MLAT (Modern Languages Admissions Test)

What is the MLAT?
How do I register?
Test preparation and practice materials
When do I take the test?
What should I expect on test day?
How do I get my results?

What is the MLAT?

If you are applying for one of the following courses you will be required to sit the MLAT as part of the admissions process:

The Modern Languages Admissions Test is a computer-based test made up of 10 sections. Each language section now consists of 20 multiple choice questions, and 10 English-translation questions. The sections you take depends on which course you are applying for.

There are eight individual sections for each of the following languages:

Czech
French
German
Italian
Modern Greek
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish

The other two sections are:

the Language Aptitude Test (LAT), for those applying for Russian on its own or as a beginner, and courses with Polish;
the Philosophy test, for those applying for Philosophy and Modern Languages.

Candidates will need to take a maximum of two sections. You can find out which elements you need to sit using the tables on this page.

The Philosophy section lasts 60 minutes while each other section is 30 minutes.

You will need to arrange to take the MLAT at a Pearson VUE authorised test centre. You will be able to register to take your Oxford admissions test from Thursday 15 August 2024 until Friday 4 October 2024. Instructions on how to do this can be found under the How do I register? tab on this page.

All applicants taking this test will be invited to practise taking a sample paper online in advance of test day. We also strongly recommend that you explore all the past papers and resources available under the Test preparation and practice materials tab. Please note that while the content and structure of this test has changed slightly, all existing online resources and past papers are still valuable preparation for you and we strongly recommend you exploring these.

Please note that there is no longer a Linguistics test section in the MLAT.

How do I register?

Candidates can register to take their admissions test free of charge between Thursday 15 August and Friday 4 October 2024 and we strongly recommend you do this as soon as possible.

It is particularly important that you register early if you are requesting access arrangements, as this involves a few additional steps. You will be required to submit documented evidence of eligibility as soon as possible and have this accepted by Oxford.

When registering for your test you will be asked for your UCAS ID but if you haven't yet started your UCAS application, you can come back and fill this in later. However, it is important you do this or we may not be able to match your test score with your Oxford application.

Please read these instructions thoroughly before booking your admissions test. In summary, the steps you will need to take are as follows:

Step 1: From 15 August, go to the registration portal and follow the instructions to create your own Oxford admissions test user account and register for your test. It will be easier to do this if you know your UCAS course code:

Classics and Modern Languages - see course combinations
English and Modern Languages - see course combinations
European and Middle Eastern Languages - see course combinations
History and Modern Languages - see course combinations
Modern Languages - see course combinations
Modern Languages and Linguistics - see course combinations
Philosophy and Modern Languages - see course combinations

You can also find out which sections of the MLAT you will need to take.

Step 2: Let us know if you would like to request access arrangements for your admissions test. Depending on what your requirements are, this may take up to ten days to organise and your Pearson VUE test centre may be booked on your behalf. Anyone requesting access arrangements will be required to provide supporting documentation from a medical or educational specialist. If at all possible, we recommend uploading this when you register for your test as this will expedite the process. In all cases, you must provide this evidence of eligibility by 20 September (or at the time of registering if doing so after 20 September).

Step 3: Once registered, follow the instructions to book your test at a Pearson VUE test centre. If you have requested category 2 or 'other' access arrangements, this will be done on your behalf, just follow the on-screen instructions.

You will receive direct email confirmation of successfully arranging your test appointment, giving the date, appointment time and duration and address of the test centre selected. If you do not receive this confirmation, make sure to check your spam folders. You can expect to receive emails about your test from: [email protected] and [email protected].

Please note that the duration of your test appointment will show as longer than the time of your test. It will allow for you to arrive 15 minutes early, undergo ID and security checks and other preliminary procedures.

No changes to your test appointment can be made after test registration closes on 4 October.

Additional support

View our FAQs or contact Oxford’s undergraduate applicant helpdesk with questions regarding your application
Contact Pearson VUE customer service with queries about your test centre booking
You can make changes to your test appointment by signing into your Oxford Admissions Test user account and selecting 'manage appointment'.

Read the video transcript.

Test preparation and practice materials

Please do explore the test preparation and practice materials available here.

In 2024, the Modern Languages Admissions Test (MLAT) is an online test consisting of 10 sections. Which sections you take depends on the course you are applying for. Candidates will need to take a maximum of two sections. You can find out which elements you need to sit using the tables on this page.

There are eight individual sections for each of the following languages: Czech, French, German, Italian, Modern Greek, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

The other two sections are: the Language Aptitude Test (LAT) and the Philosophy test. The LAT is for those applying for Russian on its own (in addition to taking the Russian language section) as well as for candidates for courses with Beginner's Russian or Polish. The Philosophy section lasts 60 minutes, while each other section is 30 minutes. Scroll further down for additional guidance on the LAT and Philosophy sections of the MLAT.

