UCAT ANZ Test Day

It is important to read this information to ensure your test day runs smoothly. The information below outlines the test centre experience. 

UCAT ANZ ‘Fitness to Test’ Policy

Candidates who attend their test are declaring themselves fit to sit the test. 

• If you are aware of anything that might affect your performance on the day, you should not sit the test. This applies even if you fall ill or experience issues on the day of your test.
• If you are not fit to sit the test, you should reschedule your appointment to a later date (a rescheduling fee is charged). This advice applies even if you have missed the deadline to reschedule and as a result would have to pay the test fee again to rebook.
• If you choose to sit the test against this advice, it will not be accepted as mitigating circumstances.

UCAT ANZ Exam Rules

You should familiarise yourself with the UCAT ANZ Examination Rules before your test. Please also refer to the Test Day Problems section below. 

Identification

When you check-in at the test centre you are required to present one piece of official photographic identification from the list of permitted ID. We strongly recommend you check the ID you are intending to present and its expiry date well in advance of your test day to ensure it meets our Photo ID Policy. Doing so will allow sufficient time to obtain acceptable ID if necessary.

Test centre check-in process

Please arrive 30 minutes before your appointment time to complete the check-in process and bring the following: 

• Official photographic ID that meets the Photo ID Policy
  

• Your exam appointment confirmation email from Pearson (electronic or printed) 

If you arrive more than 15 minutes after your appointment time, or miss the test for any reason, your test fee will not be refunded. You will have to pay again to book a new appointment (subject to availability). See information under 'Missed test appointment'.

During the check-in process, staff will:

• Check your Photo ID and take your photo.
• Ask you to read and agree to the UCAT ANZ Examination Rules. 
  Please familiarise yourself with these rules before your appointment as they also explain what you need to do if you experience any issues during your test.
• Conduct a routine visual inspection of your clothing, hands/arms, ears (if covered) and any comfort aids. This is for security purposes. 

If you arrive early for your test appointment you may be offered the opportunity to start the test early if a workstation is available. If you do not wish to do so, you can decline and start at your official appointment time.

Test centre receptions are restricted to test takers only for security reasons. Waiting areas are not provided for anyone accompanying you to the test centre so you should make other arrangements to meet them when your appointment is over.  

The duration of the standard test is 2 hours and care should be taken when making return travel arrangements to allow adequate time at the test centre in case of unforeseen delays.

Earplugs (updated 4 February 2026)

Test centres are generally quiet, although there will usually be other people taking tests in the same room. 

Test centres in Australia and New Zealand will provide earplugs to candidates who request them. Alternatively, you may bring your own disposable earplugs. 

• The earplugs must be disposable and in unopened packaging
• Test centre staff will ask candidates to open the packaging and will visually inspect the earplugs
• Only the earplugs are allowed inside the test room

Candidates sitting in overseas test centres (outside Australia and New Zealand) should bring their own disposable earplugs. Some overseas test centres may not have earplugs to provide candidates who do not bring their own. 

• The earplugs must be disposable and in unopened packaging
• Test centre staff will ask candidates to open the packaging and will visually inspect the earplugs
• Only the earplugs are allowed inside the test room

Test experience and environment

After check-in you will be taken into the testing room and assigned a desk space at which you will find a PC, standard keyboard and mouse.

You will be provided with a laminated notebook and marker pen. If you are not given these when you enter the test room, please request them from the invigilator. Check that the marker pen is working before starting your test and ask for a replacement if necessary. 

There will be other people taking tests in the same room. There may be some limited disturbance as other test takers arrive and leave according to their appointment time, or are assisted by staff. The test centre staff will endeavour for disturbances to be kept to a minimum.

On occasion there may be a routine testing of fire alarm systems during your test. Signage should be available in test centres advising you if this is likely to occur. In the event of there being a genuine incident test centre staff will advise you how to evacuate the building safely.

Once the invigilator has launched your test, you are under exam conditions. You should commence the test promptly after being seated. The invigilator may prompt you to begin in order to keep your appointment within the allocated time slot. You will be monitored throughout using CCTV and/or an in-room test invigilator.

If you need a break (for example to use the toilet or access water), raise your hand to notify the invigilator. The test cannot be paused and you will lose time when out of the room. Taking breaks between subtests can help reduce time loss. A routine visual inspection of your clothing, hands/arms will be performed before you re-enter the test room. Take breaks between subtests to limit impact on test time. (Candidates who have been approved for an Access Arrangements test version with rest breaks will be able to pause the test to take a rest break.) 

After completing the test, raise your hand. The invigilator will end your test and escort you from the testing room. 

This video shows what to expect at a Pearson test centre. This is for general information; some procedures may differ at some test centres. Note that UCAT ANZ candidates receive their results in their Pearson account within 24 hours of their test sitting, not when they leave the test centre as depicted in the video.

Refer to the Test Tools page for important information about the on-screen calculator, keyboard shortcuts, and laminated note booklet and marker pen.

Test Day Problems

Please refer to the information below which covers the steps you should take if there is a problem during your test. 

Candidates are provided with a copy of the UCAT ANZ Examination Rules to read prior to testing. The exam rules advise that if you experience issues during testing, you must notify the invigilator immediately by raising your hand so the matter can be addressed.

Illness during Testing

• In attending to test you are declaring you are fit to test. For further details please read our 'Fitness to Test' policy.
• If you become ill during your test, raise your hand to notify the invigilator. If you are not well enough to continue, ask the invigilator to end your test.
• Email the UCAT ANZ Office with medical documentation within 1 day of your test for consideration to rebook. 
• If you choose to continue testing, UCAT ANZ will not consider this as mitigating circumstances. 

Incidents during Testing

The UCAT ANZ Consortium and our partner Pearson aim to provide a straightforward test experience in a business like environment. However, occasionally things may go wrong and we have systems in place to deal with such circumstances. 

Raising an issue during your test

• If you experience an issue during your test, raise your hand to notify the invigilator immediately. This includes hardware/software problems, excessive noise disturbance or other distractions. In the case of a technical issue, the invigilator will address the issue and the test will resume.
• If you do not raise the issue at the time of the incident during your test, it is unable to be investigated after the test sitting. 
• The invigilator cannot answer questions related to test content.

Requesting an incident investigation

• The reporting of an incident at the test centre does not automatically result in Pearson or UCAT ANZ taking any action unless you request an incident investigation from Pearson VUE within 1 day of your test.
• If you wish to have the incident you reported during testing investigated, please refer to the process on the Test Incident page.