Discontinued test
Classics Admissions Test — Discontinued
The CAT is no longer in use. Below: the active test that replaced it, the discontinuation context, and the next steps for current applicants.
The CAT was discontinued in 2025 (last sitting for 2025 entry).
Oxford Classics is no longer in the official 2027-entry admissions-test list. The CAT is no longer a required admissions test.
Now replaced by: No central pre-interview test for Oxford Classics in the official 2027 admissions-test list. Verify the current Oxford Classics admissions process.
01Section 01
Overview — what changed and the test you sit now
Section 01
Overview — what changed and the test you sit now
The Classics Admissions Test (CAT) is no longer a current Oxford admissions test for 2027 entry. Oxford Classics is not in the official 2027-entry admissions-test list (ESAT, TMUA, TARA, UCAT, LNAT). Verify the current Oxford Classics admissions process directly with the department.
The Classics Admissions Test (CAT) is no longer a current Oxford admissions test for 2027 entry. Oxford Classics is not in the official 2027-entry admissions-test list (ESAT, TMUA, TARA, UCAT, LNAT).
If you are applying for Oxford Classics or a joint Classics course, check the official Oxford admissions page for the current pre-interview requirements — submitted written work, language assessments, and the personal statement may still feature even when no central admissions test is required.
Past CAT papers remain useful as historic Latin and Greek practice, but they are not preparation for a current central admissions test.
Historical / past-paper site: www.classics.ox.ac.uk — past papers and pre-retirement guidance are still hosted here for reference.
We do not offer a CAT question bank or 1-to-1 sessions for CAT preparation — the test is no longer in use. For the active replacement test (or to confirm whether your course requires any admissions test at all), contact us or open the replacement guide linked at the top of this page.