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Should I be taking the UCAT at Home or in a Testing Centre?
In 2020, the UCAT consortium announced that there is an option of taking the UCAT at home, instead of in a testing centre.
This article was written in 2020 in response to these changes and to help students to decide the best course of action. In 2024 it is only possible to take the UCAT online remotely if travel to a test centre is impossible such as due to war or civil unrest. Most students will need to take the UCAT at a Pearson VUE testing centre.
Should I take the UCAT at home or in a testing centre?
This situation is new to all of us, but we want to help you with the decision of where to take the UCAT exam. I have used my personal experience of taking the UCAT in a testing centre in 2018 and I’ve also done some research on how taking the UCAT at home would look like to put together some useful information about the two different options.
Sections in this article:
- Taking the UCAT at Home
- Taking the UCAT in a Testing Centre
- Taking the UCAT at Home vs. in a Testing Centre
Hopefully, this blog post will help you make a choice that’s just right for you!
Taking the UCAT at Home
If you chose to take the UCAT in the comfort of your own home, you would do so as an online exam by using online proctoring (UCAT online) and the test content would be exactly the same as if you were taking it in a testing centre.
In terms of materials for the test, you would be allowed to use an erasable whiteboard and you would also have access to both the scratchpad and the UCAT calculator on the online testing software. As you know, these materials are important, particularly for Decision Making and Quantitative Reasoning, so make sure that you have what you need at home if you want to test at home.
For all the important details about sitting the UCAT online, make sure you carefully read through the UCAT Online Candidate Guide.
Taking the UCAT in a Testing Centre
If you chose to take the test in a testing centre rather than testing at home, you would be taking the test in a room with other students, with screens dividing your computers.
In terms of materials for the test, everyone’s computer is the same. You should also have access to an erasable whiteboard, as well as the scratchpad and UCAT calculator on your computer. Make sure you check out our tips for using the UCAT calculator as part of your UCAT preparation, as this will be really useful.
For further information about sitting the exam in a testing centre, make sure you read through the UCAT Test Centre Candidate Guide.
Taking the UCAT at Home vs. in a Testing Centre
This is where I get into the nitty gritty of which option is going to work best for you. As long as you make a well-informed decision, you will be completely fine!
In this section, I have given you all of the advantages I could think of for testing at home and taking the test in a testing centre. I didn’t bother with disadvantages, since the advantages of one option will highlight the disadvantages of the other… I hope that makes sense!
Hopefully, these next few points will aid your decision a lot.
Advantages of Taking the UCAT at Home
1. You are in a more relaxed environment.
If you prefer being feeling really relaxed during a test or being comfortable in your usual environment is really important to you, then you might be better off going for the UCAT online.
2. You don’t have to worry about being near other people, particularly during this pandemic.
If the coronavirus pandemic has made you anxious about going outside and being near other people, or if you are vulnerable and therefore shielding, then taking the test at home would probably be a good option for you. This would prevent you from worrying about multiple things, so you would be able to give all your attention to the exam.
3. You can avoid travelling.
If you test at home, you would avoid the hassle of having to find the testing centre and leave enough time for your journey to arrive on time. Also, if you need to take public transport, taking the UCAT at home would save you from worrying about the current situation whilst on the way to your exam. It would probably be quite nice to just sit down where you are and start the exam, so if travelling is something that would concern you, then testing at home could be a great idea.
Advantages of Taking the UCAT in a Testing Centre
1. You are in an exam setting.
If you are the kind of person who performs better in an exam if you are in exam conditions, then you will most likely be better off sitting the UCAT in a testing centre. There will probably be a few more people taking the test with you and of course, you’ll all be in silence, so it shouldn’t be too different from an exam at school.
Also, if your home is often noisy, you might do better in a testing centre because there will be nothing to distract you from the exam.
2. You will get support if you need it.
As the UCAT is an online exam taken on a computer, the technology has a small chance of going wrong. If you’re in a testing centre and something happens on your screen, someone will be available to assist you immediately and get you back onto the exam. However, if you’re testing at home, you might get into a panic if a problem occurs and you don’t know how to fix it.
3. You don’t need to worry about Wi-Fi.
This is similar to the advantage above but still quite important to consider on its own. If your house has a poor or unstable internet connection, then you might struggle with testing at home because the UCAT online might not load properly or you may face other issues. In a testing centre, the Wi-Fi should be totally fine and even if it did play up, staff would be present to resolve the problem without you needing to panic about anything.
End Note
Hopefully, this article has equipped you with what you need to make a good decision for yourself, whether that be taking the UCAT at home, or sitting the exam in a testing centre. For any further information, definitely check out the official UCAT page regarding this topic and as always, feel free to reach out to us with questions as well.
Remember if you would like some personalised support for your UCAT including in-depth strategies and shortcuts, check out our UCAT Online Course:
Best of luck with everything as always!
Frequently Asked Question
→Can I take the UCAT at home?
Yes, you can take the UCAT at home using the online proctoring option offered by Pearson VUE. This allows you to take the exam in the comfort of your own home, provided you have a stable internet connection, a computer with a webcam, and a quiet testing environment.
→What are the advantages of taking the UCAT at home?
The advantages of taking the UCAT at home include the convenience of taking the exam from your own home, the flexibility of scheduling your exam at a time that suits you, and the cost savings associated with not having to travel to a testing centre.
→What are the disadvantages of taking the UCAT at home?
The disadvantages of taking the UCAT at home include the potential for technical issues with your internet connection or computer, the lack of face-to-face support from testing centre staff, and the possibility of distractions or interruptions during the exam.
→Is it better to take the UCAT at a testing centre or at home?
The decision of whether to take the UCAT at a testing centre or at home depends on your personal circumstances and preferences. If you have access to a quiet and reliable testing environment at home, and feel comfortable with taking exams online, then taking the UCAT at home may be a good option. However, if you prefer the support and structure provided by a testing centre, or if you do not have access to a suitable testing environment at home, then taking the UCAT at a testing centre may be a better choice.
→Is the UCAT exam content the same for both testing options?
Yes, the UCAT exam content is the same for both testing options. The exam format, content, and timing are identical whether you take the exam at a testing centre or at home.
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