You’ve signed up for the UKCAT exam, and now you are starting to look at what exactly that means. What are the subtests, how many are there and how long do I have for the test? This blog will go through two main format features of the test.
The UKCAT contains several design features that you may want to be aware of before you start your preparation efforts.
- The UKCAT contains five subtests, each of which
are distinct from the test before and assess you on different skills to each other. - The time allocated to each question is different for each subtest.
The five subtests
The UKCAT is made up of five very different subtests. The test is 2 hours long, with no breaks allocated. If you take a break your time will continue to run whilst you are not there.
| Subtest | Time per section (+ 1 min instructions) | No. questions | Time per question | Skills tested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal reasoning | 22 minutes | 44 questions based on 11 passages | 29 seconds | English; drawing inferences and critical thinking |
| Quantitative reasoning | 25 minutes | 36 questions based on 9 sets of information | 40 seconds | Maths; workout correct answers |
| Abstract reasoning | 14 minutes | 55 questions | 15 seconds | Identifying patterns; determining relationships |
| Decision analysis | 32 minutes | 28 questions | Just over | Decision making; using judgement |
| Situational judgement | 27 minutes | 67 questions based on 20 scenarios | 20 seconds | Response to tricky situations at work/Uni. |
Once you have understood the format of the test, you can move on to the individual subtests, always working within the time constraints and requirements of each section.
