ESAT Exam 2027: Dates, Registration, Fees & Universities

The ESAT exam — the Engineering and Science Admissions Test — is a computer-based admissions test used for selected engineering, physics, natural sciences, life sciences and veterinary medicine courses at four UK universities. It tests how well you apply school science and mathematics to unfamiliar multiple-choice problems under strict timing.

This guide covers the October 2026 and January 2027 sittings for university entry in 2027. UAT-UK owns the test and Pearson VUE delivers it at professional test centres. Requirements are set course by course, so start with the official UAT-UK 2027 course list and then verify your exact university course page.

Last checked: 19 September 2026. Booking for the October sitting closes on 28 September 2026 at 18:00 UK time. The October access-arrangement deadline (14 September) has already passed.

ESAT 2027 at a Glance

The fee depends on the test-centre location, not your nationality, home address or fee status.

ESAT Dates and Deadlines for 2027 Entry

UAT-UK publishes separate deadlines for booking, bursaries and access arrangements. Applying for a bursary or an adjustment is not the same as booking the test.

October 2026 sitting

January 2027 sitting

These are the current official UAT-UK deadlines. UAT-UK says it cannot accept bookings after the stated deadline, and advises applying early because a bursary review can take up to five working days and an access-arrangement request up to ten.

Which Sitting Should You Take?

• Most Cambridge and Oxford applicants must take October. The exceptions are mature applicants applying to a Cambridge mature college with a January deadline, and applicants to Oxford's Astrophoria Foundation Year, which also has a January deadline.
• Applicants to Imperial and UCL can choose October or January. UAT-UK says there is no advantage to sitting in either session.
• You may sit ESAT only once in the cycle, so January is not a resit.

For candidates testing in China, Hong Kong or Macau, ESAT is available only on 12 or 13 October 2026, or 6 January 2027. The wider windows do not apply there.

Which Universities Use ESAT in 2027?

UAT-UK's ESAT page lists four universities: Imperial College London, the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford and UCL. The 2027 course list sets out which courses require it and which modules:

Check the course page for exceptions as well as module choices. For example, UCL exempts students progressing from its Engineering Foundation Programme or International Foundation Year (UPC). Some courses with similar names do not use ESAT — UCL's Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science courses, for example, are listed under TARA, and Cambridge Computer Science uses TMUA. If your course is not in the ESAT list, check the TMUA 2027 guide and the TARA 2027 guide before preparing for the wrong test.

Verify your choices on the official pages:

• Cambridge ESAT requirements
• Imperial ESAT departments and modules
• Oxford admissions tests
• UCL tests, tasks and interviews

Choosing Your ESAT Modules

Check the module requirements for every course on your shortlist before booking. UAT-UK's rules are:

• Everyone sits Mathematics 1. Most candidates sit two further modules.
• Where a course lists compulsory modules, you must register for exactly those.
• If one of your courses allows a free choice and another has compulsory modules, your choice must be dictated by the compulsory ones.
• Module selection cannot be changed or added after booking. You would have to cancel and re-book, subject to test-centre availability.
• If two of your courses have conflicting compulsory requirements, UAT-UK's FAQ says you may need to sit four modules, which requires permission and a review by UAT-UK. Contact UAT-UK through your account before booking.

Our ESAT syllabus and format guide explains what each module covers.

What Is the ESAT Exam Format?

Every module contains 27 multiple-choice questions and lasts 40 minutes. The modules are separately timed: UAT-UK's content specification says time left over in one module is not carried over to the next. Most candidates sit three modules, making 120 minutes of testing.

There is no calculator or dictionary. You are given an erasable booklet or whiteboard for working, and cannot bring your own paper. Each correct answer scores one mark and wrong answers lose nothing.

How to Register for ESAT 2027

Registration uses two systems:

1. Create one account through the official UAT-UK registration page.
2. Enter your full name exactly as it appears on the photo ID you will bring.
3. Make sure personal details such as your email match your UCAS application; you can add your UCAS Personal ID later.
4. Before selecting a test, apply for a bursary or access arrangements if you need them. They cannot be added to a test you have already selected or paid for.
5. Select ESAT and your modules to add a test card to your dashboard.
6. Follow the card into Pearson's system, choose a centre, date and time, and pay.
7. Save the confirmation and read the test-day rules and the Admission and ID Policy.

If you used UAT-UK before, follow the returning-candidate instructions rather than creating a second account. A UCAS application does not book ESAT, and an ESAT booking does not submit UCAS.

ESAT Fees and Bursary

You can cancel or reschedule through your account up to 48 hours before the test. UAT-UK's FAQ says you are entitled to a full refund if you cancel at least 48 hours ahead; missing that point, or not attending, forfeits the fee.

UAT-UK's bursary scheme covers the full fee for eligible UK candidates in financial need. You must be approved before you book; UAT-UK cannot reimburse a test already paid for.

ESAT Results and Score Scale

You receive a separate score for each module, on a scale from 1.0 to 9.0 to one decimal place. There is no pass or fail and no overall ESAT total. UAT-UK's explanation of results says the scale is designed so typical candidates score around 4.5 and approximately 10% score above 7.0. These describe the cohort; they are not university cut-offs.

Results go to your UAT-UK account on the dates above and are sent automatically to the universities on your UCAS application whose course requires the test. You cannot choose which relevant institution sees your score, and UAT-UK does not accept appeals of scores. Our guide to ESAT scores and university requirements explains how each university says it uses them.

Essential Rules to Remember

• Sit ESAT in the same admissions cycle as your UCAS application; old scores are not carried forward.
• You may sit only once per cycle.
• Account creation is not a booking. Book before the deadline.
• Choose modules carefully; they cannot be changed after booking.
• Apply for bursaries and access arrangements before selecting the test.
• Bring original, valid photo ID whose name matches your booking exactly.
• Arrive 30 minutes early; entry may be refused if you are more than 15 minutes late.
• Never seek or share live test content. UAT-UK prohibits it and warns it can harm your application.

Continue Your ESAT Preparation

• Learn the ESAT syllabus, modules, timing and scoring.
• Follow a focused ESAT preparation plan with official materials.
• Interpret the scale in our ESAT scores and university requirements guide.

Try free ESAT practice on ExamPrepIQ for timed module tests and a mock of your chosen combination. Each practice-test and mock question has a worked explanation. ExamPrepIQ is independent of UAT-UK, Pearson VUE and the universities; practice results are not official ESAT scores.