TMUA: preparation, format and 2027 dates

The TMUA (Test of Mathematics for University Admission) is the admissions test for mathematics, computer science and economics courses at seven UK universities: Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College London, LSE, UCL, Warwick and Durham. It is run by UAT-UK and taken on computer at a Pearson VUE test centre. For 2027 entry, the October sitting (12 to 16 October 2026, the one for Oxford and Cambridge applicants) has passed. The second sitting runs from 4 to 8 January 2027. Booking opens on 26 October and closes at 6 pm UK time on 21 December 2026.

The TMUA does not test curriculum knowledge. It covers maths at GCSE Higher or AS level, well below what a student taking advanced maths in their final year of secondary school already knows. What it measures is how quickly and rigorously you can reason with this foundation. That is exactly why it is hard to prepare for without a method: revising more advanced content will not raise your score.

The TMUA at a glance

• Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes, in two 75-minute papers.
• Paper 1: Applications of Mathematical Knowledge, 20 multiple-choice questions. You apply your knowledge to unfamiliar situations.
• Paper 2: Mathematical Reasoning, 20 multiple-choice questions. Mathematical reasoning and elementary logic, including proof.
• Format: multiple-choice questions only. Calculators and dictionaries are not allowed.
• Scoring: a single overall score from 1 to 9, to one decimal place. There is no pass mark and no negative marking.
• Level: GCSE Higher or AS level, according to the official specification.
• Sitting 1: 12 to 16 October 2026, compulsory for Oxford and Cambridge.
• Sitting 2: 4 to 8 January 2027, not accepted by Oxford and Cambridge except in specific cases.
• Test fee: £78 in the UK and Ireland, £133 elsewhere.
• Results: 16 November 2026 for the October sitting, 8 February 2027 for the January sitting. See our page on TMUA scores.

 
 
 
 
  
 
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They put us in touch with the best people to prepare for the interviews (computer science and mathematics) and the written maths tests the universities require. Our son is starting at Imperial College, and we are delighted we worked with The Dream School.

Celine V., mother of a student admitted to Imperial College London for Computer Science and Mathematics

Which courses require the TMUA?

One distinction makes all the difference: depending on the university, the TMUA is either compulsory or recommended. In practice, “recommended” does not mean optional. It means a score strengthens your application, but leaving it out will not invalidate it. On a selective course, skipping a recommended test means applying with less evidence than your competitors.

Official UAT-UK 2027 Course List: check the exact UCAS code for your course.

The full TMUA 2027 timeline

The date to remember is not the test date but the booking deadline: 28 September 2026 for the October sitting and 21 December 2026 for the January sitting, right in the middle of the holidays. Every year, candidates lose their place over this alone. The January sitting is not valid for most Oxford and Cambridge applicants; it is accepted, for example, by the LSE, which takes scores from both sittings.

Two requests must also be dealt with before you book, not after: access arrangements, which can take up to ten working days to approve, and the test bursary, since fees already paid are never refunded. If either applies to you, plan backwards from 14 or 21 September, not from 28 September.

What score to aim for, and what difference the TMUA really makes

The TMUA has no published pass mark. Scores range from 1 to 9 to one decimal place, are sent automatically to the universities on your UCAS application that require the test, and are read alongside the rest of your application. No university publicly commits to a threshold, so be wary of any promise of a “guaranteed score” you may come across elsewhere.

UAT-UK gives two benchmarks: the scale is designed so that a typical candidate scores around 4.5, and around 10% of candidates score above 7.0. For details of how scores are calculated and distributed, see our TMUA score page.

What we can honestly say is where the score carries the most weight. On courses where the test is required and applicants far outnumber interview places, such as Computer Science at Cambridge or Mathematics at Oxford, the TMUA acts as a first filter: it largely decides who is invited to interview in December. On courses where it is recommended, such as Mathematics at Durham or Economics at Warwick, a good score strengthens an average application but will not make up for weak grades.

A practical point specific to Cambridge: Computer Science applicants to Peterhouse or Trinity must take the CSAT (Computer Sciences Aptitude Test) in addition to the TMUA. These are two separate tests with two separate registrations. Check this before you finalize your choice of college.

