UKCAT Non-Cognitive sample questions
Try our sample Non-Cognitive Questions which are designed to assess your character and ethics. Get advice on this section by downloading our answers and explanations.
Non-Cognitive Analysis
Subtest length: Questionnaire; number of items varies
Subtest timing: 29 minutes
Sample length: One scenario with eleven questions
Sample timing: 7 minutes
This section is designed to assess your ethics, character, compassion and strength through a questionnaire format. These questions do not have right or wrong answers. Instead, you must choose answers that best match your own value system and how you feel about the given statement or scenario. It’s best to answer as quickly and honestly as possible.
1. Friendship should be protected at all costs.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
2. There is no such thing as a minor offence.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
3. Withholding information is not the same as lying.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
4. You should always do what a person of authority asks of you.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
5. People who take risks will eventually come to harm.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
Read the following scenario, and answer the questions that follow based on your understanding of the people described in the scenario, and how you would expect them to act in these circumstances.
The Dispensary Dilemma
Luke and Ollie have been friends since infant school. They both plan to pursue a career in medicine. Sometimes Ollie enjoys high-risk behaviour, like skydiving and bungee jumping. Luke is usually too nervous to go along. Now in their final year at sixth-form college, they volunteer each Sunday at the local hospital, reading to children in the sick ward.
One Sunday, Luke sees Ollie in the dispensary, which is normally kept locked and which they are not supposed to enter. When Luke asks later, Ollie admits, ‘Yeah, I know I shouldn’t have, but the door was unlocked. It was a thrill going in where we weren’t supposed to.’
The next Sunday, the head of the Volunteer Programme comes up to Luke and says, ‘Last week, someone broke into the dispensary and stole a great deal of ketamine, a very dangerous drug. One of the patients claims to have seen Ollie in the dispensary. I can’t believe he would break in, or steal drugs. The head of Security wants to phone your head teacher, Ollie’s parents and the police. But he trusts you, and we can stop him if you speak to him on Ollie’s behalf. So would you come with me to the head of Security and tell him that you have never seen Ollie go into the dispensary?’
What is your opinion? How do you feel about each of the following statements?
6. Personal reputation is worth more than any one friendship.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
7. Those who take risks deserve the consequences.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
8. It’s not wrong to lie when an authority figure instructs you to.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
9. One reveals one’s true character when one thinks no-one is looking.
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly Disagree
10.. What should Luke do?
Say that he never saw Ollie go into the dispensary, as he’s been asked to do
Say that he really doesn’t know, and doesn’t want to be involved in controversy
Admit that he saw Ollie go into the dispensary, and insist that Ollie didn’t steal drugs
Admit that he saw Ollie go into the dispensary, and doesn’t know about the drugs
11. If you were Luke, would you admit that you saw Ollie go into the dispensary?
Yes
No