UCAT 2025 Changes: Abstract Reasoning Removed, New Scoring Out of 2700, and Updated Timings Explained for 2026 Entry
Introduction
Big changes are coming to the UCAT in 2025, and every aspiring medical or dental student needs to know what’s new for the UCAT 2026 Entry.
With the UCAT Abstract Reasoning (AR) removed, updated subtest timings, and a new scoring structure, the UCAT has been redesigned to better evaluate key skills for university admissions.
These changes will impact how candidates prepare and perform, making it more important than ever to stay informed and adapt your UCAT preparation strategy.
Achieving a top UCAT score is often daunting, despite the hours of diligent practice many candidates put in after completing their UCAT registration in 2025. Many students struggle with low scores, despite doing lots of questions and wondering what they are missing.
At TheUKCATPeople, our UCAT Tutors have been helping students score top marks in the UCAT for over 12 years.
Use this guide alongside our UCAT Registration Guide and UCAT preparation guide to help maximise your UCAT revision.
In this article, we’ll break down all the major updates for UCAT 2025, explain why these changes are happening, and offer guidance on how to excel under the new format.
Summary
Abstract Reasoning Removed: The test no longer includes the Abstract Reasoning (AR) subtest due to its lower predictive validity and high coachability.
New Test Structure: The exam now comprises three cognitive subtests—Verbal Reasoning (VR), Decision Making (DM), and Quantitative Reasoning (QR)—alongside the Situational Judgement Test (SJT).
Updated Timings:
Decision Making: Increased to 37 minutes (up from 31 minutes) with 35 questions (up from 29 questions)
Quantitative Reasoning: Extended to 26 minutes (previously 24 minutes) with 36 questions (same as before).
Revised Scoring System: The total score for cognitive subtests is now out of 2700 (900 per subtest), while the SJT retains its Band 1–4 scoring.
Increased Instruction Times: VR, DM and SJT will now have 1.5 minutes of instruction time before each section, and QR will have 2 minutes, this is up from 1 minute for all of them before 2025.
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UCAT 2025 Summary Of Changes
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NEW: Abstract Reasoning Removed from the UCAT 2025
The most significant update for UCAT 2025 is the removal of the Abstract Reasoning (AR) subtest from the UCAT.
Why was AR removed from the UCAT?
Abstract Reasoning has been a key part of the UCAT for years, but research has shown it has lower predictive validity compared to other subtests like Verbal Reasoning and Decision Making.
Studies (Bala et al., 2022; Paton et al., 2022) have also highlighted its high coachability, making it less effective in differentiating candidates’ natural aptitude.
Impact on Candidates
Fewer Subtests: The removal of AR reduces the number of cognitive subtests to three: Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, and Quantitative Reasoning.
More Focus on Core Skills: Candidates can now concentrate on skills that matter most for medical school and dental school success.
👉🏻 Join UCAT Courses in 2025 to boost your score!
How Could Removing UCAT Abstract Reasoning Affect UCAT Scores in 2025?
Historically, AR has shown a consistent increase in average scores over the years, reflecting its unique position among the subtests.
For instance, the average AR score rose from 629 in 2015 to 653 in 2024, showing steady improvement over nearly a decade.
This increase, significantly higher than the trends seen in other subtests, highlights how candidates have been able to refine their performance in AR, often through focused UCAT tutoring and practice.
The rising average scores in AR, while positive for well-prepared UCAT candidates, were also a reason for its removal. Research showed that AR’s high coachability diluted its ability to assess innate aptitude, as performance improvements were less reflective of natural ability and more influenced by preparation strategies.
Its removal simplifies the UCAT scoring system and reduces the impact of external preparation on overall test outcomes.
With AR no longer included, candidates and universities will see a shift in total scores, which now range from 900 to 2700 instead of the previous maximum of 3600 in UCAT scoring.
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NEW: UCAT Decision Making - Increased Time & Questions In 2025
In UCAT 2025, Decision Making (DM) receives a significant update with more time and additional questions, making it a more prominent part of the UCAT DM Section.
What’s Changing?
Number of Questions: Increased to 35, up from 29 in previous years.
Subtest Time: Extended to 37 minutes, giving candidates more time to tackle the complex scenarios presented in this section.
Why This Matters
Decision Making evaluates your ability to interpret data, identify patterns, and make logical conclusions—skills critical for medical and dental professionals.
With more time and questions, this section provides an enhanced opportunity to demonstrate these abilities.
