United Kingdom · Year 13 · Oxford Mathematics and Computer Science, 2026 round

Oxford MAT preparation in 2026: the MAT is now the TMUA

Anyone searching for Oxford MAT preparation this year needs one fact before anything else: the Mathematics Admissions Test has finished. Oxford ran it from 2007 to 2025, and the Mathematical Institute now states that from 2026 the MAT will not take place and every applicant for Mathematics, Computer Science or a joint honours course sits the TMUA instead. The old papers have not become useless. Oxford itself says the topics are very similar and the spirit of problem solving is shared. But the paper on the day is different in shape: forty multiple-choice questions over two papers, with no long written answers. This page sets out what changed, the 2026 dates Oxford publishes, how to use nineteen years of MAT papers sensibly, and what follows the test.

Book the free first class Book a priority demo See one problem worked both ways Ask on WhatsApp

Live teaching since 2020 · 10,000+ students · Every Oxford fact quoted from the Mathematical Institute or Computer Science pages

In short

The Oxford MAT (Mathematics Admissions Test) no longer exists: the Mathematical Institute used it from 2007 to 2025 and says that from 2026 all applicants for Mathematics, Computer Science and joint honours courses take the TMUA, administered by UAT-UK, in the 12 to 16 October 2026 sitting. The TMUA is two 75-minute papers of 20 multiple-choice questions each, with no calculator. Oxford says MAT topics are very similar, so MAT papers remain useful practice. Modern Age Coders teaches Year 13 Oxford applicants live online, in a batch of 15 to 20 or 1-on-1, through our TMUA, MAT and STEP preparation course.

Where to start

Three courses for an Oxford maths or computer science applicant

The first is built for the admissions tests themselves. The other two are the mathematics those tests quietly assume.

TMUA and STEP Preparation (Oxford MAT Now TMUA) course thumbnail

OMP / 01

TMUA, MAT and STEP preparation

Ages 16 to 18. The TMUA content specification and logic, with the MAT archive used as a problem bank.

Open the syllabus →
Maths Olympiad & Competition Course course thumbnail

OMP / 02

Olympiad and competition maths

For the applicant who wants harder problems than any admissions test will set.

Open the syllabus →
A Level Further Maths course thumbnail

OMP / 03

A Level Further Maths

Oxford asks for A* in Further Maths where a school offers it. This is that course.

Open the syllabus →

What changed

Is the Oxford MAT still running in 2026?

No. The Mathematical Institute says the MAT will not take place in 2026, and Oxford applicants for Mathematics, Computer Science and the joint honours courses sit the TMUA instead. The notice sits at the top of the MAT page itself.

The wording is direct: "From 2026, Oxford will use the TMUA. The MAT will not take place, and all applicants for Mathematics or Computer Science (including joint honours courses) will take the TMUA instead." The Department of Computer Science says the same on its own how-to-apply page, and adds that its students "take the same test as those applying for Mathematics". So there is no separate Oxford route that keeps the MAT alive for one course.

The last MAT against the first Oxford TMUA sitting, from the Mathematical Institute pages (read 31 October 2026)
MAT, as sat in October 2025TMUA, October 2026 sitting
Who set itThe Mathematical Institute, OxfordAdministered by UAT-UK, used by many universities
Length2½ hours2½ hours in total, as two papers of 75 minutes
Questions27: 25 multiple-choice and two longer questions40: 20 multiple-choice questions in each paper
MarksMultiple-choice worth 2, 3 or 4 marks; each long question 15; out of 100A scaled score; Oxford says there is no pass mark
Written workingTyped responses to the two long questions, partial credit givenNone: every question is multiple choice
WhereOnline at Pearson VUE test centresOnline at Pearson VUE test centres
CalculatorNot mentioned on the MAT pageNot permitted
Dates22 and 23 October 202512 to 16 October 2026; Oxford applicants must sit this October window

What has not changed

The purpose. Oxford describes the TMUA in almost exactly the words it once used for the MAT: a test of "the depth of mathematical understanding of a student in the fourth term of their A-levels (or equivalent) rather than a breadth of knowledge", set to be approachable without Further Maths and from other school systems.

