TMUA Score Requirements by University & Course (2027 Entry)

01st October, 2026 | Abhishek Malani | 14 Min Read 

Introduction
“What score do I need?” is the first question almost every applicant asks about the Test of Mathematics for University Admission, and it is also the hardest to answer cleanly, because there is no single pass mark. This reference guide pulls together TMUA score requirements for every university using the test for 2027 entry, explains what TMUA score you need for different types of course, clarifies what a TMUA cut off really means in practice, and summarises the wider TMUA university requirements and TMUA entry requirements (which courses require the test, when to sit it, and how it is used) so you can set a realistic target for your specific applications.
TMUA score requirements by course at Cambridge, Oxford, Warwick, LSE and Durham

Table of Contents

How the TMUA Is Scored

Understanding the scale is the starting point for interpreting any published target:
  • Single overall score from 1.0 to 9.0: Your raw marks across both papers are converted to one scaled score, reported to one decimal place. There is no pass or fail.
  • Format: Two papers, Applications of Mathematical Knowledge and Mathematical Reasoning, each 75 minutes with 20 multiple-choice questions, sat on computer at a Pearson VUE test centre. There is no negative marking, so every question should be attempted.
  • Raw-to-scaled conversion changes each sitting: The same raw mark can convert to different scaled scores in different years, so scaled scores are the only fair basis for comparison, and past-paper conversions are only a rough guide.
The table below gives a rough sense of where scores sit within the applicant pool. These bands come from published prep-provider analysis of recent cycles, not from an official source, and the distribution shifted when the test moved to its computer-based format:
Score (approx.) What it roughly means
3.5
The most common (modal) score among 2025-26 sitters, at almost 14% of applicants
~3.9
Approximate median across all 2025-26 test takers (other providers cite around 4.5 as a “typical” score, so treat this as a range)
~5.2
Roughly the top 25% of candidates in a recent cycle
~6.4–6.5
Roughly the top 10% of candidates in a recent cycle
7.0–7.5+
Exceptional; reached by only a small fraction of entrants
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Is There a TMUA Cut Off?

Short answer: No, Published TMUA cut off exists for any university, and understanding why saves a lot of anxiety:
  • No university sets a public minimum score: The test has no official pass mark, and one score can be read differently across courses and universities.
  • Universities use it in three broad ways: As a shortlisting signal (Cambridge and Oxford, feeding into interview decisions), as a differentiator among strong applicants (Imperial, LSE, UCL), or as an offer lever where a good score earns a reduced A-level offer (Durham, and Warwick on certain courses).
  • “Cut off” figures you see online are estimates: They are either drawn from Freedom of Information (FOI) data on past offer-holders or from tutor and prep-provider judgement of what is competitive. Useful for planning, but not rules.
  • Scores are read alongside everything else: Predicted grades, personal statement, references, and (for Oxbridge) interviews all feed into the same decision, so a score is never assessed in isolation.
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TMUA University Requirements: The Seven Universities at a Glance

Seven UK universities use the TMUA for 2027 entry. The table summarises status and commonly cited targets; the targets are third-party planning estimates, not university-published thresholds:
University Courses using the TMUA Status Commonly cited target
Cambridge
Computer Science, Economics, and Mathematics (Maths is new for 2027 entry)
Required; October sitting only
Around 6.5+ for a competitive shortlisting profile; no published cut-off
Oxford
Mathematics, Computer Science, and joint courses (replaces the MAT)
Required; October sitting only
Around 6.5+; top of the field expected above 7
Imperial
Mathematics, Computing, and Economics, Finance & Data Science
Required
Roughly 6.0–6.5 for Computing; around 7+ for Maths (Maths offer-holders reportedly averaged ~7.6 in 2025)
LSE
Economics, and Econometrics & Mathematical Economics
Required for these courses
Around 6.0 strengthens an application; 7.0+ helps you stand out
UCL
Economics only (other UCL courses use different tests)
Required for Economics
Roughly 6.0+
Warwick
Computer Science, Discrete Mathematics, Mathematics; also Data Science, Statistics, MORSE, Economics
Compulsory for some courses, recommended or optional for others (contextual-offer exceptions apply)
CS: no fixed score published in advance. MORSE/Statistics/Data Science: about 5.0 can earn a reduced offer
Durham
Mathematics and Mathematics & Statistics degrees (not Computer Science)
Recommended
About 5.0+ can earn a one-grade reduced offer
Because rules differ course by course, and sources disagree in places (Warwick’s treatment of single-honours Maths, for example, is described as either compulsory or a TMUA-or-STEP choice depending on the source), always confirm your exact course on the university’s own admissions page and on the official UAT-UK site before you register.

