Engineering and Sciences Admissions Test (ESAT) Guide

ESAT Test Guide

Everything you should know before taking the ESAT and how to be successful!

WHAT IS THE ESAT?

The Engineering and Sciences Admissions Test (ESAT) is an admissions test used by Cambridge, Oxford, and Imperial Universities to select highly qualified applicants for undergraduate science and engineering courses. It is also used by UCL for certain programmes. The test assesses scientific knowledge, analytical reasoning, and the ability to apply concepts to real-world scenarios.

It is worth noting that, for applicants applying in the 2026 admissions round for courses starting in autumn 2027, the ESAT represents a significant recent change at Oxford. As part of a broader admissions-test overhaul — with full details published in April 2026 — Oxford has moved to the UAT-UK system, and the ESAT now replaces several older Oxford-specific assessments for science and engineering courses. If you are applying to any of the Oxford courses listed below, check carefully that you are preparing for the correct test, as this switch is very recent.

Oxford courses that require the ESAT: Biomedical Sciences; Engineering Science; Physics; Physics and Philosophy.

Cambridge courses that require the ESAT: Engineering; Natural Sciences; Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology; Veterinary Medicine.

Imperial departments that require the ESAT: Aeronautics; Chemical Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Design Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Physics.

The ESAT, tailored specifically for these applicants, focuses on assessing candidates' scientific knowledge, analytical thinking, and ability to apply their understanding to real-world scenarios.

By incorporating the ESAT into the selection process, Oxford, Cambridge, and Imperial Universities can identify students who not only possess a passion for science but also exhibit the intellectual acumen required to excel in their scientific programs.

WHO NEEDS TO SIT THE ESAT?

Cambridge uses the ESAT for applicants to: Engineering, Natural Sciences, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, and Veterinary Medicine.

Oxford (as of 2026) uses the ESAT for applicants to: Biomedical Sciences, Engineering Science, Physics, and Physics and Philosophy.

Imperial uses the ESAT for applicants to undergraduate courses in: Aeronautics, Chemical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Design Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Physics.

UCL uses the ESAT for applicants to: Electronic & Engineering BEng/MEng programs.

HOW IS THE ESAT STRUCTURED?

The ESAT is a computer-based assessment made up of five multiple-choice sections, each of which lasts 40 minutes and contains 27 questions.

All applicants, regardless of course, must take Mathematics I for the first section, after which they take two more chosen from: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics II.

The specific options sat are related to the course applied for, and the university will inform applicants as to which options they will need to take.

For a summary of the ESAT format, head to the official UAT (University Admissions Tests) UK webpage here.

CAN I CHOOSE WHICH QUESTIONS I ANSWER IN THE ESAT?

Applicants will answer the relevant sections to the course to which they are applying. Within the sections, there are no options.

HOW IS MY SCORE IN THE ESAT USED?

Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial use the ESAT as a standardised format for assessing and benchmarking their applicants. The exam rewards problem solving over knowledge of particular scientific or mathematical knowledge, so that students taking different qualifications at school can access the syllabus.

Oxford and Cambridge uses students’ marks in the ESAT to make decisions about which applicants they should invite to interview, giving them a further indicator in addition to predicted and achieved grades. For applicants to Imperial, some of whom are interviewed and others who are not, the ESAT test grade will factor into whether or not they receive an offer in the spring.

For Imperial applicants specifically: The ESAT weighting differs depending on whether you are interviewed. Some Imperial applicants are interviewed and others are not. Your ESAT score will factor into whether you receive an offer in the spring. Imperial uses the ESAT as a key differentiator alongside academic qualifications and school references.

WHAT IS A GOOD ESAT SCORE?

The raw points achieved on the ESAT are converted into a score between 1.0 and 9.0, with 9.0 being the highest score. The scale is designed so that the typical candidate scores around a 4.5, with roughly 10% of applicants achieving over a 7.0.

UAT-UK have released graphs showing the basic results from the October 2025 ESAT test, allowing us to take a closer look at the distribution of results in each section of the test. Below are the bar charts released by UAT-UK for each part of the test:

When reading this data, we should remember that the test 'caps out' at 1.0 and 9.0, meaning that all applicants scoring below the minimum or above the maximum benchmark are given a 1.0 or 9.0 respectively. This means 1.0 and 9,0 represent a broader range of grades, hence more applicants achieve these grades than other nearby scores.

