University of OxfordUCAS LV11
TARA for Oxford History and Economics (UCAS LV11)
History and Economics at the University of Oxford (UCAS code LV11) requires all three modules of the TARA for 2027 entry, and Oxford accepts only the October sitting, held in the 12 to 16 October 2026 window. The TARA, or Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions, is organised by UAT-UK and sat on computer at Pearson VUE test centres. It runs to 120 minutes in total: Critical Thinking (40 minutes, 22 multiple-choice questions), Problem Solving (40 minutes, 22 multiple-choice questions) and the Writing Task (40 minutes, one essay chosen from three titles, 750 words maximum). Critical Thinking and Problem Solving are the scored parts, reported on a scale of 1.0 to 9.0 to one decimal place, with no pass mark and no negative marking. The Writing Task is not marked by UAT-UK; your script is passed on to the universities you applied to. One point separates LV11 from most other Oxford TARA courses: Oxford states that the Writing Task will not be used in admissions selection for History and Economics. You still have to sit it. Calculators and dictionaries are not permitted.
- 18
- Papers
- 810
- Questions
- 2
- Free to try
Oxford History and Economics (LV11) TARA at a Glance
- Is the TARA compulsory for LV11?
- Compulsory: every applicant for 2027 entry sits it
- TARA modules LV11 must sit
- All three: Critical Thinking + Problem Solving + Writing Task, 120 minutes in total
- Is the Writing Task used to select for LV11?
- Oxford states it is not used in selection for this course, but it is still compulsory
- Sitting available to LV11 applicants
- October only: 12 to 16 October 2026; 14 October for mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau
- Registration and booking
- Registration opens 1 June 2026; booking opens 20 July and closes 28 September 2026 at 6pm BST
The "not used in selection" line comes from Oxford's History and Economics course page; the other entries are the 2027-entry TARA arrangements, set out in full with their qualifications in the sections below.
4 sections1,703 words9 min read
01
Why LV11 sits the TARA, and why single-subject History does not
Oxford's admissions testing for this group of courses now runs through UAT-UK, and for 2027 entry 16 courses require the TARA: 10 at Oxford and 6 at UCL. History and Economics (LV11) is one of the Oxford 10. Three points are worth fixing in your head, because competing guides get them wrong, so the map below starts with who sits it and who does not.
The 16 courses requiring the TARA
2027 entry: 10 at Oxford, 6 at UCL
Oxford History routes: two joint degreesSingle-subject History is not among them
- History and Economics (LV11), the course on this page
- History and Politics (LV21)
Oxford: the other TARA courses named on this pageThe full list of the Oxford 10 is on the UAT-UK course list
- PPE (L0V0)
- Economics and Management (LN12)
UCL: all six are computing and engineeringESPS, ISPS and other social science routes no longer use it
- 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)
Tap a branch to unfold
Does single-subject History at Oxford need an admissions test?
No. Oxford's History course page states that applicants do not need to take a written test for that course, and single-subject History does not appear on the UAT-UK course list for 2027 entry. Among the History routes, only the joint degrees sit the TARA: History and Economics (LV11) and History and Politics (LV21).
Does Oxford Computer Science sit the TARA?
No. It sits the TMUA, Paper 1 and Paper 2. The word TARA does not appear anywhere on that course page, and confusing the two is one of the most common errors online.
Do UCL's social science routes still use the TARA?
Not any more. UCL's ESPS and ISPS social science routes moved to UCL's own Thinking Skills Test for 2027 entry and no longer use the TARA. UCL's six TARA courses for 2027 entry are all computing and engineering.
Should Economics applicants still prepare TSA Section 1?
If the advice in front of you still sends Economics applicants to Section 1 of the TSA, it is out of date: the TSA Section 1 archive stops at 2023, and UAT-UK now lists those papers as practice material rather than as a live test.
You register once and sit once, and the same scores can be read by every UAT-UK course you have applied to. Because Oxford accepts only the October sitting, though, there is no second attempt inside the same admissions cycle.
