10/11/2022
Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing is to withdraw from running a series of university admissions exams with effect from 2024-5. This includes BMAT (medicine), ENGAA (engineering), NSAA (natural sciences) and TMUA (mathematical skills) tests.
The bespoke tests are operationally unsustainable over the medium term, given their significant complexity and the need to deliver them affordably to students and higher education institutions.
For the academic year 2024/25 onwards, the seven UK medical schools that use BMAT tests as part of their admissions process (Brighton and Sussex, Imperial, Lancaster, UCL, Cambridge, Leeds and Oxford) as well as medical and healthcare schools in other countries will put alternative arrangements in place.
There will be no change for next academic year's entry system, as Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing services will continue for 2023. Similarly, this year’s admissions tests and results remain unaffected.
A spokesperson for Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing said:
“Our priority is to ensure no disruption to students and give higher education providers plenty of time to put alternate options in place. The bespoke and intensely manual delivery of these complex high-stakes tests is operationally and financially unsustainable in the medium to long-term.”
To minimise disruption, the University of Cambridge is considering alternatives. ENGAA (engineering), NSAA (natural sciences) and TMUA are currently used for pre-interview selection to some courses at the University.
A spokesperson for the University of Cambridge said:
"There will be no immediate change to students this year or in 2023, and all changes from 2024 onwards will be clearly communicated in advance. Our focus is on a smooth transition to an alternative arrangement. We are constantly working to ensure that admissions are fair and transparent and we will continue to strengthen our efforts to encourage students from all backgrounds to apply for and secure places at Cambridge."