What is the MLAT and do I need to take it?
The MLAT (Modern Languages Admissions Test – previously the Modern Languages Aptitude Test) is a computer-based assessment that all students applying to study a modern languages course at Oxford will be required to sit.
These courses are:
- .
The test is made up of ten sections – but you will only have to answer questions in the section relevant to the language you are applying to study. In the real test, the Pearson VUE platform will know which course you are applying for and tailor your choices specifically for you.
Each section is 30 minutes. There is a section each on:
- Czech
- French
- German
- Italian
- Modern Greek
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
Language sections now comprise 20 multiple choice questions, and 10 English-translation questions.
In addition, there is a Language Aptitude Test (LAT) – also 30 minutes - for those applying for Russian on its own or as a beginner, and courses with Polish.
There is also a 60-minute Philosophy test section, for those applying for Philosophy and Modern Languages.
Those applying to study more than one language will need to sit a maximum of two sections. You can find out which .
Candidates applying to study Modern Languages at Cambridge will instead have to sit the Modern and Medieval Languages Admissions Assessment (MMLAA), whose structure differs slightly from the MLAT. Read our guide to the MMLAA to find out further details.
When and how do I register for the MLAT (Modern Languages Admissions Tests)?
This Oxford admissions test is now computer-based and you will need to take this at an authorised Pearson Vue test centre local to you. Since these new tests were introduced in 2024, the tests themselves have taken place in late October of the year preceding entry to your choice of university course, with specific dates changing each year. These are revealed on the each year and it is worth checking regularly to stay ahead of the game. With registration opening as early as mid-August the same year, the whole process starts very early, especially when compared to entrance procedures at non Oxbridge colleges.
Where can I find past papers for the MLAT?
The test platform for the MLAT has changed in recent years, though the content of the is apparently very similar, so working through them will still be valuable preparation.
There is also an provided by the University so you can rehearse skills in the new online format. In recent years candidates have had to wait until the registration portal opens to be able to access this. Once it opens, you can take this test and practise 20 multiple choice questions in your language of study, plus 10 English-translation questions.
How to prepare for The Oxford MLAT
The MLAT is testing your technical and grammatical knowledge of the language(s) you want to study, so a solid, comprehensive knowledge of grammar is essential.
Do:
- Revise the grammar you have studied as part of your IB/A-Level course. Make sure you know all the basics but also review exceptions to the rules.
- Revise vocabulary. This includes not only vocabulary you will use regularly at IB/A-Level but also common vocabulary you looked at when you first started studying the language but don’t use often in your studies now. I have heard an Oxford tutor lamenting that a majority of candidates one year did not know how to translate ‘pillow’, so be prepared!
- Complete some past papers for practice. On its website, as well as the solutions for some of them and these are crucial to understanding what you will be asked to do during the test. The Pearson test might be in a different and more streamlined format, but the content will be essentially the same. Complete at least two of them in timed conditions and look up any grammatical rules or vocabulary which you are unsure of afterwards.
- Be sure to answer all questions as the test is positively marked: there is no penalty for an incorrect answer. As a last resort you should guess the answer as this is better than leaving the section blank.
¶Ù´Ç²Ô’t:&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
- Miss anything out when translating. The absolute key thing in a translation is to convey the whole message so make sure you haven’t missed anything out from your translation that will affect meaning. If there’s a word you don’t know, try and find a synonym or use a more general term (‘bird’ rather than ‘pigeon’, for example). If you’re really stuck, use a different word that’s vaguely similar or even just fills the gap – it’s better than leaving a blank.
- Translate too literally. At IB and A -Level, translation exercises are often a way of checking that you’ve understood a passage in the target language. Oxford are expecting you to not only show that you have understood the sentence and all its grammatical quirks, but that you can render it in natural-sounding English. At a minimum, this means no translating word-for-word. A good test is ‘does this sound like it was originally writ