Oxford and Cambridge History assessments: spot the difference
When applying to study history at Oxford and Cambridge, applicants are required to sit an assessment of their historical skills and faculties. This is a key part of the application process, and you can hear our unique insights into how to excel at both here.
History admissions tests at Oxbridge
Common to both Oxford and Cambridge is an assessment which is focused exclusively on the analysis and evaluation of primary sources. In each case, candidates are expected to focus on the source’s provenance and content, without any credit given for any contextual knowledge that the candidate brings to bear themselves. A candidate who is able to identify the historical significance of Bede’s Ecclesiastical History for our knowledge of early Anglo-Saxon England will not be preferred over their peer who is able to make reasonable, well-argued inferences from the source that they have in front of them. Quite the opposite.
Those academics setting the test are looking, ultimately, for the candidate who is attentive to detail and is willing to make suggestions as to the ambiguities of the source they are reading. The focus is not on knowledge, but on the following skills:
The ability to read carefully and critically
The adoption of an analytical approach;
The ability to answer a question relevantly;
Ability to handle concepts and select evidence to support points;
Originality and independence; and
Precision and clarity of writing.
Oxford: the Historical Aptitude Test
The Oxford Historical Aptitude Test (HAT) has been in place for many years, although it has gone through different iterations. It is given to prospective applicants for the following courses:
The assessment consists of a 60-minute source analysis, which the candidate completes and submits online in late October or early November. This test is separate from the Oxford interview process. During the assessment, the candidate will be given one extract from a primary source which they will have to analyse. Typically this is between 1000-1500 words in length, and will tend to focus on a period of history which falls outside the A-Level, IB and Pre-U curricula. Recent examples have included the Code Noir, a French document relating to slavery from 1685, and a letter between the king of Ceylon and the king of Portugal from 1541.
Typically the test paper will explain any references within the text which may serve as barriers to interpretation. The candidate will receive a score of between 0 and 100, with the majority falling into the 50-70 range. A score of 70+ is considered excellent, and will mark the candidate out at interview.
Cambridge: the History Admissions Assessment
Since 2016, Cambridge has used its own History Admissions Assessment (HAA) as part of its admissions process. It is required for the following subjects:
As with the Oxford HAT, the test also takes place online, though towards the end of November, and lasts 60 minutes. However, there are some colleges which do not require their applicants to sit the HAA. These include Churchill, Corpus Christi, Downing, Girton, Homerton, King's, and Trinity. Wolfson College also has its own admissions assessment.
The assessment, in format, is much the same as Oxford’s, except for one key difference. Instead of analysing one source, the candidate is given two shorter extracts of around 300-500 words each. The focus here is on comparing and contrasting the sources as they relate to a number of key themes.
Unlike the HAT, furthermore, the HAA test paper provides some suggestions as to the themes that the candidate may want to focus on when analysing the sources, to help structure their answer. Typically the assessment paper may suggest one or two themes, but will invite the candidate to discuss others.
Acing the Oxbridge History assessments
As stated above, the academics setting the HAT and HAA are not looking for knowledge. They are looking for keen attention to detail, as well as a response that answers the question effectively. The emphasis is also the on identification of opinion, attitude, purpose and inferred meaning rather than the retrieval of directly stated factual details. Whether applying for Oxford or Cambridge, the key to success is the same. Answers should interweave analysis of content and provenance within each paragraph. Candidates should not feel the need, necessarily, to give definitive answers on the basis of the source material. Asking the right questions can often be what demonstrates a candidate’s suitability to study at Oxford and Cambridge.
Example: This passage, written by Etienne Cabet as a fictional dialogue between two brothers, is able to escape the confines of the lived political reality of the author and thus gives an idealised vision of the author’s utopia. Nowhere is this more clear than in the author’s assertion that the ‘best restaurants and cafes of Paris are nothing’ compared to the meals delivered by the state in Cabet’s society. The impression we get is of an author writing a work of fiction, rather than espousing a view of how society should really be.
Non-Example: This work was written by Etienne Cabet. It is therefore likely to describe what Cabet thought was wrong in contemporary France. It states that the ‘best restaurants and cafes are nothing’ compared to the fare provided by the state in Cabet’s society. This is clearly not realistic, so it is unlikely that Cabet ever considered his utopia as a serious vision for how society should be.
HAA and HAT Tutoring at Chapkin Edwards
Here at Chapkin Edwards, we pride ourselves on hand-picking some of the best tutors in the industry. We have a high proportion of Oxbridge alumni on our tutoring roster who are more than happy to help prepare students for admissions tests across all subjects, as well as any other aspects of the UCAS application process. Our team of expert tutors is on hand to make your Oxbridge dreams a reality. Contact us to arrange your consultation now.
Practice papers
Ready to have a go? Here are the past papers for both Oxford and Cambridge: