Online preparation for the Test of Academic Reasoning for Admissions, the reasoning and writing test used for selected courses at Oxford and UCL.
TARA
TARA is a computer-based admissions test used by some of the UK's top universities to assess how well applicants think, argue and solve problems. It does not test school subject knowledge, so there is no syllabus to memorise. What matters is how clearly you reason under time pressure.
The test has three modules of 40 minutes each: Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and a Writing Task. It is taken at Pearson VUE test centres, including centres in the UAE, usually in October or January. Now Classes prepares students with live online sessions that train these thinking and writing skills step by step.
Live, board-specific TARA is required for selected undergraduate courses at the University of Oxford and UCL, mainly in the social sciences, humanities and related areas. Whether you need it depends on your university and course, so always check the course page before applying. Students from any curriculum, including CBSE, IB, British or American, can sit the test.
Test structure & where to sit it The first two modules are multiple-choice (22 questions each), testing how you evaluate arguments and solve unfamiliar problems. The third is a writing task where you choose one question out of three. Calculators are not allowed. In the UAE, the test is taken at Pearson VUE centres, and slots fill quickly, so book early on the official website.
Share your target university, course and test window so we can shape the right plan.
Pick a convenient day for a free 45-minute class on any TARA module.
Choose Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, the Writing Task or the full programme, and we'll pair you with a suitable tutor.
We share a timetable that fits around your school and your test date.
Learn to spot assumptions, weak evidence and flawed logic in short passages, the core skill behind Critical Thinking.
Build confidence with numbers, patterns and logic puzzles using mental maths and clean working methods.
Practise planning and writing a focused argument in 40 minutes, then get line-by-line comments on structure and clarity.
Get used to answering on-screen, in one continuous sitting, just like at a Pearson VUE centre.
Understand which courses ask for TARA, how it fits with your UCAS application and what to prepare alongside it.
Think out loud with your tutor and peers, defend your reasoning and learn to see questions from more than one side.
Tell us the curriculum, grade and subject u2014 we'll match your child with the right tutor and share a 45-minute trial slot. No card, no obligation.