TMUA

Overview

The Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) is a UK undergraduate admissions test in mathematics, used to help shortlist and assess applicants to competitive Mathematics, Computer Science, Economics and related joint-honours courses. It is set and administered by University Admissions Tests-UK (UAT-UK), a joint venture between the University of Cambridge and Imperial College London, and delivered through Pearson VUE's network of computer-based test centres.

The University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, the University of Warwick, Durham University, University College London and the London School of Economics (for some courses) already use TMUA scores as part of admissions. From the 2026 admissions cycle onward (applications for October 2027 entry), the University of Oxford also requires the TMUA for its Mathematics and Computer Science courses, replacing the Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT), which Oxford retired after its final sitting in October 2025.

Who can apply

The TMUA is for applicants to specific undergraduate courses at the participating universities, sat alongside a UCAS application for that admissions cycle. Courses that require or recommend it include:

• University of Oxford (from the 2026 cycle, for October 2027 entry): Mathematics, Mathematics and Statistics, Mathematics and Philosophy, Mathematics and Computer Science, Computer Science, and Computer Science and Philosophy.

• University of Cambridge: most Mathematics course applicants, and some Computer Science applicants depending on college.

• Imperial College London: Mathematics, Mathematics with a Year Abroad, and joint Mathematics courses.

• University of Warwick: Mathematics and several joint Mathematics courses, where a strong TMUA score can lead to a reduced A-level offer.

• London School of Economics: required for BSc Economics and BSc Econometrics and Mathematical Economics; recommended (not mandatory) for several other maths-heavy courses such as Mathematics and Economics, Data Science and Actuarial Science.

• Durham University and University College London: required or recommended for some Mathematics and joint courses.

There is no separate eligibility test beyond having an active UCAS application to one of these courses for the relevant year; the TMUA cannot be booked independently of an admissions cycle. It can be sat at Pearson VUE centres in the UK or overseas, so there is no nationality restriction.

Exam pattern

Both papers are sat in the same appointment, computer-based at a Pearson Professional Centre, for a combined 2 hours 30 minutes. Calculators are not allowed on either paper, and there is no negative marking: a correct answer scores a mark, and a wrong or blank answer scores zero, so attempting every question carries no downside.

Marking and results

Each paper is marked and converted to a scaled score from 1.0 to 9.0, shown to one decimal place; an overall scaled score combining both papers is reported the same way. There is no fixed pass mark. Universities use the score differently: some treat it mainly as a factor in deciding who is shortlisted for interview (Oxford, Cambridge), some use a strong score to justify a reduced A-level offer (Warwick), and others use it as one input alongside GCSE/A-level attainment and the rest of the UCAS application rather than a hard cut-off. For the 2026 cycle, secondary sources report that competitive applicants to Cambridge and Imperial Mathematics typically score above 6.0, but no university publishes an official minimum score.

Important dates

For the 2026 cycle (standard registration, for October 2027 entry):

Because results are released in mid-November, applicants submit their UCAS application and sit the test before knowing their score. Universities that use the TMUA for shortlisting typically make interview decisions in the weeks after results are released, with Oxbridge interviews generally held in December.

Fees

For the 2026 entry cycle, the standard TMUA booking fee is £78 for a test sat in the UK or the Republic of Ireland, and £133 for a test sat elsewhere. UK candidates who qualify on financial need can apply for a bursary voucher (applications reported to open from 1 June 2026) that covers the booking fee in full when entered at the time of booking.

How to apply

1. Create a UAT-UK account on the official UAT-UK/Pearson VUE registration site, using the candidate's full legal name as it appears on an accepted form of ID.

2. Select the TMUA within the account to generate a test entry, then use it to book an appointment at a Pearson Professional Centre within the published test window, before the booking deadline.

3. Have a UCAS application already underway for the relevant admissions cycle to one of the participating courses, since a TMUA booking is tied to that year's applicants and cannot be made independently of an application.

4. UK candidates applying for a bursary voucher should apply for it separately and enter the voucher code when booking, rather than paying the standard fee.

After the exam

Scores are released into the candidate's UAT-UK account and then passed on to the universities a candidate listed on their UCAS application that use the TMUA; most participating universities receive the score automatically, though Durham is reported to require the candidate to separately authorise release. A TMUA score does not decide an offer on its own — it is read alongside A-level or equivalent predicted and achieved grades, the personal statement, and any school reference, and is used by each university according to its own published admissions criteria for that course.

Preparation tips

• Work through official specimen and past TMUA papers rather than generic maths practice, since both papers follow a specific, repeatable question style.

• For Paper 1, practise applying standard AS-level techniques (algebra, trigonometry, calculus, logarithms) quickly and without a calculator, including in combinations that do not look like a textbook question.

• For Paper 2, practise formal logical reasoning specifically — necessary versus sufficient conditions, counterexamples, and spotting flawed "proofs" — since this paper is tested far less in standard A-level Maths than Paper 1's content.

• Since there is no negative marking, practise answering every question within the time limit rather than leaving weaker questions blank.

• Confirm directly with each target university which of its courses require or recommend the TMUA, and for what admissions cycle, since requirements differ by university and have changed recently (Oxford's addition from the 2026 cycle is one example).

FAQs