Which university admissions tests do you need to take?

Applying to a law course

• Some universities will require you to take the Law National Aptitude Test (Lnat).
• Applying to a Cambridge law course? You'll have to take the Cambridge Law Test.

Applying to a mathematics course

• Applying to an Oxford mathematics course? You’ll have to take the Mathematics Admissions Test (Mat).
• Some other universities (including Cambridge) will require you to take the Sixth Term Examination Paper (Step).

Applying to a medical course

Applying to Oxford

• Applying to a medical course? You'll have to take the Bmat.

• Applying to a law course? You'll have to take the Lnat.

• Applying to a mathematics course? You'll have to take the Mat (some also take Step).

• Applying to a classics course? You'll have to take the Classics Admissions Test (Cat).

• Applying to an English course? You'll have to take the English Literature Admissions Test (Elat).

• Applying to a modern languages course? You'll have to take the Modern Languages Admissions Test (Mlat).

• Applying to an engineering, materials science or physics course? You'll have to take the Physics Admissions Test (Pat).

• Depending on the course you're applying to, you may have to take the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) Oxford.
   

​Applying to Cambridge

• Applying to a mathematics course? You'll have to take the Step.

• Applying to a medical course? You'll have to take the Bmat.

• Applying to a law course? You'll have to take the Cambridge Law Test.

• Regardless of course, you may have to take the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) Cambridge as well as a subject-specific test.

Is your university asking for a specific admissions test?

University admissions tests – in detail

Bmat

The Biomedical Admissions Test is a university admissions exam you'll have to take if you're applying to either a medicine, veterinary medicine, biomedical science or dentistry course at some universities.

The Bmat tests a lot of natural skills such as problem-solving and applying scientific knowledge, and doesn’t require much in the way of extra study.

• Who uses it? Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Imperial College London, Lancaster University, University of Cambridge, University of Keele, University of Leeds, University College London and University of Oxford.
• Key dates (for 2021): 1 October 2021 – standard entry closing date; 15 October – late date for Bmat entries; 3 November – Bmat tests take place; 27 November – Bmat results published.
• How long does it last? Two hours.
• How much does it cost? £61 (+£34 for late entry)​.

Learn more about the Bmat on the Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing website. 

Gamsat

The Graduate Medical School Admissions test, originally developed in Australia, is used by some medical schools in the UK (as well as around the world). It's used as part of the admissions process for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

It's split into three sections: reasoning in humanities, written communication and reasoning in biological and physical sciences.

• Who uses it? University of Exeter, University of Plymouth, University of Liverpool, Cardiff University, Keele University, St. George’s University of London, Swansea University, University of Nottingham, Universities of St Andrews and Dundee (in partnership with the University of the Highlands and Islands), and Ulster (new for 2021). 
• ​Key dates: The Gamsat is taken twice a year, in March (registration from early November to early February) and September (registration from mid May to late July).
• How long does it last? It's made up of 4.45 hours of test time (though the whole day is at least six hours long).
• How much does it cost? £268.

Learn more about Gamsat on its website and on our sister site The Student Room.

Ucat

The University Clinical Aptitude Test is a university admissions exam used by a number of university medical and dental schools to distinguish you from other applicants to these competitive courses. It tests verbal, quantitative and abstract reasoning, as well as decision analysis and situational judgement – all inherent skills which students should possess should they get on to those courses.

• Who uses it? University of Aberdeen, Anglia Ruskin University, Aston University, University of Birmingham, University of Bristol, Cardiff University, University of Dundee, Edge Hill University, University of East Anglia, University of Edinburgh, University of Exeter, University of Glasgow, Hull York Medical School, Keele University, Kent and Medway Medical School, King's College London, University of Leicester, University of Liverpool, University of Manchester, Newcastle University, University of Nottingham, Plymouth University, Queen Mary University of London, Queen's University Belfast, St George's University of London, University of Sheffield, University of Southampton, University of St Andrews, University of Sunderland, and University of Warwick.
• ​Key dates (for 2021): 2 June 2021-22 September 2021 at noon – registration period; 26 July – testing begins; 28 September at noon – final booking deadline; 29 September – deadline to take test.
• How long does it last? 120 mins approximately (including reading time).
• How much does it cost? £75.

Learn more on the Ucast website.

Lnat

The Law National Aptitude test is a university admissions test used by several universities to assess your aptitude for the skills required to study law, such as your ability to understand and interpret information.

