CAT (Classics Admissions Test)
What is the CAT?
If you are applying for one of the following courses you will be required to sit the CAT:
- Classics
- Classics and English
- Classics and Modern Languages
- Classics and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies.
The Classics Admissions Test consists of three separate computer-based tests:
- the Latin Translation Test
- the Greek Translation Test
- and the Classics Language Aptitude Test (CLAT).
Each paper lasts 1 hour and is sat under timed exam conditions. Which papers you take depends on the course you are applying for, and whether you are studying Latin or Greek to A-level or equivalent.
You will need to arrange to take the CAT at a Pearson VUE authorised test centre. You will be able to register to take the CAT 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. As the content and structure of this test has not changed, all existing online resources and past papers are still valuable preparation.
Greek and Latin Translation Tests
The two translation tests each consist of a short passage in the prose and verse of the classical language, to be translated into English. The passages are carefully chosen to be of a difficulty suitable to students at A-level or equivalent.
You are not allowed to take dictionaries, grammar books or notes into the test, so if you are not used to translating without these aids, you should get lots of practise doing so, and try to learn vocabulary before sitting the test.
Classics Language Aptitude Test
The CLAT is designed to assess your ability to analyse how languages work, in a way which doesn't depend on your knowledge of any particular language. Instead we are looking to gauge your aptitude for learning a new language rapidly.
Which test(s) do I need to take?
Classics (Q800)
- If you are studying Latin and/or Greek to A-level or equivalent, you must take the Translation Test(s) in whichever of those languages you are studying. So if you are taking both Latin and Greek A-level you will need to take both of the Translation Tests, and if you are taking just one of Latin and Greek A-levels you will need to take just the test for the language you are already studying.
- If you are studying neither Latin nor Greek to A-level or equivalent, you must take the Classics Language Aptitude Test only.
Classics and English (QQ38)
- Classics and English is for those who are studying Latin or Greek to A-level or equivalent. You must take Translation Test(s) in whichever of those languages you are currently studying.
Classics and English with Beginners' Latin or Greek (QQH8)
- Classics and English with Beginners' Latin or Greek is for those who are currently studying neither Latin nor Greek to A-level or equivalent. You must take the third test, the Classics Language Aptitude Test (CLAT), only.
Classics and Modern Languages (find course combinations and codes on the course page)
- Classics and Modern Languages options A: If you are currently studying Latin and/or Greek to A-level or equivalent, you must take the Translation Test(s) in whichever of those languages you are studying. You must also sit the MLAT.
- Classics and Modern Languages option A with Beginners' Latin or Greek: If you are currently studying neither Latin nor Greek to A-level or equivalent, you must take the third test, the Classics Language Aptitude Test. You must also sit the MLAT.
- Classics and Modern Languages options B: If you are currently studying Latin or Greek to A-level or equivalent, you must take the Translation Test(s) in whichever of those languages you are studying. If you are currently studying neither Latin nor Greek to A-level or equivalent, you must take the third test, the Classics Language Aptitude Test. You must also sit the MLAT.
Classics and Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (Q8T9 and T9Q8)
- For both Q8T9 and T9Q8: if you are studying Latin and/or Greek to A-level or equivalent you must take the Translation Test(s) in whichever of those languages you are studying. If you are studying neither Latin nor Greek to A-level or equivalent, you must take the Classics Language Aptitude Test.
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 course code so find this first using the table below.
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'.
Course codes
Knowing your course code will help you register for your admissions test(s) more quickly. Find your course in the tables below and make a note of its unique course code. Enter this code into the course selection search when prompted in the registration portal.
Note: UCAS course codes are all four digits long. The extra letter appearing after the hyphen in some of the below course codes is only used during the test registration process to indicate which part(s) of the CAT candidates are required to sit.
