University of Oxford · UCAS L0VF
Oxford Philosophy, Politics and Economics with Foundation Year (L0VF): TARA requirements for 2027 entry
Philosophy, Politics and Economics with Foundation Year at the University of Oxford (UCAS code L0VF) requires all three modules of the Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions (TARA) for 2027 entry. The TARA is run by UAT-UK and delivered on-screen at Pearson VUE test centres. It runs 120 minutes in total: Critical Thinking (22 multiple-choice questions, 40 minutes), Problem Solving (22 multiple-choice questions, 40 minutes) and the Writing Task (one essay chosen from three prompts, 750 words maximum, 40 minutes). Critical Thinking and Problem Solving are reported on a 1.0 to 9.0 scale to one decimal place. The Writing Task is not marked by UAT-UK; a copy of your script is sent to the universities you applied to. There is no pass mark, there is no negative marking, and calculators and dictionaries are not permitted. The entry fee is £78 in the UK and Ireland and £133 elsewhere. For 2027 entry, 16 courses across Oxford and UCL require the TARA, and Oxford accepts the October sitting only: the test window is 12 to 16 October 2026, with results released on 16 November 2026.
- 18
- Papers
- 810
- Questions
- 2
- Free to try
01
Why L0VF applicants sit the TARA
The TARA is owned by UAT-UK and delivered worldwide through Pearson VUE test centres. It is not subject-specific: it assesses reasoning rather than PPE content, which suits a Foundation Year route where applicants arrive from different subject backgrounds.
- For 2027 entry, 16 courses require it, 10 at Oxford and 6 at UCL, and Philosophy, Politics and Economics with Foundation Year (L0VF) is one of them.
- Oxford requires all three modules from every applicant. One sitting covers every TARA course you apply to, so you take the test once.
- Not every Oxford course uses it. Oxford's Computer Science course requires the TMUA (Paper 1 and Paper 2), and its course page does not mention the TARA at all. Single-honours History requires no admissions test; only the joint courses History and Economics (LV11) and History and Politics (LV21) use the TARA.
- UCL adopted the TARA from 2026 entry. For 2027 entry UCL moved European Social and Political Studies, International Social and Political Studies and the ESPS dual degree to its own Thinking Skills Test, so the UCL TARA list is now its computer science and engineering courses.
One thing to be clear about: Oxford has published no cut-off score, no average score for admitted applicants and no weighting for the TARA. Any specific figure you see quoted elsewhere has no official source behind it.
02
What the three modules mean for this course
Critical Thinking gives you 40 minutes for 22 multiple-choice questions, just under two minutes each: identifying conclusions, exposing flaws in arguments, weighing evidence.
Problem Solving gives you the same 40 minutes for 22 multiple-choice questions with no calculator, so numerical work has to be done by hand and by estimation.
Both modules are reported on a 1.0 to 9.0 scale to one decimal place, which means Oxford sees your verbal reasoning and your quantitative reasoning as two separate figures rather than one combined mark. There is no pass mark and no negative marking, so answer every question rather than leaving blanks.
The Writing Task gives you 40 minutes to answer one of three prompts in no more than 750 words. UAT-UK does not mark it; your script goes directly to the universities you applied to, so it is read by admissions staff rather than scored by an examiner.
One point to get right: Oxford adds a note saying the Writing Task will not be used in selection on only two course pages, Economics and Management (LN12) and History and Economics (LV11). The PPE pages carry no such note, so L0VF applicants should assume the essay will be read as part of selection and practise it accordingly.
03
How to practise when there are no official past papers
There are no official TARA past papers. The published official material is limited to three things:
- the TARA Specification
- the TARA Question Guide
- two practice sets on Pearson VUE: a specimen with explanations and a sample with an answer review, both covering all three modules
UAT-UK's own advice is to practise on retired BMAT Section 1 papers (2003 to 2023) and TSA Section 1 papers (2008 to 2023), which it hosts on its own site and which cover much of the same critical thinking and problem solving ground.
