University Admissions Tests: Everything you need to know right now!
Updated 23rd August 2024
I’ll be honest. I’m not really much of a fan of admissions tests for university.
On the whole, I see them as something that gives an advantage to the wealthy and more educated families, who are able to prepare their sons and daughters for the tests, or can afford extra coaching.
In addition they come with extra costs, which can be a significant barrier for many.
I’d prefer it if universities would simplify admissions processes as far as possible, basing them on the one genuine gold standard we have in education: your school leaving qualifications.
However, university admissions tests exist, and for a number of courses and universities, they are a straightforward requirement.
And so this article is designed to help you navigate your way through them, understand what they are for and how you go about taking them.
Why do universities have admissions tests?
In part it’s down to simple numbers. For some courses, there are too many applicants with top school grades, and so the universities look to another way (or sometimes several other ways), to differentiate candidates.
Sometimes it’s more about finding a different way to assess potential, as the universities don’t think A-levels (or equivalent) are the best, fairest way to do this.
Sometimes the tests are used to filter out applicants (with a result threshold, below which your application will not be considered). In other cases, the tests are used in combination with other elements, with each candidate given a points score for each element of the selection process.
And while I may not generally be a fan of such tests, you can be assured that those selectors at the universities concerned have thought long and hard about using them, and are confident that they help contribute to a fair and transparent admissions system.
Will you need to take an admissions test?
In short:
If you are applying to a medical degree you’ll probably need to take one.
If applying for law you MAY need to take one (but not for most courses).
If you are applying for mathematics, science, engineering, law or medicine courses at the University of Cambridge or at Imperial College, there is most likely a test requirement.
If you are applying to the University of Oxford you will need to take an admissions test for many, but not all, subjects.
If applying to the University of Warwick for their Maths, Economics or Computer Science courses, you’ll need to take an admissions test.
If applying to LSE or Durham University for various Maths, Economics or related courses, there may be a compulsory or optional admissions test.
Note: There are also many universities and courses who will invite you to take part in interviews, auditions and tests at their university AFTER you apply. These are not covered in this article; only externally run tests which are often done BEFORE you apply.
Medicine
First up, the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is required for just about all medical courses.
It is delivered in Pearson VUE test centres in the UK and worldwide, and you need to take it before you apply. Note that some medical schools previously used a test called the BMAT. This test has been discontinued.
You can book the UCAT anytime from 18th June this year (though you can set up an account from 14th May). The earlier you book, the more chance you will have of finding a suitable date at a venue near you. Bookings close on 19th September.
The UCAT test consists of five sections, each multiple choice, and will take 2 hours to complete. You will receive your results immediately.
It will cost £70 if taken in the UK, or £115 if taken outside the UK. UK students in financial need can apply for a UCAT bursary to pay for the test.
There is a whole load of free preparation help available on the official website, including video tutorials, advice from previous candidates, question banks and practice tests.
You can find out everything you need to know about the UCAT at:
Law
Next, the The Law National Admissions Test (LNAT). Currently nine UK universities ask you to sit it. These tend to be very competitive courses, but notably do not include Edinburgh, Manchester, Nottingham or Leicester.
It is also delivered in Pearson VUE test centres in the UK and worldwide.
Registration opens on 1st August, and testing starts on 1st September.
Oxford and Cambridge require you to have registered by 15th September, and sat the test by 16th October. King’s, UCL and LSE require you to sit the test by 31st December, while the remaining universities have late January deadlines. International students may have the chance to sit later, depending on each university.
The test consists of two sections: A multiple choice section (which will be scored) and an essay (which will not be scored, but will be shared with the universities). It will take 2¼ hours. You’ll only get your results on one of two dates: either mid-February or mid-August, depending on when you took the test.
It will cost £75 if taken in the UK, or £120 if taken outside the UK. UK students in financial need can apply for a LNAT bursary to pay for the test.
Some ideas for preparation are given on the website, but there are no formal, approved preparation materials. A quick internet search will present you with a wide variety of sources of advice and guidance, both free and paid. As with all such guidance, assess each source critically, to determine how credible, accurate and helpful it might be.
You can find out everything you need to know about the LNAT at:
University of Cambridge and Imperial College
Medicine and Law
For entry to Medicine (Cambridge and Imperial) and Law (Cambridge only), the UCAT and LNAT tests above will be required.
