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TARA

Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions

The academic reasoning test for social science, computer science and management applicants — three 40-minute modules: critical thinking, problem solving and writing.

Format
3 × 40 min
Questions
22 + 22 MCQs + 1 essay
Restrictions
No calculator / dictionary
Scores
CT / PS each 1.0 – 9.0
Start practisingPrep guides
The TARA (Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions) is run by UAT-UK and delivered worldwide by Pearson VUE — the newest member of the same test family as the TMUA and ESAT. It comprises three 40-minute modules: Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, both multiple choice, plus a Writing Task. Oxford uses it from 2027 entry across 10 social-science courses (Economics and Management, PPE, History and Economics, History and Politics, Human Sciences, Experimental Psychology, Psychology and Philosophy and more; single-honours History and Computer Science are not on the list). UCL adopted it from 2026 entry and narrows it for 2027 entry to four Computer Science courses plus two in Mechanical Engineering, with its social-science routes moving to UCL's own Thinking Skills Test. Calculators and dictionaries are banned throughout.
SCHEDULE

Test dates

October sitting (2027 entry)
Registration opens
20 July, 3pm UK time
Registration closes
28 September, 6pm UK time
Test date
12-16 October
Results
16 November
January sitting (2027 entry)
Registration opens
26 October, 3pm UK time
Registration closes
21 December, 6pm UK time
Test date
4-8 January
Results
8 February
Register now
Sittings and exact dates are confirmed each year by the test owner — always check the official UAT-UK website; the dates above reflect recent cycles across the UAT-UK family. Oxford applicants normally need the October sitting (to fit the UCAS deadline) — check each university’s requirements.
STRUCTURE

Paper structure

01Critical Thinking

Critical thinking

22 multiple-choice questions (5 options)40 minutes

Tests argument analysis — identifying conclusions and premises, weighing the strength of arguments, spotting flaws and hidden assumptions — mostly built on short passages of argumentative text.

02Problem Solving

Problem solving

22 multiple-choice questions (5 options)40 minutes

Tests problem-solving in unfamiliar situations — selecting and processing data, spotting patterns, spatial and numerical reasoning — using only basic mathematics (roughly GCSE level).

03Writing Task

Writing task

Choose 1 of 3 prompts, up to 750 words40 minutes

Respond to a short claim: explain what it means, construct a well-reasoned counter-argument, then argue how far you agree. Tests structured argumentation and written expression.

The full sitting

What happens in the 120 minutes of the TARA

Three modules run back to back, with no break.

Elapsed 0 / 120 min120 min

01

Critical Thinking

40 min

22 multiple-choice questions

Scored

02

Problem Solving

40 min

22 multiple-choice questions

Scored

03

Writing Task

40 min

0 / 750 words（max）

Not scored

The part candidates misread

UAT-UK does not score the Writing Task, but a copy of your response goes to the universities you applied to.

It does not move your 1.0 to 9.0, yet the people who decide your offer will read it.

There is no negative marking, so never leave a question blank.

Sent to your universities

SCORING

Scoring

  1. 01
    The two multiple-choice modules are marked on correct answers with no penalty for wrong answers — attempt everything.
  2. 02
    Critical Thinking and Problem Solving each receive their own score from 1.0 to 9.0 (to one decimal place); they are not merged into a single total.
  3. 03
    The Writing Task receives no 1–9 score — your essay is supplied to the universities alongside your results, and they assess it themselves.
  4. 04
    There is no pass mark: universities weigh the scores alongside A-levels, personal statement, interview and the rest of your application.
UNIVERSITIES

Universities & requirements

RequirementUniversityCoursesNotes
RequiredUniversity of Oxford10 courses: Economics and Management (LN12), Experimental Psychology (C830), History and Economics (LV11), History and Politics (LV21), Human Sciences (BCL0), Philosophy and Linguistics (VQ51), Philosophy, Politics and Economics (L0V0), PPE with Foundation Year (L0VF), Psychology and Linguistics (CQ81), Psychology and Philosophy (CV85)
Adopts the TARA from 2027 entry, replacing the TSA. All three modules are compulsory, and only the October sitting is accepted (to fit the UCAS deadline). One easily missed difference: the course pages for Economics and Management (LN12) and History and Economics (LV11) state that the Writing Task will not be used in admissions selection for those courses, while the other eight use all three modules. Note that single-honours History does not require the TARA, and Computer Science (G400) requires the TMUA instead.
RequiredUCL6 courses: Computer Science BSc (G400), Computer Science MEng (G402), Computer Science and Mathematics MEng (G430), Mechanical Engineering BEng (H300), Mechanical Engineering MEng (H301), Robotics and Artificial Intelligence MEng (H700)
UCL was the first to adopt the TARA, from 2026 entry. The 2027-entry list changed substantially: the social-science routes (ESPS / ISPS / Sociology / Social Sciences / Management Science) have moved to UCL's own Thinking Skills Test and no longer use the TARA, while Mechanical Engineering joins the TARA for the first time. All three modules are compulsory.
BY COURSE

Find your course

Sixteen courses require the TARA for 2027 entry. Each has its own page with the UCAS code, what the three modules mean for that course, and the key dates.

