The IMAT
Italy's admission test for English-taught medicine and dentistry
- 60
- questions
- 100
- minutes
- 90
- maximum points
The IMAT is one paper of 60 questions in 100 minutes, every question with five options and written in English. More than a third of the paper is biology, a right answer earns 1.5 points and a wrong one costs 0.4, so the test rewards both knowledge and judgement about when to leave a question blank.
Last updated:
What is on the paper
| Area | Questions | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reading skills and knowledge acquired in studies | 4 | Short passages and school knowledge |
| Logical reasoning and problem solving | 5 | Deduction, arguments, multi-step problems |
| Biology | 23 | The largest area |
| Chemistry | 15 | General, inorganic and basic organic |
| Physics and Mathematics | 13 | School level, no calculator |
| Total | 60 | 100 minutes |
There are no separate sections and no separate clocks: you may answer the questions in any order and return to any of them until time runs out. Format in detail.
Scoring
A correct answer earns 1.5 points, a wrong answer loses 0.4, and a blank earns nothing.Maximum 90 points; the lowest possible result is -24.
Places are allocated through national rankings based on these points. The score that wins a place depends on every candidate's result and on the places each university offers, so it changes from year to year. Scoring in full.
Level and syllabus
The syllabus is published as an annex to the ministerial decree. It covers the biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics taught in upper secondary school, together with text comprehension, knowledge acquired in studies and logical reasoning. No calculator is used.
Frequently asked questions
What is the IMAT?
The IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test) is the national admission test for the English-taught degree programmes in medicine and dentistry at Italian state universities. Its rules, syllabus and date are set each year by a decree of the Italian Ministry of University and Research.
How many questions does the IMAT have and how long is it?
60 multiple-choice questions with five options each, to be answered in 100 minutes. All questions are in English.
Which subjects are on the IMAT?
Biology (23 questions), Chemistry (15), Physics and Mathematics (13), and a reasoning part of 9: 4 questions on reading skills and knowledge acquired in studies and 5 on logical reasoning and problem solving.
Is there a penalty for wrong answers?
Yes. A correct answer earns 1.5 points, a wrong answer loses 0.4 points and a blank scores 0, so the maximum is 90.
Does this practice test predict my ranking?
No. It reports your raw points out of 90, the percentage of the maximum and your correct, wrong and blank answers. Rankings depend on every candidate's result and on the places available, so no practice test can predict them.
Is AxoPrep official?
No. AxoPrep is an independent preparation platform and is not affiliated with the Italian Ministry of University and Research, Universitaly or any university.
Official sources
- MUR: Ministerial Decree n. 1005 of 6 August 2026, Annex A (syllabus)
- MUR: admission tests for degree programmes with limited places, 2026
- Universitaly: the national portal for registration and results
AxoPrep is an independent preparation platform. It is not affiliated with the Italian Ministry of University and Research, Universitaly or any university. Last updated: .
60 original questions in 100 minutes, with the real composition, +1.5 / -0.4 marking and an explanation for every answer. Free, with an account.
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