What that leaves missing is full-length, timed rehearsal in the current format. FrontierVUE covers that with 18 Frontier Original parallel papers built to the live specification: 45 items each (22 Critical Thinking, 22 Problem Solving, one Writing Task) in 120 minutes, 810 questions across the papers, plus a 350-question topic bank for targeted drilling. Every question carries a worked explanation and a Chinese translation, and Papers 1 and 2 are free to sit.
To be explicit: these are original parallel papers, 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 and fees for 2027 entry
October sitting (the only one Oxford accepts)
- Registration opens: 1 June 2026, 3pm BST
- Test 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
- Test window: 12 to 16 October 2026, with fixed dates by region for China, Hong Kong and Macau, where the TARA is sat on 14 October 2026
- Results released: 16 November 2026
January sitting (not accepted by Oxford)
UAT-UK also runs a January sitting: booking opens 26 October 2026 at 3pm GMT, booking closes 21 December 2026 at 6pm GMT, the test window is 4 to 8 January 2027 (7 January 2027 for China, Hong Kong and Macau) and results follow on 8 February 2027. Oxford accepts the October sitting only, so L0VF applicants should plan backwards from the October window.
Fees: £78 for candidates in the UK and Ireland, £133 elsewhere.
Two things that catch people out: registration and booking are separate steps, and completing one does not secure the other; and the access arrangements and bursary deadlines both fall before the booking deadline. Check the Oxford course page for L0VF before you book.
SAME UNIVERSITY
Other University of Oxford courses that require the TARA
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does Philosophy, Politics and Economics with Foundation Year (L0VF) require the TARA?
Yes. For 2027 entry, applicants to Philosophy, Politics and Economics with Foundation Year at the University of Oxford (UCAS code L0VF) must take the TARA, and Oxford requires all three modules: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and the Writing Task. The test runs 120 minutes in total and is sat at a Pearson VUE test centre. Oxford accepts the October sitting only, with a test window of 12 to 16 October 2026 (14 October 2026 for candidates in China, Hong Kong and Macau) and results released on 16 November 2026. The entry fee is £78 in the UK and Ireland and £133 elsewhere.
Is the TARA Writing Task compulsory for this course, is it used in selection, and who marks it?
It is compulsory. Oxford requires all three modules from every applicant, so you cannot sit only the multiple-choice sections. You have 40 minutes to answer one of three prompts in no more than 750 words. UAT-UK does not mark the Writing Task; a copy of what you write is sent directly to the universities you applied to. Oxford adds a note saying the Writing Task will not be used in selection on only two course pages, Economics and Management (LN12) and History and Economics (LV11). The PPE pages carry no such note, so L0VF applicants should assume their essay is read as part of selection.
Are there TARA past papers I can practise on?
No. UAT-UK has never released past papers for the TARA. Official material is limited to the TARA Specification, the TARA Question Guide and two practice sets on Pearson VUE (a specimen and a sample). UAT-UK itself recommends practising on retired BMAT Section 1 papers (2003 to 2023) and TSA Section 1 papers (2008 to 2023). For timed rehearsal in the current format, FrontierVUE provides 18 Frontier Original parallel papers (810 questions across the papers) plus a 350-question topic bank, each question with an explanation and a Chinese translation, and Papers 1 and 2 free to sit. These are original parallel papers, not official past papers.
Can I sit the January TARA for L0VF?
No. Oxford accepts the October sitting only, so an L0VF application has to be covered by the 12 to 16 October 2026 window (14 October 2026 for candidates in China, Hong Kong and Macau), with booking closing at 6pm BST on 28 September 2026. UAT-UK does run a January sitting (4 to 8 January 2027, or 7 January 2027 for China, Hong Kong and Macau), but that sitting serves institutions that accept it and cannot be used for an Oxford undergraduate application.
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 Philosophy, Politics and Economics with Foundation Year
18 Frontier Original TARA papers and 810 questions, every one with a worked solution. The first 2 papers are free to try.