The use. Oxford still cannot interview everyone. It shortlists "around three applicants per place", and the test score is read together with the UCAS application and information about school background. There is no pass mark under either test.

What has changed

The written answer has gone. The MAT closed with two long questions worth 15 marks each, typed out, marked by a team in Oxford with partial credit. Thirty of a hundred marks rewarded explaining yourself. The TMUA rewards only the choice you click.

The timing per question has changed with it. Our arithmetic: the MAT gave 150 minutes for 100 marks, roughly a minute and a half a mark. The TMUA gives 75 minutes for 20 questions, which is three minutes and forty-five seconds a question, every question counting the same.

Sources: the Mathematical Institute Maths Admissions Test page and TMUA page, and the Department of Computer Science how to apply page, all read on 31 October 2026. The minutes per mark and per question are our own division. Modern Age Coders is not connected with the University of Oxford, UAT-UK or Pearson VUE.

The 2026 round

When are the Oxford maths and computer science deadlines for 2026?

Booking closes on 28 September 2026 at 6pm UK time, the test runs from 12 to 16 October 2026, and UCAS closes on 15 October 2026. The Mathematical Institute publishes the whole calendar on its TMUA page.

Oxford Mathematics and joint honours timeline for 2027 entry, as the Mathematical Institute lists it
DateWhat happens
01 June 2026Candidates can register for the TMUA on the UAT-UK website
20 July 2026Candidates can book a test slot
28 September 2026, 6pm UK timeDeadline to book a TMUA test slot
12 to 16 October 2026TMUA test dates; Oxford applicants must use this October sitting
15 October 2026, 6pm UK timeUCAS deadline, reference included; late applications are not accepted
November 2026Oxford makes shortlisting decisions
December 2026Oxford interviews
January 2027Decisions are sent to candidates

For a student reading this in late October 2026, the October sitting has already happened, and the remaining work is interview preparation and A Level grades. For a student in Year 12 now, the same pattern can be expected for 2027 entry a year later, but the dates above are Oxford's 2026 dates and the 2027 calendar has not been published.

  1. Choose the course and the college, or make an open application. Oxford offers Mathematics or Mathematics and Statistics (G100), Mathematics and Philosophy (GV15) and Mathematics and Computer Science (GG14); 29 colleges accept Mathematics undergraduates, and Oxford says an open application carries no advantage or disadvantage.
  2. Register with UAT-UK. The Department of Computer Science says registration "includes account creation, access arrangements and bursary requests", so a student who needs extra time or a bursary should register early rather than at the deadline.
  3. Book the October slot. Booking ran from 20 July to 28 September 2026. Oxford will not accept the January window for its applicants.
  4. Submit UCAS by 15 October. Schools often set an earlier internal deadline so that the reference is ready in time.
  5. Sit the TMUA. Two 75-minute papers of 20 multiple-choice questions, no calculator, at a Pearson VUE centre.
  6. Prepare for a December interview. If shortlisted in November, the interviews are online. Decisions follow in January 2027.

Dates and course codes from the Mathematical Institute undergraduate study page and TMUA page, read 31 October 2026. The university-wide admissions pages at ox.ac.uk refused our automated request that day, so nothing on this page is taken from them.

Nineteen years of papers

Are MAT past papers still worth doing for the TMUA?

Yes, used the right way. Oxford says applicants who have looked at MAT papers "will find that the mathematical topics covered on the TMUA are very similar", and it still hosts every paper with solutions from 2007 onwards. What needs care is the long questions and the marking.

The archive also carries something no other admissions test publishes in one place: three averages for every year. Oxford labels them μ1, the mean MAT score of all applicants for Mathematics, Mathematics and Statistics and Mathematics and Philosophy; μ2, the mean of those shortlisted for interview; and μ3, the mean of those who were made offers. The last five years read as follows.

