• Admissions Tests

Admissions Tests

Admissions Tests

Do I need to sit and admissions test?

The following courses require you to sit an admissions test. You will need to check with the website of the individual courses for details. When you enter your course choice on your UCAS form it will tell you if an admissions test may be needed.

  • Most courses at Oxford, Cambridge
  • Some courses at UCL
  • Maths or Computing at Durham or Lancaster
  • Nearly all Law, Medical and Dentistry courses

How do universities use these tests?

Each course will use it as part of the selection process. Some use it to make the initial selection, some combine it with other measures.  While some explain exactly how it is used, others do not.  Look for information about how it is used. The fact that they are spending time and money on an additional tests means that they do put some considerable value on it.

Where and when do the tests take place?

Most tests are run by the Admissions Testing Service and are conducted at school. Tests conducted by the Admissions Testing Service take place on either 18th/19th October or 2nd November (please see the Careers Department to see which date your test is taking place on).

You should check the requirements of the course on your chosen course website and then look at the following websites too: 

The UCAT test (Medicine) and the LNAT test (Law) take place at authorised test centres:

How do I register for an admissions test?

To register for the UCAT or the LNAT you must visit their website.  The school cannot register you - you must arrange these yourself.

If your course indicates a test at interview you do not have to do anything to register.  However, there is much you can still do to prepare.

To register for a test conducted by the Admissions Testing Service please fill in one of the forms and return it to the Careers Department.

How can I prepare for the tests?

Each of the test providers gives advice on how to prepare.  Understanding the question format and practice will improve your performance.  The tests do not test subject knowledge per se but rather the way you think about a subject.

There will be some sessions organised to help you understand the question types and feedback on any practice questions you do.  Practice and understanding the rubric of the question are key to ensuring you do as well as you can.

Past papers can be found on the websites above.  Below is a small selection of what can be found there.

Selection of Past Papers