ESAT booking checklist for 2027 entry
Pick at least one university to see your sitting, the steps still open and the dates.
Want one email with the UAT-UK booking dates?
Booked? Take the free ESAT diagnostic and find your first gap
All ESAT dates for 2027 entry
| Step | October 2026 sitting | January 2027 sitting |
|---|---|---|
| Access arrangements and bursaries open | 1 June 2026, 3pm | 5 October 2026, 3pm |
| Booking opens | 20 July 2026, 3pm | 28 October 2026, 3pm |
| Access arrangements deadline | 14 September 2026, 6pm | 7 December 2026, 6pm |
| Bursary deadline | 21 September 2026, 6pm | 14 December 2026, 6pm |
| Booking closes | 28 September 2026, 6pm | 21 December 2026, 6pm |
| Test days | 12 to 16 October (China, Hong Kong and Macau: 12 or 13 October) | 4 to 8 January (China, Hong Kong and Macau: 6 January) |
| Results | 16 November 2026 | 8 February 2027 |
All times are UK time. The January sitting is not open to Cambridge or Oxford applicants with a 15 October deadline.
Questions this page answers
When is the ESAT booking deadline for 2027 entry?
Booking for the October 2026 sitting closes on Monday 28 September 2026 at 6pm UK time. Booking for the January 2027 sitting opened on 28 October 2026 at 3pm and closes on 21 December 2026 at 6pm UK time. UAT-UK says it cannot accept bookings after a deadline.
Can I take the ESAT in January if I apply to Oxford or Cambridge?
Imperial and UCL accept October 2026 or January 2027. Cambridge and Oxford applicants with a 15 October deadline must sit in October. Eligible Cambridge mature applicants in the January round and Oxford Engineering Science with Foundation Year applicants may use either sitting.
Can I resit the ESAT?
Not in the same admissions cycle: UAT-UK says you can sit only once per cycle, in October or January. Imperial adds that only your first test score will be considered.
How much does the ESAT cost?
£78 at a test centre in the UK or Republic of Ireland and £133 elsewhere. The fee depends on the test centre's location, not your nationality. UK candidates who meet the criteria can apply for a bursary, which covers the full fee, but only before booking.
What if I cannot find an ESAT test centre with free seats?
UAT-UK says UK candidates who cannot find a test within 40 miles of their postcode should contact Pearson Customer Services, who will help find the nearest available appointment. Oxford gives the contact as UAT-UKcustomerservice@pearson.com, or 0800 731 9905 in the UK.
Related free tools
How we work this out
Free. No signup. 2027 entry, dates checked 26 September 2026.
- UAT-UK key dates and deadlines for 2027 entry checked 26 September 2026
- UAT-UK, about the ESAT checked 26 September 2026
- UAT-UK, registering for a test checked 26 September 2026
- UAT-UK, test day checked 26 September 2026
- UAT-UK Test Admission and ID Policy, 2027 entry (PDF) checked 26 September 2026
- University of Oxford, admissions tests checked 26 September 2026
- Imperial College London, ESAT checked 26 September 2026
- UAT-UK Course List 2027 Entry (PDF) checked 26 September 2026