TMUA preparation guide
TMUA Registration and Test Dates for 2027 Entry
The TMUA runs twice in the 2027 entry cycle: 12 to 16 October 2026, and 4 to 8 January 2027. Booking closes at 18:00 UK time on 28 September and 21 December 2026 respectively, and applicants to Oxford and Cambridge are expected to sit the October window. This page puts every milestone, from account registration to results, on one timeline, with the fixed sitting dates for mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau called out separately.
- Papers
- 28
- Questions
- 827
- Free to try
- 2
TMUA at a Glance: 2027 Entry
- Test windows
- 12-16 Oct 2026; 4-8 Jan 2027
- Booking deadlines
- 28 Sep and 21 Dec 2026, 18:00 UK time
- Entry fee
- £78 in the UK, £133 elsewhere
- China, HK & Macau dates
- Window 1: 15-16 Oct only; window 2: 8 Jan only
Oxford only accepts the October sitting, and Cambridge Maths requires all applicants to sit in October (register by 28 September 2026).
In short
- Two sittings a year: 12-16 October 2026 and 4-8 January 2027. Oxford only accepts October, and Cambridge Maths requires it too.
- Booking deadlines are hard: 28 September 2026 for window 1 and 21 December 2026 for window 2, both at 18:00 UK time.
- Dates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau are fixed: 15-16 October only in window 1, and 8 January 2027 only in window 2.
- The fee is £78 at UK centres and £133 elsewhere, for a computer-based multiple-choice test delivered at around 5500 Pearson VUE centres.
- Scores go to TMUA universities automatically through UCAS: you cannot choose who sees them, and score appeals are not accepted.
01
Two Windows, One Decision
Under UAT-UK the TMUA runs twice a year, in October and January. Pick your window by university first: Oxford only accepts October, Cambridge Maths requires it too, and Imperial takes either window but counts only your first attempt in the cycle. The timeline below lays out every milestone of the 2027 entry cycle.
2026 – 2027Timeline
Jun 26
Jul 26
Aug 26
Sep 26
Oct 26
Nov 26
Dec 26
Jan 27
TMUA registration opensStart
TMUA registration opens
Start
Per Oxford Computer Science's pages, registration opens on 1 June 2026.
October booking window
October booking window
Book a Pearson VUE centre and pay from 20 July 2026.
Window 1 booking deadline
18:00 UK time
Test window 1
Required for Oxbridge
China, HK & Macau dates (window 1)
China, HK & Macau dates (window 1)
The only two sitting days in this region for window 1.
Window 2 booking deadline
18:00 UK time
Test window 2
China, HK & Macau date (window 2)
China, HK & Macau date (window 2)
The single sitting day in this region for window 2.
Hard deadline Event WindowThe official sources above give no fixed results date for this cycle; once released, scores are matched via UCAS and sent automatically to universities that require the TMUA, and you cannot choose which of them see your score.
Applying to Oxford or Cambridge as well? October is your only option: Oxford accepts nothing else, Cambridge Maths requires the October sitting, and Imperial states that applicants also applying to Oxbridge must sit in October. Working backwards, 18:00 UK time on 28 September 2026 is your real deadline.
02
Booking in Five Steps
The TMUA is computer-based and delivered through Pearson VUE's worldwide network. The booking process itself is simple. Five steps, done in order, and the only things that catch people out are the two booking deadlines.
01From June
Register for the TMUA
Registration opens on 1 June 2026 for this cycle.
02From July
Book a seat and centre
Booking runs from 20 July 2026 across roughly 5500 Pearson VUE centres worldwide.
03Hard deadline
Pay and confirm
£78 at UK centres, £133 elsewhere. Deadlines: 28 September 2026 for window 1, 21 December 2026 for window 2, both 18:00 UK time.
04
Sit the test
2 hours 30 minutes in total: two papers back to back, each 75 minutes and 20 multiple-choice questions, with no calculator or dictionary.
05
Results and reporting
You receive a single overall score from 1.0 to 9.0 to one decimal place, sent automatically through UCAS to TMUA universities.
Format
Computer-based MCQ
Delivered at Pearson VUE centres
Length
2h 30m
Two papers, 75 min and 20 questions each
Restrictions
No calculator, no dictionary
Marking
No negative marking
Scored 1.0 to 9.0, one decimal place
03
Fixed Dates in China, Hong Kong and Macau
Globally each window spans several days, but TMUA sitting days in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau are fixed: 15 and 16 October only in window 1, and 8 January 2027 only in window 2. Plan your booking and travel around these exact days, not the full window.
| Window 1 (October) | Window 2 (January) | |
|---|---|---|
| Global test dates | 12-16 Oct 2026 | 4-8 Jan 2027 |
| China, HK & Macau days | 15-16 Oct only | 8 Jan only |
| Booking deadline | 28 Sep 2026, 18:00 UK | 21 Dec 2026, 18:00 UK |
| Oxford / Cambridge Maths | Required window | Not accepted (Oxford is October-only) |
| Imperial | Accepted | Accepted, but only your first attempt counts |
Imperial applicants who also apply to Oxford or Cambridge are required to sit the October window.
