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IMAT Exam: Complete Guide for Studying Medicine in Italy in English

If you want to study Medicine, Dentistry or Veterinary Medicine in Italy in English, you will almost certainly meet the IMAT exam.

The International Medical Admissions Test (IMAT) is a national, standardised exam in English used to select students for a limited number of public medical programmes taught in English in Italy. It is still required even after the reform of Italian-taught Medicine, which replaced the old TOLC-MED with the new “filter semester”. That reform does not apply to English-taught courses, so IMAT remains the selection method for these programmes.

This guide explains:

  • what the IMAT exam is and how it works today,
  • its structure, scoring and timing,
  • who needs to take it,
  • how IMAT fits into the new Italian Medicine system,
  • and how you can start preparing effectively.

1. What is the IMAT exam?

The IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test) is:

  • a pen-and-paper, multiple-choice exam,
  • written entirely in English,
  • used for admission to certain public Italian universities that offer Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry and, from 2025, some Veterinary Medicine places in English.

It is organised each year by the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research (MUR), currently without Cambridge Assessment, though the format is still based on the original joint specification.

Key facts in one glance

  • Format: 60 multiple-choice questions, 5 options each
  • Duration: 100 minutes
  • Language: English
  • Subjects: Reading & General Knowledge, Logic, Biology, Chemistry, Physics & Mathematics
  • Scoring: maximum 90 points, with +1.5 / –0.4 / 0 marking scheme
  • When: usually one test day in mid-September (e.g. 17 September 2024 and 17 September 2025)
  • Where: test centres in Italy and in certified locations worldwide
  • Registration: online via Universitaly within a short window announced in the official ministerial decree

2. IMAT exam structure: sections and question breakdown

For the current IMAT (2024–2025 decrees), the structure is:

  • Total: 60 questions, 100 minutes
  • Sections:
  1. Reading Skills & General Knowledge – 4 questions
    • short texts and cultural/ethical/political questions
    • tests your ability to understand written English and connect information
  2. Logical Reasoning & Problem Solving – 5 questions
    • puzzles, patterns, arguments, data interpretation
    • measures abstract reasoning and critical thinking
  3. Biology – 23 questions
    • cell biology, genetics, molecular biology, physiology, anatomy, ecology
  4. Chemistry – 15 questions
    • general and organic chemistry, stoichiometry, solutions, bonds, periodic table
  5. Physics & Mathematics – 13 questions
    • algebra, equations and inequalities, probability, geometry, kinematics, basic dynamics, thermodynamics

All questions are single-best-answer multiple choice; only one option is correct.

The test paper is not split by time blocks: you have 100 minutes total and can move freely between questions, answering in any order you like.

3. Scoring and minimum thresholds

IMAT uses a negative marking scheme:

  • Correct answer: +1.5 points
  • Wrong answer: –0.4 points
  • No answer: 0 points

The maximum score is therefore:

60 × 1.5 = 90 points

At the end you receive:

  • a total score out of 90,
  • and a section breakdown (Biology, Chemistry, Physics & Maths, Logic, Reading & General Knowledge).

Minimum scores

According to the recent decrees:

  • EU candidates and non-EU residents in Italy:
    • must score at least 20 points to be considered.
  • Non-EU candidates resident abroad:
    • must score above 0 to appear in their ranking (in practice, competitive scores are much higher).

Tie-breaking

In case of a tie in total score, candidates are ranked based on:

  1. higher Biology score, then
  2. Chemistry,
  3. Physics & Mathematics,
  4. Logic,
  5. Reading & General Knowledge,
    followed by language certifications and, if needed, the younger candidate by date of birth.

4. IMAT, the Medicine reform and who needs this exam

Italy recently introduced a major reform for Medicine taught in Italian:
traditional entrance tests (including TOLC-MED) were abolished, and replaced with an open “filter semester” where everyone can enrol, then selection happens after common exams in the first term.

Crucially:

This reform does not apply to Medicine programmes taught in English.

For public universities with English-taught Medicine, Dentistry and some Veterinary Medicine, IMAT remains the official selection test and is still run as a single national exam in English, with quotas for each university.

So you need the IMAT test if you are applying to:

  • Medicine and Surgery (English) at universities like Milan (IMS), Pavia, Rome “La Sapienza”, Bari, Messina, Turin, etc.
  • Dentistry programmes taught in English at certain public universities,
  • and, from 2025, some Veterinary Medicine places in English when listed in the decree.

Private universities (Humanitas, San Raffaele, Cattolica, UniCamillus, MEDTEC, etc.) continue to use their own admission tests, not IMAT.

Always check:

  • the annual ministerial decree for IMAT, and
  • the call for applications on each university’s website,

to see which programmes accept IMAT, how many places there are, and the exact calendar.

5. IMAT dates, registration and test centres

While exact dates change each year, the pattern is stable:

  • Test day: mid-September (for 2024 and 2025, it is on 17 September).
  • Duration: 100 minutes (usually starting at 11:00 in Italy, with times adjusted abroad).
  • Registration: about 1–2 weeks in late August / early September via the Universitaly portal, where you:
    • create an account,
    • select the universities in your preference order,
    • choose your test centre,
    • pay the IMAT fee.

Test locations

IMAT is offered:

  • at Italian universities hosting English-taught Medicine, and
  • at certified centres worldwide (e.g. London, Paris, Athens, São Paulo, Toronto, Tel Aviv, multiple Asian cities – exact list changes yearly).

You choose a centre when you register; each centre has limited places, so it’s wise to register early in the window.

6. IMAT rankings and quotas

IMAT has a national dimension: all candidates sit the same exam on the same day, and the Ministry produces central rankings.

Recent decrees use this logic:

  • Two national rankings for:
    • EU citizens and equivalent candidates
    • non-EU citizens resident in Italy
  • Separate rankings for non-EU citizens resident abroad (managed by each university, but still based on IMAT scores).

Each public university has:

  • a total number of places,
  • divided into EU/equivalent and non-EU abroad quotas.

When you register, you rank your preferred universities; the combination of your IMAT score + quota + preference order determines whether and where you get a place.

Because places for English-taught Medicine are limited and competition is strong, serious preparation is essential.

7. How hard is the IMAT exam really?

IMAT is designed to discriminate among very strong candidates – not just to check basic knowledge.

Common difficulties:

  • fast reading and logical reasoning under time pressure,
  • dense Biology and Chemistry questions that mix multiple topics,
  • Physics & Maths questions for students who haven’t done much science recently,
  • exam stress: 100 minutes for 60 questions with negative marking.

You don’t need to know all of first-year medicine, but you do need:

  • a solid high-school level in Biology, Chemistry, and at least basic Physics/Maths,
  • strong reasoning and problem-solving habits,
  • and familiarity with the IMAT question style.

8. How to start preparing for IMAT

Here’s a sensible roadmap for most international students.