Single honours courses
| Course name | Course code | Admissions test |
| Classics - Latin module | Q800-L | CAT |
| Classics - Greek module | Q800-G | CAT |
| Classics - Latin and Greek modules | Q800-LG | CAT |
| Classics with Beginners' Latin or Greek | Q800-C | CAT |
Joint honours courses - Beginners' Latin or Greek
| Course name | Course code | Admissions tests |
| Ancient and Middle Eastern Languages with Classics with Beginners' Latin or Greek | T9Q8-C | CAT |
| Classics and Czech (with Slovak) Option A with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QR8R-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Czech (with Slovak) Option B with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QRB7-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and English with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QQH8-C | CAT |
| Classics and French Option A with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QR8C-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and French Option B with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QRB1-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and German Option A with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QR8F-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and German Option B with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QRB2-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Italian Option A with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QR8H-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Italian Option B with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QRB3-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Modern Greek Option A with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QQ8R-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Modern Greek Option B with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QQB7-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Portuguese Option A with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QR8M-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Portuguese Option B with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QRB5-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Russian Option A with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QRW7-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Russian Option B with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QRV8-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Spanish Option A with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QR8K-C | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Spanish Option B with Beginners' Latin or Greek | QRB4-C | CAT and MLAT |
Joint honours courses - Beginners' Modern Languages
| Course name | Course code | Admissions test |
| Classics and Beginners' Czech (with Slovak) Option A - Latin module | Q8R7-L | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Czech (with Slovak) Option A - Greek module | Q8R7-G | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Czech (with Slovak) Option A - Latin and Greek modules | Q8R7-LG | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Czech (with Slovak) Option B - Latin module | QBR7-L | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Czech (with Slovak) Option B - Greek module | QBR7-G | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Czech (with Slovak) Option B - Latin and Greek modules | QBR7-LG | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' German Option A - Latin module | QR28-L | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' German Option A - Greek module | QR28-G | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' German Option A - Latin and Greek modules | QR28-LG | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' German Option B - Latin module | QR2B-L | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' German Option B - Greek module | QR2B-G | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' German Option B - Latin and Greek modules | QR2B-LG | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Italian Option A - Latin module | QR38-L | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Italian Option A - Greek module | QR38-G | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Italian Option A - Latin and Greek modules | QR38-LG | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Italian Option B - Latin module | QR3B-L | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Italian Option B - Greek module | QR3B-G | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Italian Option B - Latin and Greek modules | QR3B-LG | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Modern Greek Option A - Latin module | QR8Y-L | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Modern Greek Option A - Greek module | QR8Y-G | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Modern Greek Option A - Latin and Greek modules | QR8Y-LG | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Modern Greek Option B - Latin module | QRBY-L | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Modern Greek Option B - Greek module | QRBY-G | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Modern Greek Option B - Latin and Greek modules | QRBY-LG | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Portuguese Option A - Latin module | QR8N-L | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Portuguese Option A - Greek module | QR8N-G | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Portuguese Option A - Latin and Greek modules | QR8N-LG | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Portuguese Option B - Latin module | QRBN-L | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Portuguese Option B - Greek module | QRBN-G | CAT |
| Classics and Beginners' Portuguese Option B - Latin and Greek modules | QRBN-LG | CAT |
Joint honours courses - Modern Languages
| Course name | Course code | Admissions tests |
