University of OxfordUCAS CV85

Oxford Psychology and Philosophy (CV85) and the TARA

Psychology and Philosophy at the University of Oxford (UCAS code CV85) requires all three modules of the TARA, the Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions, for 2027 entry, and Oxford accepts only the October sitting. The TARA is run by UAT-UK and sat on screen at Pearson VUE test centres. It runs 120 minutes in total: Critical Thinking (22 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes), Problem Solving (22 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes) and the Writing Task (one essay chosen from three prompts, up to 750 words, 40 minutes). Critical Thinking and Problem Solving are the scored modules, 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 scored by UAT-UK; a copy of your response is sent to the universities you applied to. Calculators and dictionaries are not permitted. For 2027 entry the October window runs from 12 to 16 October 2026, with a fixed date of 14 October 2026 for candidates in China, Hong Kong and Macau, and results are released on 16 November 2026. The fee is £78 in the UK and Ireland and £133 elsewhere.
Practise 18 TARA papers (2 free)Full TARA guide
18
Papers
810
Questions
2
Free to try
CV85 and the TARA at a Glance
Test required?
Required. Oxford's Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics course page states that all Oxford applicants must take all three modules
Which modules
Critical Thinking + Problem Solving + Writing Task, all three, 120 minutes in total
Sitting Oxford accepts
The October sitting only. For 2027 entry the window runs 12 to 16 October 2026, fixed to 14 October 2026 for candidates in China, Hong Kong and Macau
Registration and booking
Registration opens 3pm BST on 1 June 2026; booking opens 3pm BST on 20 July 2026 and closes 6pm BST on 28 September 2026
Fee and results
£78 in the UK and Ireland, £133 elsewhere; results on 16 November 2026

The module requirement comes from Oxford's Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics course page; the dates and fees are the TARA arrangements for 2027 entry. Neither Oxford nor UCL publishes any TARA cut-off or average.

4 sections1,144 words6 min read
01

Why CV85 sits inside the TARA list

Oxford's admissions tests are owned by UAT-UK and delivered on screen at Pearson VUE test centres worldwide. The TARA is not subject-specific: it assesses reasoning rather than psychology or philosophy content, so nothing on the paper is drawn from an A-level syllabus. Oxford presents its Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics courses on a single page, which states that all Oxford applicants must take all three modules (Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and the Writing Task). CV85 is the Psychology and Philosophy pairing on that page.
Check the UCAS code rather than the subject name, because the boundaries are not intuitive.

Oxford Psychology and Philosophy (CV85)

Sits the TARA, all three modules

The course this page is about

Oxford History and Economics (LV11) and History and Politics (LV21)

Both sit the TARA

Oxford's single-subject History requires no written test at all; only these two joint courses sit the TARA

Oxford Computer Science

Requires the TMUA, not the TARA

UCL's social science courses (European Social and Political Studies and its siblings)

Moved to UCL's own Thinking Skills Test for 2027 entry

No longer uses the TARA

16 courses

Courses requiring the TARA for 2027 entry

10 at Oxford

Oxford's share of that list, CV85 among them

6 at UCL

UCL's share; one sitting can serve more than one application

On scores: Oxford publishes no cut-off, no average and no stated weighting for the TARA, and neither does UCL. Any figure of that kind circulating elsewhere is unverified, so do not plan around it.
02

What each of the three modules means for this course

The TARA runs 120 minutes in total, 40 minutes per module, sat on screen at a Pearson VUE test centre. Here is what each of the three means for a CV85 applicant.
Length and questionsHow it is scoredWhat it means for a CV85 applicant
Critical Thinking22 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes, about 109 seconds eachA scored module, reported on the 1.0 to 9.0 scale to one decimal placeIdentifying assumptions, flaws and conclusions in short arguments. For a course pairing Philosophy with Psychology, this is the module closest to the argument analysis you will practise in first-year tutorials
Problem SolvingAnother 22 questions in 40 minutesA scored module, reported on the 1.0 to 9.0 scale to one decimal placeNo calculator and no dictionary, so every step has to be worked on paper inside that budget
Writing Task40 minutes for one prompt chosen from three, up to 750 wordsNot marked by UAT-UKThe text is forwarded to the universities you applied to, so Oxford receives your unedited argumentative writing

Calculators and dictionaries are not permitted at any point.

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, the two scored modules, have no pass mark and no negative marking. A blank answer only loses marks while a guess costs nothing, so put something down even when time runs short.
Oxford notes that the Writing Task will not be used in selection on only two course pages, Economics and Management (LN12) and History and Economics (LV11). No such note appears on the Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics page, so CV85 is not one of them and those 40 minutes deserve preparation as serious as the other two modules. Oxford has published no weighting for the essay.
03

How to practise when there are no past papers

UAT-UK has never released past papers for the TARA. Official material is limited to three things: the TARA Specification, the TARA Question Guide, and two practice sets delivered through Pearson VUE. Ordered by what each is good for, here is everything currently available.
01Official

The TARA Specification and the TARA Question Guide

Two of the three pieces of official preparation material, and the source for the specification and the question types.

02Official

The two practice sets on Pearson VUE

A specimen set with worked explanations and a sample set with an answer review, both covering all three modules.

