---
title: If a UK course makes an admissions test such as the TMUA optional, should a student still take it or rely on school marks?
description: The Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) is mandatory for some courses and recommended for others, depending on the university and programme. For 2027 entry, the TMUA is mandatory for selected courses at Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial, LSE, Warwick, UCL…
url: "https://www.collegeaccessprogram.in/faq/should-you-take-tmua-if-optional/"
updated: "2026-10-09"
category: Study in UK
---

# If a UK course makes an admissions test such as the TMUA optional, should a student still take it or rely on school marks?

The Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) is mandatory for some courses and recommended for others, depending on the university and programme. For 2027 entry, the TMUA is mandatory for selected courses at Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial, LSE, Warwick, UCL and Durham. For example, it is required for BSc Economics at UCL and LSE, and for Computer Science at Cambridge and Oxford. At LSE, it is recommended but not mandatory for courses such as Data Science and Economics and Data Science.
 Strong school marks do not replace a mandatory admissions test. Students should check the official requirements for their specific course and entry year.