IMAT: International Medical Admissions Test
The IMAT is the entrance test for English-taught Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine at Italian public universities. It ran for the 2026/27 academic year; the arrangements for 2027/28 have not yet been published.
What it is and who sets it
A national paper-based multiple-choice entrance test for English-taught single-cycle degrees in Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine at Italian public universities. Applicants are ranked nationally by score. It still runs for the 2026/27 academic year. The 'semestre filtro' reform replaced the entrance test for the Italian-language courses only.
Set by: Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR), under a ministerial decree each year (D.M. n. 1005 of 6 August 2026 for 2026/27). CINECA publishes scores and compiles the national ranking for MUR. Registration is through the Universitaly portal.
Which universities and courses use it
Italian public universities offering English-taught Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry or Veterinary Medicine (list of sites and places in Tables A and B of D.M. 1005/2026)
- Medicine and Surgery (English-taught), e.g. Bologna, Catania, Messina, Florence
- Dentistry and Dental Prosthodontics (English-taught), where offered
- Veterinary Medicine (English-taught), where offered
Always confirm on the course page of each university you apply to.
Format, timing and scoring
- Paper-based; 60 multiple-choice questions, each with 5 options and one correct answer.
- 100 minutes.
- 4 reading skills and general knowledge questions; 5 logical reasoning / problem-solving questions; 23 biology; 15 chemistry; 13 physics and mathematics.
- Taken at test centres in Italy and abroad (sites listed in Table A of the decree).
Scoring: +1.5 for a correct answer, -0.4 for a wrong answer, 0 for a blank; maximum 90 points. Minimum score to enter the ranking: 20 points for EU and EU-equivalent candidates (and non-EU candidates treated as equivalent under art. 26 of Law 189/2002); non-EU candidates residing abroad need a score above zero and compete for a separate reserved quota.
Practising for the IMAT
- About 100 seconds per question: 60 questions in 100 minutes.
- Wrong answers lose 0.4 points and blanks score zero, so practise judging when to leave a question.
- Biology is the largest section (23 questions), then Chemistry (15) and Physics and Mathematics (13).
Start with the official format and practice material: the test owner's page (opens in a new tab). Then work through timed sections, full mock papers, and a review of every mistake.
How Quantum Pathways prepares students for the IMAT
Every student is taught by a mentor who scored in the top 10% in the test they teach.
Preparation starts with a diagnostic, so we know where your student stands. From there it is built around how they learn: introductory sessions on the paper, plenty of timed practice and mock papers, and extra resources matched to what they need.
An early start helps, but it has to fit the school curriculum: some topics in the test may not have been taught at school yet. We plan the preparation so each topic is covered before it is practised under time pressure.
Sources
Last checked 8 October 2026.
- MUR: Avviso del 26 agosto 2026 (rectification to D.M. 1005 of 6 August 2026, IMAT 2026/27)(opens in a new tab)
- Università di Catania: Call for applications, Medicine and Surgery (English) 2026/2027(opens in a new tab)
- Università di Messina: IMAT test info page(opens in a new tab)
- Università di Bologna: IMAT 2026 exam date announced(opens in a new tab)
- Università di Udine: Avviso semestre filtro Medicina 2026/27(opens in a new tab)