03UAT-UK's advice

BMAT Section 1 and TSA Section 1 past papers

UAT-UK's own advice is to practise with BMAT Section 1 papers (2003 to 2023) and TSA Section 1 papers (2008 to 2023), which share the question types and are hosted on the official site. Those archives give volume but not the current 22+22+750 shape.

04FrontierVUE

18 Frontier Original parallel papers

Each of 45 items (22 Critical Thinking, 22 Problem Solving and one Writing Task) under the real 120-minute clock, covering the format gap the official archives leave open. Papers 1 and 2 are free to attempt.

05FrontierVUE

The 350-question topic bank

For drilling single question types. Together with the full papers, all 1,160 questions carry worked explanations and Chinese translations.

18 papers

Frontier Original parallel papers, each under the real 120-minute clock

810 questions

The total across those 18 full papers

350 questions

The topic bank, for drilling single question types

1,160 questions

Both together, all carrying explanations and Chinese translations

To be explicit: these are original papers written to the published specification, not official past papers, and FrontierVUE is not affiliated with UAT-UK, Pearson, the University of Oxford or UCL.
04

Key dates and fees for 2027 entry

Oxford accepts only the October sitting and does not accept the January one, so a CV85 applicant has one sitting in this cycle. The full October timetable is below.
2026Timeline
Jun 26
Jul 26
Aug 26
Sep 26
Oct 26
Nov 26
Registration opens
1 Jun
Registration opens at 3pm BST on 1 June 2026.
Booking opens
20 Jul
Test booking opens at 3pm BST on 20 July 2026.
Access arrangements
14 Sep
Access arrangements deadline: 6pm BST, 14 September 2026.
Bursary deadline
21 Sep
Bursary deadline: 6pm BST, 21 September 2026.
Booking closes
28 Sep
Booking closes at 6pm BST on 28 September 2026.
October test window
12 to 16 Oct
The test window runs from 12 to 16 October 2026, and this is the only sitting Oxford accepts.
China, HK and Macau
14 Oct
China, Hong Kong and Macau have a split arrangement in which the TARA is fixed to 14 October 2026: ESAT on 12-13 October, TARA on 14 October, TMUA on 15-16 October.
October results
16 Nov
Results for the October sitting are released on 16 November 2026.
Hard deadline Event WindowAll times above are BST.

Fee for candidates in the UK and Ireland

£78

Fee for candidates elsewhere

£133

Sittings Oxford accepts

The October sitting only

A CV85 applicant has one sitting in this cycle

The January sitting (not accepted by Oxford)

Test window 4 to 8 January 2027, with 7 January 2027 for China, Hong Kong and Macau

Booking opens 3pm GMT on 26 October 2026 and closes 6pm GMT on 21 December 2026; results 8 February 2027

Two practical points follow, and they are our recommendations rather than official requirements. Book a Pearson VUE seat soon after 20 July rather than near the 28 September cut-off. And organise your full-length timed practice so that it finishes before the October window, because there is no resit inside the cycle.
SAME UNIVERSITY

Other University of Oxford courses that require the TARA

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Does Oxford Psychology and Philosophy (CV85) require the TARA?
Yes. Oxford's Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics course page states that all Oxford applicants must take all three modules: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and the Writing Task. CV85 is the Psychology and Philosophy pairing on that page. Oxford accepts only the October sitting, which for 2027 entry runs from 12 to 16 October 2026, with candidates in China, Hong Kong and Macau sitting the TARA on 14 October 2026.
Is the TARA Writing Task used in selection for CV85?
The Writing Task is not scored by UAT-UK; a copy of your response is sent to the universities you applied to. Oxford adds an explicit note on only two course pages, Economics and Management (LN12) and History and Economics (LV11), saying the Writing Task will not be used in selection for those courses. No such note appears on the Psychology, Philosophy and Linguistics page, so a CV85 applicant should treat all three modules as part of the application and write the essay accordingly. Oxford has not published any weighting for it.
Are there TARA past papers to practise with?
No. UAT-UK has never published past papers for the TARA. The official material is 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). UAT-UK itself recommends practising with BMAT Section 1 papers (2003 to 2023) and TSA Section 1 papers (2008 to 2023). FrontierVUE adds 18 Frontier Original parallel papers (810 questions) and a 350-question topic bank, 1,160 questions in total with explanations and Chinese translations, Papers 1 and 2 free. These are original parallel papers, not official past papers.
How much does the TARA cost, and when do I book for 2027 entry?
The fee is £78 for candidates in the UK and Ireland and £133 for candidates elsewhere. Registration opens at 3pm BST on 1 June 2026, booking opens at 3pm BST on 20 July 2026, and booking closes at 6pm BST on 28 September 2026. The October window runs from 12 to 16 October 2026 (14 October 2026 for candidates in China, Hong Kong and Macau), with results on 16 November 2026. The January sitting (test window 4 to 8 January 2027, 7 January 2027 for China, Hong Kong and Macau) is not accepted by Oxford, so book the October date.
SOURCES

Official sources

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。

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18 Frontier Original TARA papers and 810 questions, every one with a worked solution. The first 2 papers are free to try.

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