LNAT Application Process

The start of your LNAT and more broadly your university application should begin a few months before the UCAS portal opens. It is important to be aware of both university and LNAT deadlines as you - not your school - will be responsible for meeting them. Twelve universities now require the LNAT but you should make sure to check the requirements when you apply as this number is frequently changing. Information regarding each university's LNAT requirements can be found on their websites or on the official LNAT website.

When can I take the LNAT?

Your LNAT exam must take place in the same application cycle year as your UCAS application for university. If for example you are completing an application to start university in September 2026, you will sit the LNAT in the UCAS cycle 2025/6. To sit the LNAT exam, you will have to book online via the official LNAT website. The test is run by a company called Pearson Vue and you can set up an account prior to test bookings opening. It is best to register as soon as possible so that when booking opens you have the majority of dates still available to choose from. Tests get booked up very quickly and so it is helpful to have in mind when you wish to complete the test when booking and paying.

Registration and booking for the LNAT opens on the 1 st August for that application year. This means that if you are applying for 2026 entry, you can book in August 2025. The window for actually sitting the LNAT is between 1 st September and the UCAS deadline for that application cycle; typically, that will be around the end of January for the year of entrance to university. However, if you are applying to Oxford or Cambridge, your LNAT will have to be completed in time for the 15 th October deadline alongside the rest of your UCAS application.

There is no optimal time at which to take the LNAT; so long as you complete the test by the date required by your university, you should sit the exam whenever you feel ready. As noted, preparation for the LNAT should not be overlooked and it is recommended you spend a number of weeks practicing both the multiple choice and essay sections. You can move your LNAT date if you feel underprepared and need more time but do note that this is only possible if your test center has spare spaces and it is not guaranteed. Therefore, when booking make sure you leave yourself enough time to be adequately prepared.

How is the LNAT completed?

The LNAT is completed at one of the Pearson Vue test centers. These centers exist across the UK and internationally; you can use the LNAT website to find your nearest test center. For many of you, your LNAT test will likely be completed in the same place as your driving test and there will be a number of people completing different assessments in the same room as you. The entire test is completed on a computer in the test center so ensure you bring any appropriate glasses you may need for screen reading.

It is worth noting too that the LNAT for one application year is not just one paper sat by everyone. Pearson will have a number of LNAT tests with different questions in them which will be rotated to ensure there is no cheating during the test. So, just because your friend sat one LNAT paper in the morning, it does not mean that you will receive the same one that afternoon. The average marks on the papers will therefore vary but a unilateral average is created every year, although this too fluctuates based on how difficult the test for that year is.

You don't need to submit your LNAT and UCAS personal statements on the same day and there is no advantage or disadvantage for doing so. What is important is that both parts of the application are completed by your final deadline for Oxbridge (15 th October) or non-Oxbridge (end of January).

Can I re-sit the LNAT?

If you feel that you underperformed in your exam you cannot re-sit the LNAT exam until next year's application cycle on UCAS. You only get one attempt at the LNAT, hence why it is so important to be ready for the exam. If you try to re-sit the exam in one application year the latter result will be disregarded as invalid. You will likely also not know your results until after the UCAS deadline has passed, so try not to worry about it until then.

Re-applying via UCAS

If for whatever reason you re-apply through UCAS in a different application cycle, you will have to re-do the LNAT too. You cannot use an LNAT score from a previous application cycle in a new application. You will have to re-register, re-book, and pay for the LNAT exam in the same way as before. You will not be able to pick which result is best and instead the test taken in your present application cycle will be sent to your university choices, not whichever is higher.

When do I get my LNAT results back?

When you get your LNAT results back depends on when you sat the test. The first batch of LNAT results (those often sat before the 15 th October Oxbridge deadline) will be viewable by universities on the 21 st October for that application cycle. Your universities will be able to see your results much earlier than you can.

Results are given to candidates in two blocks during the admission cycle. Those who complete the LNAT before the 26 th January will be able to see their multiple choice results in mid-February. Those who sit the test after that date will get their results in mid-August. In both circumstances, candidates won't be able to have a mark for their essays as this is independently assessed by each university and so is not standardised in the same way as Section A. You will be given your results via the email you used to register your LNAT account.

You will not need to send your results to your universities directly. When your results are viewable, the universities will autonomically receive your test. However, for this to happen you need to make sure that when registering for the LNAT you enter your ten-digit UCAS personal identifier number; if you fail to do this, you risk your university being unable to access your test results. Your personal identifier number can be found under "Apply" when you log onto UCAS; it will be available as soon as you've properly registered your UCAS account online.

What happens if I miss the LNAT deadline?

Unfortunately if you miss the LNAT deadline for your application, any university which requires the LNAT will view your application as invalid and you won't be considered for a place. This is why it's important to plan both your revision and LNAT test date a few months in advance of your application date.

If you miss the Oxbridge deadline, you won't be considered for Cambridge or Oxford university. However, if you then complete the LNAT before the UCAS final deadline in January, you can still be considered for non-Oxbridge LNAT universities so long as your whole application is submitted in time.

Is the LNAT free?

The LNAT is not free to take and you should pay when booking. The fee for the test is separate to that for your UCAS application and cannot be paid for at the same. When booking a test slot via the LNAT website, you will be required to pay to secure your spot. Prices vary based on where you are sitting the test, not on where you live. For those sitting the LNAT in the UK/EU, tests will be charged at £75. For those sitting the LNAT outside of the UK/EU, there is a fee of £120 at booking.

More information regarding the specific payment methods is available on the LNAT website.