Which courses need the ESAT? A guide for biology applicants
27 October 2026, for 2027 entry. Course lists change between cycles, so check yours on the official UAT-UK list before you register.
For biological sciences, only Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial use the ESAT, and only for some courses. Every candidate takes Maths 1. Biology applicants take Biology and Chemistry alongside it.
Which courses need it
| Cambridge | Natural Sciences (BCF0), Veterinary Medicine (D100), Chemical
Engineering and Biotechnology (H810) Maths 1 plus any two |
|---|---|
| Oxford | Biomedical Sciences (BC98) Maths 1 plus any two |
| Imperial | All Department of Life Sciences courses, including Biochemistry,
Biological Sciences, Biotechnology, Ecology and Environmental Biology and
Microbiology Maths 1, Biology and Chemistry, fixed |
Cambridge and Oxford let you pick your two modules. Imperial picks them for you. If you're applying to Imperial and one of the others, take Biology and Chemistry and you're covered for both.
Oxford Biology and Biochemistry don't use the ESAT. At Oxford it's only Biomedical Sciences.
UCL doesn't use it for biology either. UCL's biological sciences courses set no admissions test, so if UCL is your first choice the ESAT isn't something you need to plan around.
Dates for 2027 entry
- January booking opens 28 October 2026, 3pm
- January booking closes 21 December 2026
- January sitting 4–8 January 2027
- October sitting 12–16 October 2026
Oxford and Cambridge accept only the October sitting. The January one is for Imperial and other universities.
You book through a test centre, not through the university, and you can sit the ESAT only once per cycle.
Preparing for it
Start with the free official material from UAT-UK: the specification, the ESAT Guide to Biology, the practice tests and the old NSAA papers. The links are on my official links page. If you run out of biology questions, here's how to use BMAT papers as extra practice.
Questions I get asked
Can I sit the ESAT twice?
No. You can sit it once per cycle, so for Oxford or Cambridge the October sitting is your one go.
Can I take the January sitting for Oxford or Cambridge?
No. Oxford and Cambridge only accept the October sitting. January is for Imperial and other universities.
Do I register through the university?
No. You register through UAT-UK and sit the test at a Pearson VUE test centre.
Which modules should I pick for Cambridge Natural Sciences?
Maths 1 is compulsory, and you choose two more. Biology applicants almost always take Biology and Chemistry, which also covers you for Imperial.
Want help with the ESAT?
I teach Maths 1, Biology and Chemistry, starting with a diagnostic that finds your weakest topics. Here's what it costs, or ask me anything.
Sources
Checked 27 October 2026.
Written by Flora, who teaches this. More about me, or email me a question.