
Assessment
CAMBRIDGE
ASSESSMENT
Prepare today for a greater tomorrow
History Aptitude Test (HAT)
The History Aptitude Test (HAT) is a two-hour subject-specific admissions test, which is taken by applicants to the University of Oxford's undergraduate degree courses in History and its joint school.
The questions aim to test candidates comprehension of the arguments and ideas in it, their capacity to apply those ideas to historical situations they know about, and their ability to think and make judgements about the extract as a piece of historical writing. In the second extract candidates will be asked to offer thoughtful interpretations of its content without knowing anything about its context.
The HAT is a test of skills, not substantive historical knowledge. It is designed so that candidates should find it equally challenging, regardless of what period(s) they have studied or what school examinations they are taking.
All students applying for the following courses at the University of Oxford are required to take the History Aptitude Test:
History (V100),
History (Ancient and Modern) (V118),
History and Economics (LV11),
History and English (VQ13),
all History and Modern Languages courses,
History and Politics (LV21).