Step 1 – Learn the format

Before anything else, you should be able to answer from memory:

  • How many questions and minutes?
  • How are questions divided by subject?
  • What is the +1.5 / –0.4 / 0 scoring rule?
  • What minimum score do you need for your category?

Read the latest ministerial decree and at least one university page (e.g. University of Milan IMS) carefully.

Step 2 – Do a diagnostic test

Use one recent past paper (2024 or 2023) and simulate the real conditions:

  • 60 questions, 100 minutes,
  • black pen, answer sheet, no calculator,
  • apply the official scoring afterwards.

Then analyse:

  • Which section is lowest?
  • Are you running out of time, or losing marks through rushed guessing?
  • Are there big gaps in core Biology/Chemistry content?

Step 3 – Build a study plan

Rough guidance:

  • If you already have strong science and logic: 3–4 months of focused IMAT practice.
  • If your science is rusty or you come from a non-science track: 6–9 months with a heavier focus on building the basics.

Focus more time on:

  • Biology and Chemistry (together they are 38 questions),
  • Physics & Mathematics if you’re weak there,
  • plus at least weekly drills for Logic and Reading & GK.

Step 4 – Mix content study with timed practice

Good IMAT preparation is a mix of:

  • Content review (textbooks, notes, targeted explanations),
  • Past papers and full simulations,
  • learning to strategise under negative marking (when to skip, when to guess).

A common approach is:

  • 2–3 months of content-heavy study with shorter question sets,
  • then 1–2 months of heavy mock exam practice, adjusting strategy.

9. IMAT preparation with polimitestprep

At polimitestprep, we specialise in entrance tests for Italian universities – from ARCHED and TIL-A for Architecture to CEnT-S and TIL-I for Engineering – and now we also help students who want to enter Medicine in Italy in English through IMAT.

Our IMAT preparation course is taught entirely in English and is designed for international students who:

  • want a clear 6-month plan,
  • need structured support in Biology, Chemistry, Physics/Maths and Logic,
  • and appreciate small-group, live online lessons with personalised feedback.

Considering studying by yourself? Here’s our guide for a clear 3–6 month, step-by-step plan tailored for international students.

If you’re interested in preparing for the IMAT exam with us, check out our course catalogue here.

IMAT Exam After the Italian Medicine Reform: Do You Still Need It?

If you’ve been following the news about Medicine in Italy, you’ve probably seen headlines like “Entrance tests abolished” or “Free access to Medicine”.

Understandably, a lot of students have panicked:

“If Italy scrapped medical school admission tests… does that mean the IMAT exam is gone too?”

Short answer: No. You still need the IMAT exam if you want to study Medicine in Italy in English.
The recent reform mainly affects Italian-taught Medicine, which now uses a so-called filter semester instead of a classic entrance test. The reform does not apply to English-taught programmes, where IMAT remains the selection method. Università degli Studi di Messina+1

In this article we’ll untangle:

  • what actually changed with the reform,
  • what stayed exactly the same,
  • and when & why you still need to sit the IMAT.

1. What changed: the “filter semester” for Medicine in Italian

Until recently, admission to Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine in Italian was based on classic entrance tests (TOLC-MED or previous national tests).

With the new reform:

  • traditional tests have been abolished for Italian-taught programmes,
  • students can now access a first semester “open to all”, often called the filter semester,
  • selection happens after that first semester, based on the results of a set of common exams taken by everyone. Università degli Studi di Messina+2University of Brescia+2

So instead of competing in a single test before university, students:

  1. Enrol in the filter semester of Medicine and a related degree,
  2. Follow classes and sit a series of exams,
  3. Are ranked nationally on the basis of their exam results,
  4. Only those high enough in the ranking can continue in Medicine; others may continue in related degrees using the credits they’ve earned.

This is a big structural change for Italian-taught Medicine. But here’s the key:

All official documents and university statements clearly specify that this reform does not apply to English-taught Medicine programmes. Università degli Studi di Messina+1

Which leads us to the IMAT.

2. What did not change: IMAT for Medicine in English

For Medicine and Surgery in English, taught at public Italian universities, the selection test is still the IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test).

Universities and major prep providers keep repeating the same point:

  • The reform concerns only Italian-language courses.
  • English-taught programmes keep the usual admission test.

Recent updates confirm that:

  • The IMAT 2025 is scheduled for 17 September 2025.
  • The Ministry (MUR) has explicitly re-confirmed that the exam will take place and remains the selection method for medicine in English.

So if you are aiming for public Medicine in English in Italy, you still need to:

  1. Register for the IMAT via the Universitaly portal during the official window,
  2. Sit the exam on the appointed date,
  3. Compete in the national ranking based on your IMAT score. polimitestprep+1

No filter semester. No automatic open access. Just the classic one test, one shot per year system.

3. Which programmes require IMAT in 2025–2026?

IMAT is used by a cluster of public universities that offer Medicine, and in some cases Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine, in English. These typically include:

  • University of Milan (International Medical School)
  • Pavia
  • Rome “La Sapienza”
  • Turin
  • Bari
  • Messina
  • and others, plus from 2025 some Veterinary Medicine courses in English as specified in the latest decree. polimitestprep+1

The exact list can change slightly each year, so you should always check:

  • the yearly IMAT ministerial decree, and
  • the call for applications on each university’s website.

Important distinction:

  • Public universities in English = IMAT
  • Private universities like Humanitas, San Raffaele, Cattolica, UniCamillus, MEDTEC, etc. use their own tests, not IMAT. polimitestprep+1

So if your dream is “Medicine in Italy in English, paying public-university fees”, IMAT is still your gatekeeper.

4. IMAT exam structure & scoring (what you’re actually taking)

Despite the reform for Italian courses, the IMAT structure itself hasn’t changed in any dramatic way in the recent decrees:

  • 60 multiple-choice questions
  • 5 options each, 1 correct
  • 100 minutes total time
  • All in English
  • Sections covering Reading & General Knowledge, Logical Reasoning, Biology, Chemistry, Physics & Mathematics

Scoring remains:

  • +1.5 points for each correct answer
  • –0.4 points for each wrong answer
  • 0 points for blank answers
  • Maximum score: 90 points

Rankings are built on this score, with separate national lists for different categories of candidates (EU/equivalent, some non-EU in Italy, and separate local rankings for non-EU abroad). TestBuddy+1

None of this was removed or replaced by the filter semester. It’s simply a different system for a different set of programmes.

5. Should you still prepare seriously for IMAT?

Absolutely, yes.

In some ways, the reform makes IMAT even more attractive:

  • For Italian-taught Medicine, students now have to spend one semester at university, sit several exams, and only then find out if they can continue in Medicine. University of Brescia+1
  • For English-taught Medicine, you still have a single, centralised exam once a year. If you score high enough, you know from the start that you have a place.

So IMAT remains:

  • Time-efficient: one test, one ranking.
  • International: you can sit it from many centres worldwide.
  • Transparent: the marking system and the rankings are publicly defined.

