NSAA PAST PAPERS
NSAA Past Papers (2016–2023)
Natural Sciences Admissions Assessment. The final NSAA sitting was the 2023 admissions cycle. From 2024 onwards Cambridge and other universities moved to the ESAT, and the NSAA is no longer administered. No new NSAA papers will ever be released, so the existing archive is all there is. FrontierVUE hosts all 18 papers we hold, each sat online in a timed interface with worked solutions.
- Past papers
- 18
- Questions
- 1204
- Years covered
- 2016–2023
What the NSAA was, and why it still matters
The admissions test for Natural Sciences and related science courses at the University of Cambridge.
The NSAA had two sections. Section 1 contained four parts: Part A (Mathematics) was compulsory, and candidates chose one of Part B (Physics), Part C (Chemistry) or Part D (Biology). Section 2 tested a single subject in greater depth. All questions were multiple choice.
The ESAT draws on much the same ground as the NSAA: the first two years of A-Level maths and science, multiple choice throughout, and the same emphasis on fast quantitative reasoning under time pressure. For ESAT candidates the NSAA archive is the largest body of closely comparable material available, and it is particularly good for building speed and accuracy on Mathematics 1 and the science modules.
Which ESAT module each NSAA part maps to
| NSAA part | ESAT module | Why it maps |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1 Part A (Mathematics) | Mathematics 1 | The module every ESAT candidate sits. This is where the overlap is strongest, so it is the highest-value part of the archive. |
| Section 1 Part B (Physics) | Physics | Mechanics, electricity and waves carry over largely unchanged. |
| Section 1 Part C (Chemistry) | Chemistry | Physical and inorganic chemistry calculations are the most directly comparable. |
| Section 1 Part D (Biology) | Biology | Cell biology, genetics and physiology follow the same question style. |
| Section 2 | Mathematics 2 | Section 2 sits closest in difficulty to the ESAT advanced maths module, and is the right material for pushing towards a high score. |
This table describes continuity of content and question style, not an official equivalence. The ESAT has its own specification, so always check the UAT-UK specification before you sit it.
Before you use this archive
The NSAA was a paper-based test while the ESAT is computer-based, so pacing and interface differ. Each ESAT module is 27 questions in 40 minutes, which does not map one-to-one onto the NSAA structure. Use the NSAA archive for content and speed, and use ESAT-format mocks for the on-screen experience.
All 18 NSAA past papers
| Year | Paper | Questions | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | NSAA 2023 Section 1 | 80 | Free |
| 2023 | NSAA 2023 Section 2 | 60 | Free |
| 2022 | NSAA 2022 Section 2 | 60 | Premium |
| 2022 | NSAA 2022 Section 1 | 80 | Premium |
| 2021 | NSAA 2021 Section 2 | 60 | Premium |
| 2021 | NSAA 2021 Section 1 | 80 | Premium |
| 2020 | NSAA Specimen 2020 Section 1 | 80 | Premium |
| 2020 | NSAA 2020 Section 1 | 80 | Premium |
| 2020 | NSAA 2020 Section 2 | 60 | Premium |
| 2019 | NSAA 2019 Section 2 MCQ | 35 | Premium |
| 2019 | NSAA 2019 Section 1 | 90 | Premium |
| 2018 | NSAA 2018 Section 2 MCQ | 25 | Premium |
| 2018 | NSAA 2018 Section 1 | 90 | Premium |
| 2017 | NSAA 2017 Section 2 MCQ | 28 | Premium |
| 2017 | NSAA 2017 Section 1 | 90 | Premium |
| 2016 | NSAA 2016 Section 2 MCQ | 26 | Premium |
| 2016 | NSAA Specimen 2016 Section 1 | 90 | Premium |
| 2016 | NSAA 2016 Section 1 | 90 | Premium |
FAQ
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Related pages
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。
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