Candidate Selection Methods | 2025 Entry

The registration fee for the test for academic year 2025/26 will be £60 which will include preparation materials. Candidates are required to travel to one of our campus test centres in Belfast or Derry~Londonderry. The test duration will be approximately 2 hours 40 minutes.

The test will be a multiple-choice format and is designed to assess:

• Critical Reasoning
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Interpersonal Understanding

Candidates will have the option to select the campus of their choice to complete the test.

The purpose of MSAT is not to test applicants’ knowledge of specific academic subjects; it will instead test their skills in the interpretation and understanding of ideas presented in a variety of ways. MSAT questions typically require the applicant to read and think about a passage of writing, interpret graphical displays of information, use mathematical relationships, reason about data, or understand the thoughts, behaviour or intentions of people. The test has a strong focus on general skills and personal abilities that have been identified as important for a competent health professional.

Offers will be made to applicants based on:

1. qualifications in line with the course entry requirements; and
2. performance in the MSAT-Ulster test.

As with previous years, the UCAS Personal Statement will not be used for candidate shortlisting for School of Health Sciences programmes. Any applicant who can meet – or who already has met – the entry requirements, will be invited to sit the MSAT-Ulster.

In the case of Adult Nursing and Mental Health Nursing, these will be in the form of an online video submission via the platform Modern Hire. In collaboration with Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), applicants to Nursing programmes at both Ulster University and QUB will be invited to undertake only one interview in support of their application to both universities.

Applicants will be asked several questions about their motivations to study and pursue a career in nursing as well as several scenario questions which be value-based to determine suitability to the programme and profession. Please note, the are no live interviewers conducting the interview.

As with previous years, the UCAS Personal Statement will not be used for candidate shortlisting for Adult Nursing or Mental Health Nursing.

For Paramedic Science, applicants will be required to travel to our Derry~Londonderry campus to sit an in-person interview. Please note, applicants to Paramedic Science will have their personal statement marked, ranked and used for interview shortlisting.

Offers will be made to applicants depending on their performance in the online video submission / in-person interview, in a ranking system determined by the confirmed intake for each programme made to us by the Department for Health NI.

Applicants will receive preparatory information and guidance regarding the online / in-person interviews after the 29 January UCAS application deadline.

Unlike the online video submission for entry to Nursing and Social Work, there will be live interviewers comprised of the Dietetics course team conducting the interview. The interview will assess candidate’s suitability for the course via questions of their knowledge of the breadth of the dietetic profession, requisite skills necessary for successful dieticians as well as understanding applicant’s motivations to pursue the profession and the skills they may bring to it.

Whilst the UCAS personal statement will not be used for interview shortlisting, if we receive more applications to Dietetics than we can practically interview, we may introduce a shortlisting measure in the form of a questionnaire issued to applicants assessing their individual qualities, skills and motivations to pursue Dietetics.

The GPhC (General Pharmaceutical Council) have stipulated that all admissions and selection processes for entry to Pharmacy must include an interactive component (interview) to assess applicants’ values and professional suitability.

As a result, applicants to our Pharmacy programme will undertake an interview to assess the key professional values, qualities and attributes the GPhC want to see in a pharmacist.

These include:

• Person-centeredness
• Problem-solving and decision making
• Self-motivated learning
• Effective communication
• Professionalism and integrity
• Resilience and adaptability

The interview will be in person and will take approximately 6-10 minutes. Online sessions may be available for those unable to attend in person.

The interview will not assess the knowledge of Pharmacy or Science and will not be used to rank candidates.

Following the interview, candidates will be asked to complete a series of basic chemistry calculations.

Offers will be removed for those unable to demonstrate that they have these key professional attributes or are unable to complete all calculations. As with previous years, the UCAS Personal Statement will not be used for candidate shortlisting for Pharmacy.

Social Work

The questions will assess their suitability for Social Work training. Interviews are a requirement of the professional body The Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC). The interview is organised on a regional basis enabling applicants to have a single interview for Northern Ireland Social Work programmes offered by Ulster University, South West College, Belfast Metropolitan College and Queens University Belfast.

The interview questions will explore applicants’ motivations and understanding of social work values, self-care and diversity. It is important that applicants draw upon any life, academic or work experience (voluntary or paid) they may have. One question from the online interview will focus on the Case Scenario. The remaining four questions will concentrate on your motivation to pursue a career in social work and your understanding of different aspects of social work practice. Please note, the are no live interviewers conducting the interview.

As with previous years, the UCAS Personal Statement will not be used for candidate shortlisting for Social Work.

Offers will be made to applicants depending on their performance in the online video submission, in a ranking system determined by the confirmed intake for each programme made to us by the Department for Health NI.

Community Youth Work

The UCAS Personal Statement will be used for candidate selection for Community Youth Work.

Applicants are shortlisted for interview via their personal statement by assessing three key areas:

1. Experience – clear evidence of youth work experience in a leadership capacity (i.e. beyond participant).
2. Training – any pre-vocational training such as Level 2 or 3 in youth work, or other OCNs, maybe Level 4 cert etc.
3. Motivation – this is seeing applicants who want a career in youth work.

Applicants who satisfy at least 2 of these key areas in their personal statement will be invited to interview.