Cambridge: What the Real Data Shows

Cambridge is the one place where hard numbers exist, thanks to Freedom of Information releases covering the 2025 application cycle. They give the most reliable picture of what an offer-holder profile looks like:
Course (2025 application year) Average TMUA score of offer-holders Lowest offer-holder score
Economics
5.99
3.8
Computer Science
6.60
3.8
  • The averages are informative; The minimums are just as important: Offer-holders scored as low as 3.8 on both courses, which shows there is no hard floor and that a strong overall application can carry a modest score.
  • Averages are not targets: An average of ~6.0 or ~6.6 means half of offer-holders were below it. It is a sensible aim, not a required score.
  • Mathematics is new for 2027 entry, so there is no comparable data yet: Cambridge Mathematics applicants now take the TMUA at application, while STEP remains a condition of almost all Mathematics offers and is sat the following June.
  • These figures relate to 2025 entry: Cambridge publishes nothing about 2027 outcomes in advance, and the test’s new computer-based format may shift score distributions.

University-by-University Breakdown


Cambridge and Oxford

  • Both require the test at application and both expect the October sitting: The January sitting is not available to most applicants to either university, with narrow exceptions such as certain mature-college applicants.
  • The TMUA feeds interview shortlisting rather than acting as a cut-off: A weak score is hard to offset, but a strong one is not sufficient on its own.
  • Oxford’s switch from the MAT is the big change for 2027 entry: Oxford applicants for Maths, Computer Science, and joint courses now sit the TMUA, which enlarges the Oxbridge TMUA pool and likely keeps the competitive bar high.

Imperial College London

  • Imperial is among the heaviest users, requiring the test for its listed Mathematics and Computing degrees and for Economics, Finance and Data Science.
  • It integrates the score into its decision rather than publishing a threshold. Reported offer-holder averages for Mathematics are notably higher than for Computing, so target accordingly.

LSE and UCL

  • LSE and UCL use the test for Economics-type courses. LSE also applies it to Econometrics & Mathematical Economics. Both are grade-driven, so the TMUA works as a differentiator in a pool where nearly everyone has top predicted grades.
  • Most other UCL courses use different tests (such as TARA for certain Computer Science and Robotics courses), so do not assume a TMUA requirement outside Economics.

Warwick and Durham

  • Warwick is the most course-dependent. Computer Science requires the test, with the required score set only after all results are in. For MORSE, Statistics, and Data Science, a score of roughly 5.0 or above can support a reduced offer.
  • Durham recommends rather than requires the test for its Mathematics degrees. Around 5.0+ can earn a reduced offer, and a score in the low-to-mid 3s is still generally read as positive evidence of ability.
  • Durham does not use the TMUA for Computer Science, and neither does UCL, which uses TARA instead.

What TMUA Score Do I Need? A Practical Framework

Because there is no formal cut off, the best answer to what TMUA score do I need is a target range tied to your applications:
Your situation Sensible target
Cambridge or Oxford Maths, Computer Science, or Economics
Aim for 6.5+ to be a comfortable shortlisting candidate, while recognising offers have gone to lower scores when the rest of the application was strong
Imperial Mathematics
Aim for 7+, given the reported offer-holder average
Imperial Computing, LSE, or UCL Economics
Aim for roughly 6.0–7.0 depending on how competitive your course is
Warwick or Durham where the test earns a reduced offer
Aim for 5.0 or above; a good score here is pure upside
A mixed set of applications
Set your target by your most demanding course, since one score is sent to every university you apply to that uses it
  • Work backwards from your most competitive choice: One TMUA result is shared with all relevant universities, so your hardest application sets the bar.
  • Treat published targets as a range, not a promise: A score slightly below a rule-of-thumb figure does not end an application, and a score above it does not guarantee an interview or offer.
  • Check whether your course also needs STEP: Cambridge Mathematics offers typically carry a STEP condition on top of the TMUA, and Warwick Maths treats the two as related alternatives in some descriptions, so plan your preparation across both if needed.

