Are you bewildered by all the changes to University Admissions Assessments?
Are you wondering how you can give your students the support they need?
There have been a lot of significant changes to the Admissions Assessments this year. This article gives the position on the 15 July 2024.
Here is a summary of the key changes to the university admission assessments with links to the relevant websites and some pointers towards AMSP events running next academic year for you and/or your students.
The main mathematics Admissions Assessments
Several universities either require or encourage students to take an Admissions Assessment for mathematics, computer science, economics and statistics courses. There are four main assessments:
- Test of Mathematics for University Admissions (TMUA) – used by a consortium of five universities
- Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT) – now for students applying to Oxford only
- Sixth Term Examination Papers (STEP) – used by several universities
- Advanced Extension Award (AEA) – used by a small number of universities
Information about TMUA
The TMUA is now only used by Cambridge (not for Mathematics courses), Durham, Imperial College, LSE and Warwick
- Full details, including how to apply for a bursary and accessibility arrangements, can be found on the UAT-UK website
- There are two sittings, one in October and one in January
- Students need to register themselves and take the test at a Pearson-VUE test centre
- Note that requests for access arrangements must be made by 29 August for the October sitting
- This year, the test will be fully online
- Content and question style is unchanged
- All the past papers are available on the website
The TMUA is based on the AS level Mathematics specification, with the addition of sequences and series and radians (from the full A level). There is a strong emphasis on reasoning and logic and an assumption that students will be more fluent with the vocabulary of logic than is assumed at A level. A very short booklet is available explaining what to expect, although it’s not very student-friendly.
Information about MAT
Significant changes have been made to all the Oxford Admissions Tests that were announced in early June, and complete information about the MAT is available here.
- Students should only take the MAT if they have applied to Oxford for Mathematics or Computer Science (including all joint honours courses).
- Imperial and Warwick are no longer using it for their mathematics courses
- Students need to register themselves and take the test at a Pearson-VUE centre
- The test will be entirely online, and the number and style of questions have changed
- Past papers are still excellent preparation, and a sample paper in the new format is now available
- The MAT remains free of charge for 2024
- Further support and links can be found on the Oxford MAT webpage.
The MAT is based on the AS Mathematics specification, with the addition of sequences and series. A syllabus document is available on the MAT webpage.
Information about STEP
There are no changes for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle.
From the summer of 2024, the exams will be administered by OCR, and students will take the exams in school. The school Examinations Officer will need to apply for the exams on the students’ behalf.
There are two papers: STEP 2 and STEP 3. (STEP 1 was discontinued after 2019, although the past papers are probably an essential part of early preparation.) We strongly recommend the STEP Support Programme website as it provides a structured approach that students can start early in year 12.
STEP 2 requires knowledge of the full A level Mathematics specification, plus AS Further Mathematics. STEP 3 requires additional knowledge of the full A level Further Mathematics specification.
Information about AEA
AEA is administered by Edexcel (Pearson), and students take the exams in school. The school Examinations Officer will need to apply for the exams on the students’ behalf. Unlike the other assessments, the AEA exam attracts UCAS points.
AEA is based on the full specification for A level Mathematics. Papers set before 2019 only have questions on Pure topics.
Who needs what for the mathematics Admissions Assessments
This list is not exhaustive, but we believe we have identified all the courses which require STEP, MAT, TMUA or AEA. This is a changing landscape, and we may well have omitted courses where one of these Admissions Assessments is encouraged. Some websites have not been fully updated yet. Please let us know at [email protected] if you spot any errors or omissions.
Mathematics – STEP 2 and STEP 3 required.
Computer Science – TMUA required – must be October sitting (i.e. pre-interview).
Economics – TMUA required – must be October sitting (i.e. pre-interview).
Note that a few Cambridge colleges may also require students to sit a short pre-interview test for mathematics: check individual college requirements and note that students do not need to register for these tests.
Mathematics, Computer Science (including joint honours) – MAT required.
Mathematics – TMUA required (late applicants may be given an offer including STEP instead).
Computer Science courses; Economics, Finance and Data Science – TMUA required.
October sitting strongly encouraged.
Mathematics – either TMUA or STEP required (TMUA strongly preferred).
Department of Statistics – a range of incentives for all courses, including lower offers and significant bursaries for good results.
Mathematics – TMUA, MAT** (see note below) or STEP required for students who only have AS Further Mathematics; TMUA, MAT**(see note below) or STEP strongly encouraged for students with the full A level in Further Mathematics, leading to reduced offers.
Sitting the test in October is strongly encouraged.
Other evidence, such as AEA and Mathematics Challenges and Olympiads, are also considered favourably.
Computer Science, Economics – TMUA required
Mathematics – TMUA encouraged
Mathematics – STEP, MAT**(see note below) or AEA required for students who only have AS Further Mathematics.
Bath no longer give reduced offers for students who have taken an Admissions Assessment in addition to Further Mathematics.
Mathematics – AEA encouraged
Mathematics – STEP encouraged
Mathematics – STEP or AEA is required for students who only have AS Further Mathematics.
Computer Science – some shortlisted candidates may need to take the Special Tertiary Admissions Test.
**NB
- not all universities have updated their websites, but the UAT-UK website is clear that the ONLY universities using the TMUA are Cambridge, Durham, Imperial, LSE and Warwick
- the MAT should only be taken if students are applying to Oxford; it is currently unclear whether other universities will be able to access students’ MAT scores. Students should check directly with the relevant universities.
Other STEM Admissions Assessments
Please do not take this list as definitive; we recommend you carefully check individual universities and courses alongside this article.
Oxford and Cambridge have Admissions Assessments for many subjects – see the relevant websites. Oxford is consistent for each course; Cambridge has many variations between colleges for the same course.
Most medical schools require an Admissions Assessment – we understand that this is now the UCAT for all undergraduate courses. Pearson-VUE administers the test.
The Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT) is NEW this year for Cambridge and Imperial only. It replaces the ENGAA and NSAA at Cambridge and a range of different assessments for engineering and physics courses at Imperial. It is provided by UAT-UK in conjunction with Pearson-VUE, and it has processes and dates similar to the TMUA.
Support we offer
We offer extensive support to students at all stages of their preparation for Admissions Assessments. You can more information on our Support for students in passing University Admissions Assessments.
We also provide a range of professional development resources and events nationally and via our network of local Area Coordinators. You can find more information on our University Admissions Assessments PD page.