Oxford's published MAT averages (out of 100), Mathematics applicants, from the Maths Admissions Test page
MAT yearAll applicants (μ1)Shortlisted (μ2)Offers (μ3)Our arithmetic: μ2 minus μ1Our arithmetic: μ3 minus μ2
202549.666.774.017.17.3
202454.471.777.417.35.7
202351.268.175.116.97.0
202248.365.271.516.96.3
202151.169.573.518.44.0

What the averages say

Across these five years, the shortlisted group averaged around seventeen marks more than the whole field, while the offer group averaged only four to seven marks more than the shortlisted group. The differences are ours, computed from Oxford's figures; Oxford draws no conclusion from them on the page.

Read cautiously, the pattern fits what Oxford says about the process: the test does most of its work at the shortlisting stage, and after that the interview and the rest of the application carry the decision. None of these are pass marks, and they belong to the MAT, not the TMUA, which reports on a different scale.

How to use the archive now

Treat the multiple-choice sections of MAT papers as close practice. They test the same A Level content with the same expectation of thought rather than routine, and Oxford updated the MAT syllabus for the 2018 test, so papers from 2018 onwards match current school content more closely.

Treat the long questions as interview practice rather than test practice. They are exactly the kind of extended problem a tutor might set in a December interview, and Oxford's own interview page suggests working a past MAT question aloud in front of a teacher.

What transfers from MAT practice to the TMUA, in our reading
MAT habitStill useful for the TMUA?Adjustment
Sketching a graph before computing anythingYes, heavilyNone; it is often the fastest route to an answer option
Checking each option against a special caseYesMake it routine: x = 0, x = 1 and a negative value
Writing a full justificationNot on the dayKeep it for interview practice; on the test, decide and move on
Chasing partial credit on a long questionNoThere is none; a question is right or wrong
Leaving a question you cannot finishChange thisCambridge and Imperial say a wrong answer loses nothing, so never leave a blank

Averages, syllabus note and the archive itself are on the Maths Admissions Test page, read 31 October 2026; Oxford publishes the equivalent figures for Computer Science applicants on the Computer Science departmental website. We link to Oxford's papers and do not reproduce any question. The differences and the transfer table are ours.

Worked example, ours

One problem worked as a MAT long question, then as a TMUA item

The difference between the two tests is easiest to see on a single idea. This problem is our own, written for this page in the style of A Level calculus with a twist, and is not taken from any Oxford or UAT-UK paper.

Our problem. Let f(x) = x3 − 3x + c, where c is a real constant. For which values of c does the equation f(x) = 0 have three distinct real roots?

Step 1: where it turns

f′(x) = 3x2 − 3, which is zero at x = −1 and x = 1. So the cubic has a local maximum at x = −1 and a local minimum at x = 1, and nowhere else changes direction.

Step 2: the two heights

f(−1) = −1 + 3 + c = c + 2, and f(1) = 1 − 3 + c = c − 2. Three crossings need the maximum above the axis and the minimum below it: c + 2 > 0 and c − 2 < 0.

Step 3: the answer

Together, −2 < c < 2. At c = 2 or c = −2 a turning point touches the axis and two roots merge, so there are only two distinct roots. Outside the interval there is one.

As a long question

On the old MAT, the marks would have lived in the reasoning: why the two turning points decide everything, why touching the axis counts as a repeated root rather than two roots, and why a cubic with a maximum below the axis can cross only once. A student who reached the interval with no explanation would have lost marks; one who explained clearly and slipped on an endpoint would have kept most of them.

That is also the shape of a good interview answer. Say what you are looking for (the turning points), say why it matters (a continuous cubic must cross between a positive maximum and a negative minimum), and only then compute.

As a multiple-choice item

Now ask it the TMUA way: how many integer values of c give f(x) = 0 three distinct real roots? (A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 3 (D) 4 (E) 5. The integers strictly between −2 and 2 are −1, 0 and 1, so the answer is (C). We checked all nine integers from −4 to 4 numerically: exactly those three give three roots.

The trap is (E), which counts the endpoints. The same reasoning is needed, compressed into one sketch and one decision about strict inequalities. That compression is the skill to practise.

