Dear Year 12 Parents,
We hope you found the information on SAT and 6th Form updates last month useful. Ahead of the holidays, we would like to wish you and your family well and give you some other pertinent updates.
Other UK entry tests
The primary consideration for UK universities will be A-level results, combined with consideration of IGCSE (or equivalent), personal statement, reference and predicted grades. However, some universities and courses may require additional testing. It is worth practising and booking these over the remainder of Year 12. Most are run by University Admissions Tests UK - https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/uatuk.html.
Interested in Law?
- Many people who enter law actually do a conversion course for an extra year after completing a regular undergraduate course. The pathway from a History degree to a law conversion is prevalent. Find out more - https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/job-sectors/law-sector/law-conversion-courses/.
- However, for those who are interested in Law for an undergraduate, The Law National Aptitude (LNAT) is required for several universities. Please read more about registering and booking at https://lnat.ac.uk/.
- The following universities require an LNAT for Law: Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Glasgow, King's, LSE, Oxford, SOAS and UCL.
- Admissions officers for Law typically favour students with A-levels in English or History, but law courses often do not have specific subject requirements.
Interested in studying medicine or dentistry?
- The University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) is used by around 50 universities to select applicants to their medical and dental degree programmes.
- Tests usually run from May to October, but the 2026 dates have not been released yet.
- Information on how to book a test and revision resources can be found at the following link - https://www.ucat.ac.uk/register/booking-your-test/
- Please note that most UK medical degrees will require Chemistry and Maths as A-Level choices, and Biology is looked on favourably.
- For students who are already university graduates, but who wish to move into medicine, there is also the GAMSAT - Graduate Medical School Admissions Test.
Want to become an Engineer or Scientist?
- Imperial College London, University of Cambridge, and UCL for Engineering and science-based subjects use the Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT).
- This is a two-module multiple-choice test covering mathematical and scientific knowledge.
- Please note that Engineering courses generally require Maths and Physics as A-Level choices.
- Information about how to book a test and revision resources can be found at the following link - https://esat-tmua.ac.uk/about-the-tests/esat-test/
Want to study Maths, Engineering or Computer Science?
- Several universities use the Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) for Mathematics, Economics and Computer Science courses.
- Currently, the list of universities using it is Imperial, Cambridge, LSE, Warwick, Durham and UCL.
- Information about how to book a test and revision resources can be found at the following link - https://esat-tmua.ac.uk/about-the-tests/tmua-test/
Please note that universities continually review and alter their admissions processes. For example, next year UCL will require applicants to sit the TARA (The Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions), a new test run by University Admissions Tests UK. Oxford and Cambridge will also usually run individual tests for the subjects that they offer. Please refer to UCAS for any updates.
How to spend the winter break?
- Most important for our Y12 students is to revise very well for their upcoming Mock exams in January. Mock results are not shared with universities.
- However, these are the foundation of the final exams in May and June, and give our students and teachers a base to understand their strengths and weaknesses.
- We encourage our students to make a good study schedule and stick with it over the December holidays.
- Remember, students will be applying with their AS results - so it is essential that grades are as strong as they can be.
As ever, if you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with the 6th Form Team!
Kind regards from the 6th Form,
Mr Wilkinson, Mr Stockermans and Ms Munoz
