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STEP — Sixth Term Examination Paper

What it is. The hardest of these — the destination ceiling. It's a Cambridge offer condition, a Warwick alternative to the TMUA, and used by Imperial in some cases. It assumes A-level + Further Maths, so it's a target to build toward, not a now-test. (STEP 1 was discontinued in 2020; only STEP 2 and STEP 3 remain.)

Format & rules

  • STEP 2 = A-level Maths + AS Further Maths; STEP 3 = full Further Maths.
  • Each paper: 3 hours; 12 questions (8 pure, 2 mechanics, 2 statistics/probability).
  • You attempt as many as you like — only your best 6 count, each marked out of 20 → maximum 120.
  • No calculator. Full written, proof-style solutions (not multiple choice).
  • Grades: S, 1, 2, 3, U. A typical Cambridge offer is grade 1 in STEP 2 and STEP 3.

Where to get papers

  • STEP database / step.maths.org — the STEP Support Programme (free foundation modules, assignments, and guidance).
  • OCR (administers STEP) — official past papers.
  • MEI worked solutions (1996–2019); plus NRICH and Underground Mathematics.

How to sit it (mock protocol)

  1. 3-hour timer, no calculator, no notes. Plenty of blank paper.
  2. Read all 12 questions, then write full solutions to your best ~6.
  3. Mark against the published solutions — note this is subjective (proof marking), so it's a rough self-mark, not exact.

How to score & interpret

  • Marks out of 120 (best 6 × 20). Convert to a grade using that year's published boundaries (they vary by paper; grade 1 has historically been roughly the ~55–70/120 region, but check the specific year).
  • Only attempt once A-level + Further Maths content is in place — before that it will be near-impossible, and a low score says nothing useful. It is the bar that Cambridge/Warwick set, i.e. the thing the whole preparation is building toward.