TSA Past Papers
The Thinking Skills Assessment is not on Oxford’s current list of admissions tests. Applicants who would have sat it are now pointed at the TARA. The archive is still the most useful published practice for that test: UAT-UK hosts all 16 Section 1 papers from 2008 to 2023, because the TARA’s Critical Thinking and Problem Solving modules share the TSA’s question history. The 2020 paper is the only one with official explained answers.
Is the TSA still used?
Oxford’s admissions-tests page for 2027 entry says that from 2026 the university uses tests owned by UAT-UK — the ESAT, the TARA, and the TMUA — in addition to the LNAT and UCAT. The TSA is not among them. Cambridge Assessment’s closed admissions-testing site said other arrangements were being made for the TSA, and that it had stopped delivering tests. If you are applying now, the papers below are practice for the TARA, not the paper you will sit.
TSA past papers, 2008–2023
Every Section 1 paper from 2008 to 2023 is listed, including 2022 and 2023. We link to the official files rather than re-hosting them.
| Paper | Question paper | Answer key | Explained answers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2023 Open | 2023 Open | — |
| 2022 | 2022 Open | 2022 Open | — |
| 2021 | 2021 Open | 2021 Open | — |
| 2020Only year with an official set of explained answers. | 2020 Open | 2020 Open | 2020 Open |
| 2019 | 2019 Open | 2019 Open | — |
| 2018 | 2018 Open | 2018 Open | — |
| 2017 | 2017 Open | 2017 Open | — |
| 2016 | 2016 Open | 2016 Open | — |
| 2015 | 2015 Open | 2015 Open | — |
| 2014 | 2014 Open | 2014 Open | — |
| 2013 | 2013 Open | 2013 Open | — |
| 2012 | 2012 Open | 2012 Open | — |
| 2011 | 2011 Open | 2011 Open | — |
| 2010 | 2010 Open | 2010 Open | — |
| 2009 | 2009 Open | 2009 Open | — |
| 2008 | 2008 Open | 2008 Open | — |
These files are hosted by UAT-UK. SummitPapers links to the current official copy and does not re-host the PDFs. TARA preparation materials, where UAT-UK hosts this archive
Using TSA papers for the TARA
- Start at 2023 and work backwards. The 2019–2023 papers are the closest in style.
- Pair them with BMAT Section 1. BMAT covers both Critical Thinking and Problem Solving by those names. TSA Section 1 is the better source for longer inference items.
- Ignore the timing. The TARA is 22 questions in 40 minutes per module. A TSA raw score is not a TARA pace.
- Ignore Section 2. It is not in this archive, and it is not the TARA Writing Task.
What is not in the archive
Section 2 essays, any 2024 or 2025 TSA sitting, and a TSA-to-TARA conversion table. UAT-UK does not provide that conversion, and this page does not invent one.
Common questions
Does the TSA still exist?
Oxford’s current admissions-tests page does not list the TSA. For 2027 entry it lists the ESAT, TARA, and TMUA, plus LNAT and UCAT for Law and Medicine. UAT-UK keeps the TSA Section 1 archive as preparation for the TARA.
Where can I find TSA past papers?
UAT-UK publishes all 16 Section 1 papers, 2008 to 2023, with answer keys, on the TARA preparation materials page. The links below open those files.
How many TSA past papers are there?
16 Section 1 papers. The 2020 paper is the only one with an official set of explained answers.
Can I convert a TSA score to a TARA score?
No official conversion exists. The old TSA scale and the TARA’s 1.0–9.0 scale were built from different papers. This site does not print one.
Should I use TSA papers for the TARA?
Yes, especially for Problem Solving. Work backwards from 2023, and use BMAT Section 1 as well for Critical Thinking. Do not treat the TSA timing as the TARA timing.
Is TSA Section 2 in the archive?
No. UAT-UK publishes Section 1 only. Writing practice for current applicants is the TARA specimen Writing Task.