Registration & key dates
Registering for the ESAT, the deadlines to watch and what you'll need to sign up.
Registration is through the UAT-UK website (esat-tmua.ac.uk). The process has two steps: first, create your UAT-UK account; then, book a specific test slot at a Pearson VUE test centre near you.
Use your full legal name exactly as it appears on your photo ID. If the name on your UAT-UK account doesn't match the ID you bring to the test centre, you may be denied entry. Your name should also match your UCAS application.
Cost: the fee is based on your test centre's location: £78 at UK and Republic of Ireland centres; £133 at centres elsewhere. Payment is made when you book your slot.
Bursary scheme: UAT-UK offers a full fee bursary for UK candidates in financial hardship. An approved bursary makes the test free when you book. You must apply before booking your test slot; bursaries cannot be applied retrospectively. Processing takes up to five working days, so apply as soon as the bursary window opens on 1 June.
Access arrangements: if you need extra time, rest breaks, or other adjustments, apply to UAT-UK before booking. Processing takes up to ten working days, so apply well ahead of the deadline.
Exam tip
Register as soon as registration opens on 20 July. Popular test centres fill quickly; a late registration risks being placed at a centre far from home, or missing the deadline entirely.
For the 2027 entry cycle:
October 2026 sitting (required for Cambridge and Oxford applicants)
- 1 June 2026: UAT-UK accounts open; bursary applications open
- 20 July 2026: test registration opens
- 14 September 2026, 6pm BST: access arrangements deadline
- 21 September 2026: bursary application deadline
- 28 September 2026, 6pm BST: registration deadline
- 12–16 October 2026: test window
- 16 November 2026: results released
January 2027 sitting (Imperial, UCL, and mature Cambridge applicants only)
- 26 October 2026: registration opens
- 7 December 2026: access arrangements deadline
- 14 December 2026: bursary application deadline
- 21 December 2026, 6pm GMT: registration deadline
- 4–8 January 2027: test window
- 8 February 2027: results released
Cambridge and Oxford applicants must sit in October; there is no alternative. For Cambridge, results feed directly into shortlisting decisions ahead of December interviews. Verify your specific course requirements at the relevant university's undergraduate admissions page.
Imperial and UCL accept results from either sitting for most courses. Always confirm on your specific course page and at esat-tmua.ac.uk each cycle.
Exam tip
The bursary deadline (21 September for the October sitting) falls well before the general registration close. Mark it in your calendar as soon as the window opens on 1 June; processing takes up to five working days, and you cannot book your slot until your bursary is approved.