University of Oxford Admissions Tests

After you have booked your test centre appointment, if you subsequently wish to change the time or location of your booking, you must reschedule before the end of Friday 4th October 2024.

Changes can be made (subject to availability) via the Pearson VUE website or by contacting Pearson VUE customer service.

If you wish to cancel your booking, you must do so at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled appointment start time, via the Pearson VUE website or by contacting Pearson VUE customer service.

Pearson Professional Centres (PPCs) are managed and staffed by Pearson VUE. The layout and design of each Pearson Professional Centre is near identical. You can see photos of a typical PPC here: Pearson Professional Center tour // Pearson VUE

Pearson VUE Authorised Test Centres (PVTCs) are third party testing centres which have been approved by Pearson VUE to deliver tests for them. The layout and design will be different at each centre, but they will have all the necessary facilities that are required by Pearson VUE.

When you arrive at the Pearson VUE test centre on the day of your test appointment, before being permitted to enter the test room, you will be required to confirm your identity by presenting one or more forms of accepted ID (see specific information about acceptable IDs). If you arrive at the test centre without the required ID, you will not be permitted to test.

If you do not have an acceptable form of ID, you may ask your school or college to provide a letter verifying your identity.

For candidates testing in a UK test centre, if you do not have an acceptable form of ID, you may ask your school or college to provide a letter verifying your identity:

The letter must be signed by the head teacher, principal, UCAS coordinator or head of year from your school or college, on headed paper, indicating your name, date of birth, photograph, and your signature. The photograph must be pasted or stapled onto the letter, with an official stamp overlapping the photograph.

During the check-in process, you will be given a printout of the Candidate Rules. Please read the rules carefully and hand the document back to the Test Administrator. During the check-in process, when you sign your signature, you are signing to confirm that you agree to follow these rules.

Before the Test Administrator can allow you to enter the test room, they required to carry out several security procedures.

The Test Administrator may ask you to do some or all of the following:

• Remove outdoor clothing (coat, hat, etc.) and store it.
• Pat yourself down or turn out your pockets, to demonstrate that you have not forgotten to store any item which is not permitted in the test room.
• You could be asked to roll up your sleeves to show there are no concealed notes.
• If you are wearing a tie, you may be asked to lift it up to show that there are no items concealed beneath it. Similarly, you may be asked to lift up your hair to show your ears or neck and to demonstrate there are no concealed items.
• The Test Administrator may ask to visually inspect other items such as reading glasses, jewellery or religious headwear.
• All checks are conducted visually and the Test Administrator will not physically touch you during these important security steps.
• If you feel you would prefer to undergo these check-in procedures in a private area, make it known to the Test Administrator when you arrive.

After checking your name and the name of your Oxford admissions test on their schedule, the Test Administrator will ask you to provide your signature, using an electronic signature pad, to confirm that you agree to follow the candidate rules that you have just read. Also, your signature will be compared with the signature on the ID that you presented, as an additional way of confirming your identity.

Your photograph will be taken during the check-in process.

You can see a video of a typical candidate check-in experience.

Please note that some aspects of the video may not apply to your testing experience. For example, some Pearson VUE test centres use palm vein scan technology during the check-in process for some programmes. The University of Oxford Admissions Tests programme does not use palm vein technology, so you will not be required to provide a palm scan.

Candidates are not permitted to take any personal belongings into the test room. This includes mobile phones or other electronic devices, books, notes or notepaper, calculators, watches, wallets, photographic devices, bags, hats, pens or any other writing utensils, mascots, sweets or any kind of food or drink. You will be asked to store any personal belongings in a secure area (usually a locker, situated in the waiting area) as indicated by the test centre staff. Electronic devices need to be switched off before being stored.

If the test you are taking requires the use of a calculator, there will be an on-screen calculator available. You will not be permitted to bring a hand-held calculator (unless prior approval has been given as part of an access arrangement).

Apart from your ID(s), and, in certain circumstances, comfort aids, no other personal items are permitted.

You will not be permitted to use note paper during your Oxford admissions test. However, you will be provided with a spiral-bound booklet, consisting of 5 laminated sheets (or 5 laminated single noteboards, where booklets are unavailable) and a whiteboard pen. During your test, if you fill up all the useable space on the noteboard, do not attempt to wipe it; instead, raise your hand and the Test Administrator will replace the used noteboard/booklet with a new one.You will not be permitted to have more than the allocated number (i.e., 1 booklet or 5 noteboards) at any one time. You must return these articles to the Test Administrator after completion of the test.

There may be other candidates taking different tests from other programmes that Pearson VUE delivers. Therefore, some movement within the test room is to be expected, as candidates arrive, or leave after finishing their tests. Test Administrators will ensure that any such movement or necessary communication is conducted as quietly as possible, to avoid causing a distraction. If it helps you to focus, you are welcome to bring your own non-electronic ear defenders/ear plugs. Pearson Professional Centres may also be able to offer you disposable ear plugs. Please note, if you do bring your own ear defenders/ear plugs, you must present these for inspection when checking in at the test centre. Also, if the test centre has headphones at your computer workstation, you are permitted to put these on if it would help to block out any background distractions.

Shortly after your Oxford admissions test session is launched, you will be prompted to accept a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), to indicate that you agree not to violate the confidentiality of the admissions test content. Once you select ‘Yes’, you will be able to start your test as normal. If you do not select ‘Yes’, your test will terminate, and you will not be permitted to proceed.

You will be continuously monitored during your test, to ensure proper test conditions are maintained, and also to promptly address any problems you may have. Different test centres have different methods of monitoring: via a viewing window, via CCTV cameras, or sometimes a Test Administrator (invigilator) may be sitting inside the test room.

If you have any problem during your test, you should raise your hand and await the Test Administrator, especially if you feel it is affecting your performance in the test. Note that the Administrator is not permitted to assist with any questions relating to the test content itself.

When you have completed your test (and responded to the optional survey), ensure you have properly ended the session by clicking the ‘End Exam’ button. You should raise your hand to notify the Test Administrator who will then quietly escort you out of the test room. It is important you remain as quiet as possible when entering or leaving the test room, to avoid distracting other candidates.

University of Oxford admissions tests do not ordinarily include scheduled breaks. During your test session, if you need to take a comfort break (to use the bathroom, to get a drink of water or to access medication from your locker), you can alert the Test Administrator, who will put your workstation into unscheduled break mode. Please note that the test timer will not be stopped and will continue to count down. During any such break, you may not access personal belongings such as mobile phone, notebooks, etc, and you may not leave the test centre building.

If you have a medical need to take breaks during your test session, you will need to submit a request for pre-approval (along with supporting evidence) before you schedule your appointment. Please note that the test timer is paused for those with approved medical breaks.

Countries subject to sanction include Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria. Pearson VUE does not have test centres in these countries and does not deliver tests or provide any services (including OnVUE remote delivery) in these countries.

Candidates from a sanctioned country may test at a Pearson VUE test centre located in any other country and are permitted to present ID (passport) from a sanctioned country. They are not required to provide proof of primary residence in a non-sanctioned country.

Pearson VUE has also suspended testing in Russia and Belarus »

Pearson VUE will not be delivering University of Oxford Admissions Tests in Quebec, Canada, owing to the requirements outlined in Quebec Bill 96 (2023).

To check the location of test centres outside the province of Quebec, please refer to Pearson VUE's test centre locator