Thinking Skills Assessment Oxford in UK

Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) Oxford is a 2-hour pre-interview test for applicants desiring to pursue an undergraduate course of study at the University of Oxford. It assesses the applicant’s skills and aptitude required to study the following courses: Economics and Management, Experimental Psychology, Geography, Philosophy and Linguistics, Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), Psychology and Linguistics and Psychology and Philosophy.

The TSA Oxford is a 2 hour multiple-choice, pen-and-paper based test. It comprises of two sections:

This section assesses the problem-solving and critical thinking skills of the applicants. The questions are based on numerical and spatial reasoning, understanding the arguments and reasoning and drawing conclusions 

Questions are not subject-specific in this section. This section evaluates the applicant’s written communication skills, i.e. their ability to organise ideas and thoughts in a readable, consistent and concise fashion, and convey the same effectively in writing. 

The registration of the applicants for TSA Oxford entries is made by the test centre managing and controlling the test. You can sit for the Test at your school or college. If you don’t go to a school or college, you can still appear for the tests at an open centre. To find a centre go to official website: https://www.admissionstesting.org/find-a-centre/

No fee is charged by the Admission Testing Service to sit the TSA Oxford. Some centres may charge an administration fee.

In Section 1: Thinking Skills Assessment, each question is worth 1 mark. 

The marking process is automated. Scores are calculated on the TSA scale that ranges from 0-100 to one decimal place. The scale is an appraisal of the applicant’s capability and is compared using the Rasch statistical technique. 

In Section 2: Writing task is evaluated by the admissions tutor of the Oxford College, where the applicant has applied to.

Also, a Statement of Results is issued to each applicant.  Applicant’s can download their results online from https://results.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/

Access arrangements are available for applicants with certain conditions such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia, dysorthographia, or working memory deficit. You must tell you chosen test centre about any access arrangements required. Also, you need to make the request for access arrangements by filling a Special Consideration form. Send it along with a covering letter on the centre’s headed notepaper and clinical evidence in support of the request within seven days of the test day either by scanned email or by post to the email/postal address mentioned on the consideration form.