tool and set thresholds in the upper deciles — a score at the mean (5th decile) will fall significantly below the interview threshold. Above the mean is a starting point, not a destination. For most competitive UCAT-weighted institutions, you need to be in the 7th decile (approximately 70th percentile) at minimum, and ideally the 8th or 9th.