| Classics and Czech (with Slovak) Option A - Latin module | QR87-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Czech (with Slovak) Option A - Greek module | QR87-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Czech (with Slovak) Option A - Latin and Greek modules | QR87-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Czech (with Slovak) Option B - Latin module | QRB7-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Czech (with Slovak) Option B - Greek module | QRB7-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Czech (with Slovak) Option B - Latin and Greek modules | QRB7-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and French Option A - Latin module | QR81-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and French Option A - Greek module | QR81-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and French Option A - Latin and Greek modules | QR81-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and French Option B - Latin module | QRB1-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and French Option B - Greek module | QRB1-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and French Option B - Latin and Greek modules | QRB1-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and German Option A - Latin module | QR82-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and German Option A - Greek module | QR82-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and German Option A - Latin and Greek modules | QR82-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and German Option B - Latin module | QRB2-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and German Option B - Greek module | QRB2-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and German Option B - Latin and Greek modules | QRB2-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Italian Option A - Latin module | QR83-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Italian Option A - Greek module | QR83-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Italian Option A - Latin and Greek modules | QR83-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Italian Option B - Latin module | QRB3-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Italian Option B - Greek module | QRB3-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Italian Option B - Latin and Greek modules | QRB3-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Modern Greek Option A - Latin module | QQ87-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Modern Greek Option A - Greek module | QQ87-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Modern Greek Option A - Latin and Greek modules | QQ87-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Modern Greek Option B - Latin module | QQB7-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Modern Greek Option B - Greek module | QQB7-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Modern Greek Option B - Latin and Greek modules | QQB7-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Portuguese Option A - Latin module | QR85-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Portuguese Option A - Greek module | QR85-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Portuguese Option A - Latin and Greek modules | QR85-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Portuguese Option B - Latin module | QRB5-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Portuguese Option B - Greek module | QRB5-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Portuguese Option B - Latin and Greek modules | QRB5-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Russian Option A - Latin module | QRV7-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Russian Option A - Greek module | QRV7-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Russian Option A - Latin and Greek modules | QRV7-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Russian Option B - Latin module | QRV8-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Russian Option B - Greek module | QRV8-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Russian Option B - Latin and Greek modules | QRV8-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Spanish Option A - Latin module | QR84-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Spanish Option A - Greek module | QR84-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Spanish Option A - Latin and Greek modules | QR84-LG | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Spanish Option B - Latin module | QRB4-L | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Spanish Option B - Greek module | QRB4-G | CAT and MLAT |
| Classics and Spanish Option B - Latin and Greek modules | QRB4-LG | CAT and MLAT |
Other joint honours courses
| Course name | Course code | Admissions test |
| Asian and Middle Eastern Studies with Classics - Latin module | T9Q8-L | CAT |
| Asian and Middle Eastern Studies with Classics - Greek module | T9Q8-G | CAT |
| Asian and Middle Eastern Studies with Classics - Latin and Greek modules | T9Q8-LG | CAT |
| Classics and English - Latin module | QQ38-L | CAT |
| Classics and English - Greek module | QQ38-G | CAT |
| Classics and English - Latin and Greek modules | QQ38-LG | CAT |
| Classics with Asian and Middle Eastern Studies | Q8T9-C | CAT |
| Classics with Asian and Middle Eastern Studies - Latin module | Q8T9-L | CAT |
| Classics with Asian and Middle Eastern Studies - Greek module | Q8T9-G | CAT |
| Classics with Asian and Middle Eastern Studies - Latin and Greek modules | Q8T9-LG | CAT |
Test preparation and practice materials
Please do explore the test preparation and practice materials available here.
The CAT practice test allows you to familiarise yourself with the new online test platform and format for 2025-entry. Please note that this is for practice only, and you will not be able to submit this for a score or feedback after taking the test. Solutions for this test will also be available here soon.
You can now view the mark scheme for this test:
Although the test platform has changed, the content of the test is similar to in previous years so working through past papers will still be very valuable preparation and should help you to feel confident on test day. Please note that in 2024 the CLAT component of the test is comprised of two sections rather than three.
We encourage candidates to read our CAT candidate preparation guidance as part of their test preparation.
Past papers
Review the sample papers below for the CAT.
The Classics Admissions Test consists of three separate papers:
- the Latin Translation Test
- the Greek Translation Test
- and the Classics Language Aptitude Test (CLAT).
You are given 1 hour for each paper that you answer. All candidates must take the relevant section(s) of the Classics Admissions Test (CAT) as part of their application. If you are not sure which section(s) this is, please see the How do I register? tab and find your chosen course.
- CAT paper 2022
- CAT paper 2021
- CAT paper 2020
- CAT paper 2019
- CAT paper 2018
- CAT paper 2017
- CAT paper 2016
- CAT paper 2015
- CAT paper 2014
- CAT paper 2013
- CAT paper 2012
- CAT paper 2010
The University does not endorse, or allow use of, its tests that are protected by copyright for commercial uses.
Classics Language Aptitude Test solutions
Below are the answers to the Language Aptitude Test, which you can use to mark your own answers, or ask your teacher to refer to them.
- CLAT 2022 solutions
- CLAT 2021 solutions
- CLAT 2020 solutions
- CLAT 2019 solutions
- CLAT 2018 solutions
- CLAT 2017 solutions
- CLAT 2016 solutions
- CLAT 2015 solutions
- CLAT 2014 solutions
- CLAT 2013 solutions
- CLAT 2012 solutions
- CLAT 2010 solutions
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 CAT 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.