If your long-term plan is to become a doctor and study in English, it is still worth putting serious effort into IMAT preparation rather than waiting to see if the system changes again.

6. How to navigate the new landscape as an international student

Here’s a simple decision tree you can share with yourself (or your students):

  1. Do you want to study Medicine in Italian?
  2. Do you want to study Medicine in English at a public university in Italy?
  3. Do you want Medicine in English at a private Italian university?
    • You don’t take IMAT, but you must sit the specific private test for each university.

For many international students, the public IMAT route is still the most attractive combination of:

  • lower tuition fees,
  • English-language teaching,
  • and the chance to live in Italy.

7. Where to get accurate, up-to-date information (without panic)

Because the reform is complex and evolving, rumours spread fast. Some websites have even claimed that “IMAT is cancelled”, which is simply not what the official documents say.

You should always cross-check:

  • Official decrees and university pages (MUR, Universitaly, university sites)
  • Trusted explanatory articles that clearly cite those decrees

8. How to start preparing if you’re aiming for IMAT

Given that the exam is confirmed and the structure is stable, a solid preparation path usually includes:

  • Understanding the format (sections, scoring, timing) before anything else.
  • Doing a diagnostic mock under timed conditions to see your baseline.
  • Building a study plan that balances:
    • content (especially Biology & Chemistry, but don’t ignore Physics/Maths),
    • logical reasoning practice,
    • timed past papers and simulations.
  • Starting early enough: many successful candidates study 3–6 months with regular practice.

You can self-study, of course. But if you prefer a structured path with guidance, feedback and a group of serious classmates, you might look into a live online IMAT preparation course in English like the one we run at polimitestprep.

Final thought

The Italian Medicine reform made headlines about scrapping entrance tests—but for Medicine in English, the reality is simpler:

  • IMAT is still here.
  • It’s still the gatekeeper to public Medicine in English in Italy.
  • And for many international students, that’s good news: the path is clear, predictable, and based on one standardised exam instead of a long, uncertain filter semester.

So if your dream is a white coat, Italian coffee and lectures in English… IMAT is still the exam you should be preparing for.

Considering studying by yourself? Here’s our guide for a clear 3–6 month, step-by-step plan tailored for international students.

If you’re interested in preparing for the IMAT exam with us, check out our course catalogue here.

Top 10 Mistakes Students Make When Preparing for the IMAT Exam

The IMAT exam has a reputation for being mysterious and brutal: 60 questions, 100 minutes, international competition, one session per year.

But a lot of people don’t fail IMAT because it’s “impossible”.
They fail because they prepare in completely the wrong way.

In this article, I’ll walk you through the 10 most common IMAT prep mistakes I see from students, and what to do instead. If you want a more technical breakdown of the test itself (structure, scoring, sections), you can keep a tab open with a complete IMAT exam guide and read this alongside it.

1. Treating IMAT as “just another science test”

Many students think IMAT is basically:

“High-school Biology + Chemistry + some random questions.”

So they cram content, ignore everything else, and then are surprised when they get destroyed by time pressure, logic questions, and negative marking.

IMAT is not just “what you know”. It’s:

  • how fast you can extract information from a question,
  • how well you reason under stress,
  • how you handle a penalty for wrong answers,
  • and how you manage 60 questions in 100 minutes.

Do instead:
From the beginning, see IMAT as a full exam system, not just a science syllabus.
Your prep should always combine:

  • content (Bio, Chem, Phys/Maths),
  • logic and reading practice,
  • timing and exam strategy.

2. Ignoring Logic and Reading & GK completely

Logic and Reading/General Knowledge questions are often the ones students “hope will go away”.

You’ll hear this a lot:

“I’ll focus on Biology and Chemistry first, then if I have time I’ll do a bit of Logic at the end.”

Translation: “I’ll never seriously train Logic, then I’ll blame it on bad luck.”

The truth:

  • Logic and reading questions are very trainable.
  • Even a modest improvement here can add several points to your score.
  • Those extra points can easily be the difference between “no offer” and “a place at a top university”.

Do instead:
From Week 1:

  • Do small regular sets of Logic questions (5–10 questions, 3–4 times a week).
  • Practise reading short texts and answering questions quickly.
  • Learn the basic types: strengthen/weaken, assumptions, conclusions, simple problem-solving.

Logic is like a muscle: ignore it and it stays weak.

3. Leaving Physics & Maths for the last minute (or never)

A classic:

“I’m bad at Physics and Maths, so I’ll skip them and hope the Bio/Chem questions are enough.”

You may not need a perfect Physics/Maths score, but:

  • The exam will give you free-ish points if you’re even moderately competent.
  • A student who grabs an extra 3–5 points in Phys/Maths can jump ahead of hundreds of people in the ranking.

And Physics/Maths on IMAT is rarely extreme: it’s more about clean, basic applications than super-advanced theory.

Do instead:

  • In your Foundation Phase, schedule at least one session per week for Phys/Maths.
  • Focus on core things:
    • kinematics, Newton’s laws, work/energy, basic electricity;
    • algebra, fractions, ratios, simple probability.
  • In the Exam Phase, keep doing timed question sets in these topics so they become routine.

The goal is not “I love Physics”, but “I can handle standard questions without panic”.

4. Cramming content for months and never doing full IMAT simulations

This might be the biggest error:

“I’ll finish all my Biology and Chemistry theory first, then I’ll start past papers in the last month.”

Spoiler: the last month arrives and you still feel “not ready”, so you delay mocks… and you walk into the real IMAT having never done a full timed paper.

This is like training for a marathon by only running on a treadmill for 15 minutes at a time.

Do instead:

  • After your initial diagnostic test, start integrating timed sets early:
    • timed Biology blocks,
    • timed Chemistry blocks,
    • timed mixed blocks.
  • By roughly halfway through your total prep (whether that’s 3 or 6 months), you should:
    • have done at least 1 full simulation,
    • and plan to do 1 full IMAT-style paper per week in the last stretch.

Full simulations teach you:

  • pacing,
  • stamina,
  • how it feels to make decisions under real time pressure.

You can’t improvise that on the day.

5. Randomly guessing everything (and ignoring negative marking)

IMAT has negative marking:

  • +1.5 for correct,
  • –0.4 for wrong,
  • 0 for blank.

Yet some students still:

  • guess every single question, including the ones they have no idea about,
  • or “never leave anything blank” as a point of pride.

This is a fantastic way to lose points you had already earned.

Do instead:

  • Understand the math of guessing:
    • If you can eliminate 2–3 options and have a reasoned guess between the remaining ones, guessing can be worth it.
    • If you have absolutely no clue and no elimination? It’s often better to leave it blank.
  • During mock exams, track:
    • how many points you lose from pure guessing,
    • and adjust your risk level.

Your goal is not to answer all 60 questions.
Your goal is to maximise your final score.

