Last reviewed: August 2026 | For 2027 university entry
If you are applying in 2026 for 2027 university entry, the Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions (TARA) is now an important admissions test for selected courses at the University of Oxford and UCL. The 2027 cycle is especially important because Oxford has moved several courses into the new UAT-UK testing system from tests like TSA (Thinking Skills Assessment), and UCL has changed its TARA course list again.
TARA is a computer-based, non-subject-specific test assessing Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and written argument. If you already know that you need TARA and want structured support, UniWise offers personalised 1-to-1 TARA preparation. Students who want their testing plan coordinated with university and course selection, UCAS preparation and later interview work can also use UniWise's UK University Admissions Consulting or Oxbridge Admissions Consulting.
TARA at a glance
Which Oxford and UCL courses require TARA?
Note: Most Oxford TARA applicants complete all three modules, but there are course-specific exceptions. Oxford's current Economics and Management and History and Economics pages state that if you are applying only to that Oxford course and no other university course requiring TARA, you do not need to complete the Writing Task. If another TARA course on your application requires it, you should complete the Writing Task. Check the live Oxford course page for your exact combination before test day.
What changed at UCL for 2027?
Several UCL programmes that used TARA in the 2026 admissions cycle no longer require it for 2027. For example, Sociology BSc, Social Sciences BSc, Social Sciences with Data Science BSc, Management Science BSc and Management Science MSci do not require an admissions test for 2027 entry or deferred 2028 entry.
European Social and Political Studies BA, International Social and Political Studies BA and the European Social and Political Studies Dual Degree BA have moved to UCL's own Thinking Skills Test for the 2027 cycle.
Mechanical Engineering BEng and MEng have moved in the other direction and now require TARA.
For these year-on-year changes, use UCL's 2027 tests, tasks and interviews guidance as the main source and check the current page for your exact course before booking.
Did TARA replace the Oxford TSA?
TARA now occupies the admissions test role for several Oxford courses that previously used the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA), including PPE and other reasoning-heavy courses.
There is still useful continuity in the underlying reasoning skills. UAT-UK explains that the Critical Thinking and Problem Solving components of TARA share a common history with TSA and BMAT Section 1, and it provides older papers as additional practice material.
A sensible order is to learn the current TARA specification first, complete the official specimen and Pearson practice tests, then use selected TSA or BMAT Section 1 questions for additional reasoning practice. The final phase of preparation should return to current TARA timing and format.
TARA test format
Note: The 2025/26 technical report also provides one useful observation for candidates. 8% of candidates left at least one Problem Solving question unreached, compared with 1% in Critical Thinking.
If your UCAS list spans several universities or courses, use the UniWise UK University Admissions Test Finder to map TARA alongside ESAT, TMUA, LNAT, UCAT and STEP requirements before you book.
What is a good TARA score?
There is no universal Oxford or UCL TARA cut-off, and a score that is competitive for one course cannot be assumed to have the same meaning for another.
The first completed TARA cycle now provides useful context. The UAT-UK 2025/26 TARA Technical Report covers 2,626 candidates and gives the following combined October 2025 and January 2026 score distribution:
Use these percentiles as cohort context, not admissions cut-offs. Before the test, review your diagnostic scores with your UniWise team and TARA tutor to set module-specific goals and assess how TARA fits your proposed course list. Official October results are released after Oxford's 15 October deadline, so they cannot be used to revise an Oxford choice in that cycle; where timing and UCAS rules permit, they may still inform other course choices or later planning.
TARA dates and deadlines
Should I take TARA in October or January?
For most Oxford applicants, you should take TARA in October 2026.
UCL applicants can choose either sitting. UAT-UK states that there is no admissions advantage to using one permitted sitting over the other, and candidates can take TARA only once within an admissions cycle.
Special TARA dates for China, Hong Kong and Macau
Candidates sitting TARA in China, Hong Kong or Macau have restricted testing dates because of UAT-UK's test-security arrangements.
For the October 2026 sitting, TARA is available in these locations on: 14 October 2026.
For the January 2027 sitting, the available TARA date is: 7 January 2027.
Candidates sitting the test in Singapore are not subject to this regional restriction and can book within the standard test window, subject to appointment availability.
How do you register for the TARA?
TARA registration is separate from your UCAS application.
UAT-UK describes the process in two stages. Candidates first create a UAT-UK account, where they enter their personal details and can request access arrangements or apply for a bursary if eligible. You then book TARA through the Pearson system, choose an available test centre and appointment, and pay the fee.
