In this article
- Who sits what next week
- What to expect on test day
- The last five days: consolidate, do not cram
- After the test: results on 16 November, interviews in December
- The test is one piece of the file
The ESAT and TMUA admissions tests run from Monday 12 to Friday 16 October 2026 at Pearson centres worldwide. If you are applying to Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, Warwick, Durham, UCL or LSE, this is the single element of your file you can still influence this week. Here is what matters now: what to expect on test day, how to use the last five days well, and what happens after, results included.
Who sits what next week
The ESAT (Engineering and Science Admissions Test) covers science applications: at Cambridge it is required for Engineering, Natural Sciences, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, and Veterinary Medicine; at Oxford for Physics, Physics and Philosophy, Engineering Science and Biomedical Sciences; at Imperial across eight departments, including Aeronautics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Physics and Life Sciences.
The TMUA (Test of Mathematics for University Admission) is used by seven universities: Cambridge (Computer Science, Economics), Oxford (Mathematics, Computer Science and their joint degrees), Imperial, LSE, Warwick, Durham and UCL. One nuance worth knowing: Warwick’s economics admissions page states that the TMUA is never compulsory there, but the strongest scores can earn a reduced offer of AAA including Mathematics. At Warwick, a good TMUA is leverage, not a barrier.
If you are applying to Oxford or Cambridge for the 15 October UCAS deadline, the October sitting is mandatory: both universities say so explicitly on their official pages. For universities with the 13 January deadline, the January sitting remains an option, more on that below.
What to expect on test day
Both tests are computer-based and taken at a Pearson centre (more than 5,000 centres across 180+ countries). Bring the photo ID you registered with when booking: without it, you will not be admitted to the test.
The ESAT format: modules of 40 minutes, each with 27 multiple choice questions. Mathematics 1 is compulsory for everyone; most candidates sit two further modules chosen from Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics 2, depending on their course requirements, for 120 minutes in total. Double-check the exact combination your course requires on its official page: it varies from one programme to another.
The TMUA format: two papers of 75 minutes, 20 questions each. Paper 1 tests applications of mathematical knowledge, Paper 2 tests mathematical reasoning and logic. Total time: 2.5 hours.
In both tests, no calculator and no dictionary. Scores are reported on a scale from 1 to 9, to one decimal place, and there is no negative marking: a wrong answer scores zero, not less. The practical conclusion: never leave a question blank.
The last five days: consolidate, do not cram
At this stage, the gains come from time management, not new content. Under 90 seconds per question on the ESAT, under 4 minutes per question on the TMUA: the clock is what separates two candidates of equal ability. Work under real conditions, module by module, with the official specimen papers, and note the question types that slow you down so you can leave them for last on test day.
On logistics, three checks to run this week: the exact time and address of your Pearson centre in your UAT-UK account, the validity of the ID you booked with, and whether your UCAS Personal ID is recorded in your UAT-UK profile. That last one matters most: it is what triggers the automatic transmission of your results to the relevant universities on your UCAS application. You send nothing yourself, and you do not choose who sees the score: every participating university in your application will receive it.
The night before, the best investment is not one more past paper at midnight: both tests reward speed of reasoning, and that is the first thing fatigue takes away.
After the test: results on 16 November, interviews in December
October results will be released in your UAT-UK account on 16 November 2026, about four weeks after the sitting. By then, Oxford and Cambridge will already have used your scores for interview shortlisting, with interviews held in December. Your job in the meantime is to prepare for the interview, not to replay the test. Our article on what happens after 15 October, week by week walks through the full timeline.
And if the test goes badly? It depends on your list. For Oxford and Cambridge there is no second chance within the cycle: October was their sitting. But for universities with the 13 January deadline (Imperial, Warwick, Durham, UCL, LSE), the January sitting exists: tests from 4 to 8 January 2027, results on 8 February, booking open from 26 October at 3pm (UK time) to 21 December at 6pm. Mind Imperial’s rule: you sit the test only once per application cycle and only your first score counts. The January sitting is for candidates who did not test in October, not a retake. Fees are 78 GBP from the UK and Ireland, 133 GBP elsewhere.
If you are discovering these tests while planning a 2028 application, the full calendar and booking rules are in our article on ESAT, TMUA and TARA registration.
The test is one piece of the file
A strong score opens the door to the interview; it does not make the admission. Universities read the test alongside grades, the personal statement and, at Oxbridge, interview performance. That is the whole point of our Oxbridge admissions pack and our UCAS admissions counseling: building a coherent application where every element reinforces the others. Since 2018, more than 1,000 students have worked with us, including 68 admitted to Warwick, 23 to Imperial, 12 to Oxford and 3 to Cambridge. Figures taken from our admissions database, cohorts 2019 to 2025. These are minimums: the 2017-2018 and 2025-2026 cohorts are not yet consolidated.
Sitting the ESAT or TMUA next week, or working towards the 13 January deadline? Book a strategy call with our team (160+ Google reviews) to review your list and plan the weeks ahead.
Sources: esat-tmua.ac.uk, ox.ac.uk, magd.cam.ac.uk, imperial.ac.uk and warwick.ac.uk, consulted 7 October 2026.
Author
With a Bachelor's (LLB) from UCL and Assas, and the Grande Ecole program at HEC Paris, Adam co-founded Your Dream School in 2018. Since then the company has coached more than 1,000 students through university admissions and interview preparation for top global institutions.
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