What is the UCAT Situational Judgement Test?
The SJT section is the final part of the UCAT. It tests your ability to understand real-life scenarios and recognise important factors and the most appropriate actions to address them. You don’t need any medical or procedural knowledge to answer the questions, so don’t worry!
You’ll get a range of scenarios based in a clinical environment or during the educational training for a medical or dental degree. Some questions might ask you to look at the significance or suitability of a range of statements related to each scenario, others may ask you to identify the most and least suitable action to take.
You’ll get 26 minutes to answer 69 questions, with up to six questions per scenario.
How is the Situational Judgement Test scored?
For the SJT, scoring is a little different. You get full marks if your answer matches the ideal response and partial marks if your answer is close to the right one. Scores are expressed in one of four bands, with band one being the highest and band four the lowest.
SJT bands and what they mean
Band 1
Those in Band 1 demonstrated an excellent level of performance, showing similar judgement in most cases to the panel of experts.
Band 2
Those in Band 2 demonstrated a good, solid level of performance, showing appropriate judgement frequently, with many responses matching model answers.
Band 3
Those in Band 3 demonstrated a modest level of performance, with appropriate judgement shown for some questions and substantial differences from ideal responses for others.
Band 4
The performance of those in Band 4 was low, with judgement tending to differ substantially from ideal responses in many cases.
Why is the SJT important?
The SJT checks how well you handle different situations and whether your responses reflect the right values and behaviours.
Since medical and dental professionals are expected to act in a certain way, understanding these expectations is a great way to prepare for a successful career ahead.
The General Medical Council (GMC) has a guide called Good Medical Practice, which lists the values and behaviours doctors should follow. Getting familiar with this guide will not only help with the SJT but also give you an advantage in your medical school interviews. So, get reading!
Quick and easy tips for SJT success
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Identity if it's an ‘importance’ question or an ‘appropriate action’ question – this will help you to quickly reach your answer.
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This section assesses your understanding of ethics and appropriate behaviour as a GMC-registered medical professional (i.e. doctor) A good place to get an understanding of this is the GMC’s Good Medical Practice guide.
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Practice, practice, practice sample SJT questions to get comfortable!
Where can I find UCAT SJT practice questions?
Practice makes perfect, so dive into 500 free UCAT questions and a mock exam that reflects the subtests, question types and timings of the live test.
Work with real examples of Situational Judgement Test UCAT questions, so you know what to expect on the day. You’ll get a score at the end to track your performance, helping you refine your test skills the more you practice.
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UCAT Situational Judgement Test (SJT): FAQs
What is a good Situational Judgement Test (SJT) score in the UCAT?
A good situational judgement score in the UK is usually considered to be band 2, with a high score being in band 1. In 2024, only 13% of the 37,913 candidates who sat the UCAT got a band 1 score.
Is SJT in the UCAT hard?
While it isn’t exactly ‘hard’, it is the last section in the UCAT test, so you’ll definitely be tired by the time you get to it! This can affect concentration, so remember to take a few seconds for a deep breath (and a mini stretch).
Alongside the key success tips mentioned above, don't overthink your answers but go with what instinctively (and ethically) feels right! Remember, you get partial marks in this subtest, so don’t get too hung up on getting the ‘correct’ answer.
How do I study for the UCAT Situational Judgement Test?
Practice as much as you can using our free UCAT questions and mock exam, as well keeping the following top tips in mind on test day:
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Identity if it's an ‘importance’ question or an ‘appropriate action’ question – this will help you to quickly reach your answer.
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Get familiar with the GMC’s Good Medical Practice guide.
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Practice, practice, practice sample SJT questions to get comfortable!
Is Band 3 in SJT a bad score?
Band 3 is considered an average score, with a ‘modest level of performance’. You'll have to check how the universities you’re applying to use the SJT when considering your application, but several universities will reject your application if you score band 4 – regardless of your overall UCAT score. Do your research so you know what to aim for and how this will affect your chances of securing a place at your dream university.