You should also add your UCAS Personal ID to your UAT-UK account once you have it. UAT-UK automatically matches test results with relevant courses on your UCAS application, so candidates normally do not need to send their results to each university manually.
UAT-UK recommends booking early because preferred test-centre locations and appointment times may fill up.
How should I prepare for the TARA?
Your TARA preparation should begin with the live test format and a timed diagnostic. If you are working with UniWise, your Strategy Lead can align the test with your course list and application timeline, while an experienced, top-scoring Oxford TARA tutor uses the diagnostic to build your preparation plan.
UniWise's 1-to-1 TARA preparation starts with your target courses and a current-format diagnostic. You can work with an experienced, top-scoring Oxford or Cambridge graduate tutor on Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and the Writing Task, with the balance of work adjusted to your diagnostic results and progress.
Do I need to take more than one admissions test?
Possibly. The answer depends on your full combination of universities and courses on the application. A student applying to Computer Science courses at Cambridge and UCL needs different tests: TMUA for Cambridge Computer Science and TARA for UCL Computer Science.
Discuss your full UCAS course list with your UniWise Strategy Lead before finalising the testing plan. They can identify each compulsory or recommended test, check the earliest relevant sitting and coordinate TARA with any TMUA, ESAT, LNAT, UCAT or STEP preparation so your workload remains realistic.
What happens after you take the TARA?
Candidates receive their results through their UAT-UK account. Once your score is available, discuss it with your UniWise application team in the context of your target courses and wider application. Because UAT-UK results can be released after key UCAS deadlines, changing course choices is not always possible in the same cycle; the score can still inform any decisions that remain open, interview and offer-stage planning where relevant, or a future reapplication strategy.
For the October 2026 sitting, results are scheduled for 16 November 2026. For January 2027, results are scheduled for 8 February 2027.
Your result is automatically passed to participating institutions where the course in your UCAS application uses the TARA. UAT-UK matches applicants to universities on a course-by-course basis.
TARA FAQs
-
Oxford and UCL use TARA for selected 2027-entry undergraduate courses. Applicants should check the current official university course page because the list can change between admissions cycles.
-
Oxford requires TARA for Economics and Management, History and Economics, History and Politics, Human Sciences, PPE, Experimental Psychology, and Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics. PPE with Foundation Year also uses TARA.
-
Yes. UCL requires TARA for selected Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering courses. The 2027 list changed materially from the previous cycle.
-
For several Oxford courses that previously used TSA, TARA is now the required admissions test. TARA has its own current format, timing, scoring and delivery arrangements. Older TSA material can still be useful as supplementary reasoning practice.
-
TARA lasts two hours in total, made up of three separately timed 40-minute modules.
-
No. Calculators and dictionaries are not permitted.
-
No. Incorrect multiple-choice answers do not incur a penalty.
-
No. Candidates receive one Critical Thinking score and one Problem Solving score, each on the 1.0–9.0 scale. There is no combined TARA score.
-
UAT-UK does not score it. The response is sent to universities requiring TARA, and the institution decides how to use it. Course-specific use can differ.
-
There is no universal cut-off. In the first completed TARA cycle, the combined 90th-percentile scores were 6.7 for Critical Thinking and 7.0 for Problem Solving. Those figures describe the 2025/26 candidate cohort and should not be treated as 2026/27 admissions thresholds.
-
The October test window runs from 12 to 16 October 2026. The second sitting runs from 4 to 8 January 2027.
-
Yes. UCL applicants may use either permitted test sitting. UAT-UK states that there is no admissions advantage between the two sittings.
-
No. TARA can be taken only once within an admissions cycle.
-
Start with the official specification, Question Guide and current practice environment. Complete a timed diagnostic, analyse the source of errors and then build targeted preparation before progressing to full simulations.
-
Yes. UniWise's UK University Admissions Consulting and Oxbridge Admissions Consulting can coordinate course and university strategy, UCAS preparation, admissions test planning and later university interview preparation. Students and parents who want to understand the people supporting the application can also review your UniWise team.
🚀 Prepare for the TARA with UniWise
UniWise offers personalised one-to-one TARA tutoring with experienced, high-scoring tutors who graduated from Oxbridge. Each programme begins with a diagnostic assessment to identify areas for improvement and establish a focused preparation plan.
Explore UniWise's TARA Tutoring or learn more about our UK University Admissions Consulting and Oxbridge Admissions Consulting.
Reach out to learn how we can help you achieve your university dreams. ⭐