UCAT ANZ Test Day

The UCAT ANZ 2024 test cycle is complete.
Information about UCAT ANZ 2025 will be published in December 2024. 

It is important to read this information to ensure your test day runs smoothly. The information below outlines the test centre experience. 

UCAT ANZ ‘Fit to Test’ Policy

Candidates who attend their test are declaring themselves fit to sit the test. 

• If you are aware of anything that might affect your performance on the day, you should not sit the test. This applies even if you fall ill or experience issues on the day of your test.
• If you are not fit to sit the test, you should reschedule your appointment to a later date (a rescheduling fee is charged). This advice applies even if you have missed the deadline to reschedule and as a result would have to pay the test fee again to rebook.
• If you choose to sit the test against this advice, it will not be accepted as mitigating circumstances.

UCAT Exam Rules

You should familiarise yourself with the UCAT ANZ Examination Rules before your test. Please also refer to the Test Day Problems section below. 

Identification

When you check-in at the test centre you are required to present one piece of official photographic identification from the list of permitted ID. Refer to the Photo ID Policy.

Test centre check-in process

Please arrive 30 minutes before your appointment time to complete the check-in process and bring the following: 

• Official photographic ID that meets the Photo ID Policy
  

• Your appointment confirmation email from Pearson VUE (electronic or printed) 

If you arrive more than 15 minutes after your appointment time, or miss the test for any reason, your test fee will not be refunded. This applies in cases of family emergency, accident, arrest, transport problems and security alert as well as forgetfulness and lateness. You will have to pay again to book a new appointment (subject to availability). See information under 'Missed test appointment'.

During the check-in process:

• Your ID will be checked.
• You will be asked to read the UCAT ANZ Examination Rules and sign to confirm that you understand and agree to them. It is a good idea to familiarise yourself with these rules before your appointment as they also explain what you need to do if you experience any issues during your test.
  
• Staff will take a digital photograph of you.
  
• All personal belongings (including bags, coats/ jackets, hats or head coverings, jewellery, watches, calculators, papers, books, pens, food/water/drinks, wallets, keys, mobile phones, smart watches, smart glasses, all electronic devices) must be placed in the lockers provided before you enter the test room. The only exceptions permitted are religious apparel, head wear that is worn for medical reasons and small hair clips/hairbands (less than 1/2 inch wide). For clarity, nothing is allowed into the test room apart from the indoor clothes worn and any permitted Comfort Aids.
  
• Staff will conduct a routine visual inspection of your clothing, hands/arms and any comfort aids. This is for security purposes. 

If you have any concerns over the check-in process please contact Pearson VUE Customer Services at least 5 business days before your test. 

If you arrive early for your test appointment you may be offered the opportunity to start the test early if a workstation is available. If you do not wish to do so, you can decline and start at your official appointment time.

Test centre receptions are restricted to test takers only for security reasons. Waiting areas are not provided for anyone accompanying you to the test centre so you should make other arrangements to meet them when your appointment is over.  

The duration of the standard test is 2 hours and care should be taken when making return travel arrangements to allow adequate time at the test centre in case of unforeseen delays.

Earplugs

The majority of test centres will provide earplugs to candidates who request them. 

Please check this link for the list of test centres that do not provide earplugs to candidates. [The link will be available during the testing cycle.] Candidates who wish to use earplugs at these centres will need to bring their own disposable earplugs in unopened packaging. The earplugs cannot have any electronic capabilities. 

Note that at test centres where earplugs are provided, candidates are not permitted to use their own.

Candidates sitting the test at overseas test centres (outside Australia and New Zealand) are advised to bring their own disposable earplugs in case their test centre does not provide them. See the link above for full details about acceptable earplugs.

Test experience and environment

After the check-in process has been completed you will be taken into the testing room and allocated a desk space at which you will find a PC and keyboard. You will be provided with a laminated notebook and marker pen. If you are not given these when you enter the test room, you should request them by raising your hand. You should check that the marker pen is working before starting your test and ask for a replacement if necessary.

There will be other people taking tests in the same room. There may be some limited disturbance as other test takers arrive and leave the room according to their appointment time. The test centre staff will endeavour for disturbances to be kept to a minimum.

On occasion there may be a routine testing of fire alarm systems during your test. Signage should be available in test centres advising you if this is likely to occur. In the event of there being a genuine incident test centre staff will advise you how to evacuate the building safely.

Once the invigilator has launched your test, you are under exam conditions. You will be monitored at all times using CCTV and/or an in-room test invigilator.

Refer to the Test Tools page for important information about the on-screen calculator, keyboard shortcuts, and laminated note booklet and marker pen.

If you need a break to take medication or to use the toilets, raise your hand to notify the invigilator. The test cannot be paused; you will lose time when out of the room. A routine visual inspection of your clothing, hands/arms will be performed before you re-enter the test room. Take breaks between subtests to limit impact on test time. 

After completing the test, raise your hand. The invigilator will end your test and escort you from the testing room. 

This video shows what to expect at the test centre. Note that UCAT ANZ candidates receive their results in their Pearson VUE account within 24 hours of their test sitting, not when they leave the test centre as depicted here.

Test Day Problems

Please refer to the information below which covers the steps you should take if there is a problem during your test. 

Candidates are provided with a copy of the UCAT ANZ Examination Rules to read prior to testing. This document advises that if you experience issues that affect your test, you must notify the invigilator immediately by raising your hand so the matter can be addressed.

Illness during Testing

• In attending to test you are declaring you are fit to test. For further details please read our Fit to test policy.
• If you become ill during your test, raise your hand to notify the invigilator.
• If you are not well enough to continue, ask the invigilator to end your test.
• Email the UCAT ANZ Office with medical documentation within 1 day of your test for consideration to rebook. 
• If you choose to continue testing, UCAT ANZ will not consider this as mitigating circumstances. 

Incidents during Testing

The UCAT ANZ Consortium and our partner Pearson VUE aim to provide a straightforward test experience in a business like environment. However, occasionally things may go wrong and we have systems in place to deal with such circumstances. 

Raising an issue during your test

• If you experience an issue during your test, raise your hand to notify the invigilator immediately. This includes hardware/software problems, excessive noise disturbance or other distractions. In the case of a technical issue, the invigilator will address the issue and the test will resume.
• If you do not raise the issue at the time of the incident during your test, UCAT ANZ will not accept this as a mitigating circumstance.
• The invigilator cannot answer questions related to test content.

Requesting an incident investigation

• The reporting of an incident at the test centre does not automatically result in UCAT ANZ or Pearson VUE taking any action unless you request an incident investigation from Pearson VUE within 1 day of your test.
• If you wish to have your case investigated please refer to the process on the Test Incident page.