Oxford Update June 29, 2023

This year, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will deliver Oxford’s own undergraduate admissions tests for the first time.
 
The TSA and BMAT will continue to be administered by Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing (CAAT) for one final year in 2023. Arrangements for Law applicants required to take the LNAT remain unchanged.

All other tests used in Oxford undergraduate admissions will require applicants’ schools and colleges to follow a new process to apply for authorisation to become TCS test centres. Only authorised test centres will be able to register Oxford applicants and administer these admissions tests on the test days. Applying via Oxford’s test centre portal at admissionstesting.ox.ac.uk should be relatively quick and straightforward, particularly for those used to delivering public examinations. An instruction video is available to explain the application process. Schools and colleges are strongly advised to apply for authorisation as soon as possible so they are ready to begin registering their Oxford applicants as soon as the registration window opens on 1 September. An online Admissions test centre timeline provides an overview and key dates. 

Oxford’s own admissions tests are:
1.    CAT (Classics Admissions Test)
2.    ELAT (English Literature Admissions Test)
3.    GAT (Geography Admissions Test) – new this year
4.    HAT (History Admissions Test)
5.    MAT (Mathematics Admissions Test)
6.    MLAT (Modern Languages Admissions Test)
7.    PAT (Physics Admissions Test for Physics, Engineering and Materials Science)
8.    Philosophy test (for Philosophy and Theology only). 

The registration deadline for Oxford’s own admissions tests is 29 September and the individual test dates are as follows:
19 October: CAT, ELAT, GAT and MAT
20 October: HAT, MLAT, PAT and Philosophy Test

Please note that Oxford own tests delivered via TCS will be digital and taken online. That is, with the exception of the MAT and PAT tests which will be hybrid – with the question paper online but with a printed answer booklet. Test centres will be required to scan, upload and return completed answer booklets for hybrid tests.

The content and structure of Oxford’s own tests have not changed, so all existing online resources and past papers will still be valuable preparation for our applicants. Registered candidates taking digital or hybrid tests will be invited to practise taking their test online using the 2022 past paper (or equivalent) in advance of their test day. 

Our undergraduate admissions website includes information on Oxford’s new online test for Geography applicants – additional resources including specimen questions and answers will be available soon. 

For the most up-to-date information on all Oxford’s admissions tests, please visit: ox.ac.uk/tests 

Teachers wishing to apply for authorisation for their school or college to become a TCS test centre should visit Oxford’s information for schools, colleges and other test centres webpage and our test centre portal at: admissionstesting.ox.ac.uk. 

With best wishes,

Oxford University Admissions Team