Oxford Scraps MAT PAT TSA UAT UK Test Booking Opens 20 July at 133 Pounds

The University of Oxford has scrapped more than eight undergraduate admissions tests for 2027 entry. The change hits Indian applicants for maths, physics, engineering and PPE seats. UAT-UK booking on the official Pearson VUE portal opens 20 July 2026 at 3pm BST (7:30pm IST). Three new papers, TMUA, ESAT and TARA, replace MAT, PAT, TSA and five others.

• Applicants for Oxford courses requiring admissions tests will now sit TMUA, ESAT or TARA, depending on the course.
• The test window runs from 12 to 16 October 2026. Booking closes at 6pm BST on 28 September 2026, with no late entries.
• Indian students sitting outside the UK pay £133 per test. 

Oxford is the biggest name switching to UAT-UK. UAT-UK is a joint venture between Imperial College London and Cambridge. Pearson VUE delivers the tests online in over 180 countries. Applicants applying to multiple universities using the same UAT-UK test only need to sit that test once.

Currency conversion note: £1 = ₹128.17 as of July 2026

Also Read: How to Apply With UCAS in 2026

Why Oxford Scrapped Its Eight Admissions Tests?

Oxford confirmed the change on its Oxford Admissions Tests page. The university has replaced most of its own bespoke admissions tests with UAT-UK assessments. Applicants sitting the October 2026 window are the first cohort to move to UAT-UK.

The eight retired tests are MAT (Mathematics), PAT (Physics), TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment), HAT (History), MLAT (Modern Languages), BMSAT (Biomedical Sciences), GAT (Geography) and CAT (Classics), AHCAAT (Ancient History and Classical Archaeology Admissions Test), PhilAT (Philosophy Test).

Oxford said the switch cuts duplication for students also applying to Cambridge, Imperial, LSE, UCL or Warwick. All these already use the UAT-UK bank.

Applicants for Oxford courses requiring admissions tests will now sit TMUA, ESAT or TARA, depending on the course.

UAT-UK Fees and October 2026 Test Dates

UAT-UK has published the full timeline on its UAT-UK deadlines page. Every date is enforced strictly. The portal accepts no late bookings.

The £133 fee sits alongside the £28.95 UCAS charge for up to five universities. A maths applicant targeting four UAT-UK universities sits one TMUA paper only. The single fee covers all four applications.

How Do Indian Students Book a UAT-UK Slot?

Booking is done on the UAT-UK candidate portal, hosted by Pearson VUE. Indian students should follow this order to hit the September cut-off.

1. Create a UAT-UK account (portal open since 1 June 2026).
2. Check the Oxford course page to confirm TMUA, ESAT or TARA.
3. Log in at 3pm BST on 20 July 2026 when booking opens.
4. Pick a Pearson VUE test centre in India and pay the £133 fee by card.
5. Submit the UCAS form to Oxford separately by 15 October 2026.

Access arrangements and bursary requests carry earlier deadlines of 14 September and 21 September 2026. Applicants needing extra time or a separate room must file the paperwork before the booking window closes.

LNAT and UCAT Continue for Law and Medicine

Oxford has not touched two admissions tests. Law and Law with Foundation Year applicants still sit the LNAT. Medicine and Graduate-entry Medicine applicants still sit the UCAT.

Both remain Pearson-run, with fees and dates published separately on the Pearson VUE site. The Exams Required to study in UK list shows how IELTS or TOEFL scores plug into the same Oxford file. Indian applicants still submit English proof and predicted A-Level, IB or CBSE Class 12 scores through UCAS.

Indian applicants new to UK undergraduate admissions can start with the wider Study in UK guide. Lock the UAT-UK slot only after choosing the target Oxford course.

Note: Indian applicants targeting Oxford in 2027 have one narrow booking window. The UAT-UK portal opens on 20 July 2026 at 3pm BST. It closes on 28 September 2026 at 6pm BST. Missing the September cut-off ends the Oxford application for the cycle.

Your 2026-27 UAT-UK Action Plan

1. Confirm today whether your Oxford course needs TMUA, ESAT or TARA.
2. Log in to the UAT-UK portal (open since 1 June 2026) and keep card details ready.
3. Book the slot at 3pm BST on 20 July 2026 and pay £133.
4. File access-arrangement paperwork by 14 September 2026 if needed.
5. Submit the UCAS form to Oxford by 15 October 2026.
6. Sit the test between 12 and 16 October 2026 at your Pearson VUE centre.