The test is made up of a 42-question, multiple choice exam and an essay on a related subject. You do not need to possess any legal knowledge for the test.

• Who uses it? University of Bristol, Durham University, University of Glasgow, King’s College London, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of Nottingham, University of Oxford, SOAS and University College London.
• Key dates: August 1 2021: Lnat registration opens; September 1 2021: Lnat testing begins.
• Deadlines for Oxford applicants in 2021/22: 15 September 2021 – deadline to register and book your LNAT; 20 October – deadline to take the Lnat.
• Deadlines for all other applicants in 2021/22: 15 January 2022 – deadline to register and book your LNAT; 20 January 2022 – deadline to sit the Lnat.
• How long does it last? Two-and-a-quarter hours.
• How much does it cost? £75.

Visit the Lnat website to learn more.

Cambridge Law Test

If you're applying to a law course at Cambridge, your specific college may require you to sit this admissions test when you attend your interview. It's paper-based and you'll be required to answer a single question at length.

• ​Who uses it? University of Cambridge.
• How long does it last? One hour.
• How much does it cost? It's free.

Learn more about the Cambridge Law Test on the University of Cambridge website.

Step

If you're applying to a maths course at certain universities, you'll have to take the Sixth Term Examination Paper. This admissions exam tests your ability to answer similar questions to those you should expect on a degree course. 

There are two Step examinations: Step 2 and Step 3. There used to be a Step 1 exam as well, but this was scrapped from 2021. Students take either one or two examinations; the university will decide which ones applicants take.

• Who uses it? University of Cambridge, University of Warwick and Imperial College London, though other universities may ask applicants to take it as part of their offer.
• ​Key dates (for 2021): 15 March 2021 – Step entries open; 7 May at 4pm – standard entry closing date for centres to register your test but centres may set their own deadlines before this date; 14 June – Step paper 2 takes place; 17 June – Step paper 3 takes place; 10 August – Step results published.
• How long does it last? Each Step exam is three hours long. Candidates answer six questions in each.
• How much does it cost? £90 per Step paper.

Learn more about Step on its website.

Mat

You'll have to take the Mathematics Admissions Test if you're applying to one of a handful of computer science and mathematics courses at Oxford. It's a paper-based admissions exam. 

• Who uses it? University of Oxford, Imperial College London and the University of Warwick.
• ​Key dates (for 2021): 15 October 2021 – registration deadline; 3 November – Mat test takes place.
• How long does it take? Two-and-a-half hours.
• How much does it cost? No fee (though some test centres charge a small admin fee).

Learn more about the Mat on its website here.

Cat

The Classics Admissions Test is a paper-based university admissions exam you'll have to take if you're applying to one of Oxford's classics courses.

You must take either one or two of three possible papers: a Latin Translation Test, a Greek Translation Test and a Classics Language Aptitude Test.

• Who uses it? University of Oxford.
• Key dates (for 2021): October 15 – deadline for Cat entries; 2 and 3 November – Cat testing takes place.
• How long does it take? Each paper is an hour.
• How much does it cost? No fee (though some test centres charge a small admin fee).

Learn more about the Cat on the University of Oxford's website.

Elat

The English Literature Admissions Test is a paper-based university admissions test you'll have to take if applying to an English course at Cambridge or Oxford. 

The exam is taken prior to your interview and tests your close reading skills. You'll be required to write one essay comparing two passages, focusing on elements such as language, imagery and structure.

• Who uses it? Universities of Cambridge and Oxford.
• Key dates (for 2021): 1 September 2021 – entries open; 15 October – deadline for Elat entries; 4 November – Elat testing takes place; 11 January 2022 – Elat results published.
• How long does it take? One-and-a-half hours.
• How much does it cost? No fee (though some test centres charge a small admin fee).

Learn more about the Elat on its website.

Mlat

You'll have to take the Modern Languages Admissions Test when applying to a modern languages course at Oxford.

It is a paper-based admissions test involving a booklet containing several papers (you'll take no more than two papers).

• Who uses it? University of Oxford.
• ​Key dates (for 2021): 1 September 2021 – entries open; 15 October – deadline for Mlat entries; 3 November – Mlat testing takes place.
• ​How much does it cost? No fee (though some test centres charge a small admin fee).

Learn more about the Mlat on the University of Oxford website here.