The Oxford HAT (History Aptitude Test)

The HAT is mandatory for everyone applying to read an undergraduate degree in History at Oxford. The HAT is also necessary for those applying to History (Ancient and Modern), History and Economics, History and English, History and Modern Languages, and History and Politics. If that’s you, Think Tutors is here to help.

Cambridge History Admissions Assessment

For those of you who are interested in studying History at Cambridge the process is quite different, as it depends on the college to which you are applying. While some colleges may require applicants who are shortlisted for interviews to write a history admission assessment, others may not. For more information about the process and advice on how to excel you can contact us.

What is the Oxford HAT?

The HAT is a test of your historical thinking skills. It requires you to provide thoughtful reflections about a source without knowing about its context. As such, the HAT is not testing your substantive historical knowledge – so there’s no extra subject specific studying required – but it does measure the extent to which can think and write ‘historically’ about a source.

 

You might be asking yourself, what does thinking ‘historically’ mean exactly? It means being able to read a source carefully and critically; to adopt an analytical approach; to answer a question relevantly; to selectively use concepts and evidence to support an argument; to demonstrate originality and independent thinking—all while writing with precision and clarity.

 

This may sound like a lot to do on a test, but the following tips will help as a starting point, and our expert team of admissions specialists can help you excel toward the finishing line and beyond.

Get to know the HAT

The HAT is designed to challenge applications beyond their comfort zone. For that reason, you want to become familiar with the test format. This way you’re not surprised by its structure and style when you sit it. The best place to start is the HAT section of the Oxford website.

Mark schemes

As with any written test, you are writing for an audience. In this case it’s an admissions panel. Fortunately, you can know ahead of time how best to impress them by reading the mark schemes they use with examples from past papers. Become familiar with their expectations and practice accordingly.

Practice past papers

Speaking of practice, while each year’s test is unique, it follows the same format (first introduced in 2018). Practice, practice, practice. It’s essential for helping you become comfortable with unfamiliarity. But don’t just practice any old way. Access post-2018 past papers online and create test like conditions in your own home, limiting yourself to the allotted times. Review your answers according to the mark schemes and set yourself targets to help you succeed.

Review

While the HAT will likely give you a source from a period or place that you unfamiliar with, you can still look back over what you’ve learned since Year II and look for general themes and ‘big picture’ outlooks. Ask yourself what each topic was about? What changed during this period? Why did it change? How can you characterise the conflicts and movements that you studied? What caused them and how did they evolve or end? Ask yourself how you might describe the political, cultural, and religious life of the periods you studied?

Keep things clear

The HAT is not an exercise in rhetoric or eloquence. It tests your ability to write clearly, concisely, and cogently. Focus on writing precisely what you mean in a manner that is intelligible and informative. To that end, ask yourself important questions about the source, such as those relation to its creation, publication, and audience.

Take your time

It’s vital that you give yourself sufficient time in the test to read the source thoroughly, and for thinking and jotting down ideas along the way. The texts are supposed to be difficult, so don’t rush or become alarmed. Keep in mind that the different sections of the test are weighted differently. The first two questions are important, but they only account for 30% of your score, so ration your time accordingly.

Be yourself

The HAT is meant to test your analytical and writing skills. It is not an exercise in quoting from a source. Use your own words, paraphrasing where possible rather than quoting. This is important because the examiners want to be sure that you have correctly understood the material. At the same time, they are interested in learning about your own ideas, even if no teacher or book has offered something similar. Don’t be afraid to write what you think.

Partner with Think Tutors

Our team of leading tutors, mentors, specialists and education directors are not only experts in university admissions, but are also drawn from many of the best universities in the world, including Oxford. We offer bespoke assistance to match your unique needs and personal schedule and we can help you to excel in your university admissions and beyond.