What is the IMAT?
The International Medical Admissions Test (IMAT) is organised by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) and is the official entrance exam for international students who want to study medicine, surgery, dentistry or veterinary medicine in Italy. Your performance on this test is decisive, because the IMAT score is the main factor that determines whether you get in.
The exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions, each with 5 options, to be completed within a strict 100 minutes.
How the IMAT is scored
The maximum total score is 90 points. To be a competitive applicant, you generally need 50 to 65 points as an EU student, while non-EU students typically aim for 50 to 75 points.
The scoring system penalises guessing:
| Answer | Points |
|---|---|
| Correct | +1.5 |
| Incorrect | -0.4 |
| Left blank | 0 |
What the exam covers
The IMAT tests your foundation across several core scientific and analytical disciplines: biology, chemistry, physics, maths and logical reasoning. The official test specifications are usually released 1 to 3 months before the exam, but the structure stays highly consistent from year to year.
| Section | Questions |
|---|---|
| Reading skills and general knowledge acquired during studies | 4 |
| Problem solving and logical reasoning | 5 |
| Biology | 23 |
| Chemistry | 15 |
| Maths and physics | 13 |
As the table shows, most of the exam is science-based.
How to prepare
The competition is fierce, so your preparation strategy has to be solid.
The most important piece of advice is not to wait until the summer to start studying. Begin as early as you can. Knowing the theory is not enough either, so practise as much as possible and build timed practice into your routine. With enough repetition you will start to notice patterns in how the questions work.
When you gather your study materials, remember that quantity does not equal quality. It is far better to study two good books deeply than to skim through ten.
Recommended books
Biology
- Campbell Biology: A Global Approach, 11th edition (Pearson)
- Cambridge International AS & A Level Biology Coursebook
Chemistry
- Pearson Chemistry Higher Level
- Cambridge International AS & A Level Chemistry Coursebook
Maths and physics
- Mathematics Standard Level for the IB Diploma
- Cambridge IGCSE Physics, third edition
Practice and exercise books
- Medicina in lingua inglese
- Testbusters Medicina in inglese IMAT
- Alpha Test Medicina in inglese
How to apply
The administrative side of the IMAT matters just as much as the science.
Pre-enrolment opens around May and runs through the Universitaly portal. It is a mandatory online application for non-European citizens. During this phase the university checks your qualifications and informs your local Italian embassy that you are eligible for a student visa.
For pre-enrolment you need to submit:
- your passport
- a passport-style photo
- your high school diploma
- a full high school transcript
- proof of language proficiency
Exam registration opens after that and costs €150 to finalise your place.
Exam day falls in late September, either in Italy or at one of the test centres in more than 20 countries.
Good luck!
