ESAT preparation guide
ESAT Registration and Key Dates: the Full 2027 Entry Timeline
The ESAT runs twice in the 2027 entry cycle: 12-16 October 2026 and 4-8 January 2027, with booking deadlines at 18:00 UK time on 28 September 2026 and 21 December 2026 respectively. Registration must be completed in advance, Cambridge applicants are normally required to sit the October window, and candidates testing in mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau have fewer dates available than the global window. This guide lays out every confirmed deadline, sitting and regional restriction on a single timeline so you can plan the whole season at once.
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- Questions
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ESAT registration at a glance (2027 entry)
- Test window 1
- 12-16 Oct 2026; book by 28 Sep 2026, 18:00 UK
- Test window 2
- 4-8 Jan 2027; book by 21 Dec 2026, 18:00 UK
- China / HK / Macau dates
- Window 1: 12-13 Oct only; window 2: 6 Jan only
- Fee
- £78 in the UK, £133 elsewhere
Cambridge applicants must normally sit the October window (January is reserved for mature applicants in the January round); Imperial accepts either window but counts only your first attempt in each cycle.
In short
- The ESAT offers two windows each cycle, both requiring advance booking: window 1 runs 12-16 October 2026 and window 2 runs 4-8 January 2027.
- Two hard deadlines: bookings close at 18:00 UK time on 28 September 2026 for window 1 and on 21 December 2026 for window 2.
- Candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau get fewer dates: only 12-13 October in window 1 and only 6 January in window 2.
- Cambridge's four ESAT courses require the test pre-interview and normally the October sitting; Imperial accepts either window but counts only your first attempt per cycle, and anyone also applying to Oxford or Cambridge must sit in October.
- Official fees: £78 at UK test centres and £133 elsewhere.
01
The 2027 entry timeline
The ESAT runs on a fixed two-window rhythm each cycle: an autumn sitting for the main field, and a winter sitting that chiefly serves Imperial applicants and Cambridge's January-round mature applicants. Each window closes with its own booking deadline, always at 18:00 UK time. The timeline below plots every officially confirmed date for 2027 entry, with the fixed China, Hong Kong and Macau dates marked separately.
2026 – 2027Timeline
Sep 26
Oct 26
Nov 26
Dec 26
Jan 27
Window 1 booking deadline18:00 UK time
Window 1 booking deadline
18:00 UK time
Book before this moment to sit in October, which includes all Cambridge October-deadline applicants
Test window 1Required if applying to Oxbridge
Test window 1
Required if applying to Oxbridge
The sitting Cambridge normally requires; Imperial accepts it too
China / HK / Macau dates (window 1)2 days only
China / HK / Macau dates (window 1)
2 days only
Candidates in these regions must sit on 12 or 13 October
Window 2 booking deadline18:00 UK time
Window 2 booking deadline
18:00 UK time
Last moment to book the January sitting
Test window 2January round & Imperial
Test window 2
January round & Imperial
On the Cambridge side only for January-round mature applicants; Imperial accepts either window
China / HK / Macau date (window 2)1 day only
China / HK / Macau date (window 2)
1 day only
The only window 2 date open to these regions
Hard deadline Event WindowThis timeline lists only officially confirmed booking deadlines and test dates; registration opening and results release dates follow UAT-UK's in-season announcements.
Candidates testing in mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau get far fewer dates than the global window: only 12-13 October in window 1 and only 6 January in window 2. Never treat the last day of the global window as your buffer; lock in a seat well before the booking deadline.
02
How registration works, start to finish
The ESAT is run by UAT-UK and delivered as a computer-based test through Pearson's worldwide network of test centres. Registration is not a test-day formality: Cambridge's official page requires advance registration, and booking, payment and centre confirmation all have to happen before the deadline. Five steps cover it.
01Before you apply
Confirm your courses require the ESAT
Check the official requirement and module set for every course in your UCAS list (see the structure diagram in the next section)
02Window 1 closes 28 Sep 2026
Book your test in advance
In Cambridge's own words: 'You must register in advance for this test' (University of Cambridge undergraduate admissions page). Choose your centre and date within Pearson's network
03
Pay the fee
£78 at UK centres, £133 elsewhere
04Computer-based
Sit the test on your region's dates
Computer-based multiple choice; candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau sit only on the fixed dates within each window
05
Scores feed into selection
Cambridge Colleges use the result to shortlist for interview and then alongside the whole application at offer stage; Imperial counts only your first attempt per cycle
Run by
UAT-UK
A collaboration between Imperial and Cambridge
Delivered by
Pearson's centre network
Professional centres in more than 180 countries
First sitting
October 2024
ESAT and TMUA launched together
Format
Computer-based multiple choice
Advance registration required
03
Who sits which window, and which modules
Whether you sit the ESAT, which window you may use and which modules you take are all determined by the courses you apply to; none of it is your choice. Cambridge and Imperial follow different rules, set out side by side below, with module combinations in the diagram.
| Cambridge applicants | Imperial applicants | |
|---|---|---|
| Is it compulsory? | Compulsory pre-interview for four courses: Engineering (H100), Natural Sciences (BCF0), Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology (H810), Veterinary Medicine (D100) | Compulsory for undergraduate courses in Imperial's designated departments, e.g. Aeronautical Engineering (H401) and Biochemistry (C700) |
| Which window | October-deadline applicants must take the October sitting; January is only for mature applicants in the January round | Either window accepted: 12-16 October 2026 or 4-8 January 2027 |
| How scores are used | Colleges use it to shortlist for interview, then alongside the rest of the application when deciding offers | Only the first attempt in each cycle counts |
| Watch out | Candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau must sit on 12 or 13 October | Anyone also applying to Oxford or Cambridge must take the October sitting |
All rules above reflect official 2027 entry guidance; sources are listed at the end of this page.
