TMUA, ESAT and TARA Dates 2026–27: Deadlines and Fees

2026–27 test dates at a glance

UAT-UK runs all three tests in the same two windows. These key dates apply to the 2027 entry cycle, for courses starting in 2027.

Tests are taken at Pearson test centres. When you book, you choose from available centres, and UAT-UK says the earlier you book, the more likely your preferred centre will have appointments. Add your date to our exam countdown once it is booked.

October 2026 sitting: key dates

As of 1 October 2026, booking for the October sitting has closed. If you are booked, these are the dates that still matter:

These come from the UAT-UK key dates page. If you have booked, you can still cancel or reschedule up to 48 hours before your test without penalty, but if you cancel after the booking deadline you will not be able to book another slot.

January 2027 sitting: key dates

All dates are from the UAT-UK key dates page. LSE gives the same January registration window of 26 October to 21 December 2026 for the TMUA. If you need a bursary or access arrangements, apply before you book: they cannot be added to a test you have already booked.

How to book the January sitting, following UAT-UK's registration steps:

1. Log in to your UAT-UK account, or create one. Your full name must exactly match the photo ID you will show on test day, and your details should match your UCAS application.
2. Apply for a bursary or access arrangements first, if you need them, and wait for approval.
3. Select your test and, for the ESAT, the modules your courses require.
4. From 3pm GMT on 26 October 2026, book a slot at a Pearson test centre and pay.
5. Add your UCAS Personal ID to your profile before you submit your UCAS application, so your score can be matched.

Who can sit in January?

Most Cambridge and Oxford applicants must sit in October. The only exceptions are mature applicants to a Cambridge college with a January admissions deadline and applicants to Oxford's Astrophoria Foundation Year. Cambridge's TMUA page confirms that if you apply by the 15 October deadline, you must take the test in the first sitting.

• Everyone else can choose. UAT-UK says there is no advantage to sitting in either session.
• You only get one attempt. You can only sit once within an admissions cycle, so October and January are alternatives, not two tries.
• Oxbridge course with no test? If your Cambridge or Oxford course does not need a UAT-UK test, you can sit in January for your other courses.
• Exam clash? If school exams clash with October and you are not applying to Cambridge or Oxford, UAT-UK suggests sitting in January instead. Cambridge and Oxford applicants should message UAT-UK.

Some universities that accept either sitting still nudge you towards October. LSE strongly encourages the first sitting for the widest choice of time slots and locations. For UCL and Oxford Foundation Year applicants taking the TARA, UAT-UK says neither sitting is an advantage.

Dates for China, Hong Kong and Macau

Following reports in October 2024 of attempts to obtain and sell test content, UAT-UK now runs fewer test days in China, Hong Kong and Macau. You must book one of these days, and UAT-UK says it cannot make exceptions:

Everywhere else, all three tests run on every day of each window. If you are applying from abroad, our guide to UK admissions tests for international students covers the wider picture.

Fees, bursaries and cancelling

Each test costs £78 for candidates in the UK and Republic of Ireland and £133 elsewhere. The fee depends on the test centre location, not your home or nationality. If you need two tests, such as the TMUA and the ESAT, you pay for each. The previous cycle's fee was £75 and £130.

UK candidates in financial need can get a bursary that covers the full test fee. You must live in the UK permanently and sit at a UK test centre. Qualifying evidence includes free school meals, a 16–19 bursary or EMA, care leaver status, or you or a parent or guardian living with you receiving a listed benefit such as Universal Credit. Reviews can take up to five working days.

• An unused October bursary carries over to January if you did not book, or cancelled more than 48 hours before your test. If you missed an October booking, it is not reissued.
• You can cancel for a full refund at least 48 hours before your appointment. Missing a test or cancelling later means losing the fee.
• ESAT modules cannot be changed after booking; you would have to cancel and rebook, subject to availability.

Access arrangements

If you have a learning difference, disability, sensory impairment or medical condition, you can apply for access arrangements before you book. Requests can take up to ten working days to review, and you need evidence such as a signed school letter. Extra time is normally 25% of the test duration, and UAT-UK will not grant extra time because English is not your first language. For January 2027, the request deadline is 7 December 2026 at 6pm GMT.

Results dates and what happens next

Results for the October sitting are due on 16 November 2026 and for the January sitting on 8 February 2027. Scores are sent automatically to the universities on your UCAS application whose courses use the test. You cannot choose which universities see it, and UAT-UK does not accept appeals of scores.

At Oxford, the Mathematical Institute lists shortlisting decisions in November 2026, interviews in December and decisions in January 2027. To understand your result, read TMUA scores explained or ESAT scores explained. Still unsure which test applies to you? See TMUA vs ESAT vs TARA. For January candidates, there is still time to practise with a free TMUA practice test.

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. Key Dates — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
2. TMUA – The Test of Mathematics for University Admission — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
3. TARA – The Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
4. Registering for a Test — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
5. Bursary Scheme — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
6. Access Arrangements — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
7. Rescheduling and Cancelling — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
8. FAQs — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
9. Test Results — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
10. UAT-UK Annual Report 2025-26 Candidate Data — UAT-UK. Accessed 2026-10-01.
11. Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) — London School of Economics and Political Science. Accessed 2026-10-01.
12. Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) — University of Cambridge. Accessed 2026-10-01.
13. TMUA — Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford. Accessed 2026-10-01.

Related guides

• TMUA vs ESAT vs TARA: Which UAT-UK Test Do You Need?
• TMUA Score Explained: Scale, Averages and Good Scores
• ESAT Score Explained: Conversion, Averages and Good Scores
• UCAT Format 2026: Sections, Timing and Question Counts