Abstract A survey was conducted of the test anxiety of 154 second year students of a variety of subjects at a new British university. Half of the sample were studying on conventionally structured degree courses and half on newly semesterised degree courses. It was found that students on semesterised arts and science courses exhibited higher levels of test anxiety than did their counterparts on conventional courses but no such difference was observed for social science and business (including law) students. This finding is contrary to predictions based on a desensitisation model which would predict an attenuation of test anxiety as a result of more frequent testing under semesterised arrangements. A case is made that the character of assessment procedures, and possibly also students’ previous experience of the outcomes of assessment, contribute to an increase in test anxiety in the short to medium term. Any effects of desensitisation may only be evident in the longer term and may be opposed by other factor...