Planning
UCAT ANZ in Year 11: what you can do now
4 min read · Facts checked 19 October 2026
In short
Australian Year 11 students cannot take the UCAT ANZ; it is for students in their final year of school or beyond. Year 11 is a good time to learn the format using the Consortium's free materials and to check which university courses you want, without sitting a test.
On this page
If you are in Year 11 and thinking about medicine or dentistry, you have probably already heard of the UCAT. A common question is whether it is worth sitting now to get it out of the way. The rules answer that clearly.
The rule
The UCAT ANZ Consortium's eligibility page says a candidate must be in, or have finished, their last year of secondary school, or be beyond it. Its example for UCAT ANZ 2026 is a person whose final school year is finished in 2026 or planned for 2026.
That means:
- Australian Year 11 students are not eligible, even a Year 11 student who takes a Year 12 subject or two.
- A student spreading Year 12 across two years can only sit in the final one of those years.
- In New Zealand, students in Year 12 or below are also ineligible.
- Results cannot be carried over. A result from the 2026 cycle is for entry in 2027 only.
So if you are in Year 11 now, your sitting will be in the cycle that runs in the year you finish school.
What the Year 12 year looks like
Looking at the 2026 cycle shows the shape of the year. These were the Consortium's dates, and the 2027 dates had not been published when this was checked:
| Step | 2026 cycle |
|---|---|
| Concession and access applications begin | 16 February |
| Test booking begins | 3 March |
| Last day to apply for a concession | 11 May |
| Last day to book at the base price | 15 May |
| Testing window | 1 July to 5 August |
| Results to universities | Early September |
For the 2026 cycle, the test is in the middle of the year, so a Year 12 student is preparing in the first half of the year while handling school assessments. That is the main argument for starting some familiarity work in Year 11.
What you can usefully do in Year 11
1. Learn the format, without pressure. The Consortium provides free preparation materials: a preparation plan, a tour tutorial, question tutorials, question banks and practice tests. Reading the preparation resources page and working through the tutorials shows you what is coming. Our post on using the free materials suggests an order.
2. Build the underlying skills. The test uses written passages, logic, charts and graphs, and judgement about realistic situations. Wide reading, working through maths problems with data, and discussing ethical situations all feed into it. One high-scoring candidate featured on the Consortium's candidate advice page started serious preparation in early February, focusing on one subtest per week for the first few months before moving to timed practice. You do not need to match that, but it shows a gradual approach worked for them.
3. Check which courses you are aiming for. The Consortium's universities page lists which courses require the UCAT ANZ. It also says some pathways do not require it. It is far easier to learn that in Year 11 than in March of Year 12.
4. Find out about help you may need. The Consortium offers access arrangements for candidates with a documented medical condition or disability who receive accommodations at school. For the 2026 cycle these needed approval before the test could be booked, and the application window ran from 16 February to 15 May. A concession on the fee is available for holders of a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card. If either might apply to you, collect the documents early. Our post on cost and concession has the details.
5. Do not sit a different test thinking it counts. Australian and New Zealand universities in the Consortium accept only UCAT ANZ results, and a candidate cannot take the UCAT ANZ and the UK UCAT in one year.
What not to do in Year 11
- Do not buy a pile of materials. The Consortium's own free materials are representative of the live test, and it advises caution with other providers.
- Do not let UCAT practice cut into the schoolwork that determines your academic results, which universities also use.
- Do not treat early practice scores as predictions. Skills change a lot over a year.
Three myths worth clearing up
"I'll sit it early to have a backup." There is no early sitting. Eligibility is tied to the final year of school, and a repeat in the same cycle is treated as misconduct.
"Everyone starts a year ahead." The Consortium's materials are free and the test is the same for everyone. Some students prepare early; others prepare in a few focused months. The candidates the Consortium profiles describe different timelines.
"It is all about speed." Time is tight, but the Consortium's descriptions of the subtests stress reading carefully, applying logic and judging situations. Practising calm, accurate reading in Year 11 is not wasted time.
A light Year 11 plan
A realistic plan might be an hour a week across a term: one tutorial in the first weeks, then a small set of questions from one question bank, with a note about what slowed you down. Over holidays you might try a longer sitting of a section. By the end of Year 11 you would know the shape of each subtest and have a sense of which feels hardest.
Where to go next
- UCAT ANZ and medicine entry: the overview
- Using the free materials in order
- Our guides have a Year 10 to 12 timeline, and UCAT ANZ practice is on the samples page.
Not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the UCAT ANZ Consortium.
Sources
Each page was checked on 19 October 2026.
- Eligibility, UCAT ANZ Consortium
- UCAT ANZ Essentials 2026, UCAT ANZ Consortium
- UCAT ANZ 2026 dates and fees, UCAT ANZ Consortium
- Preparation resources, UCAT ANZ Consortium
- Candidate advice, UCAT ANZ Consortium
Common questions
Can I take the UCAT ANZ in Year 11?
No. Only candidates who are in, or have finished, their last year of secondary school (or have gone beyond it) can sit the test. Australian Year 11 students, including those taking a Year 12 subject, are not eligible.
What if I am doing Year 12 over two years?
You are only eligible to sit the test in your final year.
When do bookings open?
For the 2026 cycle, bookings opened on 3 March 2026 and closed on 15 May 2026, with a testing window from 1 July to 5 August 2026. Dates for the next cycle were not published on 19 October 2026.
Can I use the practice materials before I am eligible?
The Consortium's practice materials, question tutorials and question banks are free and published on its public website, so Year 11 students can start getting familiar with the format.
Do I need to decide on universities now?
Not yet, but it helps to know which courses require the UCAT ANZ. Check each university's entry requirements early.
Keep reading
- OverviewUCAT ANZ and medicine entry: what to knowA plain guide for Australian students: what the UCAT ANZ is, which universities use it, who can sit it, when, and how it fits an application.
- PreparationUsing the free UCAT ANZ practice materialsThe Consortium's free UCAT ANZ materials work best in order: plan, tour, tutorials, question banks, then timed practice tests. How to use each step.
- Fees and datesHow much does the UCAT ANZ cost?UCAT ANZ 2026 fees, late fees, the refund and rescheduling charges, and who can apply for the concession rate, with the dates they applied.
Want UCAT ANZ practice to try?
The form 01 practice papers are free. They are UCAT ANZ practice, written independently, so you can see how timed practice feels before deciding whether to do more.