A guide for students · All year, most of all before October
Admissions tests that have ended, and what replaced them
For 2027 entry Oxford no longer sets its own tests: the MAT and PAT were last sat in October 2025 and are replaced by the TMUA and ESAT, the TARA is used where the TSA was, and English, History, Modern Languages (the MLAT), Classics and Geography have no written test. Cambridge replaced the ENGAA and NSAA with the ESAT for 2025 entry, and the BMAT ended for 2024 entry, with medicine using the UCAT.
Oxford’s tests for 2027 entry
Oxford now uses tests run by UAT-UK instead of its own. The Mathematical Institute says the MAT was used from 2007 to 2025 and that from 2026 Oxford uses the TMUA; Physics and Engineering use the ESAT where the PAT used to be; and the TARA (critical thinking, problem solving and a writing task) is used for courses such as PPE, Economics and Management, and History and Economics. Law still uses the LNAT and Medicine the UCAT.
Several Oxford courses now have no written test at all. The English Faculty says candidates applying since 2025 no longer sit the ELAT; single-honours History has no test (its joint courses with Economics and with Politics take the TARA); Modern Languages says the MLAT is no longer used and language skills are assessed at interview; Classics assesses language at interview; and Geography sets no test. Written work is still asked for in several of these subjects.
Cambridge’s changes
From October 2024 Cambridge replaced its own ENGAA and NSAA with the ESAT, for Engineering, Natural Sciences and related courses, and moved Medicine to the UCAT. For 2027 entry it uses the TMUA for Computer Science, Economics and Mathematics, and some courses set an assessment at interview instead of a test beforehand, which Cambridge lists on its admission assessments page.
The BMAT
The BMAT, once used by Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial and UCL for medicine, was last sat for 2024 entry. Those universities use the UCAT now, so a guide or a book that tells you to prepare for the BMAT is out of date.
Using old papers
Past MAT and PAT papers are still good maths and physics practice, and the admissions tests past papers list them, but the TMUA and ESAT have their own format and timing, so practise with their own papers before the real thing.
Where to check
- University of Oxford Mathematical Institute: the MAT
- Oxford Physics: the ESAT
- Oxford English Faculty: what we look for
- Oxford History Faculty: making an application
- Oxford Modern Languages: how to apply
- Oxford Classics: admissions tests
- Oxford Geography: undergraduate study
- University of Cambridge: new admissions tests for 2024
- University of Cambridge: admission assessments
- UAT-UK: the TARA
Checked against these on . The rules change from year to year, so the pages above are the ones to trust if anything here disagrees with them. cookie is not connected to the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge.
Common questions
Is the MLAT still used?
No. Oxford’s Modern Languages faculty says the MLAT is no longer used: there is no written test for 2027 entry, and language skills are assessed at interview.
What replaced the MAT and PAT?
The TMUA replaced the MAT and the ESAT replaced the PAT. Both were last sat in October 2025, and both replacements are run by UAT-UK.
Does Oxford still use the TSA?
Oxford uses the TARA for courses that used the TSA, such as PPE and Economics and Management. Check the course page for your own course.
Is the BMAT still running?
No. It was last sat for 2024 entry, and the universities that used it for medicine now use the UCAT.
Do English and History at Oxford have a test?
Not for single-honours English or History for 2027 entry. History and Economics, and History and Politics, take the TARA, and written work is still asked for.