UCAT bursary checker
UCAT bursary
Choose what you or your family receive
Your result
- Published UCAT date
Missing the test still costs you. If you miss a test paid for by a bursary (including being refused for ID or missing the reschedule deadline), you pay the fee to rebook and UCAT will not issue another bursary.
Universities see that a result was bursary-funded. UCAT says this will not disadvantage the application.
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For UCAT 2026, applications opened on 20 May 2026 and the application and evidence deadline was 24 September 2026 at 15:00 UK time.
Questions people ask
Who can get a UCAT bursary?
UK candidates who receive, or whose parent or guardian receives, one of: free school meals (Local Authority funded), the 16 to 19 Bursary or EMA, Learner Support, a full-rate Student Finance maintenance award, Universal Credit, Income Support or income-based JSA or ESA, or Asylum Support. Candidates over 21 and out of full-time education must receive the award themselves.
How much does the UCAT bursary cover?
The whole test fee. You can have one bursary per test cycle, and it is applied automatically when you book.
When is the UCAT bursary deadline?
For UCAT 2026, applications opened on 20 May 2026 and the application and evidence deadline was 24 September 2026 at 15:00 UK time. UCAT will publish UCAT 2027 instructions in March 2027.
I already paid for the UCAT. Can I still get a bursary?
Yes. If you are approved after paying, request a refund through a Help Request in your UCAT account. For UCAT 2026 the refund deadline was 16 October 2026 at 17:00 UK time.
Does Child Benefit count for the UCAT bursary?
No. UCAT does not accept Council Tax Benefit, Housing Benefit, Child Benefit or Personal Independence Payment under any circumstances, nor free school meals or bursaries at independent schools.
Do universities know I had a UCAT bursary?
Yes: results sent to universities are flagged when a bursary paid for the test. UCAT says this will not disadvantage an application, and some universities use it to identify applicants from under-represented backgrounds.
When to do UCAT for 2027 entry?
In the summer before you apply: for 2027 entry, testing started on 13 July 2026 and booking closed on 16 September. For 2028 entry, you sit it in summer 2027.
When can I apply for the UCAT in 2026?
Booking for UCAT 2026 opened on 23 June 2026 at 2pm UK time and closed on 16 September 2026. Bursary applications opened earlier, on 20 May 2026.
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How we work this out
What it does
Check whether you qualify for a UCAT bursary, which waives the whole test fee, and exactly what evidence to upload.
The UCAT (UK) bursary scheme as published for the UCAT 2026 cycle on ucat.ac.uk, checked on 27 September 2026: eligibility, evidence, what is never accepted, and the cycle's dates.
Method
- The scheme is open to UK candidates only, so candidates outside the UK get a no straight away.
- Your award or benefit is matched against UCAT's seven qualifying routes, each with the evidence UCAT asks you to upload.
- For Universal Credit, income-based benefits and Asylum Support, a parent's or guardian's award counts, unless you are over 21 and no longer in full-time secondary or undergraduate education: then you must receive it yourself.
- Awards on UCAT's 'not accepted under any circumstances' list get a no. Anything else is not on the published list; UCAT says it occasionally considers other evidence case by case.
Published figures
Every UCAT bursary route and the evidence it needs
The bursary waives the whole test fee. One bursary per test cycle. If you are over the age of 21 and no longer in full-time secondary or undergraduate education, you must personally receive a qualifying award or means-tested benefit.
| You or your family receive | Evidence to upload |
|---|---|
| Free school meals (Local Authority funded) | An official letter or communication from your school or college confirming you currently receive free school meals (Local Authority funded only) for academic year 2025/26 or 2026/27, with your full name, the school or college (or Local Authority) and the full date. |
| 16 to 19 Bursary (England) or EMA (Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland) | Your official award letter or communication for academic year 2025/26 or 2026/27, with your full name, your school or college and the full date of the award. |
| Learner Support (FE 19+) or the Scottish, Welsh or Northern Irish equivalent | An official award letter for academic year 2025/26 or 2026/27, with your full name, your college or place of study and the full date of the award. |
| Full-rate (means-tested) undergraduate Student Finance maintenance award | All pages of your award letter for 2025/26 or 2026/27 showing a full rate: Student Finance England maintenance grant or loan, SAAS Young or Independent Students' Bursary, or Student Finance Wales or Northern Ireland maintenance grant. |
| Universal Credit | One of your or your parent or guardian's Universal Credit statements dated within the last 3 months, with the claimant's name and address, the date and the award amount. |
| Income Support, or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance | All pages of your or your parent or guardian's award letter from a UK Jobcentre Plus, dated 2026. JSA or ESA must be the income-based (means-tested) award, not contribution-based. |
| Asylum Support from the UK Government | Your or your parent or guardian's official award letter, dated within the last 12 months. |