Registering for the UCAT 2026 is a two-stage process: you create an account and register from 20 May 2026, then book your actual test slot once booking opens on 23 June 2026. Neither step is hard, but a handful of dates and details trip people up every year — this guide walks through all of it, in order.
First, check you are in the right cycle
You sit the UCAT in the summer before the academic year you want to start, so the UCAT 2026 cycle is for 2027 entry (or deferred 2028 entry). If you are applying to start medicine or dentistry in 2027, this is your cycle. You only get one attempt per cycle, so it is worth getting the timing right rather than rushing into it.
Step 1 — register and create your account
Registration opens on 20 May 2026 at 14:00 UK time on the official UCAT website. You create a Pearson VUE account, enter your personal details exactly as they appear on the photo ID you will bring on test day, and confirm your eligibility. Do this early — it costs nothing and it is a prerequisite for booking. Make sure the name on your account matches your ID precisely, because a mismatch can stop you sitting the test.
Step 2 — book your test slot
Booking opens on 23 June 2026 at 14:00 UK time. Log back in, choose a date inside the testing window (13 July to 24 September 2026), and pick a Pearson VUE test centre near you. You pay the fee at this point to confirm the booking. Popular centres and the most convenient dates fill up well before the deadline, so the earlier you book, the more choice you have.
- Registration opens: 20 May 2026 (14:00 UK time).
- Booking opens: 23 June 2026 (14:00 UK time).
- Testing window: 13 July – 24 September 2026.
- Booking deadline: 16 September 2026 (15:00 UK time).
- Access-arrangements deadline: 10 September 2026.
What it costs — and the bursary
The UCAT 2026 fee is £70 for tests taken in the UK and £115 for tests taken outside the UK. If paying that would be a genuine struggle, the UCAT Bursary Scheme covers the fee in full for eligible UK and EU students — you apply with evidence, and if approved the fee is waived at checkout (or refunded if you have already paid). The bursary deadline is 24 September 2026, but apply well before you book. Always confirm the current fee on the official UCAT site, as prices can change.
Access arrangements (extra time and adjustments)
If you have a disability, long-term condition or specific learning difference, you may be entitled to access arrangements such as extra time. You apply for these separately, with supporting evidence, and the deadline (10 September 2026) is earlier than the booking deadline — so sort this out early rather than at the last minute. Approved arrangements are applied to your test automatically.
- Leaving booking until September, by which point the good dates and nearby centres are gone.
- Registering but forgetting to actually book a slot before the 16 September deadline.
- A name or date-of-birth mismatch between your account and your photo ID.
- Missing the bursary or access-arrangements deadlines, which both fall before the booking deadline.
When should you book your date for?
Pick a test date for when you will be ready, not just when there is a slot free. Most students do best sitting once they have put in focused, timed practice and are scoring consistently in mocks — often from mid-July to early September. Booking a date a few weeks out also gives you a concrete deadline to train towards, which is exactly what stops preparation drifting.