The University of Cambridge and Imperial College London have announced a new joint venture aimed at delivering admissions tests for science, engineering, and mathematics-based degree courses. This initiative, in collaboration with global assessments leader Pearson VUE, seeks to enhance the experience of students applying for highly competitive undergraduate courses and facilitate fair assessment of the skills of the brightest applicants by the universities.

PURPOSE OF THE JOINT VENTURE

The primary objective of this joint venture is to provide computer-based admissions tests, commencing in 2024, to streamline the admissions process and improve the overall applicant experience. This move is expected to reduce the burden on teachers and schools by offering test centres at Pearson VUE's global network of more than 5,500 locations across 180 countries.

ADMISSIONS TESTS OFFERED

Cambridge and Imperial will introduce two sets of tests:

Engineering and Science Admissions Test (ESAT): This test will be utilised for degree programmes in Engineering, Natural Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Biotechnology, Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge, and Physics and most Engineering degrees at Imperial.

Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA): The TMUA will be used for the Economics and Computer Science degrees at Cambridge, and both the Economics, Finance and Data Science and Computing degrees at Imperial. Additionally, several other UK universities will also adopt the TMUA for assessing applications for mathematically-based courses.

COLLABORATION WITH PEARSON VUE

Pearson VUE, as the certification and licensure arm of Pearson, will be responsible for delivering the computer-based assessments. The company's extensive test centre network will cater to the administration of these tests, ensuring global accessibility for applicants.

COST AND ACCESSIBILITY

Applicants will be required to pay an administration charge to take the tests, with fee waivers available for UK-based applicants who are eligible for free school meals or meet specific widening participation criteria. This approach aims to ensure that cost is not a barrier to participation in the admissions process.

FUTURE IMPACT AND EXPECTATIONS

The introduction of the TMUA and ESAT is anticipated to attract a wider range of applicants. To accommodate the differing deadlines for courses in the UCAS admissions process, the tests will be conducted in mid-October 2024 and early January 2025. It is hoped that by utilising Pearson VUE’s established test centre network, this initiative will encourage other universities to adopt the TMUA and ESAT as assessments, thereby streamlining the admissions process for students.

SUPPORT FOR MEDICAL AND LAW ADMISSIONS

In addition to the TMUA and ESAT, the UCAT assessment will be utilised for admission to medical degrees at Cambridge and Imperial from 2024, also provided through Pearson VUE. Furthermore, Cambridge will continue to use the LNAT test for Law admissions.

CONCLUSION

The collaboration between the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and Pearson VUE represents a significant step towards modernising the admissions process for science, engineering, and mathematics-based degree courses. By leveraging computer-based assessments and a commitment to accessibility, this joint venture aims to improve the fairness, efficiency, and overall experience for applicants, while maintaining the rigorous standards of these prestigious institutions.