How to Prepare for Decision Making
Practise interpreting charts, graphs, and text-based scenarios.
Focus on improving speed and accuracy, as both are vital to success in this extended section.
👉🏻 Learn More: 1-1 UCAT Tutoring in 2025
👉🏻 Learn More: Top Decision-Making Tips
NEW: UCAT Quantitative Reasoning - Increased Time In 2025
Quantitative Reasoning (QR) has also been updated in UCAT 2025, with an increase in subtest time to allow candidates more room to navigate numerical problems.
What’s Changing?
Subtest Time: Now 26 minutes, up from 24 minutes in previous years.
Number of Questions: Remains at 36.
Why This is Important
QR tests your ability to work with numbers, solve problems, and interpret quantitative data—essential skills for diagnosing and treating patients. The extra time gives candidates a better chance to fully analyse each question and improve their accuracy.
Preparation Tips for QR
Practise using online question banks to improve familiarity with common question types.
Focus on mental arithmetic and using a virtual calculator efficiently.
👉🏻 Read more: Top Tips For UCAT Quantitative Reasoning
New UCAT Scoring in 2025: Now Out of 2700
With the removal of Abstract Reasoning, the total score for the cognitive subtests has been adjusted to a range of 900–2700.
How Scoring Works in 2025
Verbal Reasoning: 44 questions, scored 300–900.
Decision Making: 35 questions, scored 300–900.
Quantitative Reasoning: 36 questions, scored 300–900.
Situational Judgement: Scored separately into Bands 1–4.
Why This Change?
The revised scoring ensures a fairer distribution of marks across the three cognitive subtests. Candidates can still compare their performance year-on-year due to standard equating methods.
What You Need to Know
Your total cognitive score (out of 2700) will now determine your ranking, alongside your Situational Judgement Band, which measures your professional judgement and ethical decision-making.
👉🏻 Read more: UCAT Scores 2025 - The Ultimate Guide
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NEW: Extended Instructions Time in UCAT 2025
A notable change in UCAT 2025 is the increase in the duration of the instruction sections for each subtest. Previously, candidates were given a standard 1 minute to review instructions before starting each section.
However, in the updated format, the instruction times have been extended: Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, and Situational Judgement each allow 1 minute 30 seconds, while Quantitative Reasoning includes 2 minutes.
This extension provides candidates with additional time to familiarise themselves with the structure and requirements of each subtest. While these instruction times do not affect the overall test time of just under two hours, they help reduce stress and ensure candidates are fully prepared to begin each section.
These changes are particularly beneficial for first-time test-takers who may need more time to adjust to the UCAT’s fast-paced nature.
By extending the instruction times, the UCAT Consortium aims to enhance the candidate experience and ensure everyone starts each subtest on equal footing, fully understanding the instructions.
👉🏻 Read more: Top Tips For UCAT Verbal Reasoning
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Why Are These Changes Happening?
The UCAT Consortium has introduced these updates to improve the test’s predictive validity and fairness.
Key Reasons for the Changes
Improving University Selection: Research indicated that Abstract Reasoning was less predictive of university success compared to other subtests.
Reducing Coachability: AR’s high coachability made it less effective at identifying candidates’ innate abilities.
Enhanced Focus on Core Skills: The updated format allocates more time and resources to skills that matter most for medical and dental training.
👉🏻 Read more: UCAT Deciles 2025 - Everything You Need To Know
👉🏻 Read more: Ultimate UCAT Guide 2025
When was the last time a big change was made to the UCAT?
The last significant change to the UCAT occurred when Decision Analysis was removed and replaced with Decision Making in 2016.
This update shifted the focus from interpreting coded information to assessing candidates’ ability to make sound decisions using complex scenarios.
Decision Making introduced a broader range of question types, including logical puzzles, probability, and data interpretation, making it a more comprehensive measure of critical thinking and judgement—key skills for medical and dental professionals.
This change paved the way for the modern UCAT format, which continues to evolve with the 2025 updates.
👉🏼 Read more: UCAT Tutoring 2025
How to Prepare for the UCAT 2025
What Does This Mean For Me?
Overall, it still means you need to work hard in the UCAT. It does mean you need to spend longer on the three main sections and the SJT (VR, DM, QR & SJT) as there will be added pressure on these to score better.
Remember this will benefit everyone uniformly - so there is no inherent advantage to this for some. To do well in the UCAT (and then at university and beyond) you need to be a fast reader (VR), be logical (DM), good at basic maths (QR) and be grounded in the ethical principles (SJT).