We can see that the most common grade across most test sections was between 4.0 and 4.5. 5.0 is also common in the Mathematics 2 and Biology exams, meaning these may have been comparably slightly easier than the others.

DO I NEED TO KNOW SPECIFIC CONTENT?

The ESAT syllabus is designed so that students taking a wide variety of qualifications or have a background in international education systems can access the scientific content.

However, it is more focused around the UK education system and the general concepts covered in A-Level and IB science and mathematics syllabuses. We also have specialist tutors who have experience of advising students taking other qualifications and help them fill in knowledge gaps.

How to register for the ESAT

WHEN IS THE ESAT IN 2026?

The ESAT is offered twice annually:

October: Monday 12th – Friday 16th October 2026 – Mandatory for Cambridge and Oxford applicants
January: Monday 4th – Friday 8th January 2027 – Available for all universities; Imperial-only applicants may choose this sitting

All applicants to Oxford and Cambridge University must sit the ESAT in the October sitting.

Applicants to Imperial University (who are not also applying to Oxford or Cambridge) may decide whether they would rather take the test either in October or in January.

The tests dates may be during half term or school Christmas holidays, but with plenty of advanced notice this hopefully shouldn’t prevent your school or college from holding the test. Be aware that if you miss this date for whatever reason you will not be able to take the test on another day and your application will not be considered.

WHEN IS THE DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION?

All applicants must register via the UAT-UK website. Here are the key registration dates for 2026–27:

October 2026 sitting (Cambridge & Oxford applicants must use this date)

• Registration opens: 20 July 2026
• Registration deadline: 28 September 2026 at 6pm BST
• Test window: 12–16 October 2026

January 2027 sitting (Imperial & UCL applicants only, unless exception applies)

• Registration opens: 20 July 2026
• Registration deadline: 21 December 2026 at 6pm GMT
• Test window: 4–8 January 2027

Access arrangements & bursaries
If you require access arrangements (extra time, rest breaks, etc.) or are applying for a bursary (for UK candidates in financial need), register early. The deadline for bursary applications is 21 September 2026.

Once registered, you will receive an email confirming your test centre location, date, time, and duration. Booking a Pearson VUE test centre slot is done separately after registration—we recommend booking as soon as possible to secure your preferred location.

If you miss the deadline
If extenuating circumstances prevented you from registering on time, contact your university immediately to explain the situation. Missing the registration deadline typically means you cannot sit the test in that cycle.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO TAKE THE ESAT?

The 2026 ESAT costs £75 for UK and Republic of Ireland applicants, and £130 for international candidates. UK candidates in financial need can apply for a bursary voucher to register free of charge. For more information, visit the ESAT website.

How to Pass the ESAT?

The best advice we can offer to succeed in the ESAT is to begin exam preparation early and practise often.

Most students who don’t get through tests like the ESAT to be invited to interview tell us that they didn’t spend enough time familiarising themselves with the type of questions that can arise. They typically say that they were caught off guard by a particular question and it put their timings off for the rest of the test.

START EARLY

Although you may require scientific or mathematical concepts studied later on in your school studies, challenge yourself to get ahead of the syllabus so you can begin practising ESAT questions, especially the skills-based questions. Some students find it important to build up their arithmetic skills, since calculators are not allowed on any part of the paper.

REFLECTION

Reflect on your personal strengths and weaknesses. No two students should have the same revision strategy for the ESAT, since you all have varying abilities. Try to identify which part of the syllabus you find easiest or more difficult in order to target your revision strategically.

DON'T RESTRICT YOUR PRACTICE MATERIALS

Don’t restrict your practice materials: Once you have tried all of the real past papers, and have moved on to additional materials like our bespoke ESAT papers, you should then look wider at similar materials. For example, look at science papers from other exam boards or qualification systems for an idea of where questions could go.

COLLABORATION 

Work with a friend or teacher to discuss questions and identify your own personal revision goals. Working with others can be a huge motivation and keep you on track in the weeks and months leading up to the test. We have specialist ESAT tutors who can work with you one-to-one to refine your test technique.