UCAT ANZ 2027 in New Zealand is the test you sit in July 2027 for 2028 university entry. If you're heading from Year 13 into HSFY, starting Year 13, or applying as a graduate, the first thing to check is whether the course you want uses it. Otago Medicine has required it for its HSFY and Graduate routes. Auckland Medicine won't use it for 2028 entry. As of 14 October 2026, the 2027 test dates, fees, centres and format still haven't been published.
What is UCAT ANZ 2027 in NZ?
UCAT ANZ is a computer-based admissions test, sat at Pearson centres, for participating courses in Australia and New Zealand. The year in the name is the year you sit the test, and it has nothing to do with the year you start uni. UCAT ANZ 2026 was sat for 2027 entry, and the 2027 cycle is for 2028 entry. Scores can't be carried from one admissions cycle to the next, so getting this straight decides whether a sitting in Year 13 will do you any good later.
The published 2026 format has four subtests, each on its own clock. Abstract Reasoning was dropped in 2025. By our check date UCAT ANZ hadn't announced a format change for 2027, but no announcement doesn't mean the test is confirmed as unchanged. Use the current format to get familiar early, and go back to the official page once the next cycle is up.
The table shows the published 2026 format as a planning reference. Situational Judgement gets its own scaled score and doesn't count towards the cognitive total.
| 2026 subtest | Questions | Question time | Score range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 44 | 22 min | 300 to 900 |
| Decision Making | 35 | 37 min | 300 to 900 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 36 | 26 min | 300 to 900 |
| Situational Judgement | 69 | 26 min | 300 to 900 |
Sources: ucat.edu.au, checked 14 October 2026.
Verbal Reasoning has you answer from passages alone, without leaning on anything you already know. Decision Making tests the conclusions you can draw from information, with both single-answer and five-statement questions. Quantitative Reasoning is numerical problem solving, often from charts and graphs. Situational Judgement puts you in hypothetical clinical or training scenarios. You get a basic on-screen calculator for Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning. Add the separate instruction sections to the question time and the whole thing runs a little under two hours.
Who needs UCAT ANZ 2027 for 2028 entry?
Otago Medicine's published criteria for 2027 entry required domestic HSFY and Graduate applicants to have UCAT results from the year they applied. Otago set thresholds for Verbal Reasoning and Situational Judgement, then ranked everyone who cleared them on academic results, with no further weight on UCAT. Otago says it sets thresholds each year, and the 2028 ones haven't appeared yet. The 2026 thresholds tell you where the line sat last time, so don't treat them as your target. The Alternative category didn't require UCAT at all. Read the Otago Medicine criteria for the route that applies to you.
Auckland has published a different selection process for 2028 Medicine. Casper and an MMI make up the final ranking, and GPA is an eligibility condition. UCAT isn't part of it. Auckland did use UCAT for 2027 entry, which is why older posts and the current Consortium list still show it. Otago Dentistry no longer requires UCAT either. If you're applying for both Otago Medicine and Dentistry, you may still need the test for Medicine. Before you book, read the Auckland Medicine criteria, the Otago Dentistry criteria and our Auckland change guide.
Australian courses are on the current Consortium list too, but that's the list for 2027 entry, and it hasn't been updated for 2028. Our university-by-university guide reproduces its Australian listings and explains how NZ is different. We haven't verified Australian cut offs, or how each institution classifies NZ applicants, so check those with each school directly.
Can Year 12 or Year 13 students sit UCAT?
Under the published eligibility rule, the earliest you can sit is the final year of secondary school. In New Zealand that's Year 13, which means Year 12 students can't sit it yet. Degree students and graduates can. You can take UCAT ANZ once in a test cycle, and you're allowed to sit again in a later year. You can't take UCAT ANZ and UCAT UK in the same year.
If you're in Year 13 in 2027 you may be eligible to sit, but if you do HSFY in 2028 you apply to Otago during that year, from 1 July 2028, for 2029 entry, and you'll need a 2028 result. By then your 2027 score will have expired. If you're doing HSFY in 2027 and applying for 2028 entry, you're in a different position, because 2027 is your application year. Our which year to sit UCAT guide works through those timelines, and the 2026 score guide explains why you can't save an old result for later.
What are the UCAT 2027 dates and deadlines?
None of the 2027 dates had been published when we checked. UCAT ANZ put out the 2026 dates in early November 2025, so we expect an update around November 2026. That's our expectation from the earlier release, and UCAT ANZ hasn't announced anything for 2027. Our dates and deadlines page puts the 2026 dates beside a 2027 column that's still pending, so you can check it at a glance.
These were the main published 2026 milestones. Deadlines fell at 11:59pm AEST. The booking deadline was 47 days before the first test, about seven weeks, which means that if you wait until semester exams to think about booking, you've left it too late.
| Milestone | 2026 reference | 2027 status |
|---|---|---|
| Access arrangements open | Mon 16 Feb 2026 | Not yet published |
| Booking opens | Tue 3 Mar 2026 | Not yet published |
| Standard booking closes | Fri 15 May 2026 | Not yet published |
| Final late booking closes | Fri 5 Jun 2026 | Not yet published |
| Testing window | 1 Jul to 5 Aug 2026 | Not yet published |
Sources: ucat.edu.au, checked 14 October 2026.
