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The ESAT is the admissions test for Engineering, Physics, Natural Sciences and related courses at Oxford and Cambridge, and it replaced Cambridge’s ENGAA and NSAA from 2025 entry and Oxford’s PAT from 2027 entry. Cambridge also uses it for Veterinary Medicine, and Oxford for Biomedical Sciences. Candidates sit a Mathematics part plus two chosen from Maths 2, Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
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We also build cookie, which has a free guide to which admissions test each Oxford and Cambridge course asks for, now that the TMUA, ESAT and TARA have replaced the older tests, and free past ESAT papers linked from the test’s own site.
Read the admissions tests guideOxford retired the Physics Aptitude Test and now uses the ESAT for Physics, Engineering and Physics & Philosophy; Cambridge retired the NSAA and ENGAA for the same reason. A student pointed at any of those is looking for the ESAT.
Old PAT and NSAA papers are still good practice material, since the physics has not changed, but the format, the module structure and the timing are different, and it is the timing that catches people out.
The ESAT is multiple choice and fast. There are no method marks, so a long correct route scores exactly what a wrong one does, and estimating, eliminating and moving on are worth as much as being able to solve everything.
A-Level trains almost the opposite habit, to show every step and get the method mark, which is why strong students often score below expectation on their first timed paper.
Everyone sits Mathematics 1 and picks two more. The right pair depends on the course and on genuine strength rather than on what sounds most impressive; Maths 2 suits Further Maths students, and Physics is compulsory in practice for most Engineering and Physics applicants.
It is worth deciding early, because it changes what preparation is for.
No. Oxford replaced the Physics Aptitude Test with the ESAT, and Cambridge replaced the NSAA and ENGAA at the same time.
Mathematics 1 is compulsory, plus two of Maths 2, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Which two depends on the course, so check the specific requirement and pick from genuine strength.
Yes for content and reasoning, but do timed practice on real ESAT papers. The format and the pacing are the parts that changed.
It is multiple choice, considerably faster, and awards no method marks. Estimation and elimination matter as much as full solutions.
Over the summer between Year 12 and Year 13, ahead of an autumn test date. Two months of regular timed practice is a realistic minimum.
Many do. Oxford and Cambridge interview preparation are listed separately on tutor profiles.
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