UCL · UCAS G402
TARA for UCL Computer Science MEng (UCAS G402)
UCL's Computer Science MEng (UCAS code G402) requires applicants for 2027 entry to sit the TARA, the Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions, which is run by UAT-UK and taken on screen at Pearson VUE test centres. The test lasts 120 minutes in total and is organised as three 40-minute modules: Critical Thinking (22 multiple-choice questions), Problem Solving (22 multiple-choice questions) and the Writing Task, where you choose one prompt from three and write no more than 750 words. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving are scored from 1.0 to 9.0 and reported to one decimal place; there is no pass mark and no marks are deducted for wrong answers. The Writing Task is not marked by UAT-UK: your response is sent on, unmarked, to the universities you applied to. Calculators and dictionaries are not permitted. The entry fee is £78 in the UK and Ireland and £133 elsewhere. For 2027 entry the October test window runs from 12 to 16 October 2026, with fixed days for candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau (TARA is sat on 14 October 2026), and results are released on 16 November 2026.
- 18
- Papers
- 810
- Questions
- 2
- Free to try
01
Which UCL courses take the TARA, and why Oxford's Computer Science course does not
For 2027 entry, UCL requires the TARA for six undergraduate programmes:
- 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)
UCL adopted the TARA from 2026 entry, and mechanical engineering joins the list for the first time in the 2027 cycle. Two things in older guidance are now wrong. First, UCL's social science routes (European Social and Political Studies, International Social and Political Studies and the ESPS dual degrees) move to UCL's own Thinking Skills Test for 2027 entry and no longer sit the TARA. Second, and this one is repeated constantly by third-party guides, Oxford's Computer Science course requires the TMUA, not the TARA; the TARA is not mentioned anywhere on that course page.
The TARA is not a subject test. It assesses general reasoning, so preparation for G402 means working on argument analysis and on handling information at speed, rather than revising more mathematics. One point to be blunt about: neither UCL nor Oxford has published a TARA cut-off score, a minimum requirement, or the weight the test carries in selection. Any specific score target you see quoted has no official source behind it.
02
What the three modules mean for a G402 applicant
The TARA is one sitting: three 40-minute modules taken back to back inside a single 120-minute session, so a G402 application means you will meet all three.
Critical Thinking: 22 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes, under two minutes per question on average. You work on short written arguments, locating the conclusion, identifying flaws and unstated assumptions, and judging what would strengthen or weaken a case.
Problem Solving: also 22 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes, covering numerical, spatial and logical reasoning, sat without a calculator. The difficulty sits in selecting the relevant information under time pressure.
Both modules are reported on the 1.0 to 9.0 scale to one decimal place, there is no pass mark, and nothing is deducted for a wrong answer, so leaving a question blank is never better than choosing an option.
Writing Task: 40 minutes, one prompt chosen from three, no more than 750 words. UAT-UK does not mark it, and your response is passed to the universities you applied to. Neither UAT-UK nor UCL publishes how UCL uses that response in selection, so do not treat the module as a throwaway simply because it carries no score. Write it as something an admissions reader will see.
03
How to practise when no past papers exist
Official preparation material is thin. UAT-UK publishes the TARA Specification and the TARA Question Guide, and Pearson VUE hosts two practice sets (a specimen with explanations and a sample with an answer review), each covering all three modules. No TARA past papers have ever been released. UAT-UK itself points candidates to BMAT Section 1 papers (2003 to 2023) and TSA Section 1 papers (2008 to 2023) for additional practice, and hosts those PDFs on its own site.
In practice that leaves most applicants with two full rehearsals of the real format before they sit a 120-minute test that is timed module by module. FrontierVUE was built to close that gap:
- 18 Frontier Original parallel papers built to the live structure: 45 questions per paper (22 Critical Thinking, 22 Problem Solving and one Writing Task) in 120 minutes
- a 350-question topic bank for targeted work by question type
- 1,250 TARA questions on the platform in total, every one with a worked explanation and a Chinese translation
- Papers 1 and 2 are free to attempt
To be clear about what these are: they are original papers written to the published specification, not official past papers, because no official TARA past papers exist. FrontierVUE is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, UAT-UK, Pearson, UCL or the University of Oxford.
04
Key dates and fees for 2027 entry
All TARA dates are set by UAT-UK rather than by individual universities. The full October timeline for 2027 entry:
- 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
- Test window: 12 to 16 October 2026, with fixed days for candidates in China, Hong Kong and Macau (ESAT on 12 and 13 October, TARA on 14 October, TMUA on 15 and 16 October)
- Results released: 16 November 2026
A January sitting also runs: booking opens on 26 October 2026 at 3pm GMT, booking closes on 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 confirm with UCL which sittings it will accept before you plan around January.
Registering and booking are two separate steps: registering alone does not enter you for the test, and you must reserve a seat at a Pearson VUE centre before the booking deadline. The fee is £78 in the UK and Ireland and £133 elsewhere. Take every date and fee from the UAT-UK site.
SAME UNIVERSITY
Other UCL courses that require the TARA
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does Computer Science MEng at UCL need an admissions test?
Yes. For 2027 entry, applicants to UCL's Computer Science MEng (UCAS G402) must sit the TARA. It is taken at a Pearson VUE test centre, lasts 120 minutes in total and is made up of three 40-minute modules: Critical Thinking (22 multiple-choice questions), Problem Solving (22 multiple-choice questions) and the Writing Task (one prompt from three, up to 750 words). The fee is £78 in the UK and Ireland and £133 elsewhere.
Which UCL courses require the TARA for 2027 entry?
Six UCL undergraduate programmes require the TARA for 2027 entry: Computer Science BSc (G400), Computer Science MEng (G402), Computer Science and Mathematics MEng (G430), Mechanical Engineering BEng (H300), Mechanical Engineering MEng (H301) and Robotics and Artificial Intelligence MEng (H700). Mechanical engineering is included for the first time in this cycle. UCL's social science routes (European Social and Political Studies, International Social and Political Studies and the ESPS dual degrees) move to UCL's own Thinking Skills Test for 2027 entry and no longer sit the TARA.
Is the TARA the same test as Oxford's Computer Science admissions test?
No. Oxford Computer Science requires the TMUA, a mathematics test, while UCL Computer Science requires the TARA, which is not subject-specific; the TARA is not mentioned on Oxford's Computer Science course page at all. Both are delivered through Pearson VUE, and the dates do not clash: within the October 2026 window, candidates in China, Hong Kong and Macau sit the ESAT on 12 and 13 October, the TARA on 14 October and the TMUA on 15 and 16 October.
Are there past TARA papers I can practise with?
No. No TARA past papers have ever been released. The official material is the TARA Specification, the TARA Question Guide and two practice sets on Pearson VUE (a specimen and a sample), and UAT-UK recommends BMAT Section 1 (2003 to 2023) and TSA Section 1 (2008 to 2023) papers for additional practice. FrontierVUE adds 18 Frontier Original parallel papers (45 questions each, 120 minutes) and a 350-question topic bank, with 1,250 TARA questions in total, all carrying explanations and Chinese translations, and Papers 1 and 2 free to attempt. These are original papers written to the published specification, not official past papers.
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 Computer Science MEng
18 Frontier Original TARA papers and 810 questions, every one with a worked solution. The first 2 papers are free to try.