A UCAT 2027 timeline from now to July
This is Cutline's suggested plan, anchored to what happened in 2026. Swap in the real dates once UCAT ANZ publishes the 2027 cycle. The study load should fit around your papers, and our when to start UCAT prep post covers how many weeks you need and how much work to put in.
November to February: learn the format
Read the current official format and open the free Tour Tutorial. Get comfortable with the calculator, navigator and flagging controls before you start timing yourself. Work through the Question Tutorials and start a short error log. If you're a Year 13 getting ready for HSFY, treat this as orientation and keep your school or uni work ahead of it.
February: apply for access arrangements if needed
Access arrangements opened on 16 February in 2026. If you need extra time, rest breaks or another adjustment, get your current school or university letter and supporting documents together early. You need approval before you book. Our access arrangements guide explains the order and the 2026 deadline.
March: book a July date
Bookings opened on 3 March in 2026. The Consortium recommended testing in July and warned that regional and late appointments were limited. Check the name on your ID, your HSFY or school assessments and your travel, then book a date that works. Keep both the appointment confirmation and the payment receipt. Our NZ centre guide lists the six 2026 cities and how to pick between them.
April to June: timed sets and full mocks
Move from untimed learning to short sets on each subtest's clock. Leave room for the full official practice tests closer to your sitting, and when you review, work out the reason behind each mistake. The free official practice guide gives the Consortium's order. For technique on each subtest, read our posts on Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making, Quantitative Reasoning and Situational Judgement.
Mid May: check the booking hard stop
In 2026 the standard booking deadline was Friday 15 May, followed by paid late periods. The access arrangements deadline was the same Friday, with late applications to 29 May. Don't mix it up with the Australian-only concession deadline, which was 11 May. If you haven't booked yet, go to the official site now and check what's available. The 2027 dates and late fees may be different.
July: sit the test
The 2026 window opened on 1 July. For 2027, confirm the window and your own appointment with Pearson. The week before, check your original photo ID and sort out your travel. Plan to arrive 30 minutes early, which was the 2026 rule. Our test day guide lists the accepted NZ IDs, lockers and breaks. If you get sick or something clashes, read the reschedule and missed test guide before you lose the appointment.
How much does UCAT cost a New Zealand student?
In 2026 the standard fee for sitting in New Zealand or Australia was A$335. There's no official NZ dollar figure, and what comes out of your account depends on your bank's conversion and fees. The 2027 fee hasn't been published. A NZ Community Services Card didn't get you the concession, which was for Australians only. Booking late in 2026 added A$85 or A$185. Our full NZ fee guide also covers refunds and rescheduling.
How is the UCAT scored and when do results arrive?
Verbal Reasoning, Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning are each scored from 300 to 900, which gives a cognitive total of 900 to 2,700. Situational Judgement gets a separate 300 to 900 score. There's no negative marking, so a considered answer beats a blank. Pearson emails you a score report within 24 hours of your test, and in 2026 UCAT ANZ sent results to universities in early September. On your applications you give your UCAT ANZ ID. Your score report doesn't count as the official result, so don't send it in.
In 2026 the median cognitive total was 1,950 across 17,341 candidates, but don't read that as a 2028 admission line. Otago sets its thresholds each year, and a university may work out percentiles from its own applicants. Our 2024 to 2026 score comparison explains why you can't compare 2024 totals with later ones now that Abstract Reasoning has gone. The Otago score guide explains how the threshold works, though the next published criteria could change that.
What happens if you miss a booking or test?
In 2026 the final late booking deadline was 5 June, and UCAT ANZ said it made no exceptions. You could reschedule up to 24 hours before your appointment, as long as another slot was free. If you didn't turn up, you had to pay the standard test fee again to look for another appointment, and only if there was space. The published rules applied to illness too. Sort out a clash the moment you know about it, and keep your confirmation emails.
The official pages have the final say on deadlines, ID and your own appointment. Use this guide to plan, then check the UCAT ANZ test cycle page, the booking instructions and the university's course page before you pay. Booking the test is a separate step from applying to university.
FAQ
Do I need UCAT for Auckland Medicine in 2028?
No. Auckland has published Casper and MMI requirements for 2028 entry, and UCAT isn't part of its selection process.
Do I need UCAT for Otago Dentistry?
Otago no longer requires UCAT for Dentistry. If you're also applying for Medicine, you can still need UCAT for that.
Is UCAT ANZ 2027 open for booking?
No. No opening date had been published by 14 October 2026. In 2026, booking opened on 3 March.
Can I use a 2026 score for 2028 entry?
No. UCAT ANZ results are valid for one admissions cycle, and Otago required a result from the application year for its published Medicine routes.
If you want timed practice by subtest as your test date gets closer, see how Cutline UCAT practice works.
Cutline is not affiliated with or endorsed by the UCAT ANZ Consortium or the University of Otago. UCAT is used here only to describe the test. Official information checked 14 October 2026. Check ucat.edu.au for the 2027 cycle when it is published.
