What is the MLAT and do I need to take it?
The MLAT, or Modern Languages Admissions Test, is an assessment that almost all students applying to study a modern languages course at Oxford are asked to sit. The assessment is administered by Pearson VUE and taken on a computer. It largely tests your grammar and translation skills.
Courses that require the MLAT are:
- .
The MLAT is made up of ten sections, but you will only have to answer questions in the section(s) relevant to the language(s) you are applying to study. The Pearson VUE platform will know which course you are applying for and tailor your question paper for you.
Each section is 30 minutes long. There is a section for each of the following languages:
- Czech
- French
- German
- Italian
- Modern Greek
- Portuguese
- Russian
- Spanish
Language sections 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.
Finally, there is 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 will instead have to sit the Modern and Medieval Languages Admissions Assessment (MMLAA), which is slightly different to the MLAT. Read our guide to the MMLAA to find out further details.
When and how do I register for the MLAT?
You will need to take the MLAT at an authorised Pearson VUE test centre local to you. ‘Local’ can mean wherever you are around the time of the test dates, should you need to travel. These new tests were only introduced in 2024 and take place in late October of the year preceding entry to your choice of university course, with dates changing each year. With registration opening as early as mid-August, the whole process starts very early and test slots are allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis. It is advisable to start your UCAS application in May/June or thereabouts, so that you have your UCAS ID ready for the Oxford MLAT registration process. You can then book your test in August to make sure that you secure a place at a relatively convenient time for you.
Where can I find past papers for the MLAT?
There is a provided by the University with which you can rehearse skills in the new online format.
Oxford also provide several copies of past papers on their website. While the content of these papers is broadly a bit different to that of the new Pearson VUE tests, going through them will still provide excellent practice.
How to prepare for The Oxford MLAT
A solid, comprehensive knowledge of grammar is essential for the MLAT.
It is also a good idea to practice translation whenever you can—words, short phrases, sentences, paragraphs—and get feedback on your efforts. You could ask friends, teachers, and tutors to help you with this.
Finally, for the multiple-choice questions, the ‘process of elimination’ is a very helpful exam technique which you can practice. Doing so will likely help you increase the speed and accuracy of your answers for the first section of the exam.
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 once heard an Oxford tutor lamenting that a majority of candidates in one particular year did not know how to translate the word ‘pillow’. Be prepared!
- Complete some past papers for practice. on the university website, as well as the solutions for most of them. These are crucial for understanding what you will be asked to do during the test. 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.
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- Miss anything out when translating. It is absolutely key to convey the whole message so make sure you haven’t overlooked a word or phrase that will affect meaning. If there is a word you don’t know, try to 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. Even if it just fills the gap, this is 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 original language. Oxford are expecting that you not only understand the sentence and all its grammatical quirks, but can render it into natural-sounding English. At a minimum, this means no translating word-for-word. A good test is, ‘does this sound like it was originally written in English?’ If it doesn’t, jiggle it around until it does. To get the really high marks, you can be a little bit creative with your English. If there is an idiom in the original sentence, for example, try to find a similar idiom in English which conveys the same meaning.
How do I prepare for the Language Aptitude Test (LAT)?
This is only for students applying to study Russian or a course with Beginner's Russian or Polish. The section takes 30 minutes and is designed to test your aptitude for taking up a new language.
The LAT involves a made-up language--a new one is invented for the test each year--and invites candidates to map and apply patterns and rules which govern that language. Students will be given some sentences in the language with translations into English. They will then be given a series of translation exercises to do, back and forth into English. This is a kind of ‘code breaking’.
Admissions tutors will be interested in how students respond to an unfamiliar vocabulary and grammar, their ability to spot patterns, and whether they can deduce and apply the rules they have learned.
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Is the MLAT difficult?
Candidates who are studying or have studied a language up to IB/A-Level tend to find some elements of the MLAT challenging but not impossible! The exam is designed to be reasonably difficult—you are competing with some of the most talented and ambitious young linguists in the world.
What is a good score on the MLAT?
There is no pass mark for the MLAT. Colleges will interpret test data in the context of a candidate’s wider application when deciding who is invited to interview and who receives an offer. You might ace the MLAT, but still not be offered a place. The reverse can also be true! As with all aspects of the Oxford application, aim to do the very best you can.
Tutors for the MLAT
°®ÒºÊÓƵ has a range of specialist tutors who can assist students approaching university aptitude tests for Oxford University including the MLAT. Our Modern Languages Admissions Test tutors have extensive experience with the MLAT, both through having successfully sat the test and then gone on to tutor it. Contact us to find out more.