You’ve Failed UCAT, What’s Next?

You studied hard, but your UCAT score just wasn't enough. Now you’re facing the stress of a guaranteed lost year and having to resit the exam.

The thing is UCAT failure solutions exist, and you don’t have to delay your education at all. In this comprehensive guide, we'll go through the alternatives to UCAT and discuss your best Plan B: studying medicine abroad.

The key takeaways in this blog include:

• Falling UCAT doesn’t have to mean losing a whole year.
• Most European medical schools don't require the UCAT at all.
• Many European medical schools have flexible admission requirements without entrance exams.
• European medical degrees from accredited medical schools are fully recognised across the EU, the UK, and North America.

About the UCAT Exam

Simply put, the UCAT is a mandatory exam, required by most UK medical schools. It is a 2-hour, computer-based entrance exam and the 1st major hurdle you must clear before securing an interview.

However, the UCAT is not a knowledge test. It does not test your Biology, Chemistry, or Physics. Instead, it measures core mental abilities that doctors and dentists need, consisting of:

• Verbal Reasoning
• Decision Making
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Situational Judgement

If you are applying to medicine or dentistry in the UK for the upcoming academic cycle, the UCAT is mandatory for the vast majority of universities. You can only take it ONCE per admission cycle. If you don’t pass, you must wait until the following year to resit.

Why do students fail the UCAT?

Before looking at alternatives to UCAT, it’s important to understand why so many students get low scores in the 1st place. For an exam that doesn't test academic knowledge, the UCAT often surprises students who study hard but still fail to achieve a high score. The main issues aren't a lack of intelligence, but a lack of specialised strategy. Students often struggle because they:

• Do not prepare enough (minimum 8 weeks is recommended)
• Rely too heavily on uncalibrated question banks instead of focused learning
• Take the exam at the wrong time
• Fail to master the techniques required for the computer-based format, such as time management and system navigation.

UCAT Failed, What’s Next?

You scored lower than expected. Now you have 2 logical UCAT failure solutions for medicine:

Take a Gap Year & Re-sit

Taking a gap year is a double-edged sword. You may improve your score slightly, however, you’re risking extreme stress all over again, facing the same intense UK competition, and there’s no guarantee for improvement, risking losing a whole year or more.

Apply to Medicine Abroad

European medical schools bypass the UCAT because they prioritise academic knowledge over aptitude testing, which is in addition to:

• Most European medical universities have no entrance exams at all.
• Admissions prioritises your A-Level grades, especially in Biology and Chemistry.
• Study at globally accredited medical universities for significantly lower tuition fees.
• If an entrance assessment is required, it is often a manageable, subject-specific knowledge exam or interview, which is predictable and easy to prepare for.

For the entrance exam, we provide specialised, university-specific prep materials and support for every interview, giving you even greater chances of admission.

How to Study Medicine Abroad Without UCAT

A failed UCAT attempt doesn't mean your medical career has to end or be delayed. It just means your journey has to shift to a smarter, faster pathway. By pivoting immediately to studying medicine abroad after UCAT failure, you can get admitted to globally recognised universities with significantly easier entry requirements.

Here are 5 examples of top medical universities that prioritise your academic record and motivation over a single standardised aptitude test:

Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy (TMA), Georgia 

TMA offers 1 of the most accessible paths to a fully accredited medical degree with no traditional entrance exam. The admissions process involves an online interview, focusing on your motivation and basic knowledge of the sciences, not an arbitrary aptitude score. 

All this, while also offering a student-centred medical education that utilises innovative, evidence-based teaching and cutting-edge facilities, including an Anatomage table for 3D dissection, and clinical experience across 40 affiliated hospitals.

European University Tbilisi, Georgia

Like its counterpart, European University Tbilisi also has no entrance exam.

Students here benefit from an extensive network of 70 clinics and have early access to hands-on experience at the university's own specialised facilities, including the Jo Ann University Hospital (specialising in cardiology and cardiac surgery), all while being extremely affordable.

University of Health Sciences School of Medicine (UHSA), Antigua & Barbuda

With over 40 years of experience, UHSA is a highly respected medical school with no entrance exam required. The admissions criteria are clear, relying on your high school diploma and acceptable grades in core science subjects. 

In addition, you can have global clinical exposure, with affiliations to over 30 hospitals worldwide, including those in the UK (NHS Foundation Trust), the US, and Canada.

Medical University of Bialystok (UMB), Poland 

UMB is ranked #1 in Poland for its equipment and practical skills, and has had strong academic partnerships with prestigious medical schools like Harvard.

While it requires a subject-based entrance exam (covering Biology, Chemistry, Math, and Physics), this is a predictable, knowledge-based assessment. Medlink Students can also provide you with the perfect exam prep materials designed especially for the entrance exam at UMB. 

Overall, the Medical University of Bialystok is a perfect choice for students who are strong in science and want to bypass the UCAT. 

Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LMSU), Lithuania 

LMSU is the largest university for biomedical sciences in Lithuania, offers a strong academic foundation using Problem-Based Learning (PBL), and provides extensive training at the largest clinical base in the Baltic region.

A great detail about LSMU in this context is that you may be exempted from its entrance exam if you possess high A-Level grades (such as A, A or A, B) or high SAT Subject Test scores of 550 and above.

These are just a few of the universities where you could study medicine abroad, and the options are many. Book a free consultation with 1 of our expert advisors so we can match you with the best university for your unique needs and academic profile, or check our list of 100+ Best Medical Schools In Europe Taught In English.

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