ESAT Score Explained: Conversion, Averages and Good Scores

How ESAT scoring works

The ESAT is made up of 40-minute modules of 27 multiple-choice questions. Everyone sits Mathematics 1, and most candidates sit two more from Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics 2. You get a score for each module you take, reported from 1 (low) to 9 (high) to one decimal place. There is no pass or fail.

Your scores are based on the number of correct answers, and you do not lose marks for incorrect answers, so answer every question. UAT-UK then uses a statistical model (the Rasch model) to put everyone on one scale, whichever version of a module they sat. For the ESAT, each module is equated and scaled separately.

• One score per module. There is no aggregate ESAT score.
• Anchored to the October cohort. The median is set at 4.5 and the 90th percentile at 7.0; January scores go on the same scale.
• Capped. The Explanation of Results says scores are capped at 1.0 and 9.0, typical candidates score around 4.5 and about one candidate in ten scores above 7.0.
• No grade boundaries. UAT-UK does not provide grade boundaries or a pass mark.

One point that trips people up: module scores are not interchangeable. UAT-UK's technical report says scaled scores are not comparable across modules and cannot be added together, and because the scale is set fresh each cycle, they cannot be compared directly with earlier years either.

ESAT score conversion: why there is no raw-mark table

Many students search for an ESAT score conversion chart that turns, say, 18 out of 27 into a scaled score. UAT-UK does not publish one. The ESAT is scored after each test window closes, based on that year's candidates, and the official practice tests intentionally do not award a score for exactly that reason.

The technical report explains that your raw mark depends on both your ability and the difficulty of the version you sat, so those differences are removed through equating before scaling. Each module also has its own conversion from ability to scaled score. In practice, the same raw mark can lead to a different scaled score in Physics than in Chemistry, or on a different version of the same module.

What you can do is measure accuracy and pacing. Work through our free ESAT practice test under 40-minute timing and track how many questions you get right per module.

ESAT score distribution by module (2025–26)

UAT-UK's Annual Report 2025–26 Candidate Data shows 14,781 ESAT bookings for 2026 entry and 14,193 tests delivered. That report covers numbers, not scores. The module-by-module score figures come from the ESAT Technical Report 2025–26:

October and January candidates scored differently. Because the scale is anchored to October, every module's October median is 4.5 and its October 90th percentile is 7.0. January medians were lower, but both sittings use the same scale, so a given score means the same thing whenever you sat.

The most common combination by far was Maths 1, Maths 2 and Physics, taken by 74% of candidates. Maths 1, Biology and Chemistry came next at 9%, then Maths 1, Maths 2 and Chemistry at 8%.

The report also notes that modules are short, so reliability is lower than for a longer test. The scaled-score measurement error ranged from about 0.5 to 0.7 for Maths 1 and about 1.0 for Biology. Treat small differences between two scores with caution.

What is a good ESAT score for Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial?

None of these universities publishes an ESAT cut-off. Here is what their own pages say:

• Cambridge: there is no pass or fail mark, but a strong performance is usually needed to be invited to interview. If you are shortlisted, your score is looked at again alongside the rest of your application.
• Oxford Physics: the primary shortlisting criterion is the ESAT score, read in the light of contextual data. The department interviews around 2.5 applicants per place, then combines ESAT and interview scores to rank candidates.
• Oxford Engineering Science: no specific mark guarantees shortlisting; decisions use all available information without a set weighting.
• Imperial: there are no grade boundaries or pass marks, and a high score does not guarantee an offer. Imperial publishes an interactive dashboard of 2025 entry scores by department, but warns the data is historic and should not be taken as a guide to current requirements.

The fairest benchmark you have is the distribution itself. By design, about 10% of October candidates score above 7.0 in each module, and the 2025–26 medians sat between 4.1 and 4.5. For Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial, the honest answer is that higher is better and there is no published target.

Your module choice decides which scores universities see

Some courses fix all three modules; others let you choose. The UAT-UK course list for 2027 entry and the universities' pages give these examples:

Cambridge confirms that Engineering applicants sit Maths 1, Physics and Maths 2, while Natural Sciences, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology and Veterinary Medicine applicants choose two extra modules. You cannot change modules after booking; you would have to cancel and rebook. If two of your courses have clashing compulsory modules, UAT-UK says you may need to sit four modules, which it reviews before approving.

When you get your ESAT scores

UAT-UK says ESAT results arrive in your account approximately four weeks after your test. For 2026–27, results for the October sitting are listed for 16 November 2026 and for the January sitting on 8 February 2027. Scores go automatically to the universities on your UCAS application whose courses use the ESAT, and UAT-UK does not accept appeals. See our UAT-UK test dates guide for every deadline.

How to improve your ESAT scores

UAT-UK advises reading the test specification to spot topics you need to revise, then answering the specimen test under timed conditions. Calculators and dictionaries are not allowed.

1. Confirm your modules on every course page before you book.
2. Check the specification for each module and list any topics you have not covered at school.
3. Practise each module in a 40-minute block of 27 questions, without a calculator.
4. Answer every question, as wrong answers cost nothing.
5. Review mistakes by topic so revision goes where it counts.

Start with ESAT Maths 1 practice, since everyone sits it, then add the modules your courses need: Maths 2, ESAT Physics practice, Chemistry or Biology from the same practice area. Not sure the ESAT is the right test? Compare TMUA vs ESAT vs TARA, or read how TMUA scores work.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Every source below was accessed on the listed date. Pages — especially department admissions pages — change without notice; the links go to the live versions.

1. ESAT – The Engineering and Science Admissions Test — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
2. Test Results — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
3. Key Dates — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
4. FAQs — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
5. Rescheduling and Cancelling — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
6. ESAT Explanation of Results – October 2025 and January 2026 — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
7. UAT-UK Technical Report 1 2025-26: ESAT — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
8. UAT-UK Annual Report 2025-26 Candidate Data — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
9. Course List 2027 Entry — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
10. Admission tests and assessments — University of Cambridge. Accessed 2026-10-01.
11. Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT) — University of Cambridge. Accessed 2026-10-01.
12. Admissions procedures for physics courses — Department of Physics, University of Oxford. Accessed 2026-10-01.
13. Engineering and Science Admissions Test — Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford. Accessed 2026-10-01.
14. Understanding your ESAT and TMUA scores — Imperial College London. Accessed 2026-10-01.

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