PAT Preparation Courses

Anyone aiming to study Physics at the University of Oxford is going to need to have a good understanding of the course's entrance exam: The PAT. The subjects covered in the PAT, Maths and Physics, are going to be vital throughout your entire time at university, so Oxford needs to be able to see that you can keep up with the workload.

Preparing for the PAT can be tough, but support is always available if you feel unsure of your abilities. At UniAdmissions, we teach the essential knowledge and skills that you will need to get through not only the PAT but the whole of your university application. We have a variety of programmes available, each of which is tailored to meet your specific needs with the help of our expert Oxbridge tutors, comprehensive resources and intensive courses. Discover how UniAdmissions can triple your chances of success in your application now.

What is the PAT?

The Physics Aptitude Test (PAT) is an admissions test that is exclusive to Oxford University, specifically its two physics courses. The test is designed to test an applicant's knowledge of both pure mathematics and physics at an advanced level.

Applicants are given 2 hours to complete 120 multiple-choice questions covering many topics in both subjects, so you're going to need to revise everything you've learnt in great detail in order to be fully prepared for the PAT. Beyond the base knowledge, the PAT will ask you to apply your skills to a variety of disciplines, including data analysis, critical thinking and reasoning ability.

How To Prepare for the PAT

Your PAT preparation will be split into two major parts: revising the essential knowledge and practising your application within questions. The PAT isn’t just about physics, however. You will need to dedicate an equal amount of time between Physics and Mathematics as both have equal relevance to the test.

There are a lot of ways to go about your preparation, whether it’s taking PAT past papers or attending a PAT course. UniAdmissions offers you all of these resources and more, including expert tuition and PAT courses, to ensure you get a great score.

What PAT Preparation Programme Is Best For Me?

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Our Complete Oxford Physics Premium Programme

Oxford’s Physics courses are highly competitive, so why not get a head-start on your preparation with UniAdmissions. With our Oxford Physics Premium Programme, you will get the chance to improve every aspect of your application.

With the help of our expert resources and one of our Oxbridge tutors, you’ll have access to over 150 hours of study using our comprehensive syllabus, as well as one-to-one tuition sessions tailored to your needs. We’ll help your write the perfect personal statement, get you fully prepared for the PAT and teach you the best interview techniques to impress the team at Oxford.

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Our PAT Specific Preparation Programme

If you’re looking to boost your maths and physics skills in time for the PAT, then the PAT Preparation Programme is perfect for you. When you sign up, you’ll be gaining access to a large selection of preparation resources that will guide you through everything you need to know about the test.

Our fully comprehensive syllabus provides over 95 hours of study, while one of our expert Oxbridge tutors will take you through any areas you feel need improvement. To round it out, you’ll be able to attend an intensive PAT course and weekly enrichment sessions with other students, designed to broaden your understanding of physics.

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Frequently Asked Questions

All tutors are either current senior students, recent graduates or from a professional background that have taken the PAT and scored in the top 10% in their admissions cycle. Our selection process ensures only the best tutors work for us, in roles most suited to their skill-sets. You can read more about our tutors here.

We work with a limited number of students each year to ensure we can provide the best support suited for their particular needs.

Our Programmes have a structured syllabus, however, we tweak elements of the syllabus so the student is able to gain the most out of our support.

First and foremost, we assess whether the potential student has the right academic capabilities and profile to be realistically accepted to study at Oxford.

Secondly, we assess whether the student is capable and willing to put in the time required to create a strong application for Oxford.

Finally, we assess the student’s attitude and reasoning behind applying for Physics at Oxford. This is one of our most important considerations.

If a student has below-average (but still realistic) grades, but the correct attitude, we would consider accepting them onto our Programme. Unfortunately, if the converse is the case, it’s unlikely the student would be accepted onto the Programme. Admissions Tutors look for passion, not just academic potential.

We do have ideal start times at points throughout the year, however, the syllabus can be adapted to suit your particular start time if you are accepted onto the Programme. Our Admissions Consultants can help you understand the Programme timeline in your specific case – all you need to do is ask.

Our success rate for Oxford Physics over the past 5 years is 55%, meaning 55% of students we have worked with on this course successfully received an offer on the Oxford Physics course. This is over 3 times higher than the national success rate of 13%.

You’ll get access to all of our online PAT resources, such as online lectures, and paperback books packed with powerful strategies and techniques to help you prepare, improve and boost your score. You will also receive PAT mock papers to put your learning to the test.

The PAT is an entrance exam exclusive to Oxford’s Physics courses. Therefore, tuition for this specific exam is exclusive to the PAT Programme and Oxford Physics Programme. 

Yes, we have a lot of valuable information about how to prepare and score highly on the PAT on our website. You can take a look at the articles on this page by clicking here.

The Programme Portal is where you will find all of the support and resources for your Programme.

You can think of the Portal as the hub of all the materials included within your Programme. If you are ever looking for a relevant book, an online course, course dates or anything along those lines, the Portal is very likely to be your answer.

You can also use the Portal to get in touch with our team at any point.

Your tuition will be held virtually via video calls. You will be able to specify any requirements when you apply for your programme, such as differences in time zones and times you won’t be available. We will work to find you a tutor who can work within any restrictions you may have.

Actual session times will then be organised between yourself and the tutor to best meet your needs.