UPDATE: Please note that CAAT has announced that they will be discontinuing the NSAA and will no longer administer the test from 2024. Candidates looking to apply for Natural Sciences or Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge for 2025 entry and beyond need to take the ESAT.
The Cambridge Natural Sciences Admissions Assessment (or NSAA for short) is an exam which you have to take if you want to study the Natural Sciences, Veterinary Medicine or Chemical Engineering (via Natural Sciences) courses at the University of Cambridge. It is a ‘pre-interview assessment’. You will sit the exam after you submit your UCAS application (and SAQ), but before the university (hopefully!) calls you to interview.
Firstly, why do I have to sit the NSAA exam?
You might be thinking, ‘I’m already sitting GCSEs, Year 12 exams AND A-Levels. Why do I need to take another test?!’ Well, according to the University of Cambridge, the test helps the NSAA admissions test tutors decide if you will be the right fit for the Natural Sciences course. It assesses your level of knowledge of the relevant and required subject matter as well as your ability to apply that knowledge. Remember, Cambridge is not just looking for bright students. They are also looking for the right type of student. One who can apply the knowledge that they have to unfamiliar situations and someone who will thrive on these challenging courses.
Where and when do I take the NSAA test?
You sit the NSAA at a test centre rather than at home. For the vast majority of applicants the test centre is just your school. Other students will sit exams at the same time, for example, admissions tests for other Cambridge courses, as well as Oxford admissions tests. The NSAA Cambridge test (and the other admissions assessments) usually takes place in early November. It is normally on a weekday morning (so you might get to miss some lessons!)
What is the NSAA exam like?
For detailed information on the structures of the individual NSAA sections, as well as my top NSAA tips and advice for sitting the test, you can read the articles on NSAA Section 1 and Section 2.
But, to summarise: there are two sections (of which you sit both), appropriately named NSAA Section 1 and NSAA Section 2! Recent changes in the structure mean that both sections are now multiple-choice. Previously, (like when I sat the paper), NSAA Section 2 consisted of long answer questions. They are both 60 minutes long.
In NSAA Section 1, you are expected to answer 2 out of 4 parts, one of which should be maths. Each part contains 20 multiple-choice questions. For NSAA Section 2, you should answer one of the 3 parts, which contains 20 multiple-choice questions.
Calculators are NOT allowed in either NSAA section, so mental maths skills are important! As mentioned above, Section 1 has four parts: biology, chemistry, physics and maths. You answer NSAA questions on one science plus maths, and the three parts in Section 2 are biology, chemistry and physics. That means that if you really like biology, you can answer NSAA questions purely on biology if you want to (as well as maths of course). Or if you like all the sciences you can take your pick of the sections in the exam.
Lots more info on exam technique, the style of the NSAA questions and how to practice are available in these NSAA resources (Section 1 and Section 2).
What NSAA score should I be aiming for?
Unlike with your A-Level grades, for which there is an entry requirement (typically A*A*A), there is no target score for the NSAA. It is not a pass or fail exam. The university provides some guidance on their website. They state that they don’t expect candidates to be able to answer every question correctly in the allocated time. Typical applicants will get around 50%, with some gaining higher marks but only a few getting above 80%. So if you’re wanting to know the NSAA average score, it’s probably around 50-60%. The NSAA results are available in the January following the assessment after offers of admission. I certainly never looked at my result or even thought about the NSAA after I got my offer!
How should I revise for the NSAA?
As with the exam structure, I provide more information on revising for the exam in my detailed breakdowns of Section 1 and Section 2, but here are the key points of NSAA revision.
Check out the specification on the University of Cambridge’s website, you can find it here. This gives detailed information on the knowledge you will be expected to have in order to answer the questions. These are much like the specifications you will have seen for your GCSEs and A-Levels.
Have a go at the specimen and NSAA past papers available, which you can download from the university website here. These are the best way to get an impression of what you will be up against on the day. As well as allowing you to practice under timed conditions (because you do not get a lot of time!)
If you think you need some extra help, contact Oxbridge Mind to be put in touch with one of our lovely NSAA tutors (such as myself!) who have taken the NSAA and subsequently studied at Cambridge! We have the extra knowledge to help you achieve your goals.
To summarise:
It is important to remember that the NSAA is only one part of the admissions process. The exam does not carry a pass-or-fail mark. NSAA admissions tutors will take your mark in the exam into account. This is along with all the other information you and your school submits. For example, your grades so far, your personal statement, your references from teachers and your interview performance. This means that although it’s important to try your best, the NSAA is not the be-all and end-all of your admission to Cambridge. So try to keep calm, practice the NSAA past papers, and just be as prepared as you can.
Good luck!
Don’t forget to check out these articles for more help on preparing to take the Natural Sciences Admissions Assessment:
FAQs
→What is the NSAA Test?
The Cambridge Natural Sciences Admissions Assessment (or NSAA for short) is an exam which you have to take if you want to study the Natural Sciences, Veterinary Medicine or Chemical Engineering (via Natural Sciences) courses at the University of Cambridge.
→Who is the NSAA Test for?
The NSAA test is primarily used to assess motor function in children with neuromuscular diseases, such as muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. It can also be used to monitor disease progression and evaluate the effectiveness of treatments.
→Why do I have to sit the NSAA exam?
The test helps the NSAA admissions test tutors decide if you will be the right fit for the Natural Sciences course. It assesses your level of knowledge of the relevant and required subject matter as well as your ability to apply that knowledge.
→Where and when do I take the NSAA exam?
You sit the NSAA at a test centre rather than at home. For the vast majority of applicants the test centre is just your school. Other students will sit exams at the same time, for example, admissions tests for other Cambridge courses. The NSAA (and the other admissions assessments) usually takes place in early November.
→What is the NSAA exam like?
In NSAA Section 1, you are expected to answer 2 out of 4 parts, one of which should be maths, with each part containing 20 multiple-choice questions. In NSAA Section 2, you should answer one of the 3 parts, which contains 20 multiple-choice questions.
→What NSAA score should I be aiming for?
Typical applicants will get around 50%, with some gaining higher marks but only a few getting above 80%. The average is around 50-60%.
→How is the NSAA Test scored?
The NSAA test is scored on a scale of 0 to 34, with higher scores indicating better motor function. Each activity is scored based on the child’s ability to complete the task, with additional points awarded for speed and quality of movement.
→How should I revise for the NSAA?
As with the exam structure, I provide more information on revising for the exam in my detailed breakdowns of Section 1 and Section 2, but here are the key points of NSAA revision:
Check out the specification on the University of Cambridge’s website, you can find it here. This gives detailed information on the knowledge you will be expected to have in order to answer the questions in that part, much like the specifications you will have seen for your GCSEs and A-Levels.
Have a go at the specimen and NSAA past papers available, which you can download from the university website here. These are the best way to get an impression of what you will be up against on the day, as well as allowing you to practice under timed conditions (because you do not get a lot of time!)
→Why is the NSAA Test important?
The NSAA test is important because it provides a standardized, objective measure of motor function in children with neuromuscular diseases. This allows healthcare professionals to track disease progression and evaluate the effectiveness of treatments over time. Additionally, the test can help identify areas of weakness or impairment, which can inform targeted interventions to improve motor function.
