- Whole sitting
- About 2 hours
- Questions
- 184
- Time answering
- 111 minutes
- Fastest subtest
- 23 seconds a question
Time and questions in each subtest
The four subtests come in a fixed order and each has its own clock. Before each one there is a timed instruction screen, which you can skip with Next once you know what it says.
| Subtest | Questions | Time | Per question | Instruction screen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 44 | 22 min | 30 s | 1:30 |
| Decision Making | 35 | 37 min | 63 s | 1:30 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 36 | 26 min | 43 s | 2:00 |
| Situational Judgement | 69 | 26 min | 23 s | 1:30 |
That is 111 minutes of answering and 6 minutes 30 seconds of instruction screens: 117 min 30 s from start to finish, with no break between subtests.
Three rules of the clock
- Each subtest stands alone. When its time runs out the test moves on, whether or not you have finished, and you cannot go back to an earlier subtest.
- Spare time is lost. Finishing Verbal Reasoning early does not give you longer for Decision Making.
- A wrong answer costs nothing. There is no negative marking, so never leave a question blank. In the last minute, guess everything you have not answered.
Where you should be at each point
Seconds per question are hard to feel while you work. It is easier to know which question you should have reached when a quarter, half and three quarters of the time has gone. The clock on the screen counts down, so the table shows the time remaining.
| Subtest | A quarter gone | Half gone | Three quarters gone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | Question 12 with 16:30 left | Question 23 with 11:00 left | Question 34 with 5:30 left |
| Decision Making | Question 10 with 27:45 left | Question 19 with 18:30 left | Question 27 with 9:15 left |
| Quantitative Reasoning | Question 10 with 19:30 left | Question 19 with 13:00 left | Question 28 with 6:30 left |
| Situational Judgement | Question 18 with 19:30 left | Question 36 with 13:00 left | Question 53 with 6:30 left |
What the averages hide
No subtest is answered at an even pace. In Verbal Reasoning the time goes on reading the passage, so think of it as two minutes for each passage and its four questions. In Quantitative Reasoning a set of four on one table takes under three minutes. In Decision Making a syllogism is quick and a logic puzzle is slow, so bank time on one to spend on the other.
When you are behind
- Decide quickly whether a question is worth it. No question is worth much more than another, so one slow question is rarely worth the two quick ones it costs you.
- Guess, flag and move on. Choose an answer before you leave, press Alt+F to flag it, and come back from the review screen if there is time.
- Use the keyboard. Alt+N for Next saves a second or two on every question, which over 184 questions is several minutes.
Extra time
Candidates with an approved access arrangement sit a longer version of the test.
| Version | What it gives | Verbal Reasoning | Decision Making | Quantitative Reasoning | Situational Judgement | Whole sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCATANZ | Standard timing | 22:00 | 37:00 | 26:00 | 26:00 | 117 min 30 s |
| UCATANZ SA | Standard timing, plus rest breaks that pause the clock | 22:00 | 37:00 | 26:00 | 26:00 | Up to 137 min 30 s |
| UCATANZ SEN10 | Ten extra minutes for every hour | 25:40 | 43:10 | 30:20 | 30:20 | 136 min |
| UCATANZ SEN10SA | Ten extra minutes for every hour, plus rest breaks | 25:40 | 43:10 | 30:20 | 30:20 | Up to 159 min |
| UCATANZ SEN | 25% extra time | 27:30 | 46:15 | 32:30 | 32:30 | 145 min 15 s |
| UCATANZ SENSA | 25% extra time, plus rest breaks | 27:30 | 46:15 | 32:30 | 32:30 | Up to 170 min 15 s |
Practising the timing
Timing is a habit, and it is learned only under the clock. Once you know the question types, do most of your practice timed, on a screen that works like the real one. The preparation plan shows when to move from untimed questions to timed sets and then to full mocks, and you can try a timed set free to see how your pace compares.
Official sources
Dates, fees and entry rules change every year. Always confirm them on the official page before you act on them.