About TSA Oxford

Covid-19: important information for TSA candidates

Here’s a summary of the changes to the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) due to Covid-19:

TSA will not run on 4 November as previously scheduled, instead it will run on 5 November 2020.
TSA will still be taken at your chosen centre but you will take it on a computer rather than with pen and paper. The test format will remain the same.
Your school/centre will be able to advise whether you should bring your own laptop or if a computer will be provided for you.
You should register for the test through your centre in the usual way.

For a summary of all the changes to the Oxford admissions test dates, please visit our Covid-19 page.

We understand you will have questions about computer-based test delivery. Subscribe to our Support Site article for the latest updates and frequently asked questions (FAQs).

Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing - Information for Test Takers - TSA Oxford

About the Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) Oxford

The Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) Oxford is a 2-hour pre-interview test for applicants to undergraduate courses at the University of Oxford. It is designed to help tutors assess whether candidates have the skills and aptitudes needed to study the following courses:

Economics and Management
Experimental Psychology
Human Sciences
Philosophy and Linguistics
Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE)
Psychology and Linguistics
Psychology and Philosophy.

If you're applying for a joint course, you may also need to take a separate test in your other subject. You can confirm which test(s) your course requires at ox.ac.uk/tests. Separate registration is required for each test.

Thinking Skills Assessment: Section 1 (TSA S1)

Candidates applying to study History and Economics* (LV11) will be required to take the Thinking Skills Assessment: Section 1 (TSA S1) as part of their application. TSA S1 is a 90-minute test that consists of 50 multiple-choice thinking skills questions. Test-takers for these subjects will not be required to take Section 2 (the writing task). Applicants for History and Economics must ensure that they are registered to take the test called Thinking Skills Assessment: Section 1 (TSA S1).
* Applicants for History and Economics also need to take the History Admissions Test (HAT).

The information in this section is for applicants to the University of Oxford. For information about TSA: Section 1 for Land Economy at the University of Cambridge, please visit this section.

Test format

TSA Oxford consists of two sections:

Section 1: Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA)
Section 2: Writing Task.

Separate answer sheets will be provided for each section. Calculators cannot be used.

Section 1: Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA)

Section	What does it test?	Questions	Timing
Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA)	Problem-solving skills, including numerical reasoning. Critical thinking skills, including understanding argument and reasoning using everyday language.	50 multiple- choice questions	90 minutes

Section 2: Writing Task

Section	What does it test?	Questions	Timing
Writing Task	The ability to organise ideas in a clear and concise manner, and communicate them effectively in writing. Questions are not subject-specific.	Candidates must answer one essay question from a choice of four	30 minutes

Please note, applicants for History and Economics are not required to do the writing task.