Minimum offer: A*A*A
The minimum A-level offer is A*A*A, and Colleges usually require an A* in Mathematics and/or Further Mathematics. IB applicants need 41–42 points with 776 at Higher Level. Some Colleges may also ask for A*/7 in Physics.
Undergraduate · Cambridge Mathematics
Cambridge Mathematics: requirements, TMUA, STEP and the interview
Reading Mathematics at Cambridge means passing three mathematical checkpoints: the TMUA when you apply, an academic interview in December, and STEP as a condition of your offer. This guide sets out what Cambridge publishes for 2027 entry, what each checkpoint asks of an applicant, and what students aiming for 2028 can usefully do now.
2027 entry · Official requirements
Entry requirements and key dates
Taken from the University of Cambridge's official admissions pages and checked on 19 October 2026. The 2027-entry UCAS deadline (15 October 2026) and the TMUA sitting have passed; for applicants already in the process, the December interview comes next. Some requirements are set by individual Colleges, so check the guidance of your own College.
Mathematics and Further Mathematics
A-level Mathematics and Further Mathematics are required; IB applicants take Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches at Higher Level. If your school does not offer Further Mathematics, contact the Colleges you are considering for advice.
The TMUA for every applicant
All Mathematics applicants sit the Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) at an authorised centre. The 2027-entry sitting took place on 12–16 October 2026; candidates in Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau sat on 15 or 16 October.
STEP is part of the offer
STEP is not taken before applying: it forms part of almost every conditional offer for Mathematics, and October 2026 applicants normally sit it in June 2027. There are two STEP papers and Mathematics applicants are normally asked to take both. Some Colleges run a STEP flexible offer scheme for A-level applicants. Cambridge's course page describes the grades required in more than one way, so rely on the wording of your own offer.
December interviews, January decisions
Cambridge's main interview period is 7–18 December 2026; applicants interviewed in December should hear the outcome by 27 January 2027.
Official sources
- University of Cambridge — Mathematicsundergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk
- University of Cambridge — International entry requirementsundergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk
- University of Cambridge — Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA)undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk
- University of Cambridge — Sixth Term Examination Paper (STEP)undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk
- University of Cambridge — Cambridge interviewsundergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk
Checked on 19 October 2026; the requirements apply to 2027 entry or deferred entry in 2028. Cambridge reports around 8 applications per place and 258 students accepted in the 2025 cycle; these are Cambridge's own figures. The course leads to a three-year BA or a four-year MMath.
The programme
One course, one set of entry requirements
Mathematics at Cambridge is taught by the Faculty of Mathematics and leads to a three-year BA (Hons) or a four-year MMath. Cambridge publishes a single set of entry requirements for both routes. What distinguishes the application is that three separate pieces of mathematical evidence are asked for, at three different moments: before the interview, at the interview, and after the offer.
The three checkpoints
What each checkpoint asks of an applicant
The TMUA, the interview and STEP all reward the ability to apply familiar mathematics to unfamiliar problems and to set out each step clearly. They test it in different ways, and each calls for different practice.
The TMUA
Taken before the interview stage, it is the first point at which applicants are compared on a common basis. The most useful preparation is the habit of reading a question closely, choosing a method deliberately and checking that an answer is reasonable. Drilling routine questions alone is a weaker use of time.
The interview
Prepare to work on problems aloud. Practise saying what you have tried, why it did not work and what you would try next: the aim is to show your reasoning, not only a final answer. Practice is most useful with someone who can interrupt, change the problem and ask why.
STEP
Because STEP sits in the offer rather than the application, preparation does not stop at the interview. Cambridge says STEP is designed to test insight, problem solving and the ability to use standard techniques in unusual ways, so practise writing out a complete solution rather than only reaching an answer.
Preparation decisions
Choices that shape your preparation
Several decisions are made well before any test date. Making them deliberately saves time later.
Further Mathematics
Further Mathematics is part of Cambridge's published subject requirement for A-level applicants. If your school does not offer it, ask the Colleges you are considering how they would view your subject choices before you commit to a plan.
Which College
Cambridge says Colleges usually require an A* in Mathematics and/or Further Mathematics and may ask for A*/7 in Physics. College guidance therefore affects the offer you receive, and is worth reading before you choose.
Long-form problem solving
Start working through longer problems before you have an offer. It is the one kind of practice that tends to serve the TMUA, the interview and STEP together.
How Avandy prepares
One plan built around mathematics
Preparation follows the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant keeps every element aligned with the wider application, a PhD-level Academic Mentor oversees academic quality and a Subject-specific Tutor leads the mathematical preparation. Support is tailored to the student's course and profile, and no outcome is promised.
Personal statement
A clear academic position in mathematics, drawing on the student's existing study and enrichment.
Interview preparation
Problem-solving in conversation, with feedback after each session on how clearly the reasoning is explained.
2028 entry
Applying for 2028: what to do now
Confirm early whether Further Mathematics is available, practise proof and extended reasoning, and use the official materials to get to know the TMUA and STEP. Cambridge will publish 2028-entry dates in due course; until then, treat any 2028 date you see elsewhere as unconfirmed.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
How many STEP papers, and which grades?
Cambridge's course page is not consistent on this point, so rely on your offer and your College's guidance for the papers and grades required. What is clear is that STEP is an offer condition, not a test taken before applying.
My school does not offer Further Mathematics. What now?
Cambridge says that if your school offers Further Mathematics you should take it; if it does not, contact the Colleges you are considering early for advice.
Can I still take the TMUA for 2027 entry?
The October 2026 sitting and the 15 October 2026 UCAS deadline have passed. Check Cambridge's TMUA page for any later arrangement that applies to your circumstances, and for the dates of the next cycle when they are published.
When will I hear the outcome?
Applicants interviewed in the main December period should hear by 27 January 2027.
Students and families
Talk to us about Cambridge Mathematics
Tell us about the student's curriculum, their Mathematics and Further Mathematics, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.