Six more problems in the same spirit, written by us (answers checked in Python)
#Our problemAnswer
1How many real solutions does 9x − 10 · 3x + 9 = 0 have?Two: x = 0 and x = 2
2For which k does x2 + kx + 9 = 0 have two distinct positive roots?k < −6
3What is the remainder when 2100 is divided by 7?2
4The line y = mx touches the curve y = x2 + 4. Find every possible m.m = 4 or m = −4
5How many integers n with 1 ≤ n ≤ 100 make n2 + n + 1 divisible by 3?34: every n that leaves remainder 1
6True or false: if a2 > b2 then a > b. Give a reason.False: a = −3, b = 1

The cubic, the multiple-choice version and the six problems are ours, written on 31 October 2026. They are practice in the style of A Level problem solving, not copies of MAT or TMUA questions; Oxford and UAT-UK publish their own papers.

After the test

What happens after the TMUA for Oxford applicants?

Shortlisting in November, interviews online in December, decisions in January. Oxford's pages are unusually candid about what the interview is for and what it is not.

Oxford interviews and offers, from the Mathematical Institute and Computer Science pages
Mathematics and joint honoursComputer Science
FormatOnline by video call for all candidatesVia video call in December
How manyInterviews at the first-choice college plus at least one otherGenerally two at the first-choice college and at least one at another
LengthAbout 25 minutes eachAround 30 minutes, usually with two interviewers
ContentLargely mathematical: technique, curve sketching, a problem talked through, a new definition exploredMostly solving a computer science problem aloud, like a short tutorial
Standard offerA*A*A with A* in Mathematics and A* in Further Mathematics, where Further Maths is availableSet out on the Computer Science departmental website

Oxford on special training

The Mathematical Institute's interview page says something every family should read before paying anyone, us included: "We very much don't want applicants to feel they need special training for our admissions." It continues: the main thing is to do mathematics, lots of it, and to find it interesting, working "lots of problems, on and near your syllabus".

We agree, and it shapes what we teach. We do not drill a test. We teach the mathematics on and near the syllabus properly, set problems that make a student stop and think, and give them a teacher who listens while they think aloud. If a school already offers that, a student may need nothing more.

Further Maths and the offer

Oxford asks for A Level Further Mathematics where a school offers it, and says that candidates without it may be made an offer only in exceptional circumstances: "In recent years we have admitted fewer than three such students per year." For a student at a school without Further Maths, that sentence matters more than any test score.

The offer is conditional and made in January on predicted grades. A student who has been offered a place still has the summer exams to meet, so interview preparation and A Level work have to run side by side through Year 13.

Sources: the Mathematical Institute interviews page and our offer page, and the Department of Computer Science how to apply page, read 31 October 2026. We make no promise of a shortlist, an interview or an offer.

A Year 12 to Year 13 plan

Four stages from A Level to an Oxford interview

Our suggested order for a student starting in the spring of Year 12. The dates in the first column are the 2026 pattern; check the 2027 calendar when Oxford publishes it.

Our plan, built around the 2026 Oxford timeline
WhenStageThe sign it is done
Year 12, spring1. A Level pure secureQuadratics, inequalities, logs, sequences and basic calculus never slow a problem down
Year 12, summer2. The TMUA specification read line by lineEvery topic in both sections of the content specification has been met, including logic and proof
Year 13, September3. Timed papersTwenty questions in 75 minutes without running out of time, no blanks left
Year 13, October to December4. Thinking aloudCan talk through an unseen problem for 25 minutes, including the wrong turns

If the test is weeks away

Sit the free practice papers under strict timing, then spend twice as long reviewing as sitting. Look for the questions you got right slowly, not only those you got wrong.

Practise the decision to move on. Three minutes forty-five seconds a question means a stuck question has to be abandoned, guessed and returned to, never stared at.

If the test is a year away

Do not start with test papers. Start with the A Level content done deeply, and with problems that have no obvious method, from MAT archives, STEP support material or olympiad sets.

