There have been, and there are ongoing, significant changes both to the way assessments are administered and to the university requirements for all admissions assessments. Please check with your chosen universities carefully.
This page was updated on 1st July 2024
What are STEP, MAT and TMUA?
Several more selective universities ask students applying to their maths-related degree courses to take admission tests. These tests may form part of the offer for a place on the course or may reduce the UCAS points score required. These are generally required in addition to specific A level grades (or alternative qualifications).
The maths admissions assessments they may require are:
- STEP (Sixth Term Examination Paper) Examinations in the summer session
- MAT (Mathematics Admission Test) Examination in October
- TMUA (Test of Mathematics for University Admission) Examinations in October or January
The questions in these tests are longer and less structured than most A level Mathematics and Further Mathematics examination questions.
Are there other admissions tests that involve maths?
Some universities require applicants to take admissions assessments for other types of degree courses.
Often, the level of mathematical knowledge needed for these is no more advanced than GCSE Mathematics; however, they may involve quite challenging problems.
There are several different types of these assessments. Some examples are the ESAT (Engineering and Science Admissions Test), which requires knowledge of A level mathematics, and the TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment), which assumes no content beyond GCSE mathematics.
Which tests do universities ask for?
Details of the admissions requirements for specific courses are detailed on the universities’ websites.
Some universities use admissions tests to help them decide who to interview, some make them a condition of offer, and some use them to make a reduced offer.
Check the pages about applying for the courses you are interested in. Please note that this information may have changed since you last looked!
Are you looking for advice about the university applications process and admissions tests?
SUMS is a monthly web-magazine for all A level Mathematics students. Each issue is packed full of support, resources and advice.
How do I know which test to take?
Here’s a decision table for Mathematics courses only to help you decide which test is right for you:
| University | STEP | MAT | TMUA | AEA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Cambridge | Compulsory. | Taking the TMUA may give useful experience and may result in a lower offer from some of your other university choices. | ||
| University of Oxford | Useful for the experience. | Compulsory (including for joint honours courses). | ||
| Imperial College London | A high score in STEP may be required if the TMUA deadline is missed. | Compulsory unless you miss the deadline. | ||
| University of Warwick | STEP is one of the admissions tests that applicants are encouraged to sit. | The TMUA is one of the admissions tests that applicants are encouraged to sit. | ||
| Durham University | Reduced offer for a good score in the TMUA. | |||
| LSE | A good score may make an application more competitive | |||
| Other universities | Several universities will give lower offers if you score well in STEP. | Several universities will give lower offers if you score well in the TMUA. | Some universities will give lower offers if you score well in AEA |
| Other universities | Universities which have in the past encouraged STEP, MAT and/or TMUA include Bath, Kings College London, Lancaster, Nottingham, Sheffield, Southampton and UCL |
Other courses requiring the MAT:
University of Oxford: Computer Science courses
Other courses requiring the TMUA:
University of Cambridge: Computer Science; Economics (October sitting)
Imperial College, London: Courses in the department of Computer Science, including Mathematics with Computer Science; Economics, Finance and Data (Imperial College Business School) (October or January sitting)
London School of Economics: Economics; Econometrics with Mathematical Economics (October or January sitting)
How can the AMSP help prepare students for STEP, MAT, and TMUA?
The AMSP provides tuition to support to students preparing to take the STEP, MAT and TMUA admission tests. This can be delivered in various formats to help you to access it easily:
- Our Setting Out In Problem Solving (SOIPS) course is ideal for Year 12 and 13 students interested in beginning to develop their problem-solving skills or wanting to learn more about university entry examinations.
- For students interested in sitting the MAT or TMUA examinations, the AMSP, in partnership with Bath University, Durham University, Imperial College London, The University of Oxford, Manchester University and The University of Warwick, runs the Problem Solving Matters Course each year. The course is designed to prepare students for the way they will have to think to achieve success in the MAT, TMUA and other problem-solving mathematics examinations by developing their mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- The AMSP provides online support for students sitting the STEP, MAT and TMUA examinations. The MAT and TMUA courses run from September to the end of October each year. (A second TMUA course will run from November 2024 for those taking the exam at the second sitting in January 2025.) The STEP courses run from February to May each year.
- AMSP Area Coordinators run a number of regular problem-solving classes designed to support students sitting the STEP, MAT and TMUA examinations.
- We offer limited free places for students at state-funded schools and colleges in AMSP Priority Areas.
Your local AMSP Area Coordinator can advise you on the best options for circumstances.
If you want to work on developing your problem-solving skills, here are some resources to help you:
- Check out SUMS – Steps to University for Mathematical Students. It’s a monthly web magazine for all A level Mathematics students considering studying Mathematics at university. Each issue is packed full of support, resources and advice.
- The Further Mathematics Support Programme (FMSP) produced a range of problem-solving materials for post-16 students. These can be found in the FMSP Resources Archive and include:
- A level problem-solving materials
- Materials from the Senior Team Maths Challenge (STMC)
- Year 12 Problem Solving Summer School
- As part of the support MEI provides for STEP, it also provides access to sample materials and access to past paper-worked solutions.
- If your school/college has registered with the AMSP, your teachers should be able to access additional materials from Integral®
- Further materials for practising your problem-solving skills are available from the Cambridge University STEP Support Programme, the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust (UKMT) and NRICH.
Administrative changes
The MAT will be administered by Pearson VUE from 2024, and students will need to enter for the test themselves. Candidates are encouraged to create an account as soon as possible. Registration for the MAT opens between 15th August and 4th October 2024. The syllabus has not changed from previous years, but the examination will now consist of 25 multiple choice questions and 2 longer questions.
The TMUA will be administered by Pearson VUE from 2024, and students will need to enter for the test themselves. Candidates are encouraged to create an account as soon as possible, and booking opens 10 weeks before the exam dates. The earlier you book, the more chance you have of getting the appointment you want at your local test centre.