The MLAT practice test allows you to familiarise yourself with the new online test platform and format for 2025-entry. Please note that, as this is for practice only, you will not be able to submit your practice test for a score or feedback.

MLAT practice test

You can now view solutions to the practice test:

Please note although the Philosophy (PhilAT) practice test is accessed via a separate link below, in your actual test the Philosophy test (taken by applicants for Philosophy and Modern Languages) will be located as a section within the MLAT.

PHILAT practice test

Although the test platform has changed, the content of MLAT is similar to in previous years so working through past papers still provides valuable preparation and should help you to feel confident on test day.

Read the video transcript.

Past papers and additional guidance and resources

Please note that there is no longer a Linguistics test section in the MLAT. Candidates applying for courses including Linguistics should ignore this section of the 2019 and earlier past papers.

In 2024, candidates will not be asked to translate from English into their chosen language(s). Language sections now consist of 20 multiple choice questions, and 10 into English translation questions.

The University does not endorse, or allow use of, its tests that are protected by copyright for commercial use.

MLAT and LAT solutions

The following are solutions to some recent MLAT papers and some older versions of the Language Aptitude Test, which you can use to mark your own answers, or ask your teacher to refer to them.

The University does not endorse, or allow use of, its tests that are protected by copyright for commercial use.

Language Aptitude Test

If you are applying for our Russian course or a course with Beginner's Russian or Polish, you will need to take the Language Aptitude Test (LAT). This section of the MLAT takes 30 minutes and is designed to assess your aptitude for taking up a new language.

The test involves an imaginary language (a new one is invented for the test each year), and invites you to identify and apply the patterns and rules which govern this language.

At the start of the test you may be given some information about the imaginary language, such as the importance of word order. You will be provided with a number of sample sentences written in the language, alongside their translations into English, which illustrate the vocabulary and grammar of this imaginary language. Your task is then to translate a couple of further sentences from the imaginary language into English, and then a couple more sentences from English back into the imaginary language.

After you have completed these tasks with the first set of sentences, you will be asked to do similar tasks with other sets of sentences of increasing complexity (for example, you may need to shift from present to past tense, or establish differences between positive and negative statements).

Tutors will not be expecting a perfect score, but are interested to see how you respond to an unfamiliar set of vocabulary and grammatical rules, whether you can spot patterns, and whether you can apply the rules which you have deduced from the ways the imaginary language seems to work.

Because the imaginary language and its rules differ each year, we recommend that you have a go at one or two of the sample tests available online, simply to practise completing the exercise (understanding the nature of the tasks, getting used to the timing etc.). None of the specific grammatical knowledge you gain from understanding one imaginary language will help you with the next one!

What are we looking for?

We are assessing your attentiveness to the ways languages work: to the ways grammatical concepts shape words; to the different patterns you can discern in a language, even if you are not familiar with it; to the distinction between different parts of speech (nouns or verbs, for example) and how these parts of speech interrelate; and to the features that can identify differences between elements in various sentences. You should pay close attention to variations in spelling, to the functions of each word within a particular sentence, and to the ways each word conveys meaning with its different component parts.

Philosophy Test (PhilAT)

The 60-minute Philosophy Test is designed to test a candidate's philosophical reasoning skills. There is no expectation that you will have undertaken any formal study of philosophy, and it is not a test of philosophical knowledge.

You will normally be asked to undertake a comprehension exercise and write a short essay or answer a structured question. Tutors are looking for the use of precise and careful reasoning to answer the question asked, and particularly answers which anticipate and are able to answer objections to the reasoning given. You should avoid stating an opinion without evidence or argument to support it.

The following information, written by an Oxford tutor, outlines the different types of questions you will come across in the test and discusses ways to approach them.

Answers to past papers:

The University does not endorse, or allow use of, its tests that are protected by copyright for commercial use.

When do I take the test?

Candidates will take the MLAT at Pearson VUE test centres on 22 October 2024.

What should I expect on test day?

You will be taking your admissions test at a Pearson VUE test centre and we advise that you read Pearson VUE's guidance on what to expect on your test day. This includes information on:

Reschedule and cancellation policies
Pearson VUE test centre management
ID requirements
Candidate rules
Test centre check-in procedures
Personal belongings (including information on note taking)
In the test room
Breaks

You can also find this information in the On Test Day edition of our newsletter for applicants.

Remember your candidate ID

When you arrive at the Pearson VUE test centre on the day of your test appointment, before being permitted to enter the test room, you will be required to confirm your identity by presenting one or more forms of accepted ID (see specific information about acceptable IDs). If you arrive at the test centre without the required ID, you will not be permitted to take your test.

How do I get my results?

Admissions tutors will receive the results of all candidates' tests directly and in time to make their shortlisting decisions in November.

Test scores will be automatically distributed to all applicants shortly after college decision letters are sent in January. Applicants will still be able to write to their college to request feedback.

MLAT (Modern Languages Admissions Test)

What is the MLAT?