UCL admissions tests: UCL admissions tests for 2027 entry
There is no single "UCL test". Each UCL degree sets its own requirements. UCL’s only in-house written test for 2027 entry is the online Thinking Skills Test (TST); other courses use the UCAT, LNAT, TARA, TMUA or ESAT.
What it is and who sets it
UCL does not have one admissions test. Each programme sets its own requirements. Its only internal written test for 2027 entry is the online Thinking Skills Test (TST), used for the European and International Social and Political Studies degrees. It replaces the TARA, which those degrees used in 2026. Other UCL courses use external tests (UCAT, LNAT, TARA, TMUA or ESAT), or portfolios, interviews or a Pharmacy test.
Set by: TST: UCL (European and International Social and Political Studies, EISPS). External tests: UCAT Consortium; LNAT Consortium; UAT-UK (TARA, TMUA, ESAT)
Which universities and courses use it
UCL: Thinking Skills Test (TST, internal)
- European Social and Political Studies BA
- International Social and Political Studies BA
- European Social and Political Studies: Dual Degree BA (with Sciences Po)
UCL: UCAT
- Medicine MBBS
UCL: LNAT
- LLB Law programmes
UCL: TARA (UAT-UK)
- Computer Science BSc
- Computer Science MEng
- Computer Science and Mathematics MEng
- Robotics and Artificial Intelligence MEng
- Mechanical Engineering BEng and MEng (new for 2027)
UCL: TMUA (UAT-UK)
- Economics BSc
- Economics with a Year Abroad BSc
UCL: ESAT (UAT-UK)
- Electronic and Electrical Engineering BEng and MEng (Maths 1 plus two of Physics, Maths 2, Chemistry, Biology)
UCL: other assessments (not tests)
- Pharmacy MPharm: an unnamed test and interview, November-April
- Architecture: portfolio and interview
- Fine Art (Slade): portfolio and interview
- Media BA: portfolio
- LLB Law with a European Legal System: online language interview
Always confirm on the course page of each university you apply to.
Format, timing and scoring
- TST: online test, so no travel to London is needed
- TST: a small number of outstanding applicants may be admitted without taking it
- TST: the strongest Dual Degree applicants are invited to an online interview with Sciences Po staff
Scoring: TST scoring is not published on the UCL pages opened (not confirmed). For external tests used by UCL: UCAT total out of 2700 (UCL's 2026 minimum totals for interview were 2080 Access UCL, 2190 Home and 2300 Overseas); LNAT multiple-choice score out of 42, with the essay marked by a UCL Admissions Tutor.
Practising for the UCL admissions tests
- Check which test your course uses on UCL's "Tests, tasks and interviews" page, then prepare for that test.
- The Thinking Skills Test format is not published, so preparation focuses on critical thinking and argument.
Start with the official format and practice material: the test owner's page (opens in a new tab). Then work through timed sections, full mock papers, and a review of every mistake.
How Quantum Pathways prepares students for the UCL admissions tests
Every student is taught by a mentor who scored in the top 10% in the test they teach.
Preparation starts with a diagnostic, so we know where your student stands. From there it is built around how they learn: introductory sessions on the paper, plenty of timed practice and mock papers, and extra resources matched to what they need.
An early start helps, but it has to fit the school curriculum: some topics in the test may not have been taught at school yet. We plan the preparation so each topic is covered before it is practised under time pressure.
Sources
Last checked 8 October 2026.