02
What each module means for History and Economics
The TARA, or Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions, is organised by UAT-UK and sat on computer at Pearson VUE test centres, running to 120 minutes across three modules. Those three do not carry the same weight for Oxford History and Economics (LV11); the table below reads them against this course.
| Critical Thinking | Problem Solving | Writing Task | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length and format | 40 minutes, 22 multiple-choice questions | 40 minutes, 22 multiple-choice questions | 40 minutes, one essay chosen from three titles, 750 words maximum |
| Scored? | A scored module, reported on a scale of 1.0 to 9.0 to one decimal place | A scored module, reported on a scale of 1.0 to 9.0 to one decimal place | Not marked by UAT-UK; your script is passed on to the universities you applied to |
| What it asks of you | Argument analysis: locating conclusions, unstated assumptions and flaws in short prose passages, work that sits close to the source criticism the History half of the degree expects | Numerical and spatial reasoning rather than A-level Mathematics content, but it rewards candidates who are quick and accurate with figures under time pressure | One essay of up to 750 words, written on one of three titles |
| What it does for LV11 | With Problem Solving, one of the parts Oxford actually uses to choose between LV11 applicants | With Critical Thinking, one of the parts Oxford actually uses to choose between LV11 applicants | Still compulsory and your script is still sent to Oxford, but Oxford states it will not be used in selection for LV11 |
The two scored modules have no pass mark and no negative marking; calculators and dictionaries are not permitted.
The practical reading of that is simple: sit the Writing Task properly, then put your preparation time into the two scored modules. If you are also applying to a course that does use the Writing Task, the calculation changes.
That "not used in selection" line has a narrow scope. Oxford adds it only to History and Economics (LV11) and Economics and Management (LN12); it does not appear on the pages for PPE (L0V0), History and Politics (LV21) or the other Oxford TARA courses. The conclusion holds for LV11 and LN12, and should not be carried across to another course.
One thing nobody can tell you is what score you need. Oxford has published no TARA threshold, no minimum score and no weighting against the rest of the application, and neither has UCL. Treat any specific cut-off quoted online as somebody's guess rather than an official figure.
03
How to practise when there are no past papers
UAT-UK has never released a past TARA paper, which means TARA past papers do not exist, from us or from anyone else. The official material amounts to what is listed below.
Official documents
The TARA Specification and the TARA Question Guide
Official practice on Pearson VUE
Two sets, covering all three modules
A specimen with explanations and a sample with an answer review
What UAT-UK recommends as extra practice
The archived BMAT Section 1 (2003 to 2023) and TSA Section 1 (2008 to 2023) papers
UAT-UK hosts those PDFs on its own site
Past TARA papers
None exist
UAT-UK has never released a single one
Those archives are free, but they carry no Chinese translation and they are not assembled into full 120-minute sittings in the current three-module format. FrontierVUE fills that gap.
18
Frontier Original parallel papers, all written by us
45
Questions per paper: 22 + 22 + one Writing Task
810
Paper questions across the 18 sets in total
350
Topic-bank questions for drilling one skill at a time
The sequence below is our suggested order: official material first, with our own papers filling in full-length timing and the Chinese translation.
01Step 1
Start with the two official documents
The TARA Specification and the TARA Question Guide, the documents UAT-UK publishes for this test.
02Step 2
Work through the two official practice sets
A specimen with explanations and a sample with an answer review, both hosted on Pearson VUE and both covering Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and the Writing Task.
03Step 3
Add the archives UAT-UK recommends
The archived BMAT Section 1 papers (2003 to 2023) and TSA Section 1 papers (2008 to 2023). This is UAT-UK's own recommendation, and it hosts the PDFs on its own site, free.
04Step 4
Close the gap with full-length timed sittings
This is the step the numbers above describe: the Frontier Original parallel papers run under the real 120-minute clock in the current format (22 Critical Thinking, 22 Problem Solving, one Writing Task), every question carrying a worked explanation and a Chinese translation, with the topic bank alongside for drilling one skill at a time. Paper 1 and Paper 2 can be sat free.
One line worth stating plainly: FrontierVUE's 18 parallel papers are written by us and are not reproduced from any official source. Conversely, nobody offering you a "past TARA paper" can have one, because UAT-UK has never released any.
04
Key dates and costs for 2027 entry
The timeline below covers the October sitting in the 2027 entry cycle. Oxford accepts only that sitting, so for an LV11 applicant this is the whole schedule.
2026Timeline
Jun 26
Jul 26
Aug 26
Sep 26
Oct 26
Nov 26
Registration opens1 Jun, 3pm BST
Registration opens
1 Jun, 3pm BST
Registration opens on 1 June 2026 at 3pm BST.
Booking window20 Jul to 28 Sep
Booking window
20 Jul to 28 Sep
Booking opens on 20 July 2026 at 3pm BST and closes on 28 September 2026 at 6pm BST, and a seat at your preferred Pearson VUE centre is not guaranteed if you leave it to the closing week.
