Information about the undergraduate course in Engineering Science at the University of Oxford: Physics Aptitude Test
The Physics Aptitude Test
Required as part of your application
As well as submitting your UCAS application, we’ll ask you to take the Physics Aptitude Test, or PAT. This normally takes place at your school or college, and it gives us some more information to go with what you tell us on your UCAS application.
It’s part of the application process for everyone hoping to study Engineering Science (as well as Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Information Engineering and Mechanical Engineering).
Why do we ask you to take the test?
The number of students hoping to study Engineering Science is on the rise, and we have many more applicants than we do spaces. We also have increasing numbers of applicants who do not have UK GCSEs, whether that’s international students or UK students who’ve studied for other qualifications instead.
Most applicants to Oxford have great personal statements, excellent references and are also predicted top grades, and it can be hard for us to choose between so many well-qualified candidates. Our admissions tutors use your PAT results, alongside what you tell us in your UCAS application and your interview, to get a more well-rounded picture of you as an individual.
Do I also need to apply through UCAS?
Yes, you will also need to submit a UCAS application, just as you would for any other course. You will apply for the PAT test seperately, via Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing.
When and how do I take the test?
The way in which the PAT is run is changing. New arrangements for this test for 2025-entry will be communicated by the start of the new admissions cycle in Spring.