TMUA Entry Requirements: Dates, Format, and Registration

Beyond the score itself, the TMUA entry requirements that catch applicants out are usually about timing and registration:
Item Detail (2027 entry cycle)
October 2026 registration deadline
28 September 2026, 6pm BST
October 2026 test window
12–16 October 2026
Who must sit in October
Standard-deadline applicants to Cambridge and Oxford
Other universities
A later sitting (January) is available for applicants to universities other than Oxford and Cambridge
Fees (as reported)
Around £78 for UK candidates and £133 for international candidates; confirm on the official booking site
Registration is separate from your UCAS application
Failing to register where the test is compulsory can invalidate an application
Dates, fees, and deadlines change each cycle, so confirm everything on the official UAT-UK site (esat-tmua.ac.uk) before relying on the figures above. If you are reading this close to a deadline, check the booking site first.

Common Mistakes When Setting a Target Score

  • Treating a tutor’s “cut off” as an official rule: These numbers are estimates and none of the seven universities publishes a formal minimum.
  • Assuming last year’s score distribution applies: The move to a computer-based format changed the pattern (the modal score fell from 4.0 to 3.5), so older conversion tables can mislead.
  • Ignoring course-level differences within one university: Warwick, Durham, and UCL each use the test differently across their courses, so a university-level assumption can be wrong for your specific degree.
  • Registering late or for the wrong sitting: Oxford and Cambridge applicants must sit in October; missing the deadline can end an application before it starts.
  • Forgetting there is no negative marking: Leaving questions blank throws away free marks on a test where guesses cost nothing.

A Sample Preparation Timeline

Timeframe Focus
12–16 weeks before the test
Confirm which of your chosen courses require the TMUA and note each one’s sitting rules; take an untimed diagnostic on a past paper
8–12 weeks before
Cover the syllabus gaps the diagnostic exposed, with extra time on Mathematical Reasoning (Paper 2), which most A-level students have not met in this style
4–8 weeks before
Work through official past papers by section, then under timed conditions; review every error
2–4 weeks before
Full timed papers on a computer-based setup, since the real test is on screen with laminated working booklets
Final week
Light review, timing strategy, and logistics: test centre location, ID, and booking confirmation

Summary

The honest picture of TMUA score requirements is that no university publishes a formal cut off, and targets differ by course. Seven universities use the test for 2027 entry (Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial, LSE, UCL, Warwick, and Durham), with Oxford newly replacing the MAT and Cambridge adding Mathematics alongside Computer Science and Economics. What TMUA score you need depends on your most competitive application: roughly 6.5+ is a common aim for Cambridge and Oxford, 6.0-7.0+ for Imperial, LSE, and UCL depending on the course, and around 5.0 for the reduced-offer routes at Warwick and Durham. The only hard data comes from Cambridge FOI releases, where 2025 offer-holders averaged 5.99 for Economics and 6.60 for Computer Science, with the lowest offer-holder scoring 3.8 on both. Use these figures to set a range, confirm the TMUA university requirements and TMUA entry requirements for your exact course on the official pages, and register for the right sitting on time.
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FAQs

There is no published minimum. A commonly cited competitive target is around 6.5 or above for shortlisting. The only hard data is from Cambridge FOI releases for 2025 entry, where offer-holders averaged 5.99 for Economics and 6.60 for Computer Science, with the lowest offer-holder at 3.8.

No, None of the seven universities using the test publishes a formal cut off, and the TMUA has no pass mark. Figures quoted online are estimates from FOI data or prep-provider judgement.

Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial, LSE, UCL, Warwick, and Durham use the test for some courses, mainly Mathematics, Computer Science, and Economics. Whether it is compulsory, recommended, or optional depends on the specific course, so check each course page.

On the 1.0–9.0 scale, around 5.2 placed candidates in the top 25% and roughly 6.4–6.5 in the top 10% in a recent cycle, while 7.5+ is exceptional. What counts as good depends on the course you are applying for.

It can, depending on the university and how strong the rest of the application is. Cambridge offer-holders in the 2025 FOI data scored as low as 3.8, though a higher score improves your chances and a weak one is hard to offset at the most competitive courses.

Want a personalized TMUA plan built around your target universities and current level? Reach out to Quest for Success; we’re here to help you walk into the test ready.

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