6. Studying IMAT Biology and Chemistry at the wrong depth

Another common mistake is going to either extreme:

  • Too shallow: just reading summaries and hoping it’s enough for detailed questions.
  • Too deep: spending hours on university-level biochemistry or obscure organic mechanisms you will never see on IMAT.

Both are inefficient.

Do instead:

  • Use the exam syllabus & past questions to define a reasonable depth:
    • You need to understand topics like cell structure, genetics, physiology, acids/bases, stoichiometry, etc.
    • You don’t need to learn full medical school-level pathology or hardcore organic synthesis.
  • For each topic, ask:“Can I explain this clearly in simple language and solve a typical question about it?”

When in doubt, let past questions / simulations guide the depth you aim for.

7. Studying only with notes and never solving enough questions

Reading textbooks and notes feels productive.
But IMAT is a multiple-choice, problem-solving exam.

If you spend 90% of your time passively reading, you’re training the wrong skill.

Do instead:

Rough rule of thumb (after your first month or so of content review):

  • At least 50% of your study time should be spent solving questions:
    • single-topic drills,
    • mixed-topic sets,
    • full simulations.
  • When you revise, use an active cycle:
    1. Attempt questions.
    2. Mark and analyse your mistakes.
    3. Go back to theory only where needed.
    4. Immediately reapply that theory to new questions.

IMAT rewards those who can apply knowledge fast, not those who have the prettiest notes.

8. Never tracking your progress by section

Some students say:

“I do lots of practice, so I must be improving.”

But they have no idea where they’re improving, or where they’re stuck.

They never record:

  • scores by section,
  • types of errors,
  • recurring weak topics.

So they keep working hard on the wrong things.

Do instead:

Create a simple IMAT log (even an Excel/Sheets file) where you record for each mock/test:

  • Date
  • Total score
  • Score in:
    • Reading & GK
    • Logic
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Physics & Maths
  • Main mistake types (content / timing / misreading / silly errors)

Every 2–3 weeks, review your log and ask:

  • Which section improved?
  • Which section is stuck or going down?
  • What patterns of mistakes keep showing up?

Then adjust your next weeks accordingly.

9. Preparing in isolation with zero feedback

Studying for IMAT alone in your room can work… but it’s easy to:

  • misjudge your level,
  • repeat the same mistakes,
  • burn out or lose motivation,
  • or panic because you have no external reference.

Some of the most stressed students I’ve seen were not “weak”. They were just alone with their anxiety.

Do instead:

Even if you don’t join a paid course, try to build at least one of these:

  • a small study group,
  • a Discord/WhatsApp group of serious candidates,
  • a teacher/mentor you can ask specific questions to,
  • or at minimum, someone who can occasionally look at your scores and schedule and give feedback.

If you prefer a more structured environment with live classes, a clear weekly plan, and mock exam corrections, then an IMAT preparation course in English (like the one we run at polimitestprep) can give you that framework.

10. Starting too late (and hoping to compensate by “intensity”)

Maybe the most human mistake:

“I’ll start in June… okay, maybe July… okay, it’s August but I’ll study 8 hours every day and somehow it will work out.”

Reality:

  • Cramming a full IMAT prep into 4–5 weeks is possible only if you’re already extremely strong in all sciences and logic.
  • For most people, it leads to burnout and shallow learning.

Intensity can’t replace time for spaced repetition and consolidation.

Do instead:

  • If possible, give yourself 3–6 months.
  • If you really only have 2 months:
    • be brutally realistic about what you can cover,
    • focus on the highest-yield topics and a lot of timed practice,
    • don’t sleep-deprive yourself into stupidity.

For a competitive exam like IMAT, time is one of your biggest advantages. Use it.

How to avoid all of these mistakes at once

If you want to avoid repeating the same patterns as most IMAT candidates, your plan could look like this:

  1. Understand the exam (structure, scoring, sections).
  2. Take a diagnostic test and log your results.
  3. Spend the first weeks in Foundation Mode: fixing the worst gaps in Bio, Chem, Phys/Maths.
  4. Start doing timed sets early (not only at the end).
  5. Progress to regular full simulations and track your scores by section.
  6. Surround yourself with some kind of feedback loop (peers, mentors, or a structured course).
  7. Adjust your plan every few weeks based on data, not vibes.

If you want a ready-made structure instead of building all of this from scratch, you can check out my IMAT preparation course at polimitestprep: live online lessons in English, small groups, clear study plans, and a lot of practice under exam-style conditions.

Whatever path you choose, the key idea is simple:

Don’t let avoidable mistakes, bad strategy, or timing issues be the reason you miss out on Medicine in Italy.

If you’re going to fight with thousands of applicants for a spot, at least make sure you’re not fighting your own preparation as well.

Considering studying by yourself? Here’s our guide for a clear 3–6 month, step-by-step plan tailored for international students.

If you’re interested in preparing for the IMAT exam with us, check out our course catalogue here.

IMAT Biology and Chemistry: Essential Topics and How Deep You Need to Go

If you’re preparing for the IMAT exam, you already know this much:

Biology and Chemistry are the heart of the test.

Logic, Reading & GK, Physics and Maths matter — a lot — but Bio & Chem usually make up the largest chunk of scientific questions and often decide who gets a seat and who doesn’t.

The big problem is this:

  • Some students study way too shallow and get destroyed by detailed questions.
  • Others study way too deep, wasting time on university-level topics they’ll never see on IMAT.

In this article, we’ll walk through:

  • the essential IMAT Biology topics,
  • the essential IMAT Chemistry topics,
  • how deep you actually need to go in each area,
  • and how to build a sane study plan that doesn’t drown you in unnecessary detail.

If you want a broader overview of the entire exam (structure, scoring, dates), you can keep a tab open with a full IMAT exam guide for international students on polimitestprep.

1. Why Biology and Chemistry are so important on IMAT

IMAT is designed to select future medical students. So it makes sense that:

  • Biology tests your understanding of living systems (cells, genetics, physiology).
  • Chemistry tests your comfort with atoms, molecules, reactions and solutions — the language of biochemistry and pharmacology.

Together, these two subjects:

  • represent a big chunk of the 60 questions,
  • and demand both memory and reasoning: you have to recognise concepts and apply them quickly.

The goal is not to make you a mini-doctor already, but to check that you have the scientific foundation to survive (and thrive) in medical school.

2. IMAT Biology: essential topics & depth

Let’s break Biology into key blocks.

2.1. Cell biology

You need to know:

  • Cell types: prokaryotic vs eukaryotic, animal vs plant
  • Organelles and their functions:
    • nucleus, ribosomes, ER, Golgi, lysosomes, mitochondria, chloroplasts (basic), cytoskeleton
  • Cell membrane: phospholipid bilayer, proteins, diffusion, osmosis, active transport
  • Cell cycle: phases, checkpoints, mitosis vs cytokinesis

🔎 Depth:

  • Know function + basic structure, not ultrastructure-level detail.
  • Be able to answer questions like:
    • “Which organelle is primarily responsible for ATP production?”
    • “Which process requires energy and moves molecules against the gradient?”