Students who enjoy that kind of problem often enjoy the British Mathematical Olympiad, which uses the same muscles over three and a half hours.

The full list

What we teach an Oxford applicant

Grouped by what usually stands between a strong student and a confident test and interview.

I

The test

TMUA readiness

OMP / T / 01

TMUA, MAT and STEP preparation

Both TMUA papers, logic and proof, and timed practice.

Open the syllabus

OMP / T / 02

Olympiad and competition maths

Problems with no obvious method.

Open the syllabus

OMP / T / 03

Statistics and probability

Counting and probability arguments made careful.

Open the syllabus
II

The school course

Years 12 and 13

OMP / S / 01

A Level Further Maths

Core pure and applied options.

Open the syllabus

OMP / S / 02

A Level Maths

Pure, mechanics and statistics for the grades in the offer.

Open the syllabus
III

Computer science applicants

Mathematics and Computer Science, Computer Science

OMP / C / 01

Problem solving and algorithms

The kind of reasoning a CS interview asks for.

Open the syllabus

OMP / C / 02

Competitive programming

Proof and running time in the same problem.

Open the syllabus
IV

Exploring further

Mathematics with a use

OMP / E / 01

Maths through coding

Simulate a pattern, then prove it.

Open the syllabus

OMP / E / 02

AI and machine learning for teens

Linear algebra and probability at work.

Open the syllabus

How lessons run

Live classes from the summer of Year 12 to the December interview

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Weekday evenings

After sixth-form lessons, in UK time.

Weekend mornings

Long enough for a full timed paper.

1-on-1

Mock interviews, one student and one teacher.

Content first

The TMUA specification taught as mathematics, not as a list of question types.

Two tempos

Slow problems for understanding, then the same ideas at three minutes forty-five a question.

Aloud, on camera

Students explain their reasoning on video every week, which is what an Oxford interview will ask.

A batch of 15 to 20

Enough people for several approaches to the same problem to surface in one lesson.

Our own problems

Written by our teachers; official papers are linked for students to sit themselves.

Honest about outcomes

We promise no score, no shortlist and no offer, and nobody can.

Student work

What our students build

Published work by students at our school, across mathematics, code and AI. The student labs page has the full collection.

NutriLife AI nutrition coach project screenshot

AI and ML

NutriLife

An AI nutrition coach that reads what you eat and works you toward a target.

by Bhavya · Open it

Misti AI chatbot for maths and coding screenshot

AI and ML

Misti

A chatbot that answers mathematics and programming questions, built and deployed by a student.

by Harshit · Open it

GuardianX AI internet safety assistant screenshot

AI and ML

GuardianX

An assistant that helps a young person recognise unsafe situations online.

by Vivaan · Open it

SkyCast weather forecast application screenshot

Web app

SkyCast

A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.

by Krish

Fees

Fees

UAT-UK charges the test fee and offers bursaries to UK candidates in financial need; our monthly fee is for the classes alone, with no joining fee, and a student can stop after the interview.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

  • A free first class
  • One unseen problem talked through
  • No card details
Book it

Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

  • A batch of 15 to 20 sixth formers
  • One teacher all year
  • Timed papers marked and reviewed
  • Monthly, stop any time
Start here

One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

  • One student, one teacher
  • Mock interviews on video
  • Built around one weak topic
Enquire

What families say

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews

Reviews from our Google profile, reproduced word for word.

★★★★★

"The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content."

Ria Mukherjee

Parent

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease."

Samriddha Mondal

Student

★★★★★

"One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development."

Vansh Agarwal

Student

★★★★★

"My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative."

Sonam Oswal

Parent of Dhairya

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation."

Sonu Goyal

Parent

★★★★★

"I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding."

Ritu Kedia

Parent

Oxford MAT questions

What Oxford applicants and parents ask

Is the Oxford MAT still running?

No. The Mathematical Institute used the MAT from 2007 to 2025 and says that from 2026 the MAT will not take place. All applicants for Mathematics, Computer Science and joint honours courses take the TMUA instead.

