Access arrangements for admissions tests

Whatever your particular circumstances, the earlier we know about your individual requirements, the sooner we can arrange to meet them.

Any candidate who experiences unexpected difficulties very near, or during, the time of their test(s) which could have impacted their performance in the assessment, should refer to our separate Special Consideration policy.

How to apply for access arrangements

1. You can register for and book your Oxford admission test(s) between 15 August and 4 October (registration and booking must be complete by 18:00 (BST) on 4 October). Please register for and book your test as soon as possible – places are first come, first served. Please note you do not need to have submitted your UCAS application before booking your admissions test.
   
   
2. Candidates requesting access arrangements must provide appropriate documentation to support their request. This can be, for example, from a medical professional, registered psychologist or a letter from your school or college’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator/year head/UCAS coordinator/head teacher or principal (this must be on school/college letterheaded paper or from an official school/college email address). Note: the documentation should provide evidence of the arrangements required rather than simply a description of your condition. Please refer to the section below on documentation.
   
   
3. If you can do so, please upload your documentation at the same time as you register for your test.
   
   
4. We realise that it might take time to obtain this documentation, so from 15 August to 20 September, you can still register for and book your test without uploading the documentation at that time. However, you must have uploaded the documentation by 18:00 (BST) on 20 September: if you do not meet this deadline, your registration, access arrangements request and test booking will all be cancelled, and you will need to register, request your access arrangements, and book your test again (prior to the final booking deadline on 4 October). In this situation it may not be possible to guarantee your first choice of test centre and so we encourage you to provide the documentation as early as possible.
   
   
5. If you are registering for your test after the 20 September, you will need to supply the required documentation for your access arrangement(s) at the time of registration.
   
   
6. Oxford will review each request for access arrangements and may ask for additional documentation where we need more information to support our decision making. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
   
   
7. Oxford will decide to grant or refuse each request, and Oxford’s decision will be final.
   
   
8. Notification on the status of your access arrangement request will be via the messaging system on the registration platform. You should receive direct emails for any messages, but please make sure to check the platform regularly if you are expecting any updates.
   
   
9. All information provided will only be shared with those responsible for arranging access arrangements and will be deleted once your status is confirmed.

Types of access arrangement

All Oxford admissions tests are digital. Accessibility features built into the testing platform include:

• A zoom function, creating adjustable font sizes
• Different coloured backgrounds and text
• Accessible spacing and lining of the text

As these features are built into the testing platform they are available for all candidates without requiring access arrangements to be requested.

For other access arrangements, eg allocated extra time, the ability to pause for rest breaks, or glucose testing supplies, these can be requested via the process outlined above.

In some cases (category 2), where the requested access arrangements may require physical resources, customised arrangements will need to be put in place and these will need to be booked directly with Pearson VUE. Once the candidate has successfully registered for their test they will be asked to fill out an online Pearson VUE scheduling form. Examples of category 2 arrangements include the use of human reader and/or recorder, a separate room for invigilation, or supplementary aids such as coloured screen overlays.

Where requirements are not already covered by the arrangements listed on the Oxford Admissions Tests portal, candidates are invited to give details of these so they can be reviewed directly by Oxford. Subject to acceptance, this information will be passed to Pearson VUE. In these cases, Pearson VUE will book a candidate's test centre on their behalf. Note, for these 'other' arrangements to be processed, candidates must upload supporting evidence at the time of registering for their tests. 

Pearson VUE also have a list of comfort aids which do not require pre-approval, such as tinted glasses, inhalers, and mobility devices.

Types of documentation accepted

Documentation may be provided by the following specialists:

• Educational psychologist
• Specialist teacher
• GP / medical doctor
• School or college’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator/year head/UCAS coordinator/head teacher or principal (on school or college letterheaded paper or from an official school/college email address).

Note: the documentation should provide evidence of the arrangements required rather than simply a description of your condition.