Oxford Experimental Psychology (C830) and the TARA
- 18
- Papers
- 810
- Questions
- 2
- Free to try
- Required for Oxford Experimental Psychology (C830)
- Compulsory for every applicant in the 2027 entry cycle
- Modules required for Oxford C830
- All three: Critical Thinking + Problem Solving + Writing Task
- Sitting accepted for Oxford C830
- October only: 12-16 October 2026; 14 October 2026 in China, Hong Kong and Macau
- TARA booking window
- Opens 20 July 2026, 3pm BST; closes 28 September 2026, 6pm BST
- Results day and entry fee
- Results 16 November 2026; £78 in the UK and Ireland, £133 in all other regions
Neither Oxford nor UCL has published a TARA cut-off, an average score for successful applicants, or the share of the decision the test carries; A-level and IB entry requirements are published on Oxford's own course page for each cycle and are deliberately not restated here.
How Oxford uses the TARA for C830
Oxford Experimental Psychology UCAS code
C830
Requires the TARA for 2027 entry, and all three modules must be taken
Oxford Economics and Management
LN12
One of only two Oxford course pages carrying the note that the Writing Task is not used in selection
Oxford History and Economics
LV11
The other Oxford course page carrying that note about the Writing Task
Does the Experimental Psychology (C830) page carry that note?
No
So prepare all three modules as part of your application
- 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.
What each module asks of a psychology applicant
| Critical Thinking | Problem Solving | Writing Task | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length and questions | 22 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes, roughly 109 seconds each | 22 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes | 40 minutes, one essay chosen from three titles, no more than 750 words |
| What it tests | Argument structure, unstated assumptions, flaws, and what a piece of evidence does and does not support | Numerical, spatial and relational reasoning, with no calculator | A set essay title, answering one of three |
| How it is scored | Scored, 1.0 to 9.0, reported to one decimal place | Scored, 1.0 to 9.0, reported to one decimal place | Not marked by UAT-UK; your response is passed to the universities you applied to |
| Why it matters for an Experimental Psychology applicant | The same habit of mind a psychology undergraduate needs when reading an experimental claim | It matters for a degree built on experimental design and statistics | The Oxford Experimental Psychology page carries no note exempting the Writing Task from selection, so prepare it as part of your application |
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. Calculators and dictionaries are not permitted at any point.
How to practise when there are no past papers
Read the two official documents
The TARA Specification and the TARA Question Guide.
Sit the two official practice sets on Pearson VUE
A specimen with worked explanations and a sample with an answer review; both cover all three modules.
Supplement with BMAT and TSA past papers, as officially advised
Past BMAT Section 1 papers from 2003 to 2023 and past TSA Section 1 papers from 2008 to 2023; this is the official advice for supplementary practice.
Sit full-length timed papers under the current 40+40+40 structure
This is the gap FrontierVUE covers: 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. Papers 1 and 2 are free to sit.
Drill a single weakness with topic practice
A further 350 questions are organised as topic drills, giving 1,160 TARA questions in total, every one with a worked explanation and a Chinese translation.
18 papers
Frontier Original parallel papers built to the live format and sat in 120 minutes
45 items
Per paper: 22 Critical Thinking, 22 Problem Solving and one Writing Task
1,160 questions
TARA questions in total, including the 350 topic drills, each with an explanation and a Chinese translation
Two free
Papers 1 and 2 are free to sit
Key dates, fees and logistics for 2027 entry
Booking closes28 Sep 2026, 6pm BST
October test window (accepted by Oxford)12-16 Oct 2026
January test window (not accepted by Oxford)4-8 Jan 2027
Entry fee (UK and Ireland)
£78
Entry fee (all other regions)
£133
How the test is sat
On computer at a Pearson VUE test centre
Not at home, so book early enough to secure a seat you can reach on the day
Not permitted
Calculators and dictionaries
Practise under the real conditions, with no calculator and no dictionary
Other University of Oxford courses that require the TARA
Frequently asked questions
Does Oxford Experimental Psychology need the TARA?
Does the TARA Writing Task count for Experimental Psychology?
Are there official TARA past papers to practise with?
When is the TARA for 2027 entry and how much does it cost?
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.