This exam is crucial for getting an interview invitation from Oxford! Applicants for Physics/Engineering/Materials please enter

The PAT is a common written entrance exam for multiple programs at the University of Oxford, assessing a candidate’s knowledge of physics.

Applicants to Oxford’s Physics and Philosophy, Physics, Engineering Science, and Materials Science programs are required to take the PAT.

High PAT scores often give candidates a stronger chance of winning admission to Oxford.

This article provides a comprehensive explanation of the PAT to help candidates better understand the content and requirements of the exam and improve their PAT scores!

01 How important is the PAT for Oxford applications?

·First, given the current fierce competition and the difficulty in distinguishing between standardized test scores, the PAT has become a crucial criterion for assessing a student’s academic level.

It’s not uncommon to see students with three or four A* scores in the current university application process. Since everyone’s level is similar, admissions officers use the PAT to further differentiate between students’ physics skills.

The PAT further assesses a student’s knowledge, thinking skills, and application skills in physics.

Admissions officers will consider your PAT scores in a comprehensive manner when making an offer.

·Second, Oxford’s early admissions screening process is extremely rigorous, and the PAT is crucial for securing an interview invitation.

When Oxford University issues interview invitations, it uses a method that combines the subjective score of your application materials with your A-level grades and written test scores to create an objective score to select candidates for the final interview. Therefore, they often place great importance on the written test.

Oxford’s interview invitation rate is around 30% to 50%, so the early screening process is very strict, and a higher score is required to increase the chances of being selected for an interview.

·Third, the PAT score plays a significant role in the comprehensive evaluation and can influence the final admissions decision.

Although Oxford University considers multiple factors for admission, including standardized test scores, written test scores, interview performance, and personal statement, the PAT, as a written test specifically for subjects like physics, provides a direct reflection of a student’s professional ability in physics.

Even if a student excels in other areas, a poor PAT score can put them at a disadvantage in this comprehensive evaluation.

On the contrary, an excellent PAT score can significantly enhance a student’s application and significantly increase their chances of receiving an offer from Oxford.

02 What’s a good PAT score?

We already know the importance of the PAT, but what’s a good PAT score? We can refer to last year’s scores.

·2024 PAT Score Distribution

The following chart shows the PAT score distribution for the Class of 2024:

The blue color represents the score distribution of all applicants, the orange color represents the score distribution of students who received an interview invitation, and the purple color represents the score distribution of students who were admitted.

The average score for the Class of 2024 was 49.6. As you can see, the higher the score, the greater the chance of being shortlisted and admitted.

The lowest number of students scored 95 or above, with the majority of shortlisted and admitted students scoring between 70 and 90.

·What score is required to receive an interview invitation?

A total of 378 students received interview invitations in 2024. Of these, 322 had scores above 70. The remaining 56 had slightly lower scores, but were still able to interview based on other qualifying backgrounds.

·What score is required for final admission?

After the interview, Oxford interviewers will score the student based on their interview performance. A perfect score is 10, and in 2024, an interview score of 8 is considered a safe bet for admission.

Next, the interview score, your PAT score, and your academic performance are combined to calculate a final score, which will be used for ranking.

In other words, if you can achieve the highest possible PAT score, even if your interview performance and academic performance are not as outstanding as other applicants, you can still make a breakthrough with your PAT score!

03 PAT Exam Format and Syllabus Interpretation

·PAT Exam Format

Exam Date: October 22 and 23, 2025
Mode: Computer-based
Exam Duration: 2 hours
Exam Type: 40 multiple-choice questions (maximum 100 marks)
Calculator: Calculators are not permitted during the computer-based exam. Only the virtual calculator provided in the exam system is available. The Texas Instruments TI-30XS is available.

·PAT Syllabus Interpretation

The exam still primarily assesses A-level physics and mathematics.

The PAT syllabus is quite concise, generally covering all of A-level mathematics, AS Physics, and some A2 physics.

The PAT syllabus does not include A-level Further Mathematics and will not test further mathematics knowledge.

Main components:

Basic Mathematics: Basic mathematical operations, geometric figures, coordinate geometry, probability, etc.

Algebra: Quadratics, polynomials, graphing functions, inequalities, trigonometric functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, arithmetic and geometric progressions, the binomial theorem, etc.

Calculus: Differentiation and integration of polynomials, finding slopes and extreme values, finding areas through integration, and using symmetry to integrate odd and even functions.

Physics: Mechanics, waves and light, electricity and magnetism, and some aspects of modern physics and astronomy. The PAT does not cover a narrower range of knowledge, but it does not necessarily mean it is easier than regular high school math and physics exams.

Oxford University does this primarily for the sake of fairness. The syllabus covers as much content as possible from typical high school math and physics courses. It is expected that most students will have sufficient knowledge to handle the PAT, avoiding situations where students are unable to answer questions due to knowledge beyond the syllabus.

04 PAT Score Improvement Tips

To achieve a high score on the PAT, practicing is essential!

A set of PAT sample papers is currently available on the official website, and you can take the test online.

The sample papers show that the difficulty level is comparable to past exams, and even include original questions from previous years.

This set of sample papers covers A-Level knowledge in physics and mathematics, but some sections are beyond the syllabus.

The exam focuses on assessing whether candidates have a solid theoretical foundation, sharp logical thinking, and good transferability.

You can find these and use them for self-assessment. In addition, you can also make full use of the multiple-choice questions in past exams to familiarize yourself with the exam format, master core knowledge points, and improve your problem-solving skills and test-taking abilities.