Can I use a calculator in the TMUA?

No. Calculators and dictionaries are not allowed in either paper.

Is there negative marking in the TMUA?

No. Your score is based on correct answers only, so you should answer every question.

What is a good TMUA score?

There is no pass mark and cut-offs vary by course and year. Warwick says most BSc Mathematics offers in the last cycle went to applicants scoring 5.0 or above. For the most competitive courses, aim as high as you can.

Can I take the TMUA in January 2027?

Imperial and LSE accept either sitting. Oxford and Cambridge applicants needed the October 2026 sitting, apart from a few stated exceptions. Check your course page for other universities.

Can I resit the TMUA?

You can sit the TMUA once per admissions cycle. Imperial and LSE say only your first score in a cycle is considered.

Does Oxford still use the MAT?

No. Oxford moved to the UAT-UK tests from 2026, and its maths and computer science courses list the TMUA for 2027 entry.

How much does the TMUA cost?

£78 for candidates in the UK and Republic of Ireland and £133 elsewhere. UK applicants in financial need can apply for a bursary.

TMUA Guide 2026–27: Format and Scores

What is the TMUA and who needs it?

The Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) is a computer-based test run by UAT-UK and taken at Pearson VUE test centres. It checks whether you can use school maths quickly and accurately in unfamiliar problems, and whether you can follow and judge a mathematical argument. You do not need anything beyond the published specification.

For 2027 entry, UAT-UK says seven universities use the TMUA. Whether it is compulsory or only recommended depends on the course:

Cambridge: Computer Science, Economics and Mathematics.
Oxford: Mathematics, Mathematics and Statistics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Mathematics and Philosophy, Computer Science, and Computer Science and Philosophy. Oxford moved to the UAT-UK tests from the 2026 sitting, so these courses no longer use the old MAT.
Imperial: Computing (all variants), Mathematics (all variants), Mathematics and Computer Science, and Economics, Finance and Data Science.
LSE: compulsory for Economics and for Econometrics and Mathematical Economics; recommended for Actuarial Science, Data Science, Financial Mathematics and Statistics and the mathematics joint degrees.
Warwick: compulsory for Mathematics, Computer Science, Discrete Mathematics and Computer Science with Business Studies (unless you qualify for a contextual offer); recommended for Economics, Data Science, MORSE and Mathematics and Statistics.
UCL: Economics, and Economics with a Year Abroad.
Durham: recommended for Mathematics and Mathematics and Statistics.

Course lists change, so always confirm on the university's own course page before you book. If you are applying for engineering or the sciences, you probably need the ESAT instead.

TMUA format, paper by paper

Paper	What it tests	Questions	Time
Paper 1: Applications of Mathematical Knowledge	Using maths you know in new situations	20 multiple choice	75 minutes
Paper 2: Mathematical Reasoning	Mathematical reasoning and simple logic	20 multiple choice	75 minutes

The whole test lasts 2 hours 30 minutes. Calculators and dictionaries are not allowed. That works out at 3 minutes 45 seconds per question, which sounds generous until you meet a question that needs a careful sketch or some algebra by hand.

Paper 1 feels like a fast, tricky A-level pure paper: algebra, functions, sequences, coordinate geometry, trigonometry, exponentials and logs, differentiation and integration, all set in multiple choice so that a small slip lands you on a wrong option that looks right.

Paper 2 is what makes the TMUA different. Typical questions ask which condition is necessary or sufficient, which statement is the negation of another, or which line of a proof contains the error. The maths is often easier than in Paper 1; the difficulty is reading the logic exactly. Check the official TMUA specification on the UAT-UK site for the full list of topics and the logic you are expected to know.

How the TMUA is scored and what a good score looks like

You get one overall score on a scale from 1.0 (low) to 9.0 (high), to one decimal place. Scores are equated, so results from different versions and sittings can be compared fairly. There is no pass or fail, and no marks are lost for wrong answers, so answer every question.

Results come out about six weeks after the test through your UAT-UK account, and are sent automatically to the TMUA universities on your UCAS application.

What counts as "good" depends on the course. UAT-UK publishes no pass marks. Two official pointers are useful:

Warwick says that for BSc Mathematics most offers in the last cycle went to applicants scoring 5.0 or above, with some offers below that after a holistic review.
Imperial publishes mean scores and score spreads by department for the 2025 cycle, but warns that these vary year to year and should not be read as requirements.

For Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial, assume you are competing with very strong mathematicians and aim as high as you can. A high score does not guarantee an offer and a lower one does not rule you out.

TMUA dates and fees for the 2026–27 cycle

The TMUA runs twice a year. For 2027 entry the October sitting (12–16 October 2026, results 16 November 2026) has already happened. It was compulsory for Oxford and Cambridge applicants. The January sitting is still open:

January 2027 sitting	Date
Booking opens	28 October 2026, 3pm
Access arrangements deadline	7 December 2026, 6pm
Bursary deadline	14 December 2026, 6pm
Booking closes	21 December 2026, 6pm
Test window	4–8 January 2027
Results	8 February 2027

Can you use the January sitting? Imperial and LSE say either sitting is fine. For Oxford and Cambridge, January is only for the stated exceptions (a Cambridge mature college with a January deadline, or Oxford's Astrophoria Foundation Year). For other universities, check the course page. You can sit the TMUA once per admissions cycle, and Imperial and LSE say only your first score counts.

Fee: £78 in the UK and Republic of Ireland, £133 elsewhere. UAT-UK runs a bursary scheme for UK applicants in financial need; apply before the bursary deadline.

How to prepare: a 4-week TMUA plan

Four focused weeks is enough for most strong A-level students. About an hour a day on weekdays and a longer session at weekends works well.

Days 1–2: Take the free practice test under timed conditions. Read the official specification and tick off each topic as secure, shaky or new.
Week 1: Fix the shaky Paper 1 topics. Work without a calculator from day one: fractions, surds, logs and quick sketches. Do 10-question sets in 37 minutes.
Week 2: Learn the Paper 2 logic language: "if", "only if", "necessary", "sufficient", negating "for all" and "there exists", and counterexamples. Practise finding the faulty line in a proof.
Week 3: Two full mocks, one per paper each sitting, then a slow review of every wrong or guessed answer. Keep an error log: what went wrong and the rule that would have caught it.
Week 4: Two or three more full mocks at real timing, alternating with targeted drills from your error log. Stop new material two days before the test and rest the night before.

Only got 10 days? Do the free practice test, two days on Paper 2 logic, then a full mock every other day with reviews in between.

Practising with Principly: each of our 13 TMUA mocks has both papers at the real length and timing (20 questions in 75 minutes each, no calculator), in an on-screen layout like the real test, with a worked solution for every question and a score estimate on the 1.0–9.0 scale.

Try a TMUA mock now. The free practice test gives you a decile estimate in one short sitting; the full set is 13 timed mocks with worked solutions.

Take the free practice test Get all 13 mocks · £29

Common TMUA mistakes

Getting stuck on one question. Give each question about three minutes, flag it and move on. Every question is worth the same.
Leaving blanks. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so never leave one empty.
Treating Paper 2 like Paper 1. Many candidates revise only content. Paper 2 rewards careful reading of logical words.
Calculator habits. If you have done all your practice with a calculator, simple arithmetic will cost you minutes on the day.
Not reading "must", "could" and "cannot". Many wrong options are true sometimes but not always.
Booking late. Popular test centres fill up. Book well before 21 December.

TMUA FAQ

Can I use a calculator in the TMUA?: No. Calculators and dictionaries are not allowed in either paper.
Is there negative marking in the TMUA?: No. Your score is based on correct answers only, so you should answer every question.
What is a good TMUA score?: There is no pass mark and cut-offs vary by course and year. Warwick says most BSc Mathematics offers in the last cycle went to applicants scoring 5.0 or above. For the most competitive courses, aim as high as you can.
Can I take the TMUA in January 2027?: Imperial and LSE accept either sitting. Oxford and Cambridge applicants needed the October 2026 sitting, apart from a few stated exceptions. Check your course page for other universities.
Can I resit the TMUA?: You can sit the TMUA once per admissions cycle. Imperial and LSE say only your first score in a cycle is considered.
Does Oxford still use the MAT?: No. Oxford moved to the UAT-UK tests from 2026, and its maths and computer science courses list the TMUA for 2027 entry.
How much does the TMUA cost?: £78 for candidates in the UK and Republic of Ireland and £133 elsewhere. UK applicants in financial need can apply for a bursary.