Imperial College LondonUCAS C700 +16

Imperial College London Life Sciences: ESAT Guide for 2027 Entry

Applicants to Imperial College London's Department of Life Sciences for 2027 entry sit the ESAT, and this page covers all 17 UCAS codes across Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Biotechnology, Ecology and Environmental Biology, and Microbiology. Every course in the department specifies the same module set: Mathematics 1, Chemistry and Biology, 120 minutes in total. Below you will find the official usage for each course, the fixed test dates for candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, and a preparation route built on the FrontierVUE question bank.

Practise 72 ESAT papers (2 free)Full ESAT guide

72
Papers: 2790
Questions: 2
Free to try

Imperial Life Sciences ESAT at a Glance (2027 entry, all 17 courses)

Is the ESAT required?: Every 2027 entry undergraduate course in Imperial's Department of Life Sciences requires an ESAT score; the UAT-UK Course List 2027 describes the same courses as either the ESAT or the TMUA being compulsory
Which modules: Mathematics 1 + Chemistry + Biology, identical across all 17 courses, 120 minutes in total
Fixed dates for mainland China / Hong Kong / Macau: 12 to 13 October 2026, or 6 January 2027 (Imperial accepts both windows)
Booking deadlines (UK time): Window 1: 18:00 on 28 September 2026; Window 2: 18:00 on 21 December 2026
How the score is used: Imperial counts only your first sitting in each application cycle; a second attempt will not replace or rescue the first score

This page follows 2027 entry guidance. Where Imperial's official ESAT page and the UAT-UK Course List 2027 differ in wording, follow Imperial's own page and the latest guidance for your application cycle.

4 sections989 words5 min read1 official sources

Imperial's Official Requirements: One Module Set Across 17 Courses

Every 2027 entry undergraduate course in Imperial College London's Department of Life Sciences requires the ESAT. Two official sources word that requirement differently, so start with the difference.

	Imperial's official ESAT page (2027 entry)	UAT-UK Course List 2027
What it says	"You must take the ESAT if you're applying to our undergraduate courses in one of these departments"	"either the ESAT or the TMUA is compulsory"
What that means for Life Sciences applicants	You must sit the ESAT to apply to the department's undergraduate courses	At least one of the ESAT or the TMUA is compulsory

Where the two official sources differ in wording, follow Imperial's own page and the latest guidance for your application cycle.

The department's 17 courses span Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, Biotechnology, Ecology and Environmental Biology and Microbiology, including the joint language routes with French, German and Spanish. Grouped by UCAS code:

Biochemistry

C700, C703, C7R1, C7R2, C7R4

BSc and MSci, plus the with French / with German / with Spanish routes; usage: compulsory

Biological Sciences

C100, C103, C1R1, C1R2, C1R4

BSc and MSc, plus the with French / with German / with Spanish routes; usage: compulsory

Biotechnology

J700, J703, J7R1, J7R2, J7R4

BSc and MSci, plus the with French / with German / with Spanish routes; usage: compulsory

Ecology and Environmental Biology

C180

BSc Ecology and Environmental Biology; usage: compulsory

Microbiology

C500

BSc Microbiology; usage: compulsory

The ESAT module set specified by Imperial Life Sciences

Identical across all 17 courses above: Mathematics 1, Chemistry and Biology, 120 minutes in total

Mathematics 127 multiple-choice questions / 40 minutes

Compulsory for every ESAT candidate

Chemistry27 multiple-choice questions / 40 minutes

One of the two further modules the Department of Life Sciences specifies for its own courses

Biology27 multiple-choice questions / 40 minutes

One of the two further modules the Department of Life Sciences specifies for its own courses

Tap a branch to unfold

Scores are reported module by module on a 1.0 to 9.0 scale, with each of the three modules scored separately.

Key Dates and Booking: Sittings for Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau

The ESAT is run by UAT-UK and delivered through Pearson VUE test centres. Imperial accepts both 2027 entry test windows, but only your first sitting in each application cycle counts: a second attempt will not replace or rescue the first score.

2026 – 2027Timeline

Sep 26

Oct 26

Nov 26

Dec 26

Jan 27

Window 1 booking deadline

28 Sep 2026, 18:00

Booking for Window 1 closes at 18:00 UK time.

Window 1: dates Imperial accepts

12 to 16 Oct 2026

Imperial accepts Window 1 for 2027 entry, running from 12 to 16 October 2026.

Window 1: fixed dates for mainland China / Hong Kong / Macau

12 to 13 Oct 2026

The fixed Window 1 dates for candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. If you are also applying to Oxford or Cambridge, you must sit the October window.

Window 2 booking deadline

21 Dec 2026, 18:00

Booking for Window 2 closes at 18:00 UK time.

