UCAT Registration Is Coming Up: What You Need to Know (and When You Should Sit It)

Me on my first day of placement of Acute General Surgery as a Medical Student at Monash Hospital

If you’re planning to apply for medicine or dentistry in Australia or New Zealand, the UCAT is one of the most important exams you’ll sit in Year 12 (or as a gap-year student). With UCAT registration opening soon, now is the time to get organised so you don’t fall behind before preparation even begins.

At Real Knowledge Academy, we see the same mistakes every year — students missing key deadlines, booking poor test dates, or underestimating how much strategy matters.

This guide walks you through how to register for the UCAT and explains the optimal time to sit the exam, especially for Queensland students.

What Is the UCAT and Why Does Registration Matter?

The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is used by most Australian medical and dental schools as a major selection tool. It assesses:

• Verbal Reasoning

• Decision Making

• Quantitative Reasoning

• Abstract Reasoning

• Situational Judgement

Your UCAT score is non-curriculum based, meaning school grades alone won’t save you. Strong performance requires early planning, deliberate practice, and critically, choosing the right test date.

UCAT Registration: Step-by-Step Guide

When registration opens, places begin filling quickly. Here’s exactly what you need to do.

Step 1: Create a UCAT Pearson Account

Go to the official UCAT registration website and create an account using your legal name. This must match your ID exactly. Use a personal email address you check regularly.

Step 2: Complete Your Candidate Details

Enter your personal details carefully, including date of birth, address, and school status. Double-check everything, as errors can cause issues on test day.

Step 3: Pay the Registration Fee

Standard UCAT registration requires payment at the time of booking. Fees can increase after the early registration period, so registering earlier is always better.

Step 4: Book Your Test Date and Location (Bookings Opening 3^rd of March)

Choose your preferred testing centre and select a test date within the UCAT testing window. This decision is critical — your timing can significantly affect performance.

Step 5: Download/Use Official UCAT ANZ Practice Materials

Once registered, access the official UCAT practice questions. Use these as benchmarks rather than your sole preparation resource.

When Is the Best Time to Sit the UCAT?

Our recommendation: the second week of Term 2 holidays.

For most students, this timing consistently delivers the best outcomes.

You get dedicated, uninterrupted time during the holidays to run full mock exams, refine timing strategies, and lock in weaker sections without school distractions or competing assessments.

By this point in the year, you’ve had enough time to build a solid preparation base without rushing or burning out too early. Earlier dates often catch students underprepared or not focused due to ATAR commitments, while later dates increase the risk of fatigue and overthinking.

One of the most underrated advantages is the built-in recovery period. Sitting the UCAT in the second week of the holidays gives you a full week before school resumes to mentally reset and refocus on Term 3, regardless of how the exam felt. That reset matters both emotionally and academically.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Registering late and settling for a poor test date

• Booking the exam during heavy school assessment weeks

• Treating the UCAT like a knowledge exam rather than a skills-based test

• Leaving serious preparation until after registration

Final Thoughts from Real Knowledge Academy

UCAT success isn’t accidental. It comes from smart timing, structured preparation, and strategy-driven practice.

Registration is the first decision that matters, and it sets the tone for everything that follows.

If you want support with UCAT planning timelines, weekly practice structure, or high-yield strategies used by top scorers, Real Knowledge Academy is here to help you do this properly.

Start early. Book smart. Train deliberately.

Best of Luck - The RKA Team