Test of Mathematics for University Admissions (TMUA)
Required for entry to the University of Cambridge and Imperial College for Maths, Computing or Economics courses, this is a new test.
The test consists of two multiple choice sections, totalling 2½ hours, and you’ll get your results approximately 6 weeks later.
Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT)
This test is required for students applying to University of Cambridge and Imperial College for most Engineering, some Natural Sciences and Veterinary Sciences courses.
The test is made up of three sections (which are different, depending on what you are applying for). It is a little shorter, totalling just 2 hours.
Practical arrangements for the TMUA and ESAT
The test can be taken in mid-October (Cambridge or Imperial) or early January (Imperial only), in Pearson VUE test centres in the UK and worldwide.
The cost is £75 if taken in the UK and Republic of Ireland, or £130 if taken elsewhere. UK students in financial need will be able to apply for a bursary to pay for the test.
Bookings will open ten weeks before each sitting (Cambridge applicants must register by 16th September).
Results will be made available around six weeks after the test and will automatically be sent to your relevant UCAS choices.
For information about the two tests (including test preparation materials), can be found at:
Information about the specific university policies, and exactly which courses require which test, can be found at:
University of Oxford
Medicine and Law
For entry to Medicine and Law at Oxford, the UCAT and LNAT tests above will be required.
Other subjects
They have also announced (early June) that they will be running a variety of other admissions tests for entry in 2025.
These will be:
Ancient History and Classical Archaeology Admissions Test (AHCAAT) - NEW
Biomedical Sciences Admissions Test (BMSAT) – NEW
Classics Admissions Test (CAT)
History Admissions Test (HAT)
Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT)
Modern Languages Admissions Test (MLAT)
Philosophy Test (PHILAT)
Physics Admissions test for Physics, Engineering and Materials Science (PAT)
Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) - for PPE
Practical arrangements
As with many other admissions tests, they will be run in partnership with Pearson VUE.
The tests will take place between 21st and 31st October.
Registration will open on 15th August and close on 4th October.
Unlike the majority of admissions tests, there is no charge to take these (for 2025 entry).
You’ll find the relevant information, including test preparation materials, at:
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick requires students to take the TMUA test (above) for:
Computer Science courses
Descrete Mathematics courses
Economics courses
Mathematics courses
For some of these courses, the TMUA is not required for students who are eligible for contextual offers.
For courses in Maths and Statistics, MORSE, and Data Science, students will receive an offer which will include the TMUA as one way to meet their entry conditions (the STEP and/or specific grades at A-level/IB will be alternatives).
You’ll find the detail at:
LSE
LSE have just announced (29th April 2024) that they will use the TMUA described above for entry to a range of their programmes.
It will be required for entry to BSc Economics and BSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics, while for a further eight course it will be recommended, in order to make an application more competitive.
My personal view is that it is unhelpful to say that the test is recommended, as this leaves applicants uncertain as to exactly how important it is. If you are unsure, my advice would be to take the test, unless it is entirely impractical to do so.
To their credit, they do have clear information available below:
Durham University
Durham University have also just announced that they will use the TMUA for admission to Maths programmes.
The current guidance says that they will make lower offers to students with TMUA, STEP or the Oxford MAT.
Once again, my personal view is that it isn’t very clear to applicants whether taking the test will help them get an offer, or whether this is just about getting a lower offer.
Never-the-less, my advice to applicants would be to take the test unless it is entirely impractical to do so.
You can see their guidance below:
One more thing…
Just after completing this article I came across a course at UCL (their MEng in Computer Science) which requires shortlisted candidates to sit an external test (the Australian STAT Special Tertiary test) at a cost of £124.
Candidates who are eligible for their Access UCL scheme will be sent a voucher to pay for it. For everyone else, it’s just one more cost.
I’m sorry UCL, but if you are going to require students to take a test AFTER you’ve already shortlisted them, the least you can do is cough up for it yourselves.
And that is about that! These are the main admissions tests that you need to know about before you apply this autumn.
Of course, the university you apply to might also run its own admissions tests after you apply, and so you’ll need to closely check the arrangements and requirements for each course as you plan your application.
