ESAT at University of Cambridge
Cambridge Natural Sciences: ESAT requirements
The short answer
For 2027 entry, Cambridge Natural Sciences (BCF0) requires Mathematics 1 plus two of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics 2.1 Sit it in the October window (12 to 16 October 2026) only. January possible only for an eligible mature-college application with a January deadline; check the exact college/course.2 In Cambridge's 2025 Freedom of Information data for NatSci Physical, offer holders' median Mathematics 1 score was 5.8, against 4.8 for all applicants with that module.3 In the 2025 application cycle, Cambridge made 672 offers from 2,644 applications to Natural Sciences (25.4%).4,5
- Median M1, offer holders
- 5.83
- All applicants 4.8; NatSci Physical, 2025
- Calculated from published counts
Cambridge's FOI score data for this course, beside your module scores.
ESAT modules for Cambridge Natural Sciences
When to sit the ESAT
Published scores and offer rates
Course-level figures from the university's own statistics and Freedom of Information replies. Offer rates are per application, not per interview.
- Offer holders' median
- All applicants' median
Modules taken by fewer than 10 offer holders are in the table only.
- Offer holders' median
- All applicants' median
Modules taken by fewer than 10 offer holders are in the table only.
| Course option | Module | Group | Number | Mean | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NatSci Biological | Mathematics 1 | All applicants | 1,131 | 4.54 | 4.2 | 1 to 9 |
| NatSci Biological | Mathematics 2 | All applicants | 181 | 4.96 | 4.8 | 1 to 9 |
| NatSci Biological | Physics | All applicants | 84 | 4.77 | 4.85 | 1.3 to 8.9 |
| NatSci Biological | Chemistry | All applicants | 950 | 5.02 | 4.9 | 1 to 9 |
| NatSci Biological | Biology | All applicants | 1,046 | 5.00 | 5 | 1 to 9 |
| NatSci Biological | Mathematics 1 | Offer holders | 287 | 4.89 | 4.5 | 1.4 to 9 |
| NatSci Biological | Mathematics 2 | Offer holders | 31 | 5.41 | 5 | 3.3 to 9 |
| NatSci Biological | Physics | Offer holders | 19 | 5.54 | 5.6 | 2.7 to 8.9 |
| NatSci Biological | Chemistry | Offer holders | 252 | 5.95 | 5.9 | 2.3 to 9 |
| NatSci Biological | Biology | Offer holders | 272 | 6.17 | 5.9 | 2 to 9 |
| NatSci Physical | Mathematics 1 | All applicants | 1,435 | 4.98 | 4.8 | 1 to 9 |
| NatSci Physical | Mathematics 2 | All applicants | 995 | 5.21 | 5 | 1 to 9 |
| NatSci Physical | Physics | All applicants | 1,254 | 5.10 | 4.9 | 1 to 9 |
| NatSci Physical | Chemistry | All applicants | 589 | 5.23 | 5.2 | 1 to 9 |
| NatSci Physical | Biology | All applicants | 28 | 3.91 | 4 | 1 to 7 |
| NatSci Physical | Mathematics 1 | Offer holders | 381 | 6.00 | 5.8 | 2.2 to 9 |
| NatSci Physical | Mathematics 2 | Offer holders | 257 | 6.29 | 6.1 | 1.8 to 9 |
| NatSci Physical | Physics | Offer holders | 335 | 6.19 | 6 | 1.8 to 9 |
| NatSci Physical | Chemistry | Offer holders | 168 | 6.54 | 6.4 | 2.7 to 9 |
| NatSci Physical | Biology | Offer holders | 2 | 5.65 | 5.65 | 5.4 to 5.9 |
| NatSci Unspecified | Mathematics 1 | All applicants | 8 | 3.34 | 3.1 | 1.1 to 7.1 |
| NatSci Unspecified | Mathematics 2 | All applicants | 5 | 3.36 | 3.7 | 1.2 to 5.9 |
| NatSci Unspecified | Physics | All applicants | 4 | 2.38 | 2.3 | 1.8 to 3.1 |
| NatSci Unspecified | Chemistry | All applicants | 2 | 2.95 | 2.95 | 1.4 to 4.5 |
| NatSci Unspecified | Biology | All applicants | 4 | 4.50 | 4.3 | 4 to 5.4 |
| Cycle | Course | Test that cycle | Group | Offers | Out of | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 application cycle | Natural Sciences | ESAT | All applications regardless of domicile in Cambridge annual statistics Table 1.1 | 672 | 2,644 applications | 25.4% |
| 2025 application cycle | NatSci Biological | Not stated | All applications in FOI summary for the course option | 288 | 1,160 applications | 24.8% |
| 2025 application cycle | NatSci Physical | Not stated | All applications in FOI summary for the course option | 384 | 1,465 applications | 26.2% |
| 2025 application cycle | NatSci Unspecified | Not stated | All applications in FOI summary for the course option | 0 | 19 applications | 0.0% |
Free tools for this
Questions people ask
What ESAT score is competitive for Cambridge Natural Sciences?
In Cambridge's 2025 Freedom of Information data for NatSci Physical, offer holders' median Mathematics 1 score was 5.8, against 4.8 for all applicants with that module.3 In the 2025 application cycle, Cambridge made 672 offers from 2,644 applications to Natural Sciences (25.4%).4,5
Which ESAT sitting should I take for Cambridge Natural Sciences?
Sit it in the October window (12 to 16 October 2026) only. January possible only for an eligible mature-college application with a January deadline; check the exact college/course.2
How should I read the published ESAT score distribution?
UAT-UK's percentile tables cover every ESAT candidate. They tell you where a score sits nationally, not what Cambridge Natural Sciences applicants scored. The course figures above are the closest evidence for this course.3
Sources
Every figure on this page links to one of these. A checked date is the day we read the page, not the day it was published. Labels: Published, Past cycle, Calculated from published counts, Estimate, Not published.
- 1
- 2UAT-UKChecked 27 Sep 2026.
- 3WhatDoTheyKnow (FOI response)FOI individual applicant tablesFreedom of Information reply. Checked 26 Sep 2026.
- 4
- 5
Data checked 27 September 2026. Missing figures are shown as not published, never as zero or a guess.