Cambridge ESAT and TMUA Requirements 2026

University of Cambridge (Cambridge University) is a public collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III in 1231. The university was founded from a variety of institutions, including 31 semi-autonomous constituent colleges and over 150 academic departments, faculties, and other institutions organized into six schools. All the colleges are self-governing institutions within the university, managing their own personnel and policies, and all students are required to have a college affiliation within the university.

The university does not have a main campus, and its colleges and central facilities are scattered throughout the city. The university operates eight cultural and scientific museums, including the Fitzwilliam Museum and Cambridge University Botanic Garden. Cambridge’s 116 libraries hold a total of around 16 million books, around nine million of which are in Cambridge University Library, a legal deposit library and one of the world’s largest academic libraries.

The university occupies a central location within the city of Cambridge with the students taking up roughly 20 percent of the town’s population. Other notable buildings include King’s College Chapel, the history faculty building, and the Cripps Building at St John’s College. Cambridge is defined as a collegiate university, meaning that it is made up of self-governing and independent colleges, each with its own property and income. Within each faculty, school, or department within the university, are academics from many differing colleges.

REQUIREMENTS

International applicants for Cambridge University should have very strong academic performance from grades X – XII. The exact grade requirement depends on the Board in which the students are studying.

• CISCE and NIOS – Applicants will require scores of 90% or higher in five or more relevant subjects.

• IB – Typical offers are 40-42 points out of 45, with 776 in Higher Level subjects. Some Colleges may require 777 and/or higher points total for some courses and applicants may be required to achieve 7 in particular subjects.

• International A Levels – Standard Level subjects will satisfy AS Level subject requirements. Higher Level subjects will satisfy A Level subject requirement.

• CBSE – Applicants will require five or more A1 grades in relevant subjects.

• Indian State Boards – Applicants will be considered on a case-by-case basis, however applicants will typically require scores of 95% or equivalent in five or more relevant subjects.

Cambridge University conducts entrance tests for most of its courses. So, in addition to achieving high grades, students also need to do well in their test(s). Students applying from India must appear for the following additional tests to make their profiles stand out. Students from other countries may check out their country-specific requirements on the university page.

• College Board Advanced Placement Tests – the requirement is for a minimum of five AP Test scores at Score 5. AP Tests should be taken in subjects that have a particular focus on subjects related to the course applied for. The offers for all Cambridge courses may be made conditional on achieving grades of 5 in five or more AP Tests.

• IIT-JEE (Advanced) – offers for Chemical Engineering, Engineering, Natural Sciences (Physical) may be made conditional on a rank of <2000 in the IIT JEE (Advanced).

• STEP – offers for Mathematics will be conditional on achievement in the Sixth Term Examination Paper (STEP). STEP may also be required for offers for other subjects, such as Computer Science, Engineering, and Economics, where attainment equivalent to A Level Mathematics and/or Further Mathematics cannot be demonstrated by any other means. 

Regardless of the curriculum type, IGCSE, IB, CBSE, ISC etc. academic scores are a high priority when you are looking to study at the University of Cambridge. The other aspects of the application, such as online courses, activities, and community service are secondary. So, it is crucial for students to have stellar grades, especially in their core subjects.

Cambridge University appreciates Research Papers written by the students in the subject/field of their interest to show their sincerity and diligence. A published Research Paper qualifies as an elite Super curricular activity requiring a high level of commitment. Consequently, it requires adds value to the whole application and sets you apart from other applicants. These papers should reflect the understanding of A Level/IB (or equivalent) courses. These should be as submitted to, and marked by, your teachers. A discussion of this work may then form part of your interview. You will be asked to complete a cover sheet to verify it’s your own work and provide details of the circumstances in which it was written and a contact teacher.

In addition to the grades and test performance and interview, Cambridge University requires the student’s Personal Statement (SOP) and two reference letters. It is important to note that admissions offered by Cambridge University are conditional, meaning that a student needs to fulfill the university’s requirements for admission. For e.g., if a student’s predicted score does not match their final score in Grade XII, the university has the right to revoke admission.