Do not trust old timetables. Through 2023, under CAAT, the TMUA had a single autumn sitting each year (the last ran on 18 October 2023, with results on 28 November at 9:00 GMT). The two-window pattern of October plus January only began in 2024, so timelines in older guides no longer apply.
04
Who Uses the TMUA and Where Scores Go
Seven universities use the TMUA for selected Mathematics, Economics and Computer Science courses in the 2027 entry cycle. Oxford and Cambridge are the ones most sensitive to timing: Oxford dropped the MAT for the TMUA from 2026, and Cambridge Maths now requires every applicant to sit it, both locked to the October window.
TMUA (run by UAT-UK)
7 universities across Maths, Economics and CS
October sitting required
- Oxford (October only; TMUA replaces the MAT from 2026)
- Cambridge (compulsory sift for all Maths applicants)
Either windowFirst attempt in the cycle counts
- Imperial (Computing, Mathematics, Economics Finance and Data Science)
Also using the TMUACheck each university's own window policy
- Durham
- LSE
- Warwick
- UCL
Tap a branch to unfold
7
Universities using it for 2027 entry
~5500
Pearson VUE centres worldwide
1.0-9.0
Single overall score, one decimal
2 / year
Sittings (October and January)
05
Missed Deadlines and After Results
Both booking deadlines are hard cut-offs, so treat them as non-negotiable when you plan. After results day there is nothing for you to do: scores are sent automatically through UCAS, you cannot pick which universities see them, and score appeals are not accepted. Here are the situations we get asked about most.
I missed the 28 September deadline. Now what?
If you are not applying to Oxford or Cambridge Maths, switch to window 2: tests run 4 to 8 January 2027, with booking open until 18:00 UK time on 21 December 2026. But Oxford only accepts October and Cambridge Maths requires it, so on those routes missing 28 September means missing the cycle's test requirement.
Can I sit both windows and keep the better score?
Not for Imperial: it explicitly counts only your first attempt in each cycle. How other universities treat multiple scores is set by their own published policies, so never assume a resit strategy will work.
How do results reach universities?
Results are matched via UCAS and sent automatically to any university in your application that requires the TMUA. You cannot choose which institutions can see your score, and appeals against scores are not accepted.
How should I read my score?
Under UAT-UK you get one overall score from 1.0 to 9.0, to one decimal place, on a scale anchored to the October cohort: the median sits at 4.5 and roughly 10% of candidates score above 7.0. There are no grade boundaries or pass marks, and scores from 2024 onwards cannot be compared directly with pre-2024 results.
Once you are booked, start your prep with real papers: FrontierVue hosts 18 past TMUA papers (2015-2023, including 2 official specimen sets) plus 10 original mocks, 971 questions in all, each with a full worked solution and a Chinese translation, and the two most recent past papers per subject are free to try. Browse them at /exams/tmua/past-papers, or walk through test day at /exams/tmua/guides/test-day.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
When does TMUA registration open?
Registration for this cycle opens on 1 June 2026, with booking from 20 July. Window 1 booking closes at 18:00 UK time on 28 September 2026, and window 2 on 21 December 2026.
Which TMUA dates apply in mainland China?
Sitting days in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau are fixed: 15 and 16 October 2026 only in window 1, and 8 January 2027 only in window 2.
How much does the TMUA cost?
Officially £78 at UK centres and £133 elsewhere. The test is computer-based and taken at Pearson VUE centres.
Can I still apply to Oxbridge after missing October?
Oxford only accepts the October sitting and Cambridge Maths requires it, so January cannot substitute on those routes. Whether other TMUA universities accept January scores is governed by each university's own published policy.
MORE GUIDES
Other TMUA preparation guides
- TMUA Paper 1: Applications of Mathematical Knowledge
- TMUA Paper 2: Mathematical Reasoning, from Syllabus to Strategy
- TMUA Logic and Proof: The Complete Paper 2 Reasoning Guide
- The TMUA Syllabus in Full: Section 1, Section 2 and Every Topic Boundary
- The TMUA revision plan: from registration to results
- TMUA time management: pacing, guessing and stamina across both papers
- TMUA Common Mistakes: Where Strong Candidates Lose Marks
- How TMUA Scoring Works: From Rasch Scaling to University Data
- TMUA test day: from arriving at the centre to reading your score
- TMUA vs MAT: After the Switch
- TMUA vs ESAT: The Course Decides, Not You
- TMUA vs STEP: One Screens, One Seals the Offer
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。
Put it into practice
28 TMUA papers on FrontierVUE, including 10 Frontier Original mocks built to the current format, every question with a worked solution. The first 2 papers are free.