Is the MAT and STEP a 100% must for maths at aspirational universities

Hello. I wanted to know if Imperial and LSE give out offers if you’ve done Further Mathematics and decided not to write the MAT or STEP for Mathematics with Statistics for Finance(at imperial) and Mathematics with Economics(at LSE). Will they not even give you maybe a 4A*s conditional offer? I know they say it’s not compulsory to take the tests but realistically can you still get in without writing them at all?

MAT/STEP is compulsory for imperial and isnt used for LSE. LSE accepts the TMUA with a reduced offer for 6.5 and above but its optional.

If u applied for imperial this year and did not write the MAT/STEP this year, can imperial give you a conditional offer that include STEP/MAT requirements that you’ll have to write next year or is it straight rejection if you didn’t take those tests this year?
Thanks for the reply by the way.

MAT happened during october this year and STEP is taken in the summer next year. If you applied after the MAT thats fine, theyll consider your application and if you get an offer it will probably be with a grade 2 at least in STEP.
MAT can get rid of STEP condition if you do well but most people end up getting a STEP condition as well.