Window 2: dates Imperial accepts

4 to 8 Jan 2027

Imperial accepts Window 2 for 2027 entry, running from 4 to 8 January 2027.

Window 2: fixed date for mainland China / Hong Kong / Macau

6 Jan 2027

The fixed Window 2 date for candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau.

Hard deadline Event WindowBooking deadlines are in UK time. Imperial accepts both windows but counts only your first sitting in each application cycle.

Two things to note: if you are also applying to Oxford or Cambridge, you must sit the October window, so January is no longer a fallback for you; and because Imperial only counts your first sitting, treat it as the real thing, not a trial run.

See the test day guide for what happens on the day, and the scoring guide for how the 1.0 to 9.0 scale works.

How to Prepare for Imperial Life Sciences with FrontierVUE

UAT-UK does not release official ESAT past papers. The ESAT replaced the NSAA and ENGAA from 2024, so the closest material to official standard comes from those predecessor tests. Here is what the FrontierVUE bank holds.

NSAA/ENGAA archive papers, 2015 to 2023, reorganised into the current ESAT modules

Mock papers, including Frontier Original full ESAT-format papers

2,345

Questions in total, each with a worked explanation and a Chinese translation

Latest 2

Archive papers are free to try

For Imperial Life Sciences' three-module combination of Mathematics 1, Chemistry and Biology, here is the route we suggest.

01Step 1

Map the syllabus of all three modules

Start with the module guides for Mathematics 1, Chemistry and Biology; links are below.

02Step 2

Sit a free archive paper as a diagnostic

Sit a free archive paper at the ESAT practice hub to find your weakest of the three modules.

03Step 3

Build a schedule, then drill the pace

Build a schedule to the October or January sitting with the revision plan guide, then drill the 27-questions-in-40-minutes pace with the time management guide.

The three module guides: Mathematics 1, Chemistry and Biology . Free archive papers are at the ESAT practice hub; for scheduling and pacing see the revision plan guide and the time management guide . For the overall test structure, see the ESAT exam overview .

Imperial-Specific Points to Watch

First sitting only: Imperial uses the score from your first ESAT sitting in each cycle, so book only when your preparation is genuinely done.

Oxbridge co-applications lock your date

You must sit the October window

12 to 13 October 2026 for mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, with booking closing at 18:00 UK time on 28 September 2026; the runway is shorter than it looks

Language routes are not exempt

Exactly the same ESAT modules and usage as their parent courses

with French: C7R1, C1R1, J7R1; with German: C7R2, C1R2, J7R2; with Spanish: C7R4, C1R4, J7R4

Life Sciences leaves no module choice to make

The department fixes Mathematics 1, Chemistry and Biology across all its courses

If you are also comparing other departments or universities, see the choosing modules guide linked below

To compare module requirements at other departments or universities, see the choosing modules guide .

SAME UNIVERSITY

Other Imperial College London pages for the ESAT

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to take the ESAT for Imperial Biochemistry (C700), or can I use the TMUA instead?

Imperial's official ESAT page for 2027 entry states you must take the ESAT to apply to its Life Sciences undergraduate courses, while the UAT-UK Course List 2027 phrases the requirement as either the ESAT or the TMUA being compulsory. For C700 the specified modules are Mathematics 1, Chemistry and Biology. Where the wording differs, follow Imperial's own page and the latest official guidance for your cycle.

I am in mainland China. When do I sit the ESAT for Imperial Biological Sciences (C100)?

Candidates in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau have fixed dates: 12 to 13 October 2026, or 6 January 2027. Booking closes at 18:00 UK time on 28 September 2026 for the October window and on 21 December 2026 for the January window. Imperial accepts both windows but only counts your first sitting in the cycle.

Which ESAT modules does Imperial Life Sciences require? Is Biotechnology (J700) the same as Biochemistry?

Yes. All 17 Life Sciences courses, including J700, specify the same three modules: Mathematics 1, Chemistry and Biology. Each module has 27 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes, 120 minutes in total, reported on a 1.0 to 9.0 scale per module.

There are no official ESAT past papers. What should I practise with for Imperial Life Sciences?

UAT-UK has never released official ESAT past papers. The ESAT replaced the NSAA and ENGAA from 2024, and FrontierVUE hosts 31 archive papers from those predecessor tests (2015 to 2023, reorganised into current modules) plus 26 mock papers, 2,345 questions in total with explanations and Chinese translations. The two most recent archive papers are free to try at /papers/esat.

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.

Start preparing for the ESAT for Life Sciences

72 ESAT papers and 2790 questions on FrontierVUE, every one with a worked solution. The 2 most recent papers are free to try.

Practise ESAT papers See pricing