Access arrangements14 Sep, 6pm BST
Access arrangements
14 Sep, 6pm BST
Requests for access arrangements close on 14 September 2026 at 6pm BST. It is the first of the two earlier deadlines that matter if they apply to you.
Bursary applications21 Sep, 6pm BST
Bursary applications
21 Sep, 6pm BST
Bursary applications close on 21 September 2026 at 6pm BST. It is the second of the two earlier deadlines that matter if they apply to you.
Booking closes28 Sep, 6pm BST
Booking closes
28 Sep, 6pm BST
Booking for the October sitting closes on 28 September 2026 at 6pm BST.
October test window12 to 16 Oct
October test window
12 to 16 Oct
The October sitting runs from 12 to 16 October 2026, with fixed days in some regions.
China/HK/Macau day14 Oct
China/HK/Macau day
14 Oct
Candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau sit the TARA on 14 October 2026.
Results published16 Nov
Results published
16 Nov
Results for the October sitting are published on 16 November 2026.
Hard deadline Event WindowRegistration and booking times are UK time (BST). Oxford accepts only the October sitting, so an LV11 applicant has no second attempt within the same cycle.
| October sitting | January sitting | |
|---|---|---|
| Booking opens | 20 July 2026, 3pm BST | 26 October 2026, 3pm GMT |
| Booking closes | 28 September 2026, 6pm BST | 21 December 2026, 6pm GMT |
| Test window | 12 to 16 October 2026 | 4 to 8 January 2027 |
| Fixed TARA day for mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau | 14 October 2026 | 7 January 2027 |
| Results | 16 November 2026 | 8 February 2027 |
| Usable by an LV11 applicant? | Yes; this is the only sitting Oxford accepts | No; Oxford does not accept the January sitting |
A January sitting does exist, on the dates above, but Oxford accepts only the October sitting, so a History and Economics (LV11) applicant cannot use it.
Fee: candidates in the UK and Ireland
£78
Fee: candidates elsewhere
£133
Format
Sat on computer at a Pearson VUE test centre, 120 minutes in total
Not permitted
Calculators and dictionaries, at any point
On scheduling, our own suggestion is to plan backwards from your test day: once you are inside the final six weeks, full 120-minute timed sittings are worth more than untimed question drills. That is our recommendation, not an official requirement.
SAME UNIVERSITY
Other University of Oxford courses that require the TARA
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does Oxford History and Economics require the TARA, and when is it sat?
Yes. For 2027 entry, every applicant to History and Economics (UCAS LV11) must sit all three TARA modules: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and the Writing Task. Oxford accepts only the October sitting, held in the 12 to 16 October 2026 window, with candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau sitting the TARA on 14 October 2026. Results are published on 16 November 2026. 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 fee is £78 in the UK and Ireland and £133 elsewhere.
Is the TARA Writing Task used to select for LV11?
No. Oxford's course page for History and Economics adds a note stating that the Writing Task will not be used in admissions selection for this course. It is still compulsory: you must write one essay from three titles in 40 minutes, 750 words maximum, and a copy of your script is still sent to Oxford. Only two Oxford course pages carry that note, Economics and Management (LN12) and History and Economics (LV11); PPE, History and Politics and the rest do not. As for how well you need to do on the scored modules, Oxford has published no TARA score threshold and no weighting.
Does single-subject History at Oxford need an admissions test?
No. Oxford's History course page states that applicants do not need to take a written test for that course, and single-subject History does not appear on the UAT-UK course list for 2027 entry. The TARA applies to the joint courses instead: History and Economics (LV11) and History and Politics (LV21). A related correction worth making: Oxford Computer Science sits the TMUA, Paper 1 and Paper 2, not the TARA.
Are there past TARA papers I can practise on?
No official past papers exist. UAT-UK has never released one. It publishes the TARA Specification, the TARA Question Guide and two practice sets on Pearson VUE, and recommends practising on the archived BMAT Section 1 (2003 to 2023) and TSA Section 1 (2008 to 2023) papers. FrontierVUE adds 18 Frontier Original parallel papers, written by us to the current 22 + 22 + Writing Task format, 810 paper questions in total, plus a 350-question topic bank, each question with an explanation and a Chinese translation. Papers 1 and 2 are free.
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 History and Economics
18 Frontier Original TARA papers and 810 questions, every one with a worked solution. The first 2 papers are free to try.