IMAT 2026: The Complete Guide

The IMAT 2026 is the admission test for public Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine programmes taught in English in Italy.

In this guide, we explain the confirmed exam date, who can apply, how registration works, what subjects are tested, how scores and rankings are calculated, and which documents international students may need.

As of 3 August 2026, the Ministry has confirmed the exam date but has not yet published the full 2026 rules. Where information is still missing, we use the latest complete official procedure, published for 2025, as a temporary reference.

IMAT 2026 exam date

The IMAT 2026 will take place on:

30 September 2026

The following details have not yet been officially confirmed:

• registration dates
• exam time
• test centres
• registration fee
• final test structure
• available places
• result dates
• first ranking date
• enrolment deadlines

Previous years can help students understand the process, but their dates and rules should not be treated as valid for 2026.

What is the IMAT?

The International Medical Admission Test, known as IMAT, is the national admission test for selected public university courses taught in English.

Depending on the annual ministerial rules, it may cover:

• Medicine and Surgery
• Dentistry and Dental Prosthodontics
• Veterinary Medicine

The IMAT does not regulate admission to public Medicine programmes taught in Italian. Those programmes follow a different admission system.

Who needs to take the IMAT?

Students must take the IMAT when applying to a public English-taught course included in the national admission procedure.

Admission depends on:

• the IMAT score
• the applicable ranking
• the number of available places
• the submitted university preferences
• the applicant category
• completion of all administrative steps

Secondary school grades do not add points to the IMAT score.

A valid school qualification is still required before final enrolment.

Is there an age limit?

There is no national maximum age limit.

Students can apply at any age as long as they meet the academic and administrative requirements.

Applicants under 18 may need additional documents, such as:

• parental authorisation
• a guardian’s signature
• university-specific forms for minors

These requirements depend on the university.

Can students apply before graduating?

Students attending their final year of secondary school can generally take part conditionally.

They must obtain their diploma before the university’s final enrolment deadline.

Passing the IMAT without obtaining a valid qualification in time does not allow the student to enrol.

The IMAT result is valid only for the academic year linked to that exam. A 2026 score cannot normally be used for admission in 2027.

The 12-year schooling requirement

Foreign qualifications must usually be based on at least 12 total years of schooling.

The qualification must also provide access to university education in the country where it was awarded.

Students coming from shorter school systems may need additional academic evidence.

Possible cases include:

• 11 years of schooling: 1 completed university year may be required
• 10 years of schooling: 2 completed university years may be required
• a suitable post-secondary qualification
• an eligible foundation programme

These additional studies compensate for missing school years. They do not automatically shorten the Medicine degree.

The university makes the final assessment.

IMAT 2026 test structure

The final 2026 structure has not yet been published.

The latest complete official format, used in 2025, included:

Candidates had:

• 60 multiple-choice questions
• 5 answer options per question
• 1 correct answer
• 100 minutes
• a paper-based test

This format is useful for early preparation, but it must be checked again when the 2026 rules are published.

With TestBuddy, students can practise with timed simulations, topic-based exercises and performance statistics. The TB™ Score shows the score they would currently achieve under test conditions, and students can start for free.

IMAT scoring

Under the latest complete official rules:

• correct answer: +1.5 points
• incorrect answer: -0.4 points
• unanswered question: 0 points

The maximum possible score was:

90 points

The 2026 scoring system still needs official confirmation.

Minimum score

There is no single score that guarantees admission to every university.

Under the 2025 procedure, students in the national ranking needed at least:

20 points

This applied to:

• Italian citizens
• European Union citizens
• equivalent candidates
• eligible non-European Union citizens residing in Italy

Candidates below 20 points were not included in the national ranking.

For non-European Union candidates residing abroad, the eligibility threshold in local university rankings was generally a score above zero.

The legal minimum is not the same as the final admission score.

The real cut-off changes according to:

• university
• course
• available places
• applicant category
• test difficulty
• preference order
• withdrawals
• ranking movements

Tie-breaking rules

Under the latest complete rules, candidates with the same total score were compared in this order:

1. Biology
2. Chemistry
3. Physics and Mathematics
4. Logical reasoning and problem-solving
5. Reading skills and knowledge acquired during studies

If the tie remained, additional criteria included:

• a recognised language certificate declared during registration
• specific certified disability conditions
• younger age as the final criterion

The 2026 decree may confirm or change this order.

How to register for IMAT 2026

Registration is completed through Universitaly.

The 2026 registration period has not yet been announced.

