IMAT 2026: The Complete Updated Guide | Studying Medicine in Italy

Dec 8, 2025 | Syndication Cloud

Originally Posted On: https://www.imatbuddy.com/imat-2026-the-complete-updated-guide-studying-medicine-in-italy/

What is the IMAT?

The International Medical Admissions Test (IMAT) is an official exam that allows admission to English-language public medical schools in Italy. Unlike in many other countries, candidates are not ranked based on their high school grades, cover letters, interviews or any subjective measures. The score on the IMAT is the sole criterion that determines whether you will receive an offer to medical school, assuming you meet the eligibility requirements.

By passing the IMAT, you open up the chance to study the following degrees in Italian public universities

  • Medicine and Surgery
  • Medicine and Surgery + Biomedical Engineering double degree
  • Dentistry
  • Veterinary Medicine

Outside of Italy, Pirogov Medical University in Russia also has the right to conduct the IMAT.

 

IMAT 2026 Date

The IMAT is usually held in mid-September, with it occurring on the 17th of September for the past two years. While exact dates can change, you should expect the date to be close to this for the time being. Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for updates on when the official IMAT 2026 date is announced!

 

IMAT 2026 Format

The IMAT was written until 2023 through a collaboration between MUR and Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing. From 2023 onwards, the test is solely conducted by MUR.

The test specifications for the IMAT are usually announced 1 to 3 months before the test day; thus, we will need to confirm the test format later in 2026. For now, you should expect the following question allocations:

  • 4 questions in Reading Skills and Knowledge Acquired During Studies
  • 5 questions in Problem Solving and Logical Reasoning
  • 23 questions in Biology
  • 15 questions in Chemistry
  • 13 questions in Math and Physics

There are 60 questions in total, with 100 minutes to complete the test. The test is pen and paper-based, with all questions being multiple choice with 5 options to choose from.

The total score is out of 90. Marks are awarded as follows…

  • 1.5 marks for a correct answer
  • -0.4 marks for an incorrect answer
  • 0 marks for no answer

 

IMAT Test Instructions

Every year, we hear of students who did not get their tests correctly validated due to misunderstanding the rules. Do not let this be you! It is very important to understand the rules of the test and how to fill out the various papers you will be given.

You can read more about the IMAT Test Day instructions.

Test Taking Procedure

While everyone knows that it is essential to study for the IMAT, a lot of students forget that answering the paper in the prescribed way is paramount to getting their paper validated.

Make sure to familiarise yourself with the instructions of the test well in advance. It can be very stressful if you are trying to figure out the rules on the test day

The candidate data sheet is used to assign your answer sheet and paper to your profile, ensuring that what you fill out will be associated with you. When instructed, you should complete the data sheet, but you must not sign it yet. If you sign it, notify the invigilator and request a replacement. Take a look at a sample IMAT 2025 Candidate Data Sheet below.

When the test starts, you can start reading the exam paper and start filling in the multiple-choice answers on the answer sheet. Take a look at a sample 2025 IMAT Answer Sheet

You MUST answer the questions on the dedicated answer sheet and only in the way prescribed below! Simply marking questions your own way will not do, and MUR will not accept any excuses for why you did not fill out the sheet correctly

Helpful tips

  • When you have solved a question, fill in the answer sheet question directly. We often hear of students who like to wait until the end of the test to mark the correct answers, but many students report running out of time and thus leaving answers blank on the answer sheet. The answers you leave blank will thus be awarded zero points.
  • Be aware that filling in the sheets is often part of the associated test time (100 minutes). Do not let this stress you out on the day!
  • If you are Italian, you must enter your codice fiscale in the required field of the candidate data sheet. You will thus need to have it memorised in advance.

 

IMAT 2026 Syllabus

A strange thing about the IMAT is that the official syllabus is only announced a few months prior to the exam. However, the syllabus generally remains unchanged. You can thus assume that the syllabus will be the same as the previous year. We will post updates if anything should be added or removed.