BY MODULE

Prepare by module

One page per module and per topic: what each of the ten official question types asks, how the Writing Task is structured, how scoring works, and what to practise when no past papers exist.

COMPETITIVENESS

How scores compare

  • The TARA is new, so historical score data is limited; going by experience with the TMUA/ESAT in the same family, 7.0 or above is usually strongly competitive.
  • The two module scores are reported separately — check course by course whether your target weighs critical thinking or problem solving more heavily.
  • Always check each university’s website for the latest policy.
ANALYSIS

Exam analysis

  • The three modules run back to back for about 120 minutes in total; with under 2 minutes per multiple-choice question, the pace is far quicker than the TMUA, rewarding fast reading and decision-making.
  • Critical Thinking descends directly from the argument-analysis questions of the BMAT/TSA, so plenty of comparable legacy material exists to train on; Problem Solving needs only basic maths — the challenge is the speed of information extraction and modelling.
  • The Writing Task is one prompt from three, 750 words, 40 minutes — the structure (explain → counter-argue → take a position) is essentially fixed, so rehearsing templates and timed writing pays off handsomely.
Question-type coverage

How FrontierVUE's 1,160 TARA questions map onto the official question types

539
Critical Thinking
7 types
603
Problem Solving
3 types
18
Writing Task
unscored
  • Finding Procedures365
  • Relevant Selection103
  • Identifying the Main Conclusion96
  • Drawing a Conclusion92
  • Identifying Similarity91
  • Assessing the Impact of Additional Evidence87
  • Identifying an Assumption86
  • Detecting Reasoning Errors79
  • Matching Arguments52
  • Applying Principles47
  • Problem Solving (unclassified)44
  • Writing Task18

This is the distribution of FrontierVUE's own question bank, not of the live exam. The TARA has not yet been sat and no official breakdown by question type has been published. The type names are taken from the official taxonomy (7 Critical Thinking types, 3 Problem Solving types).

Train each module separately: sharpen "find the conclusion / find the assumption / evaluate the argument" skills with argument-analysis questions for Critical Thinking, drill timed data questions for Problem Solving, and write one timed essay a week, reviewing it against the assessment criteria. For a structured pathway, see our prep guides.
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How does the TARA relate to the TMUA / ESAT?
All three belong to the UAT-UK family and run on the same computer-based platform. The TMUA serves maths/computer science/economics, the ESAT serves engineering and natural sciences, and the TARA serves social sciences plus certain computer science and management routes — sit the test your target course requires.
Which universities and courses require the TARA?
16 courses require the TARA for 2027 entry. Oxford (10): Economics and Management (LN12), Experimental Psychology (C830), History and Economics (LV11), History and Politics (LV21), Human Sciences (BCL0), Philosophy and Linguistics (VQ51), PPE (L0V0), PPE with Foundation Year (L0VF), Psychology and Linguistics (CQ81), Psychology and Philosophy (CV85). UCL (6): Computer Science BSc/MEng (G400/G402), Computer Science and Mathematics MEng (G430), Mechanical Engineering BEng/MEng (H300/H301), Robotics and AI MEng (H700). Two common mistakes to avoid: single-honours History and Oxford Computer Science (G400, which requires the TMUA) do not need the TARA; and UCL's social-science routes (ESPS / Sociology / Social Sciences / Management Science) moved to UCL's own Thinking Skills Test from 2027 entry. Lists are updated each year — check the official course pages.
How is the Writing Task assessed?
The essay receives no 1–9 score: it is supplied to the universities alongside your two multiple-choice scores, and admissions tutors read it themselves as part of interview and selection decisions.
Can I use a calculator or dictionary?
Neither is allowed. The Problem Solving module needs only basic mathematics, and test centres provide a whiteboard or scratch paper for working.
How should I prepare?
For Critical Thinking, train on argument-analysis questions of the TSA / BMAT Section 1 type; for Problem Solving, drill timed data and reasoning questions; for the Writing Task, rehearse the explain → counter-argue → position structure with weekly timed essays. Pair this with our prep guides and practice modules.

Process

How It Works

01

Sign Up

02

Choose Your Exam

03

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There is no waiting step in between. You can open a paper the moment you register.

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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。

TARA

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