PHIL
Philosophy Admissions Test
Both Oxford and Cambridge require applicants for Philosophy to take an admissions assessment. These tests vary somewhat in design and administration, so be sure to follow the right information for your application!
Oxford
You will be required to take this test if you are applying for Philosophy and Theology. The test is paper-based and sat in a registered test centre. It is 60 minutes long and is designed to assess your reasoning skills and ability to write a strong argument; it is not testing philosophical knowledge. Part A will be a comprehension exercise where you demonstrate understanding of a passage. Part B involves writing a short essay in response to one question out of three options.
You will need to register yourself for the Philosophy test through an authorised test centre. This could be your school/college or an open test centre. You can find your nearest test centre via Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing at https://www.admissionstesting.org/find-a-centre/ . It is worth inquiring into whether your school/college is already registered as a test centre. If it is not, members of staff could arrange to register it any time before the 30th September. Some advice for how to do so is here: https://www.admissionstesting.org/administering-our-tests/. You must be registered by the 15th October.
When you register, you will be asked to provide:
- Your name, date of birth, and gender
- Your UCAS number
- The name of the university, course, and course code you are applying to
- Details of any access arrangements
Results will not be automatically published, but you can request them as part of the feedback process. Admissions tutors will receive results directly from CAAT and use them to inform shortlisting decisions for interviews in November.
For practice materials and preparation advice, please click on the official Oxford Philosophy test website provided below.
Cambridge
You will be required to take this test if you are applying to study Philosophy and are shortlisted for interview. Unlike Oxford, this test is not administered by CAAT but by the Cambridge colleges. This means you do not need to register in advance to take the test; rather, the college you applied to will provide you with the details directly. You will likely sit this assessment on paper at-interview.
The Philosophy test is made up of:
- Multiple choice logic problems (20 minutes)
- Essay (40 minutes) – two questions, of which you should only choose to answer one
Please note that this test will be taken into account alongside your personal statement, interview, and any additional work submitted as part of your application. As such, it is important to view this as an exciting opportunity to challenge yourself and respond to thought-provoking questions.
How Mayfair Consultants can assist you:
Oxford Resources
Official Oxford Philosophy test website (including links to past papers and mark schemes): https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/applying-to-oxford/guide/admissions-tests/philosophy-test
CAAT admissions test: https://www.admissionstesting.org/for-test-takers/oxford-tests/
Cambridge Resources
Philosophy website (including links to past papers and mark schemes): https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/philosophy
Content specification and example paper: https://www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/files/publications/paa_specification.pdf