Finally, you only sit the test once. If several universities on your UCAS list require the TMUA, a single test covers them all: your results are sent automatically to each of them.

How we prepare you for the TMUA

Three obstacles come up again and again for our candidates, and none of them is about ability.

Paper 2 has no equivalent outside the UK. Formal mathematical reasoning, basic logic, the structure of a proof, negating a statement, necessary and sufficient conditions: in England these are taught explicitly, while elsewhere they usually remain implicit. Even very strong students often encounter these questions for the first time on test day. This is where marks are won, and it is the most rewarding part to work on.

Time pressure. 20 questions in 75 minutes sounds comfortable, but it isn’t when you have no calculator and the distractors are designed to catch hasty calculation errors. The skill that matters is spotting the quick route through a question within ten seconds.

The multiple-choice format. At school, your working earns marks; the TMUA marks only the answer. Eliminating three options is worth as much as solving the problem, and often takes a third of the time. This reflex can be learned, but it has to be practised deliberately.

We offer one-to-one preparation by video call with a tutor who has taken the test and studied at one of the universities that require it. The standard format is a 10-hour package at €1,500 incl. VAT, or €150 per hour incl. VAT, with lower rates beyond that (€130 per hour, then €110 per hour for each additional block of ten hours, i.e. €2,800 incl. VAT for 20 hours and €3,900 incl. VAT for 30 hours). It includes a diagnostic based on a timed mock test, dedicated work on Paper 2, speed practice for Paper 1 and two full mock tests under real exam conditions.

Free resources and past papers

UAT-UK provides free access to the content specification, notes on logic and proof, practice tests in the Pearson test player and the official past papers from 2016 to 2023, with answer keys and fully worked solutions. Although the test is now taken on computer, UAT-UK states that the content and style of the questions are unchanged, so these past papers remain the best practice material. We have gathered them, along with a guide to using them, on our TMUA past papers page.

• Official UAT-UK preparation materials
• Official TMUA page
• All Oxford and Cambridge admissions tests
• ESAT for engineering and science courses
• Studying at Cambridge · Studying at UCL
• Our full UCAS support

TMUA FAQs

What is the TMUA?

The TMUA (Test of Mathematics for University Admission) is the admissions test for mathematics, computer science and economics courses at seven UK universities: Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College London, LSE, UCL, Warwick and Durham. It is run by UAT-UK and taken on computer at a Pearson VUE test centre.

What is the TMUA format?

Two 75-minute papers, each with 20 multiple-choice questions, making 2 hours 30 minutes in total. Paper 1 tests the application of mathematical knowledge; Paper 2 tests mathematical reasoning and elementary logic. Calculators and dictionaries are not allowed.

What level of mathematics do you need for the TMUA?

The content is at UK GCSE Higher or AS level, so below a typical final-year specialist mathematics course. The difficulty lies not in the level of the content but in the speed of reasoning required and the format of the questions.

When should you take the TMUA for 2027 entry?

The October 2026 sitting (12 to 16 October), which is compulsory for most Oxford and Cambridge applicants, has passed. The second sitting takes place from 4 to 8 January 2027, with booking open from 26 October until 6 pm UK time on 21 December 2026 and results released on 8 February 2027. It is not valid for most Oxford and Cambridge applicants, so check that each of your courses accepts it.

Is the TMUA compulsory?

It depends on the university and the course. It is compulsory at Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial and UCL for the relevant courses, compulsory at Warwick except for contextual offers, compulsory at LSE only for BSc Economics and BSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics, and recommended elsewhere. Failing to register for a compulsory test can invalidate your application.

How much does TMUA preparation with Your Dream School cost?

Our 10-hour package of one-to-one preparation costs €1,500 incl. VAT, or €150 per hour incl. VAT, then €130 per hour and €110 per hour for each additional block of ten hours (€2,800 incl. VAT for 20 hours, €3,900 incl. VAT for 30 hours). It includes a diagnostic assessment based on a mock test, targeted work on Paper 2 reasoning, speed practice and two timed mock exams.