ESAT module combinations
Mathematics 1 is compulsory for everyone
Cambridge Engineering (H100)Fixed set
- Mathematics 2
- Physics
Cambridge NatSci, ChemEng & Biotech, VetMedBCF0 / H810 / D100
- Any two of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics 2
Imperial Aeronautical Engineering (H401)Engineering example
- Mathematics 2
- Physics
Imperial Biochemistry (C700)Life-sciences example
- Chemistry
- Biology
Tap a branch to unfold
04
Where the two-window system came from
The calendar above has a short but consequential history. Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing announced on 10 November 2022 that it would withdraw from running a set of bespoke admissions tests, naming ENGAA and NSAA among them, with 2023 held as the final sitting. Imperial and Cambridge then built a new system together: the ESAT was first sat in October 2024, and the October-plus-January two-window rhythm established then carries through to 2027 entry.
2
Test windows per cycle (October and January)
180+
Countries in Pearson's test-centre network
Oct 2024
First ever ESAT sitting
£78 / £133
Fee (UK / elsewhere)
10 November 2022: CAAT announces its withdrawal
Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing announced it would step back from running a series of university admissions tests from the 2024-5 academic year, naming ENGAA (engineering) and NSAA (natural sciences) among them and citing the medium-term unsustainability of bespoke tests. The 2023 sittings went ahead as the last ones.
18 January 2024: Imperial and Cambridge announce the new tests
The two universities announced a joint venture, with delivery by Pearson VUE. The ESAT covers Cambridge Engineering, Natural Sciences, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology and Veterinary Medicine, plus Imperial's Physics and most Engineering degrees; the first cycle ran sittings in October 2024 and January 2025, with Cambridge applicants required to take the autumn one.
October 2024: the first ESAT, and the rhythm holds
Per UAT-UK, 'The ESAT and TMUA were both offered for the first time in October 2024', as computer-based multiple-choice tests delivered through Pearson's network spanning more than 180 countries. The two-window pattern carries straight into 2027 entry: the October and January sittings on this page's timeline.
05
After you book: lining up your preparation
Because the ESAT only began in October 2024, its own back catalogue is naturally thin; the workhorse material for systematic practice is the archive of its predecessor tests, NSAA and ENGAA, plus original mock papers. Once your date is locked in, pair this page with our other guides and the question bank: choosing your modules, test day walkthrough, the paper archive and online practice.
Predecessor archive
31 papers
NSAA / ENGAA, 2015 to 2023
Original mocks
26 papers
Written in-house by FrontierVue
Questions in total
2,345
Across archive and mock papers
Free to try
The two most recent archive papers
Complete them at no cost
Our archive papers are the original NSAA and ENGAA papers from 2015 to 2023: archives of the ESAT's predecessor tests, not official ESAT past papers. Use them to build module fundamentals, then move to original mocks for timed practice, working backwards from the sitting you booked.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
When does ESAT booking close?
Bookings for window 1 (testing 12-16 October 2026) close at 18:00 UK time on 28 September 2026; window 2 (testing 4-8 January 2027) closes at 18:00 UK time on 21 December 2026. The ESAT must be booked in advance, so do not leave it to deadline day.
Which dates apply in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau?
These regions get fewer dates than the global window: only 12 and 13 October 2026 in window 1, and only 6 January 2027 in window 2. Book as early as you can once reservations open.
If I miss the October sitting, is January still useful?
It depends on the university. Imperial accepts either window but counts only your first attempt per cycle. Cambridge's October-deadline applicants must sit in October, with January reserved for mature applicants in the January round; and under Imperial's rules, anyone also applying to Oxford or Cambridge must take the October sitting too.
How much does the ESAT cost?
Officially, £78 at UK test centres and £133 elsewhere, including mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.
SOURCES
Official sources
- Imperial College London: official ESAT admissions test page (2027 entry)
- University of Cambridge undergraduate study: ESAT requirements and registration page
- UAT-UK: About UAT-UK
- Imperial news: Imperial and Cambridge create admissions tests (18 January 2024)
- CAAT reform announcement, 10 November 2022 (Web Archive snapshot)
MORE GUIDES
Other ESAT preparation guides
- ESAT Mathematics 1: the seven topics, and what is not in them
- ESAT Mathematics 2, module by module
- The ESAT Physics Module: Seven Topics, No Calculator, 40 Minutes
- ESAT Chemistry: all 17 official topics, and where the marks actually go
- The ESAT Biology Module: Eleven Topics, Four Blind Spots
- Choosing Your ESAT Modules: Official Combinations for Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial and UCL
- How to plan your ESAT revision, week by week
- ESAT time management: a minute-by-minute plan for one module
- How ESAT scoring works, and how to read your result
- Cambridge Engineering ESAT scores: what the official FOI data shows
- ESAT test day, from arriving at the centre to the final module
- ESAT vs NSAA & ENGAA: the handover, explained
FrontierVUE is an independent practice platform. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by UAT-UK, Pearson, OCR, the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, or any official admissions-test owner.
FrontierVUE 是独立的备考练习平台，与 UAT-UK、Pearson、OCR、剑桥大学、 帝国理工学院或任何官方入学考试主办方均无隶属或背书关系。
Put it into practice
57 ESAT papers on FrontierVUE, including 26 Frontier Original mocks built to the current format, every question with a worked solution. The first 2 papers are free.