2.2. Molecular biology & genetics

This is absolutely central.

You should master:

  • DNA & RNA: structure, base pairing, replication
  • Gene expression: transcription, translation, genetic code (codons, anticodons), role of mRNA, tRNA and ribosomes
  • Mutations: point mutations, insertions/deletions (frameshift vs silent)
  • Mendelian genetics:
    • monohybrid & dihybrid crosses
    • dominant/recessive, homozygous/heterozygous
    • Punnett squares, phenotypic/genotypic ratios
  • Pedigrees: recognising autosomal dominant/recessive and X-linked patterns
  • Basic non-Mendelian ideas: incomplete dominance, codominance, multiple alleles (e.g. ABO blood groups)

🔎 Depth:

  • You do not need full-blown molecular genetics research knowledge.
  • You do need to:
    • interpret simple pedigree charts,
    • predict offspring probabilities,
    • reason about mutations and their likely effects.

2.3. Human physiology

This is where your future medical life truly begins.

Key systems:

  • Nervous system:
    • neuron structure, synapses, action potentials (basic idea)
    • central vs peripheral nervous system
  • Endocrine system:
    • main glands (pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, pancreas, gonads)
    • role of hormones in regulation (e.g. insulin, glucagon)
  • Cardiovascular system:
    • heart chambers & valves, blood flow path
    • arteries vs veins vs capillaries
    • basics of blood pressure, oxygen transport (haemoglobin concept)
  • Respiratory system:
    • lungs, alveoli, gas exchange, ventilation
  • Digestive system:
    • main organs and their functions
    • macronutrient digestion (carbs, proteins, fats)
  • Excretory system:
    • kidney structure (nephron basics), urine formation
  • Immune system (at least the basics):
    • innate vs adaptive immunity
    • antibodies, lymphocytes

🔎 Depth:

  • IMAT is not an anatomy exam, but it likes functional understanding:“If X increases/decreases, what happens to Y?”
  • You should be able to trace a simple pathway (e.g. blood flow, hormone feedback loop) and reason about changes.

2.4. Evolution, ecology, and classification

Less central than cell/genetics/physiology, but still important.

  • Basic evolution: natural selection, variation, fitness, speciation (very broadly)
  • Classification: concept of species, basic taxonomic levels (kingdom, phylum, etc. – but not obsessively)
  • Ecology: simple food chains, trophic levels, population growth, limiting factors

🔎 Depth:

  • Conceptual questions > memorising a million terms.
  • Be ready for questions that connect biology with logic and reading: interpretation of graphs, population curves, etc.

3. IMAT Chemistry: essential topics & depth

Now let’s turn to Chemistry.

3.1. Atomic structure and periodic table

You should understand:

  • Structure of the atom: protons, neutrons, electrons
  • Atomic number vs mass number
  • Isotopes
  • Electron shells and orbitals (basic levels, not full quantum theory)
  • How periodic trends work:
    • atomic radius
    • ionisation energy
    • electronegativity

🔎 Depth:

  • Enough to explain why some atoms are more reactive, form certain types of bonds, etc.
  • You don’t need hardcore quantum mechanics.

3.2. Chemical bonding and intermolecular forces

Core concepts:

  • Ionic bonds vs covalent bonds vs metallic bonds
  • Polar vs non-polar molecules
  • Hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole forces, London dispersion forces

These affect:

  • boiling/melting points
  • solubility (e.g. “like dissolves like”)

🔎 Depth:

  • Know examples and consequences:“Why does water have such a high boiling point?”
    “Which molecule is more polar?”

3.3. Stoichiometry and chemical calculations

This is a big one and very “mathsy”.

You must be comfortable with:

  • Mole concept: molar mass, number of moles, mass–mole–particle conversions
  • Balanced chemical equations
  • Limiting reagents
  • Molarity and concentration calculations
  • Simple yield questions (theoretical vs actual yield, percentage yield)

🔎 Depth:

  • IMAT expects you to set up and solve mole problems quickly and cleanly.
  • It’s not solving 5-step massive reactions, but 1–2 step questions under time constraints.

3.4. States of matter and gas laws

You should know:

  • Solid, liquid, gas behaviour (very basic kinetic theory)
  • Ideal gas law (PV = nRT)
  • Relationships between pressure, volume, temperature (Boyle’s, Charles’ law in simple terms)

🔎 Depth:

  • Enough to do simple rearrangements of PV = nRT and reason about qualitative changes (e.g. “if volume halves and temperature stays constant, what happens to pressure?”).

3.5. Solutions, acids, bases and pH

Important and very testable.

  • Solutes vs solvents
  • Concentration: molarity, mass percent (at least conceptually)
  • Acids and bases:
    • Arrhenius/Bronsted ideas (acid donates H⁺, base accepts H⁺)
    • Strong vs weak acids/bases (conceptual, not full titration curves)
  • pH scale:
    • pH = –log[H⁺] (know the idea, not heavy logs gymnastics)
    • relationship between pH, acidity, and concentration

🔎 Depth:

  • You should be able to handle standard questions like:
    • “Which solution is more acidic?”
    • “What happens to pH if H⁺ concentration increases by a factor of 10?”
  • You don’t need full analytical chemistry.

3.6. Basic organic chemistry

You don’t need all of organic, but:

  • Common functional groups:
    • alkanes, alkenes, alkynes
    • alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, amines, amides
  • Simple ideas about:
    • saturated vs unsaturated
    • isomerism (very basic, like structural isomers)
    • polymer concept

🔎 Depth:

  • Recognise functional groups in structures.
  • Understand simple reactions and properties (e.g. why double bonds are more reactive than single bonds).
  • No need for named reaction mechanisms (like full organic reaction pathways from a uni course).

4. How deep is “deep enough”?

A good rule:

If you can explain the topic clearly to a smart 16-year-old and solve a typical exam question in under 2 minutes, you’re at the right depth.

Signs you’re going too shallow:

  • You “kind of remember” definitions but struggle with any applied question.
  • You can’t translate words into diagrams or equations.
  • You panic when a question combines two concepts (e.g. genetics + probability).

Signs you’re going too deep:

  • You’re studying enzyme kinetics with full Michaelis–Menten graphs and derivations.
  • You’re memorising obscure organic mechanisms with multiple steps and catalysts.
  • You’re stuck in one tiny sub-topic for days and ignoring everything else.

IMAT sits between these extremes: solid high-school depth, applied in creative ways.

5. Study strategy: how to cover all this without burning out

5.1. Use a two-phase approach

  1. Foundation phase – build & repair knowledge
    • Work through the topics above, systematically.
    • Use concise notes, good textbooks, or a structured course.
    • Don’t ignore Phys/Maths and Logic, but allow Bio & Chem to take the lead.
  2. Exam phase – test-style questions & timing
    • Move to past papers and high-quality simulations.
    • Identify weak topics and circle back to them.
    • Practise under real timing with negative marking.