IMAT 2026 Language Requirements

The IMAT is conducted in English, and you should thus be able to speak English to take the test successfully. It is not possible to take the test in any other language.

A language certificate is not required to sit the test. However, you may need one ready to enrol at your university later. Some consulates require it for the visa as well (for non-EU candidates). Check out our article Studying Medicine in Italy: Language Requirements.

EU vs Non-Candidates

An important concept to understand is the difference between EU and non-EU candidates for the IMAT. Your place in either category determines a lot about your application process, grading requirements, university choices and more. To read more about how this impacts you and what your status is, read our article Studying Medicine in Italy as an International Student: EU vs Non-EU Students.

Applying to Italian Public Medical Schools

Registering for the IMAT is just one step you need to complete. For our guide on how to apply successfully to public medical universities in Italy, check out the link below.

IMAT 2026 Test Centres

The IMAT can be taken in a variety of countries. While the list of countries does not change year to year (usually), the cities and test centres can be subject to change. We will update you on our newsletter when it is announced.

Take a look at the IMAT test centres and country locations for the previous year:

Important notes for students booking a test venue!

  • Certain countries’ test centres fill up almost immediately! If you plan to take the test in one of these countries, it is critical that you book the test as soon as registrations open! The most common ones to fill up quickly are
    • India
    • Turkey
    • Hong Kong
    • UAE
  • If you can’t take the test in your home country, you might need a short-term visa for the country where you wish to take the test. Make sure to plan this well in advance, as the IMAT registrations have lately opened very close to the actual test day
  • If you take the test in Italy, you must take the test in the same city as your first-choice university!
  • The website where you register for the test often crashes shortly after registrations open. If you plan to take the test in a country where seats are limited, it is imperative that you do so as quickly as possible.

 

IMAT Analysis

Pre 2023 IMAT Papers

Prior to 2023, the IMAT was run by Cambridge. These papers were, in general, quite predictable regarding entry scores, with a 50+ being considered a safe score for EUs and non-EUs. The papers generally asked 1-2 questions on a single topic for each section.

2023 IMAT Paper

This was the first time the IMAT was run solely by MUR. However, not much changed compared to the Cambridge style. For a deep dive on what the paper asked about, take a look at our IMAT 2023 analysis:

2024 IMAT Paper

The 2024 paper was a huge deviation from the standard IMAT format.

  • Critical Thinking is no longer featured in the Logical Reasoning section.
  • Biology had a far simpler layout, and the question difficulty was far lower
  • Chemistry, Physics and Math also had a simpler layout, even if the questions were not as easy as the biology section

Overall, this resulted in the most dramatic hike in cutoffs in the history of the IMAT

Take a look at a more detailed description of the IMAT 2024 past paper:

2025 IMAT Paper

The 2025 paper was fairly similar in its layout to the 2024 paper. However, the question difficulty was definitely more in line with the pre-2024 papers, which resulted in a more standard and fair examination of student competencies.

One thing that was quite shocking was the fact that certain topics in Biology were asked about multiple times. Cellular respiration, for instance, had 7 questions! This shows the importance of mastering high-yield topics.

For a deeper understanding of the IMAT 2025 past papers, check out our detailed article:

What to Expect for the 2026 IMAT

With the IMAT changing seemingly every year, students are understandably confused and do not know what to expect. The following are good to take into account:

  • IMAT questions tend to be simpler in their wording than the Cambridge style. While this does not necessarily mean easier questions, it does often result in quicker question solving.
  • The new MUR style of questions is the most likely for 2026, but remember that MUR has written Cambridge-style questions in 2023 as well. Be prepared for both styles.
  • The fact that questions can be solved faster on average means that students are more likely to finish the exam than during the Cambridge era. You thus should not aim to skip entire sections
  • Difficulty can vary each year. You thus should not assume a repeat of the previous year’s test. You need to be prepared to handle easy, medium and difficult tests
  • More people take the IMAT year after year. It is thus wise to assume more fierce competition as opposed to aiming for ¨safe scores¨ from previous years.

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