Who Is Eligible for Access Arrangements?
You may be eligible for UCAT access arrangements if you have a documented disability, neurodivergent condition, long-term medical condition, or specific learning difficulty that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to take a timed, computer-based test under standard conditions. Common qualifying conditions include dyslexia, dyspraxia, ADHD, autism spectrum conditions, visual impairments, hearing impairments, and physical disabilities affecting computer use or writing.
Eligibility is not automatic — it must be demonstrated through acceptable evidence. The type of evidence required depends on the nature of your condition. For most specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia), a current educational psychologist report or a letter from a qualified assessor confirming the condition and its impact is required. For medical conditions, a letter from your GP or specialist confirming the diagnosis and its functional impact on testing is typically required.
The Application Process and Timeline
Access arrangement applications open at the same time as UCAT registration in May 2026. You must complete an online application through your UCAT account, selecting the type of arrangement you are requesting and uploading your supporting evidence. Applications are reviewed by the UCAT Access Arrangements team, and decisions are typically communicated within a few weeks of submission.
Critically: you cannot book your test until your access arrangements have been approved. If you apply for arrangements and booking opens while your application is still under review, wait until you receive your approval before booking. Booking under standard conditions and then attempting to change your arrangements after booking is significantly more complicated.
If you have previously been granted access arrangements for GCSE, A-level, or other standardised exams, this is strong supportive evidence for a UCAT application — but it does not automatically guarantee approval. UCAT considers each application individually.
How Access Arrangements Affect Your Test Experience
If you are approved for extra time, your adjusted section timings will be applied automatically by the Pearson VUE system when you sit your test. You do not need to do anything different on test day — the system knows you have been granted extra time and applies it. Your score report will not indicate that you received access arrangements to any other party; however, some universities may be aware of the practice of access arrangements and may interpret scores in this context.
If you have other arrangements — such as a separate testing room, rest breaks, or a reader — these are coordinated directly with the test centre. When you arrive at the test centre, confirm your arrangements with the invigilator before the test begins. If anything is not as arranged, address it before you start — raising concerns after the test has begun is significantly more complicated. MediSpoon recommends practising under your adjusted time conditions in your mock tests so that the experience is familiar on exam day.
