Can you use a calculator in the TMUA?

No. Calculators are not allowed and there is no formula booklet.

When is the TMUA in 2026?

Sitting 1 is 12–16 October 2026 for 2027 entry. Sitting 2 is 4–8 January 2027, but Oxford and Cambridge applicants must normally sit in October.

Does Oxford use the TMUA?

Yes. From the 2026 admissions round, Oxford Maths, Computer Science and joint honours applicants sit the TMUA instead of the MAT.

How much does the TMUA cost?

£78 in the UK and Republic of Ireland, and £133 elsewhere.

Updated 10 November 2026

The TMUA in 2026–27: format, dates, fees and which universities use it

The Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) is a 2½-hour, no-calculator, multiple-choice test. From the 2026 admissions round it replaces Oxford's own Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT), so it is now the main maths admissions test for the UK's most selective courses.

At a glance

Format	Two papers, 75 minutes each, taken one after the other. 20 multiple-choice questions per paper.¹
Calculator	Not allowed. There is no formula booklet, so you need to recall all formulae.²
Scoring	One overall score on a 1.0–9.0 scale. No pass or fail, and wrong answers are not penalised, so answer every question.¹
Dates	Sitting 1: 12–16 October 2026 (all candidates for 2027 entry). Sitting 2: 4–8 January 2027, but not for Oxford or Cambridge applicants, apart from a few January-deadline routes.¹
Fee	£78 in the UK and Republic of Ireland; £133 elsewhere.¹
Where	On computer at a Pearson VUE test centre. Book early for the best choice of centre.¹
Candidates	13,845 students sat the TMUA in 2024–25.⁴

Which universities use the TMUA?

Oxford requires it for Mathematics, Computer Science and their joint honours courses from the 2026 round, replacing the MAT.³ Cambridge and Imperial use it, and Durham, LSE and Warwick added it for 2025 entry.⁵ Requirements differ by course and change from year to year, so always check each university's own admissions page.

What's on each paper

Paper 1: Applications of Mathematical Knowledge

Tests whether you can apply maths in unfamiliar contexts. The content is almost all AS-level pure maths plus higher GCSE:²

Algebra and functions: indices, surds, quadratics and the discriminant, inequalities, polynomials, the factor and remainder theorems
Sequences and series, including geometric series to infinity and the binomial expansion
Coordinate geometry of lines and circles, and the circle theorems
Trigonometry, including radians and solving equations in an interval
Exponentials and logarithms (no change-of-base questions)
Differentiation and integration of powers of x, including the difference between an integral and an area
Graphs and their transformations; GCSE number, ratio, geometry, statistics and probability

Paper 2: Mathematical Reasoning

Uses the same knowledge, but tests whether you can build and judge mathematical arguments:²

Logic: if… then, only if, if and only if, converse and contrapositive
Necessary and sufficient conditions
For all, there exists, and how to negate statements that use them
Proof by deduction, by cases and by contradiction; disproof by counterexample
Putting the steps of a proof in order, and finding the error in a flawed proof

Paper 2 is where well-prepared students gain the most, because so little of it is taught in school. Start with our free lesson on the logic of arguments.

How to prepare

Know the specification. Read the official content specification and tick off each topic.²
Practise without a calculator from day one, including fractions, surds and estimating with π.
Learn the logic vocabulary for Paper 2 until it is automatic.
Work to time. You have 3¾ minutes a question. Practise moving on and coming back.
Sit full mocks in the final six weeks and review every mistake.

Try 10 free TMUA-style questions