Fazlur Rahman
Quick Answer
IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test) is the entrance exam for English-taught medical and dental programs at Italian public universities. The 2026 format: 100 minutes, 60 multiple-choice questions (5 options each) in Biology (18), Chemistry (12), Physics (8), Mathematics (8), General Knowledge (4), and Logical Reasoning (10). Scoring: +1.5 correct, -0.4 wrong, 0 blank. Top universities require 50+ score. Cost EUR 130 single, EUR 200 for two programmes (Cambridge Assessment, September 2026). Last verified: 12 September 2026.
What IMAT is and who it is for
IMAT is developed and administered by Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing (CAAT) on behalf of the Italian Ministry of Education (Mur). It is required for non-EU and EU students applying to English-taught MD (6-year) and dentistry (6-year) programs at Italian public universities. The test is held once a year, typically in mid-September, at centres worldwide (including London, Dublin, and several US cities) (CAAT, September 2026). Italian medical schools are a popular choice for international students because tuition is dramatically lower than US/UK medical schools (EUR 1,500-4,000/year for non-EU students vs GBP 40,000+ in the UK), English-medium instruction removes the Italian-language barrier for international students, EU-degree recognition means graduates can practise across the EU (and apply to US/UK via the standard routes), and Italy has a long tradition of medical education (Bologna, Padua, Milan, Pavia all have 500+ year histories). Top English-taught programs (2026): University of Milan, University of Bologna, University of Padua, Sapienza University of Rome, University of Pavia, University of Turin, University of Naples Federico II, University of Messina, University of Bari, University of Parma, University of Catania, Humanitas University (private).
IMAT 2026 question structure
| Section | Questions | Time | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Knowledge | 4 | Embedded in 100 min | ~7% |
| Logical Reasoning | 10 | Embedded in 100 min | ~17% |
| Biology | 18 | Embedded in 100 min | ~30% |
| Chemistry | 12 | Embedded in 100 min | ~20% |
| Physics | 8 | Embedded in 100 min | ~13% |
| Mathematics | 8 | Embedded in 100 min | ~13% |
| Total | 60 | 100 minutes | 100% |
Scoring: +1.5 per correct, -0.4 per wrong, 0 per blank. Maximum score: 90. The negative marking means random guessing is a small loss; strategic blanking of hard questions is the right approach. Average correct ratio needed to score 50+ (a typical top-school cutoff): about 40-42 correct out of 60 (CAAT, September 2026).
Top programs and 2025 cutoffs (non-EU applicants)
| University | 2025 cutoff (non-EU) | Program | Places (non-EU) |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Milan | ~55/90 | MD, 6 years | ~30 |
| University of Bologna (Alma Mater Studiorum) | ~52/90 | MD, 6 years | ~40 |
| University of Padua | ~50/90 | MD, 6 years | ~30 |
| Sapienza University of Rome | ~48/90 | MD, 6 years | ~50 |
| University of Pavia (Humanitas partnership) | ~48/90 | MD, 6 years | ~80 (English track) |
| University of Turin | ~45/90 | MD, 6 years | ~30 |
| University of Naples Federico II | ~42/90 | MD, 6 years | ~30 |
| University of Parma | ~40/90 | MD, 6 years | ~30 |
| University of Bari | ~38/90 | MD, 6 years | ~30 |
| University of Messina | ~35/90 | MD, 6 years | ~30 |
EU applicants compete in a separate, lower-scoring pool. Non-EU cutoffs are the competitive threshold for international (UK, US, Asian) applicants. The most competitive schools (Milan, Bologna, Padua) require 50+; less competitive (Messina, Catania) accept 35-40 (CAAT, September 2026).
Application and registration
- March-April 2026 — register for IMAT on the Universitaly portal (universitaly.it), create an account, pay the EUR 130 single-programme fee or EUR 200 for two programmes.
- April 2026 — also submit the "consular declaration of value" (Dichiarazione di Valore) for your secondary school diploma through the Italian consulate in your home country.
- Mid-September 2026 — sit IMAT at your assigned test centre (results available within 3-4 weeks).
- October 2026 — receive your IMAT score, rank your preferred programmes on Universitaly.
- October-November 2026 — admissions decisions published on Universitaly. If admitted, accept the offer and apply for your student visa.
Application timeline is tight — most candidates begin the registration process in March, sit IMAT in September, and start university in October the same year (CAAT, September 2026).
12-week study plan
| Weeks | Focus | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 | Biology content review (Campbell Biology, chapters 1-30) | 30 |
| 4-5 | Chemistry content review (Atkins, chapters 1-12) | 20 |
| 6 | Physics content review (Halliday, mechanics + electromagnetism) | 15 |
| 7 | Mathematics review (algebra, trigonometry, calculus basics) | 10 |
| 8-10 | IMAT past papers (2011-2024, all available, under timed conditions) | 30 |
| 11 | Targeted review of weakest section (usually logical reasoning or physics) | 15 |
| 12 | Final 2-3 full mock exams + light review | 15 |
| Total | 135 hours over 12 weeks | 135 |
The single most important resource is the official IMAT past papers (2011-2024 are publicly available on the Cambridge Assessment website, free). Candidates who work through all 14 past papers typically score 8-12 points higher than those who rely on content review alone (CAAT, September 2026).
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The five mistakes candidates most commonly make on IMAT: (1) treating the negative marking as trivial — leaving 15-20 hard questions blank is the right strategy, but random guessing on the rest still costs ~0.4 per question, (2) running out of time on Biology (the largest section at 18 questions) — practise a 25-minute Biology cap, (3) underestimating the Logical Reasoning and General Knowledge sections (the "easy" 14 questions) — these are free points but require vocabulary and current-events reading that takes 4-6 weeks to build, (4) ignoring the application timeline — applications close in April for the September test, and missing the deadline means losing a full year, (5) choosing the wrong university rank list — most candidates under-rank their safety options and over-rank competitive programmes like Milan and Bologna. The fix: take 2-3 full practice tests under timed conditions by week 8, allocate a fixed 25 minutes per section, read a news source daily for the General Knowledge section, and rank 6-8 programmes including 2-3 "safety" options (CAAT, September 2026).
Next steps
For UK teacher qualification, see our UK QTS skills test guide. For Australian traffic-controller licensing, see our AU traffic controller licence guide.