What test do I take for Oxford maths in 2026?

The TMUA, the Test of Mathematics for University Admission, administered by UAT-UK. Oxford applicants must sit the October window, which in 2026 ran from 12 to 16 October.

Does Oxford Computer Science still use the MAT?

No. The Department of Computer Science says applicants register for the TMUA through UAT-UK, and that its students take the same test as Mathematics applicants. The MAT is not set for any Oxford course in 2026.

Are MAT past papers still useful?

Yes. Oxford says the TMUA covers mathematical topics very similar to the MAT and shares its spirit of problem solving, and it still publishes MAT papers with solutions. The long MAT questions are now better used as interview practice, because the TMUA has no written answers.

How is the TMUA different from the MAT?

The 2025 MAT had 27 questions, 25 multiple-choice and two long questions worth 15 marks each, marked out of 100. The TMUA has two 75-minute papers of 20 multiple-choice questions each, with no calculator and no written working.

What MAT score did you need for an Oxford interview?

There was never a pass mark. Oxford published averages instead: in 2025, all Mathematics applicants averaged 49.6, those shortlisted 66.7 and those offered places 74.0. These figures describe the MAT and do not carry over to the TMUA scale.

Do I need Further Maths to apply to Oxford for maths?

Oxford says Further Maths is highly recommended and expected where a school offers it. Applicants without it may be made an offer only in exceptional circumstances, and Oxford says it has admitted fewer than three such students per year recently.

What is an Oxford maths interview like?

Online by video, about 25 minutes each, with interviews at the first-choice college and at least one other. Tutors may ask about mathematics you have studied, a point of technique, a problem to talk through or a new definition to explore.

Do I need a course to prepare for Oxford?

Oxford says it does not want applicants to feel they need special training, and that the main thing is to do lots of mathematics and enjoy it. A class helps a student who lacks problems, a teacher to think aloud with, or Further Maths at school.

When can classes take place?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays.

Are you connected with the University of Oxford?

No. Modern Age Coders is an independent online school with no connection to the University of Oxford, UAT-UK or Pearson VUE. Applicants register and book the TMUA themselves through UAT-UK.

Related pages

More for sixth-form mathematicians

The school courses underneath, a harder competition beside it, and Oxford itself.

Further Maths tuition online

The A Level that Oxford expects where it is taught.

Is A Level Further Maths worth it?

The case for and against, for a Year 11 student choosing.

A Level Maths tuition online

Pure, mechanics and statistics, the base of the TMUA.

British Mathematical Olympiad

Six problems in three and a half hours, sat in school.

Oxford University Computing Challenge

A computing competition for applicants drawn to Computer Science.

Maths tuition in Oxford

For families who live in the city itself.

Related pages in this guide

Part of the guide: UK university admissions: maths tests and computing applications

Admissions tests and interviews

Computer science applications

More guides: UK maths exam boards and specification codes · UK maths year by year, Reception to Year 11 · UK selective school maths tests: 7+, 11+, 13+ and 16+ · UK maths enrichment, competitions and able pupils

Start here

Book a free class for the Oxford round

Tell us the course you are applying for and where you are in Year 12 or 13. The free class works one unseen problem with you, out loud, and ends with an honest view of what to do next.

Prefer to read first? Every syllabus is on the course pages, and how we teach explains a lesson from start to finish.

WhatsApp us · +91 91233 66161 · connect@modernagecoders.com

Our teachers are in India and teach live over video; the time is agreed in UK time. WhatsApp from a UK mobile reaches us fastest.

Free, no card, one reply to fix a time.

Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo

A priority demo is a full class of about 45 to 60 minutes. After the class the mentor sends a written skill report and a personal learning roadmap on WhatsApp. If you enrol, the demo fee is adjusted against your first month's fee. Share your demo Order ID with us on WhatsApp and we take it off.

Book a priority demo

Keep exploring Modern Age Coders

Related courses and guides

Free resources

From the blog

Start here

Free classPriority demoCall us