5.2. Always connect theory to questions

For every topic you study:

  1. Read/learn it.
  2. Immediately do 5–10 related questions.
  3. Check solutions and understand mistakes.
  4. Summarise the key idea you were missing.

If you only read notes without questions, your brain gets good at… reading notes. Not at scoring points.

6. Common mistakes in Bio & Chem prep

  • Trying to memorise everything at university depth → you drown and still miss easy questions.
  • Avoiding calculations → you panic when a question has numbers, even if it’s conceptually simple.
  • Not revisiting topics → you understand it once, then forget it completely by the time IMAT arrives.
  • Never doing full-timed mixed sets → you can answer questions slowly, but not at IMAT pace.

Fixing these often gives bigger score jumps than learning yet another obscure detail.

7. How polimitestprep fits into this

If you’re preparing on your own, you can absolutely use the topic lists above as a checklist:

  • tick off what you’ve mastered,
  • highlight what you’ve only “sort of” done,
  • and plan your next weeks around those gaps.

If you would rather have this turned into a step-by-step path with:

  • live lessons in English,
  • clear topic sequences for IMAT Biology & Chemistry,
  • integrated Phys/Maths and Logic practice,
  • and full exam-style simulations,

that’s exactly what I designed the IMAT preparation course at polimitestprep to do.

Final thought

IMAT Biology and Chemistry are not there to trick you with insane university-level content.
They’re there to check if you have strong, flexible high-school science that you can apply quickly and accurately.

If you:

  • know what topics to study,
  • know how deep to go,
  • and combine theory with a lot of practice,

You’re not just “hoping” you’ll get lucky with the Bio & Chem questions — you’re building the foundation that will carry you through both the exam and the first years of medical school in Italy.

Considering studying by yourself? Here’s our guide for a clear 3–6 month, step-by-step plan tailored for international students.

If you’re interested in preparing for the IMAT exam with us, check out our course catalogue here.

IMAT vs Private University Tests in Italy: What’s the Difference?

If you want to study Medicine in Italy in English, you quickly realise there are two parallel worlds:

  1. Public universities – where you sit the IMAT exam.
  2. Private universities – where you sit their own admission tests (HUMAT, UniSR test, Cattolica test, UniCamillus test, etc.). (medicine.unisr.it)

Same country, same degree goal, completely different selection systems.

This article will walk you through:

  • what the IMAT exam is and who it’s for,
  • how private tests (Humanitas, San Raffaele, Cattolica, UniCamillus, etc.) work in general,
  • the key differences in content, dates, difficulty and costs,
  • and how to plan your preparation if you want to apply to both public and private routes.

If you want a more detailed breakdown of IMAT itself, keep a tab open with a full IMAT exam guide and then come back here.

1. The IMAT exam: the public-route gateway

The IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test) is the entrance exam for public universities in Italy that offer Medicine and Surgery in English.

Think universities like:

  • University of Milan
  • Pavia
  • Turin
  • Rome “La Sapienza”
  • Bari, Messina, and others (list varies a bit year by year). (unisr.it)

Key traits of the IMAT:

  • National exam – one big centralised test on a single date.
  • 60 multiple-choice questions in 100 minutes.
  • All in English.
  • Sections:
    • Reading & General Knowledge
    • Logical Reasoning & Problem Solving
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Physics & Mathematics (unisr.it)
  • Scoring system:
    • +1.5 for correct answers
    • –0.4 for wrong answers
    • 0 for blank answers (negative marking). (unisr.it)

Your score puts you into a national ranking list and determines whether you get a place, and at which university.

Tuition fees at public universities are typically much lower than at private universities, especially if you qualify for income-based reductions.

Bottom line:

IMAT = public universities, national ranking, one big shot per year.

2. Private university tests: similar flavour, different recipe

Private universities in Italy don’t use IMAT. They use their own exams.

Some of the main players:

Each has its own test name, format and schedule, but there are patterns:

Humanitas: HUMAT

  • Mandatory test for admission to Humanitas Medicine & Surgery. (Studocu)
  • Test is entirely in English.
  • 60 multiple-choice questions (4 answer options).
  • Often delivered in two rounds per year (e.g. different dates in February), and results from those sessions are used to build rankings. (Studocu)

San Raffaele (UniSR) admission test

  • Admission to the International MD Program is based solely on the UniSR test. (medicine.unisr.it)
  • Test is in English, 60 MCQs in 80 minutes.
  • Question mix:
    • 36 questions in logic, problem-solving & reading comprehension
    • 24 questions in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths (Ammissione)
  • Scoring:
    • +1 for correct
    • –0.25 for wrong
    • 0 for blank answers. (Ammissione)

So it’s a logic-heavy, fast-paced exam.

Cattolica (Rome) entrance exam

UniCamillus test

  • UniCamillus uses its own admission test for Medicine and Surgery in English.
  • Dates are usually in autumn, and the test is also held online with proctoring. (customercare.unicamillus.org)

Details (number of questions, scoring, sections) are in each university’s Call for Admission, but the key idea is:

Private tests look similar to IMAT in spirit (logic + science, in English, MCQs, with negative marking), but the exact structure and dates are different for each university.

3. IMAT vs private tests: the big-picture differences

Let’s compare along the dimensions that matter to students:

3.1. Public vs private: fees and seats

  • IMAT (public universities)
    • Tuition fees are much lower, sometimes a few thousand euros per year or less, depending on income and region.
    • Number of places is limited (often quite small per university for non-EU).
    • Very high competition: students from all over the world are chasing those affordable seats.
  • Private universities
    • Tuition fees are higher — often around €15,000–€20,000+ per year, depending on the university. (unisr.it)
    • Each university has its own limited number of seats.
    • Competition is still strong, but the higher cost filters part of the demand.

3.2. Frequency and flexibility

  • IMAT
    • Once per year, fixed date, worldwide test centres.
    • If you have a bad day, there is no second attempt that year.
  • Private tests
    • Many run multiple sessions or multiple rounds per year (e.g. HUMAT in two February rounds, Cattolica with extra sessions if needed, UniSR/UniCamillus with several test windows). (Studocu)
    • Some allow you to sit more than one session and keep your best score, depending on the rules.

Result: private exams can give you more than one chance in the same application cycle.

3.3. Content balance: logic vs science

  • IMAT
    • Balanced mix of Reading & GK, Logic, Bio, Chem, Physics/Maths.
    • Biology and Chemistry carry a large weight, but Logic can still be decisive. (unisr.it)
  • Private tests (general trends):
    • San Raffaele: very logic-heavy (36/60 Q are logic/problem-solving/reading). (Ammissione)
    • HUMAT: strong focus on critical thinking and problem solving plus scientific knowledge. (Studocu)
    • Cattolica / UniCamillus: similar areas (logic, science, sometimes ethics/religious culture in Cattolica’s case). (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore)

So if you’re naturally strong in logic and reading, you might find some private tests slightly more “friendly” than IMAT. If you’re a biology-nerd, IMAT’s heavy science content may match your strengths better.

