IMAT Preparation for English-Taught Medicine in Italy
The IMAT decides places on the English-taught medicine and dentistry degrees at Italy’s public universities. It is one paper, one morning, sixty questions — and a penalty for every wrong answer, which changes how it has to be prepared.
Short answer
IMAT preparation is offered online, one-to-one or in a group class.
One-to-one lessons are 90 minutes long and start at USD 65 per lesson; the group course runs 53 lessons of 90 minutes for USD 1,150, and a class never takes more than 6 students.
Group classes next begin on 26 July 2027.
From USD 65 per lesson
Your lessons are taught by Ayşe Erdem, Ozan Kaya, Tolga Akman and Elena Rossi, who teach IMAT.
- 60 questions in 100 minutes
- +1.5 per correct, −0.4 per wrong
- Biology is 23 of the 60
- Separate quota for non-EU applicants
What the IMAT is, and what changed recently
The International Medical Admissions Test is the entrance exam for the English-taught Medicine and Surgery and Dentistry degrees at Italian public universities. It is set by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, which has the questions prepared by CINECA, a university consortium; Cambridge Assessment’s role ended after the 2022 test, which is worth knowing because much of the older preparation material online still describes that earlier version.
Italy has reformed admission to its Italian-taught medicine degrees, replacing their entrance test with an open first semester. That reform does not apply to the English-taught programmes international students apply to: those still select through the IMAT. Applicants from outside the EU compete for a separate, smaller quota of places at each university, which makes the ranking tighter than the headline numbers suggest.
How the IMAT is structured
| Area | Questions |
|---|---|
| Reading skills and knowledge from studies | 4 |
| Logical reasoning and problems | 5 |
| Biology | 23 |
| Chemistry | 15 |
| Physics and mathematics | 13 |
| Total | 60 multiple-choice questions, five options each, 100 minutes, on paper |
Scoring: +1.5 for a correct answer, −0.4 for a wrong answer, 0 for a blank; maximum 90. The 2026 sitting is on 29 September 2026; registration through Universitaly closed on 9 September. Students preparing now are preparing for the 2027 sitting — confirm its date and rules on Universitaly when they are published.
What the lessons work on
Biology and chemistry to the IMAT’s depth
Together they are nearly two thirds of the paper. The syllabus overlaps heavily with A Level and IB Higher Level, but not completely — lessons close the gaps against the ministry’s published syllabus.
Physics and maths without the calculator
No calculator is allowed. Estimation, rearranging before calculating and quick numerical sense are trained explicitly.
When to leave a question blank
With −0.4 for a wrong answer, guessing blind loses marks on average and eliminating two options before guessing gains them. That judgement is practised on full papers, not explained once.
Past papers in the current structure
Older IMAT papers are still useful for science content, but their section balance differs from the current format. Timed practice uses the current mix.
Applying to Italy from Africa
For non-EU applicants living outside Italy, the application runs through Universitaly, including the pre-enrolment that the Italian consulate uses for the study visa. Each university publishes its own non-EU quota and ranking, and the deadlines sit very close to the test date — so the administrative timeline has to be planned alongside the academic one, not after it.
How IMAT preparation works
Every lesson is live, online and 90 minutes long, scheduled in your own time zone. Lessons are taught in English, the language the exam is sat in.
Free intro call
Fifteen minutes with an advisor, at no cost and with no obligation.
Starting point
Your starting point is reviewed before the study plan is finalised. The exact method depends on the programme and is agreed on the intro call — for some students that means a timed section, for others it means reading a recent score report or a piece of marked work. We will tell you which applies to you before you book anything, rather than describing a process here that may not be the one you get.
Written plan
You receive a written plan built from your starting point and your test date: which IMAT sections come first, how many lessons that realistically takes, and when full practice tests enter. Nobody is sold a fixed number of lessons before the gap is known.
Lessons and review
Each lesson ends with set work and a target for the next one. Families receive progress notes, and the plan is re-read against every new score rather than followed blindly.
Ways to prepare for IMAT, with prices
The full breakdown, including instalment options, is on the pricing page.
One-to-one lessons
From USD 65 per lesson on the largest package (46 lessons). A single lesson can be booked first, to meet the tutor before committing.
Group course
USD 1,150 for the full course. Live online classes of at most 6, grouped by level and taught in English.
Official practice material
There is no TestPrep mock for IMAT. Tutors work from the official past papers and practice material the awarding body publishes, which is the right material for this exam.
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IMAT Preparation: reviews from our students
Students and parents who prepared with us write these reviews themselves. We check each one before publishing it and never change its words or its star rating.
Nobody has reviewed this programme here yet. If you prepared with us, tell other students across Africa how it went.
Frequently asked questions
Short, direct answers. If yours is not here, ask us.
Aiming for medicine in Italy?
Tell us your science background and your target year. We will set out the syllabus gaps and a timeline that includes the Universitaly steps.