It’s essential that your English language skills are good enough for you to undertake an intensive and challenging academic course that’s taught and examined in English. Therefore, Cambridge University requires English Proficiency Test scores.

You can appear for any one of the following tests:

TEST	MINIMUM SCORE REQUIRED
IELTS Academic	An overall band of at least 7.5 or 7 and above band in each section.
TOEFL (IBT)	An overall score of at least 110 or at least a score of 25 in each section.
Cambridge English C2 Proficiency	An overall of 200 with no element lower than 185.
Cambridge English C1 Advanced	An overall of 193 with no element lower than 185, plus an assessment by the Language Centre.
Singapore Integrated Programme (SIP)	It may be considered an acceptable English language qualification

The New Testing Standard: UAT-UK

Over the last two years the admissions testing landscape for Cambridge has undergone its most significant transformation in a decade. The Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing (CAAT) department has officially closed, and the university has transitioned all subject-specific testing to a new partnership with Pearson VUE.

The primary authority for Cambridge entrance exams is now Undergraduate Admissions Test UK (UAT-UK). This is a joint venture between the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London, designed to streamline the application process for STEM and social science courses. Instead of the old paper-based NSAA or ENGAA, students now sit digital, computer-based assessments at authorized Pearson VUE centers worldwide.

Crucial for 2026 Applicants: Unlike other UK universities, Cambridge requires all applicants to sit their relevant UAT-UK tests (ESAT or TMUA) during the October sitting. The January sitting is generally not an option for Cambridge applicants due to the early October 15th UCAS deadline. Furthermore, the BMAT has been fully retired and replaced by the UCAT for all Medicine applicants.

This shift to digital testing means that "thinking speed" and familiarity with the onscreen calculator and navigation tools are now just as important as subject knowledge.

Let’s discuss each of these tests in detail:

SUBJECT(S)	TEST	REGISTRATION DATE*	FORMAT OF THE TEST
Law	Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT)	15 September	Section 1: Argumentative Passages 95 min – MCQs Section 2: Writing Essay – answer any 1 out of 3 essays (argue economically and provide a conclusion) – require good command of written English 40 min
Computer Science, Maths, Economics	Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA)	30 September	Section 1: Applications of Mathematical Knowledge 75 min – MCQs Section 2: Mathematical Reasoning 75 min – MCQs
Engineering	Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT) Note: Engineering applicants must take Mathematics 1, Mathematics 2, and Physics.	15 October	Module 1: Mathematics 1 (Compulsory) – 40 min, 27 MCQs. Module 2 & 3: Selection – Candidates choose two more 40-minute modules (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Mathematics 2).
Medicine	UCAT since 2024 for the 2025 entry	30 September	Section 1 Verbal Reasoning 22 min – 44 MCQs: Section 2 Decision Making37 min – 35 MCQs: Section 3 Quantitative Reasoning26 min – 36 MCQs: Section 4 Situational Judgement26 min – 69 MCQs
Engineering, Politics & Economics, Linguistics, Experimental Psychology, Geography, Human Sciences, Philosophy, Psychology, and Philosophy	Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA)	30 September	Section 1: Thinking Skills Assessment 90 min – MCQs Section 2: Writing Task 30 min

*The exact dates may change with each passing year.

It is indeed quite a challenge to get admitted to this esteemed university, but by following the above-mentioned steps, you can increase your chances of getting admitted to the University of Cambridge.

------------------------------------ The End --------------------------------------

EZScholar is an expert university admissions consultant and test prep organization which works with bright and ambitious students seeking admissions to Ivy Leagues, Oxbridge, Stanford, MIT, UC Berkeley, University of Toronto and other top global universities. Our experts have helped thousands of students with their profile building, research papers, extracurriculars, co-curriculars, test prep and admissions essays. We provide students with personalized support for applications, essays, and SOPs to ensure their unique voice shines through. Our comprehensive test prep helps students achieve their best possible SAT scores and impress their dream university. Our Bespoke Research Paper program helps differentiate students' university applications, demonstrating a high level of academic curiosity and rigor.