Admissions Assessment

All shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete the Foundation Year Admissions Assessment as part of the admissions process. This assessment is designed to determine a candidate’s potential to thrive on the course.  It has been designed to assess applicants’ ability to think through a range of ideas and arguments, allowing them to show that they have the skills required to complete the Foundation Year. It also allows us to consider all applicants equally across a gathered field, regardless of their educational background or qualifications. 

This page contains information designed to help applicants prepare for the assessment. 

Key details 

• The assessment will be distributed to shortlisted applicants only by email.  

• Applicants are not required to register in advance for this assessment. 

• It must be completed and returned by 5 pm GMT on 13th March 2023. You can complete it at any point from receiving it until that time.  

• It takes around 2 hours to complete the assessment in total and you will need to complete it online on a device with a stable internet connection and a web browser.

• The assessment should be completed in one go but if you can’t find the time to do this, you should complete Section 1 in one sitting and Section 2 in a second sitting

• It is designed to be completed at home or in school, although another location such as a public library would also be suitable.  

• There is no requirement for schools/colleges to provide formal invigilation as an assessment centre unless you require a hard copy (see the guidance document below). 

Guide to Completing the Foundation Year Admissions Assessment 

We strongly encourage applicants to read the full Guide to Completing the Foundation Year Admissions Assessment (2023 entry). This document outlines important information about how to complete the assessment, information you need to have to hand, technical requirements, and what to expect in each section. 

Preparing for the Foundation Year Admissions Assessment 

You can prepare for the assessment using the sample paper we have prepared (see below). We also encourage you to familiarise yourself with the ‘Guide to Completing the Foundation Year Admissions Assessment’ which includes details of the structure and offers some tips for how you might approach each section. 

The assessment is not subject-specific although it covers material across the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. There is no curriculum content you will need to learn or revise for it in advance. Instead, the assessment will encourage you to showcase your skills in response to a range of question prompts and activities. 

Sample Paper 

A full sample paper is available. You can download this sample paper (PDF) here.

Alternatively, you can access a ‘sandbox’ of the test environment that includes the sample paper content. This allows you to familiarise yourself with the test environment and technical requirements, as well as allowing you the chance to practice under timed conditions. Any completed sample papers are not reviewed by anyone. Access the ‘sandbox sample paper’ here. 

Further support 

Reasonable Adjustments and Disability Support 

If you are shortlisted, we wish to ensure that, wherever possible, we can make any appropriate adjustments/allowances. We will use the information you provide in the FY Adjustments & Allowances form you received from us on submission of your UCAS application to offer candidates who usually receive extra time in examinations extra time for the timed portions of the assessment. You will have until 3 February 2023 to return this form to us so adjustments can be made for the admissions assessment.

The assessment web environment is accessible, and applicants are welcome to use assistive technologies such as screen readers if they require them. The video/audio content is closed captioned.