University of Oxford · UCAS C830
Oxford Experimental Psychology (C830) and the TARA
Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford (UCAS code C830) requires all three modules of the Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions (TARA) for 2027 entry. TARA is run by UAT-UK and sat on computer at Pearson VUE test centres. Oxford accepts the October sitting only: the October window runs from 12 to 16 October 2026, with results released on 16 November 2026. The test lasts 120 minutes in total, three modules of 40 minutes each: Critical Thinking (22 multiple-choice questions, scored), Problem Solving (22 multiple-choice questions, scored) and the Writing Task (one essay chosen from three titles, no more than 750 words). The two scored modules are each reported on a 1.0 to 9.0 scale to one decimal place, with no pass mark and no negative marking. The Writing Task is not marked by UAT-UK; your response is passed on to the universities you applied to. Calculators and dictionaries are not permitted. The entry fee is £78 in the UK and Ireland and £133 in all other regions.
- 18
- Papers
- 810
- Questions
- 2
- Free to try
01
How Oxford uses the TARA for C830
Oxford's Experimental Psychology page requires applicants to sit the TARA, and Oxford applies the same wording it uses across all its TARA courses: all Oxford applicants must take all three modules (Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and the Writing Task). Three things follow for C830 applicants.
- There is no published cut-off and no published weighting. Neither Oxford nor UCL has released a TARA score threshold, an average score for successful applicants, or the share of the decision the test carries. Any figure circulating as an "Oxford TARA cut-off" is not an official number.
- You get one sitting. Oxford does not accept the January sitting, so C830 applicants sit the test once in the cycle, with no resit.
- The Writing Task is not a module you can quietly drop. Oxford adds an explicit note that the Writing Task is not used in selection on two course pages only, Economics and Management (LN12) and History and Economics (LV11). The Experimental Psychology page carries no such note.
A-level and IB entry requirements change by cycle and are published on Oxford's own course page; this page deliberately does not restate them, so that you always read them from the official source.
02
What each module asks of a psychology applicant
Critical Thinking gives you 22 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes, roughly 109 seconds each, on argument structure, unstated assumptions, flaws, and what a piece of evidence does and does not support. That is the same habit of mind a psychology undergraduate needs when reading an experimental claim.
Problem Solving gives you another 22 questions in 40 minutes covering numerical, spatial and relational reasoning with no calculator, which matters for a degree built on experimental design and statistics.
Both scored modules are reported from 1.0 to 9.0 to one decimal place, there is no pass mark, and there is no negative marking, so never leave an answer blank.
The Writing Task gives you 40 minutes to answer one of three titles in no more than 750 words. UAT-UK does not mark it; your response is passed to the universities you applied to. Oxford's course pages for Economics and Management and for History and Economics carry an explicit note that the Writing Task is not used in selection. The Experimental Psychology page carries no such note, so prepare all three modules as part of your application.
03
How to practise when there are no past papers
UAT-UK has never published a TARA past paper. The official materials are the TARA Specification, the TARA Question Guide and two practice sets on Pearson VUE (a specimen with worked explanations and a sample with an answer review, both covering all three modules). The official advice is to supplement these with past BMAT Section 1 papers from 2003 to 2023 and past TSA Section 1 papers from 2008 to 2023.
Even after all of that, most candidates are short of timed, full-length practice under the current 40+40+40 structure. FrontierVUE covers that gap with 18 Frontier Original parallel papers built to the live format: 45 items per paper (22 Critical Thinking, 22 Problem Solving and one Writing Task) sat in 120 minutes, 810 questions across the papers. A further 350 questions are organised as topic drills for work on a single weakness, giving 1,250 TARA questions in total, every one with a worked explanation and a Chinese translation. Papers 1 and 2 are free to sit.
Two things to be clear about: these are original parallel papers written by us, not official past papers, and FrontierVUE is not affiliated with or endorsed by UAT-UK, Pearson, the University of Oxford or UCL.
04
Key dates, fees and logistics for 2027 entry
The official UAT-UK timetable for 2027 entry is:
- Registration opens: 1 June 2026, 3pm BST
- Booking opens: 20 July 2026, 3pm BST
- Access arrangements deadline: 14 September 2026, 6pm BST
- Bursary deadline: 21 September 2026, 6pm BST
- Booking closes: 28 September 2026, 6pm BST
- October test window: 12-16 October 2026, with regional variations for China, Hong Kong and Macau, where TARA is sat on 14 October 2026
- Results released: 16 November 2026
A January sitting also exists (booking opens 26 October 2026, 3pm GMT and closes 21 December 2026, 6pm GMT; test window 4-8 January 2027, or 7 January 2027 in China, Hong Kong and Macau; results 8 February 2027), but Oxford accepts the October sitting only, so C830 applicants have one sitting.
The fee is £78 for candidates in the UK and Ireland and £133 in all other regions. The test is sat at a Pearson VUE test centre rather than at home, so book early enough to secure a seat you can reach on the day, and practise under the real conditions, with no calculator and no dictionary.
Sixteen courses require the TARA for 2027 entry: ten at Oxford and six at UCL. UCL's social science degrees, such as European Social and Political Studies, moved to UCL's own Thinking Skills Test for 2027 entry and no longer use TARA.
SAME UNIVERSITY
Other University of Oxford courses that require the TARA
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does Oxford Experimental Psychology need the TARA?
Yes. For 2027 entry, every applicant to Experimental Psychology at the University of Oxford (UCAS C830) must take the TARA, and Oxford requires all three modules: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and the Writing Task. Sixteen courses require the TARA in this cycle, ten at Oxford and six at UCL. Oxford accepts the October sitting only, in the window of 12-16 October 2026 (14 October 2026 for candidates in China, Hong Kong and Macau), with results on 16 November 2026.
Does the TARA Writing Task count for Experimental Psychology?
The Writing Task is not marked by UAT-UK, so it produces no score. A copy of your response, of no more than 750 words, is sent to the universities you applied to. Oxford publishes a note exempting the Writing Task from selection for Economics and Management and for History and Economics only; the Experimental Psychology course page carries no such note, so treat all three modules as part of your application. Oxford has not published a weighting for the Writing Task or for any other module.
Are there official TARA past papers to practise with?
No. UAT-UK has never released a TARA past paper. The official materials are the TARA Specification, the TARA Question Guide and two practice sets on Pearson VUE (a specimen and a sample), and the official advice is to practise with past BMAT Section 1 papers (2003 to 2023) and TSA Section 1 papers (2008 to 2023). FrontierVUE adds 18 Frontier Original parallel papers and 350 topic drills, 1,250 questions in total with explanations and Chinese translations. These are papers we write ourselves, not official past papers.
When is the TARA for 2027 entry and how much does it cost?
For 2027 entry, registration opens on 1 June 2026 at 3pm BST, booking opens on 20 July 2026 at 3pm BST and closes on 28 September 2026 at 6pm BST. The October test window is 12-16 October 2026, with TARA sat on 14 October 2026 in China, Hong Kong and Macau, and results are released on 16 November 2026. The January sitting (4-8 January 2027, or 7 January 2027 in China, Hong Kong and Macau) is not accepted by Oxford. The entry fee is £78 in the UK and Ireland and £133 in all other regions, and the test is sat on computer at a Pearson VUE centre.
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。
Start preparing for the TARA for Experimental Psychology
18 Frontier Original TARA papers and 810 questions, every one with a worked solution. The first 2 papers are free to try.