What is the ENGAA?
The ENGAA is the Engineering Admissions Assessment, and is part of the admissions process for all students applying to study Engineering at the University of Cambridge.
The format of the ENGAA 2024/2025
The assessment comprises two sections:
- Section 1: Mathematics and Physics multiple-choice questions. (60 minutes)
- Section 2: Advanced Physics multiple-choice questions. (60 minutes)
It is important to note that candidates are not permitted to use a calculator in either section.
The assessment results are not taken in isolation, but will form part of the decision making process by admissions tutors. For more information about the ENGAA, check out our article, ‘What is the ENGAA?’
Changes to the Cambridge Engineering Admissions Assessment
In November, Cambridge Assessments Admissions Testing, the body currently responsible for writing and delivering the ENGAA, announced that from the academic year 2024/25, the exam would no longer be available. In their statement online, CAAT stated:
“The bespoke tests are operationally unsustainable over the medium term, given their significant complexity and the need to deliver them affordably to students and higher education institutions.”
Source: https://www.admissionstesting.org
What does this mean?
Firstly, this does not affect 2023 applicants. This will primarily affect students thinking of applying to study Engineering at the University of Cambridge for the 2024 intake and beyond.
Will I still need to sit an admissions assessment?
While CAAT has said that they will be withdrawing the Cambridge Engineering Admissions Assessment from 2024/25, students applying to the University of Cambridge will still be required to sit an assessment as part of the admission process.
At this point, the future of the new assessment is speculative until Cambridge announces their plans. There are two main possibilities.
- The University of Cambridge will develop its own admissions tests in conjunction with subject specialists at the university
- They will outsource the writing of a new assessment to an external provider
What will the new ENGAA 2024 format be?
Unfortunately, until the University of Cambridge announces its plans, we do not know the exact format of the exam. However, it would be fair to assume that it will not be too far from the current format.
How can I prepare for the new ENGAA 2024/2025 assessment?
If you are thinking of applying in 2024/25, for now, the most important thing you can do is to focus on getting the best grades you can in your A-Levels (or equivalent qualifications).
If you would like to begin preparing for the admissions assessment, we advise that you revise the specific subject knowledge that you will need. This can be done by taking ENGAA past papers, as even though the question types and format may vary, the content knowledge will probably be similar.
As the current admissions assessment does not allow candidates to use a calculator, we could presume that the new assessment may follow suit. Therefore, any practice questions you do, make sure that you are not relying on the use of a calculator.
The University of Cambridge is yet to say when they will announce the specific changes to the admissions assessment. This may affect the revision timeline of candidates wishing to take the exam. If this is the case, it may be beneficial to seek support from 1-1 tutors or study groups.
If you’d like to know more about the current Cambridge Engineering Admissions Assessment, check out our articles on Section 1 and Section 2.
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