3.4. Logistics: where and how you sit the test

  • IMAT
    • Held in person at test centres worldwide.
    • Fixed day and time for everyone.
  • Private tests
    • Very often fully online, home-based with remote proctoring (San Raffaele, Cattolica, UniCamillus, etc.). (medicine.unisr.it)
    • This can be more convenient, but requires a stable internet connection, webcam, quiet room, etc.

4. Should you do IMAT, private tests, or both?

If you can afford the application fees and exam fees, both is usually the smart answer.

Why combine them?

  • IMAT gives you a shot at low-cost public universities.
  • Private tests increase your number of opportunities:
    • More dates
    • More universities
    • Multiple ranking lists

A realistic strategy many strong candidates use:

  1. Prepare seriously for IMAT as your central goal.
  2. Use the same knowledge + reasoning training to sit 2–4 private tests (Humanitas, San Raffaele, Cattolica, UniCamillus, etc.).
  3. Aim for at least one offer:
    • If you get a public seat: amazing, you save a lot of money.
    • If not, but you have a private offer and your family can afford it: you can still start Medicine in Italy in English that year.

5. How to optimise your preparation across all tests

The main good news:

If you prepare well for IMAT, you’ve already prepared 70–80% of what you need for most private tests.

Because:

  • All of them test logic + science at roughly the same high-school level.
  • Negative marking is common.
  • Time pressure is always there.

What changes is mostly:

  • relative weight of logic vs science,
  • timing (80 vs 100 minutes, 60 vs 65 questions),
  • and some specific quirks (e.g. Cattolica’s ethics/religious culture section, extra “backup” questions, etc.). (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore)

Practical prep tips

  • Build a solid base in Biology, Chemistry, Physics/Maths and Logic using IMAT-style materials.
  • Then adapt with:
    • a few targeted mock tests in the style of each private university you’re applying to,
    • reading the official Calls for Admission so you know the exact format, scoring and sections.
  • Practise both:
    • IMAT timing (60 Q / 100 min), and
    • shorter private-test timing (e.g. 60 Q / 80 min, 65 Q / 65 min).

If you want a ready-made structure for this, you can use an IMAT-focused course and then add a few extra sessions specifically for Humanitas/UniSR/Cattolica/UniCamillus style questions later in the season.

6. Which route is “harder”?

Students always ask:

“Is IMAT harder than private tests?”

The honest answer:

  • It’s not just about question difficulty, it’s about competition and pressure.

Some points to consider:

  • IMAT has huge international competition for a relatively small number of public seats. Even a good score can sometimes feel “not enough” if the cut-offs are high that year.
  • Private tests can be very demanding too (especially logic-heavy ones like UniSR), but:
    • competition is more compartmentalised (each university has its own ranking),
    • you often get more than one chance across different sessions.

So you shouldn’t choose based on “which is easier?” but:

  • public vs private costs,
  • cities and universities you like,
  • and your tolerance for risk (one big national exam vs multiple private options).

7. How polimitestprep fits into this picture

If you’re serious about Medicine in Italy in English, the ideal is to:

  1. Master the IMAT core:
    • exam structure,
    • high-yield Biology & Chemistry,
    • solid Physics/Maths basics,
    • logic & reading skills,
    • plus real timed simulations.
  2. Then tweak your preparation for private tests by adding:
    • extra logic-heavy practice (for HUMAT / UniSR),
    • specific mocks for Cattolica / UniCamillus formats,
    • strategy for multiple online home-based tests.

This is exactly the approach I use in my IMAT preparation course in English at polimitestprep: we build the IMAT foundation first and then show you how to adapt that same knowledge and reasoning style to the main private university tests.

Final thought

The choice is not “IMAT or private tests”.
For most serious candidates, the winning move is IMAT + a smart selection of private tests.

  • IMAT keeps the door open to affordable public universities.
  • Private tests give you extra chances and extra pathways.

If you structure your preparation properly, you don’t need two completely separate study plans. You just need one strong core plus a bit of intelligent fine-tuning.

And that’s often the difference between “I tried one exam and missed it” and “I had three offers and actually got to choose where to study Medicine in Italy in English.”

Considering studying by yourself? Here’s our guide for a clear 3–6 month, step-by-step plan tailored for international students.

If you’re interested in preparing for the IMAT exam with us, check out our course catalogue here.

IMAT Exam Structure and Scoring Explained (for Non-EU Students)

If you want to study Medicine in Italy in English, you will keep seeing one acronym everywhere: IMAT.

You might already know that IMAT is “the entrance exam for public universities in Italy”, but if you’re a non-EU student, you also need to understand:

  • how the exam is structured,
  • how the scoring and ranking work,
  • and what this means for your chances of getting in.

In this guide we’ll go through:

  • the IMAT exam format and sections,
  • the scoring system and negative marking,
  • how rankings work for non-EU students,
  • and what kind of score you should be aiming for.

If you want a broader overview (dates, registration, universities, etc.), you can also read a complete IMAT exam guide on polimitestprep and then come back here to go deep on structure and scoring.

1. What is the IMAT exam?

The International Medical Admissions Test (IMAT) is a standardised entrance exam in English used by public Italian universities to select students for:

  • Medicine and Surgery in English
  • sometimes Dentistry and (from recent years) some Veterinary Medicine courses in English, depending on the official decree for that year.

Key facts:

  • One session per year
  • Held on a single date at test centres around the world
  • Same test for all participating universities
  • Used to build national and local rankings, which decide who gets in and where

For non-EU students, IMAT is usually the only academic selection tool for those public programmes. There is no interview stage in most cases—your score is everything.

2. IMAT exam format: 60 questions, 100 minutes

The IMAT is:

  • 60 multiple-choice questions
  • 100 minutes total exam time
  • Questions are in English
  • Each question has 5 options (A–E) with one correct answer

Broadly, the questions are divided into five areas:

  1. Reading Skills & General Knowledge
  2. Logical Reasoning & Problem Solving
  3. Biology
  4. Chemistry
  5. Physics & Mathematics

The exact number of questions per area can vary slightly by year, but a common pattern is:

  • A smaller block of Reading & General Knowledge
  • A block of Logic & Problem Solving
  • A large block of Biology + Chemistry
  • A smaller block of Physics & Maths

You don’t answer section by section in separate timed blocks. Instead, you get a single question booklet and a single answer sheet, and the 100 minutes are for the entire exam. You decide the order in which to tackle the questions.

3. What each IMAT section actually tests

3.1. Reading Skills & General Knowledge

These are usually the first questions in the paper.

They test:

  • your ability to quickly read and understand a short text,
  • extract key information,
  • understand arguments, tone, and implicit meaning,
  • and answer questions about it in a precise way.

