UCAT ANZ test day

Before you leave home

• Photo identification. It must be original, current and physical, and the name must match the name on your booking exactly. A passport is accepted everywhere. A driver's licence is accepted only in the country that issued it, as are proof-of-age cards. The official policy lists every accepted document.
• Not accepted: expired identification, photocopies, and digital identification on a phone.
• Your appointment details. Check the address of the test centre the day before. Some cities have more than one.

Arriving

Arrive 30 minutes before your appointment. If you are more than 15 minutes late you may not be allowed to sit, and the fee is lost. Staff check your identification, and you put everything you brought into a locker.

What you cannot take in

Nothing personal goes into the test room: no bag, coat, hat, watch, jewellery, wallet, keys, phone, smart watch, calculator, paper, pens, food or drink. A short list of comfort aids is allowed without asking, and the official site lists them. Anything else you need for a medical reason must be approved beforehand as an access arrangement.

What you are given

• A laminated notebook and a marker pen for working. You cannot rub it out, so write small and ask for another if you fill it.
• An on-screen calculator. It is a basic four-function calculator, not a scientific one, and it does not behave like the one on your phone. Learn how it works before the day.
• A desktop computer with a mouse and keyboard.

How the session runs

1. The test starts when you are seated and ready. There is no group start.
2. Each subtest opens with a timed instruction screen. You can read it or press Next to start early.
3. The subtest clock counts down in the top right corner. When it reaches zero the test moves on by itself.
4. You cannot go back to a subtest once it has ended, and unused time does not carry over.
5. There are no scheduled breaks. If you leave the room the clock keeps running.

Other people in the room will be sitting different tests and starting and finishing at different times. Expect some movement and typing around you.

If something goes wrong

If the computer freezes, the screen is faulty or something disturbs you, raise your hand straight away. Staff can only help with problems they are told about during the test, and a complaint afterwards is much harder to act on. If you are unwell before the day, read the official advice on rescheduling: moving your appointment is usually better than sitting unwell.

Afterwards

You receive an email within about 24 hours telling you that your score report is in your account. Scores and percentiles explains how to read it.

A checklist for the night before

• Identification in your bag, and the name matches your booking
• Test centre address and travel time checked
• No new study. A normal night's sleep is worth more than another mock
• A plan for what you will do if a subtest goes badly: let it go and start the next one fresh