Test rules
Are Calculators Allowed in ESAT?
No. Calculators are not permitted in the ESAT. That makes no-calculator fluency a core part of preparation, not a side skill.
Last checked against UAT-UK: . Rules on permitted materials come from the UAT-UK candidate handbook linked below. Confirm the current version before your sitting.
What you can use for working
At the test centre, candidates are given an erasable whiteboard or laminated sheet and a marker pen. Personal paper is not allowed. If the board or pen is not working properly, raise your hand and ask the invigilator to replace it.
The ESAT is computer-based, so the whiteboard is only for rough working. Answers are entered on screen.
The skills this changes
Without a calculator, these stop being background admin and become scoring skills.
Fraction simplification
Cancelling early instead of computing decimals.
Ratio manipulation
Scaling and sharing without setting up long algebra.
Percentage multipliers
Chaining changes in one step.
Estimation
Knowing roughly what the answer should be.
Powers and roots
Recognising squares, cubes and surd forms on sight.
Rearranging formulae
Getting to the required variable in one pass.
Unit conversion
Converting before the arithmetic, not after.
Checking answer size
Catching an order-of-magnitude slip immediately.
Three shortcuts worth automating
Each of these saves 30 seconds or more on a question that looks like arithmetic but is really method choice.
48 × 25 = 48 × 100 ÷ 4 = 1200 — multiply by 100 and divide by 4 rather than doing long multiplication.
A 20% increase followed by a 20% decrease gives 1.2 × 0.8 = 0.96, not 100%.
Doubling voltage at constant resistance quadruples power, because P ∝ V². No numbers required.
How to practise
Do short sessions often. Ten minutes of targeted no-calculator practice is usually more useful than one long session of random questions.
- Do a short timed set.
- Mark mistakes by type, not just right or wrong.
- Repeat the weak skill on its own.
- Move back to mixed ESAT-style questions to check it transferred.
The no-calculator practice guide covers which skills to train in which order.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bring my own paper into the ESAT?
No. UAT-UK says candidates are provided with an erasable whiteboard or laminated sheet and a marker pen. Personal pen and paper are not allowed in the test room.
Should I practise mental maths separately?
Yes, but it should connect to ESAT-style questions. Pure mental maths helps most when it transfers into ratios, formulae, graphs and science problems.
Make the arithmetic automatic
The goal is not to become a human calculator. It is to make routine manipulation cheap enough that your attention stays on the actual problem. Short, frequent drills do that better than long sessions.
Related guides
No-calculator practice
Speed and accuracy training for fractions, ratios and formulae.
What test day is like
Module timing, breaks, whiteboards, flagging and review screens.
Free calibration test
A short diagnostic that shows whether speed or accuracy is the issue.
ESAT Physics
Formula choice, units, graphs and proportional reasoning.
Sources
ESATCAMP is an independent preparation resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by UAT-UK, Pearson VUE or any university.