The General Knowledge part can cover:

  • history, philosophy, literature, politics, geography,
  • key ideas in science and current affairs.

It’s not about memorising the entire Wikipedia (even though I have done that myself haha); it’s more about being generally well-read and used to reading complex English.

3.2. Logical Reasoning & Problem Solving

This is the “thinking” part of IMAT, and it’s extremely important.

Typical question types:

  • Understanding arguments:
    • identify the conclusion,
    • find assumptions,
    • strengthen or weaken an argument.
  • Logical puzzles and patterns
  • Short problem-solving questions with numbers and conditions
  • Syllogisms and simple logical implications

These questions don’t require big formulas; they require clear reasoning under time pressure. Many students underestimate this section and then realise, too late, that it cost them a huge number of points.

3.3. Biology

Biology is a major component of IMAT and often the largest single section.

Usual topics:

  • Cell structure and function
  • Biological molecules (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids)
  • Enzymes and metabolism
  • Cell division: mitosis and meiosis
  • Genetics: DNA, RNA, gene expression, Mendelian genetics, simple pedigrees
  • Human physiology: nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, immune systems
  • Reproduction and development
  • Basics of ecology and population biology

The level is roughly upper high-school, but IMAT questions are often dense: they combine several concepts and require you to apply knowledge, not just recall definitions.

3.4. Chemistry

Chemistry is also central.

Typical topics:

  • Atomic structure, electronic configuration
  • Periodic table and trends
  • Chemical bonding: ionic, covalent, metallic, intermolecular forces
  • Stoichiometry: moles, molar mass, molarity, limiting reagents
  • Gases and gas laws
  • Solutions and concentration
  • Acids, bases, pH, buffers
  • Basic organic chemistry: functional groups, simple reactions, isomerism

Again, the level is high-school, but the questions can require multi-step reasoning and quick algebra.

3.5. Physics & Mathematics

This is usually the smallest section, but it can still move your score significantly.

Physics topics:

  • Kinematics: velocity, acceleration, motion graphs
  • Newton’s laws and forces
  • Work, energy, power
  • Momentum (in some papers)
  • Simple circuits (voltage, current, resistance, Ohm’s Law)
  • Basic waves and optics
  • Temperature and heat (simple thermodynamics)

Maths topics:

  • Fractions, ratios, percentages
  • Exponents and roots
  • Linear equations and simple systems
  • Proportionality
  • Basic probability and statistics

You don’t need university-level Maths or Physics; you do need to be fluent with basic calculations and comfortable translating word problems into equations.

4. IMAT scoring: how your raw answers become a final score

For each question:

  • Correct answer → +1.5 points
  • Wrong answer → –0.4 points
  • Blank → 0 points

There are 60 questions.
The maximum possible score is therefore:

60 × 1.5 = 90 points

Negative marking is there to discourage random guessing. It forces you to think strategically:

  • If you can eliminate 2–3 options and you’re choosing between 2 plausible answers, guessing can be a good idea.
  • If you have absolutely no clue and can’t eliminate anything, guessing randomly can easily lose you points.

Your final IMAT score is the sum of your points over all 60 questions.

5. Rankings for non-EU students: national vs local

This is where many non-EU students get confused.

Broadly speaking:

  • EU and equivalent candidates compete in a national ranking, where they can move between universities in the early “scrolling” phases.
  • Non-EU candidates usually compete for fixed places at a specific university and often do not move between universities once they’ve chosen their preferences.

Every year, the official decree and each university’s call for applications specify:

  • how many non-EU places are available for each course,
  • how the ranking is built,
  • how tie-breaking works (e.g. priority to higher Biology score, then Chemistry, etc.),
  • how and when non-EU rankings are published.

What matters for you:

  1. You will sit the same exam as everyone else.
  2. You will be placed into non-EU ranking lists, usually one per university, based on:
    • your IMAT score,
    • and whether you selected that university and course in your preferences.
  3. For each non-EU list, the top X candidates (where X is the number of seats) get an offer.

Cut-offs (minimum scores to get in) can vary a lot:

  • between universities (Milan vs Bari vs Messina, etc.),
  • between EU and non-EU lists,
  • and from year to year.

This is why it’s very important to check recent historical cut-offs (even approximate) and to aim for a score that comfortably clears the level of the universities you’re interested in.

6. What IMAT score should a non-EU student aim for?

There is no official “pass mark” for IMAT. The only thing that matters is where your score places you relative to other candidates.

That said, for non-EU students, you can think roughly like this:

  • A very low score (e.g. <20) will almost never be competitive.
  • A mid-range score might be enough for less competitive universities in some years.
  • A high score can give you access to top universities and more choice.

Every year the landscape shifts depending on:

  • how hard that year’s paper is,
  • how many candidates sit the exam,
  • how many places are offered at each university.

So instead of chasing a specific number, your goal should be:

Maximise your score consistently, across all sections, by training both content and exam strategy.

If you’re already familiar with recent cut-offs from online data, you can set a personal target range (e.g. “I want to be safely above X”), but always remember that the relative position is what matters.

7. What this structure means for your preparation

Understanding the structure and scoring tells you how to prepare intelligently:

  1. You can’t ignore Logic and Reading just because “I’m good at science”.
  2. You can’t ignore Biology and Chemistry just because “I’m good at logic puzzles”.
  3. Physics/Maths often gives “bonus” points that many students leave on the table.
  4. Negative marking means:
    • you must practise decision-making (“answer, guess, or skip?”),
    • not just solving problems at home with unlimited time.

A solid IMAT preparation plan for a non-EU student should include:

  • Content review for Bio, Chem, Phys/Maths targeted at IMAT level;
  • Regular logic practice from early on;
  • Timed section drills to get used to pace;
  • Full-length mock exams under real conditions, with negative marking applied;
  • Detailed analysis of your section scores, so you know where to push harder.

If you prefer not to design all of this on your own, that’s exactly what a structured IMAT preparation course in English can do for you: provide a weekly path, live theory, and proper mock exam feedback.

8. Final summary

For a non-EU student, the IMAT exam is:

  • a 60-question, 100-minute, English-language multiple-choice test,
  • covering Reading & GK, Logic, Biology, Chemistry, Physics/Maths,
  • scored with +1.5 / –0.4 / 0,
  • used to build non-EU rankings per university for Medicine and related courses.

Your life doesn’t depend on one “killer topic”; it depends on how many total points you can squeeze out of the 90 available.

The more clearly you understand the structure and scoring, the more precisely you can:

and turn your effort into a competitive IMAT score—so that getting into Medicine in Italy in English is a realistic outcome, not just a dream.y in English.”

Plan your preparation, manage your time on test day, and turn your effort into a competitive IMAT score—so that getting into Medicine in Italy in English is a realistic outcome, not just a dream.

Considering studying by yourself? Here’s our guide for a clear 3–6 month, step-by-step plan tailored for international students.

If you’re interested in preparing for the IMAT exam with us, check out our course catalogue here.