With these changes, preparation strategies need to be updated to match the new format.
See our article here on UCAT Preparation for 2025
Consider joining one of our UCAT Courses in 2025
Consider enrolling for 1-1 Tutoring for the UCAT
Top Tips for Success
Start early and focus on the three cognitive subtests (VR, DM, QR) and the SJT.
Use official practice tests to become familiar with the updated timings and question styles.
Work on time management to ensure you can complete all questions under the new format.
👉🏻 Read more: UCAT Preparation 2024 - The Ultimate Guide
👉🏻 Read more: UCAT Reflective Revision - the most important UCAT Tip
👉🏻 Read more: UCAT Burnout - How To Avoid It
👉🏻 Read more: UCAT Revision Timetable - how to create one
Adapting to the New UCAT 2025
The UCAT 2025 changes are significant, with Abstract Reasoning removed, scoring now out of 2700, and revised timings for Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning.
While these updates may seem daunting, they present an opportunity for candidates to focus on skills that truly matter for medical and dental school success.
By understanding the changes and preparing effectively using the latest materials, you can approach the UCAT with confidence and perform at your best.
Stay ahead by adapting your preparation strategy to the new format and making the most of the time available.
👉🏻 Read more: How To Choose A UCAT Test Day
👉🏼 Read more: Where To Apply With A Low UCAT Score (2024)
FAQ: UCAT 2025 Changes
Is Abstract Reasoning removed from the UCAT?
Yes, Abstract Reasoning (AR) has been removed from the UCAT 2025. The decision was made to improve the predictive validity of the test, as AR was found to have lower effectiveness in forecasting university performance compared to other subtests.
Why was Abstract Reasoning removed from the UCAT?
Abstract Reasoning was removed due to its lower predictive validity and high coachability. Research (Bela et al., 2022; Paton et al., 2022) showed that AR was less reliable in assessing innate abilities and was heavily influenced by coaching and practice, making it less effective for candidate evaluation.
What is the new structure of the UCAT 2025?
The UCAT 2025 now consists of three cognitive subtests—Verbal Reasoning (VR), Decision Making (DM), and Quantitative Reasoning (QR)—and the Situational Judgement Test (SJT). Abstract Reasoning has been removed, simplifying the test format.
How has the scoring system changed in UCAT 2025?
The total score for the cognitive subtests is now out of 2700 (900 per subtest), reduced from the previous maximum of 3600. The Situational Judgement Test remains scored in Bands 1–4, which measure judgement and decision-making abilities.
Has the timing for UCAT subtests changed?
Yes, both Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning now have extended times:
Decision Making: Increased from 31 minutes to 37 minutes.
Quantitative Reasoning: Increased from 24 minutes to 26 minutes.
The instruction times for all subtests have also been increased, providing more time to review instructions.
What are the instruction times for UCAT 2025?
Instruction times have been extended for all subtests:
Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, and Situational Judgement: 1 minute 30 seconds.
Quantitative Reasoning: 2 minutes.
This is an increase from the previous standard of 1 minute per section, giving candidates additional time to familiarise themselves with each section.
Why is the UCAT total score now out of 2700?
The removal of Abstract Reasoning reduced the number of cognitive subtests from four to three. As each subtest is scored between 300 and 900, the total score for the cognitive subtests is now 900 to 2700.
How does the removal of Abstract Reasoning affect UCAT preparation?
The removal of Abstract Reasoning allows candidates to focus on the three remaining cognitive subtests—Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, and Quantitative Reasoning—alongside the Situational Judgement Test. Preparation strategies should now prioritise these areas, with less emphasis on pattern recognition.
What are the key changes to Decision Making in UCAT 2025?
Decision Making now includes 35 questions (up from 29) and has an extended time of 37 minutes (previously 31 minutes). These changes make Decision Making a more significant part of the test.
Will UCAT Scores from 2025 Be Comparable to Previous Years?
No, total scores are not directly comparable because the UCAT 2025 is scored out of 2700, compared to 3600 previously. However, individual subtest scores (300–900) remain consistent year-on-year.
What are the benefits of the UCAT 2025 changes?
The changes aim to enhance the fairness and predictive validity of the test by removing Abstract Reasoning, which was less effective at assessing innate abilities. Extended timings and instruction periods also improve the overall candidate experience, reducing stress and allowing for better performance.
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