Students are generally asked to provide:

• personal details
• an active email address
• applicant category
• course and university preferences
• test centre choice
• payment details
• language certificates, when relevant
• accommodation requests for disabilities or learning disorders

Registration is complete only when all required steps and payments have been processed.

Students should save:

• the registration confirmation
• the payment receipt
• uploaded documents
• the final preference list

How university preferences work

Candidates in the national ranking can normally list several courses and universities.

The order should reflect the student’s real preferences.

Students are considered only for the universities included in their list.

Under the latest procedure:

• preferences could be changed until the registration deadline
• the final confirmed list became binding
• choosing an Italian test centre linked the exam location to the first preference

Students should not rank universities based only on expected cut-off scores. A preference list should show where they genuinely want to study.

IMAT 2026 test centres

The official 2026 test centres have not yet been published.

In previous years, the test was available in several Italian cities and in international centres across:

• Europe
• Asia
• Africa
• North America
• South America
• the Middle East

Countries and venues can change every year.

Students should wait for the official list before booking non-refundable travel.

The exact building and room may be published after registration.

What to bring on test day

The final 2026 instructions are still pending.

Under the latest university notices, candidates generally needed:

• a valid original identity document
• registration confirmation
• payment receipt
• passport, when applicable
• visa or residence permit documents, when applicable

Universities may request additional documents.

Missing the test normally counts as withdrawal. There is usually no individual resit for travel delays, illness or personal problems.

Prohibited items

Under the latest rules, candidates could not use:

• mobile phones
• smartwatches
• personal calculators
• books
• notes
• personal paper
• electronic devices
• unauthorised writing instruments

A calculator could be allowed only as an approved accommodation.

The university provided the materials needed for the paper test.

European Union and equivalent candidates

The national ranking generally includes:

• Italian citizens
• citizens of the European Union (EU)
• candidates legally treated as equivalent
• certain non-EU citizens legally residing in Italy

A residence permit issued by another European country does not automatically give a student EU-equivalent status in Italy.

The correct category depends on:

• citizenship
• country of residence
• type of residence permit
• family status
• applicable immigration rules

Students with an uncertain status should request confirmation from the university before registration.

Double citizenship

When a student holds both EU and non-EU citizenship, the EU citizenship generally prevails.

Applicants cannot choose the category that appears easier or more convenient.

Submitting the wrong citizenship status can lead to exclusion or refusal of enrolment.

Non-EU students residing abroad

Non-EU students residing abroad who need a study visa usually compete for a separate number of reserved places.

They generally have to:

• select a specific university
• complete pre-enrolment through Universitaly
• apply for a study visa
• enter the university’s local ranking
• follow the university’s own deadlines

Their procedure is different from the national ranking used for Italian, EU and equivalent candidates.

Pre-enrolment and study visa

Pre-enrolment mainly applies to non-EU students residing abroad who need a study visa.

It connects:

• the student
• the selected university
• the Italian embassy or consulate

University validation does not guarantee that a visa will be issued.

A visa does not guarantee admission or final enrolment.

Students must still:

• pass the admission procedure
• obtain a place
• hold a valid qualification
• submit all required documents
• enrol within the deadline

For the 2026/2027 academic year, the general ministerial deadline for study visa applications is 30 November 2026.

Universities may set earlier deadlines.

After arriving in Italy with a national study visa, students must normally apply for a residence permit within 8 working days.

Is the Declaration of Value mandatory?

The Declaration of Value is not automatically required from every international student.

Universities decide which documents they accept for the evaluation of a foreign qualification.

Depending on the case, they may request:

• Declaration of Value
• qualification comparison statements
• authenticity verification
• legalisation or apostille
• certified translations
• school transcripts
• proof of university access
• evidence of national admission requirements

Students must follow the exact document list published by their university.

University pre-applications

Some universities require an additional application through their own website.

This can be separate from:

• IMAT registration
• Universitaly pre-enrolment
• visa application
• final enrolment

A university may request:

• an early qualification assessment
• a pre-acceptance application
• a local applicant account
• translated documents
• a language certificate
• an application fee
• an earlier deadline for visa applicants

These procedures can change every year.

English language requirements

An English certificate was not a general national requirement for IMAT registration under the latest complete rules.

It may still be relevant because:

• it can be used as a tie-breaking criterion
• a university may require it
• an embassy or consulate may request it
• it may be needed for qualification evaluation
• it may be required before enrolment

Some universities require a B2 English level from specific categories of international applicants.

Students should check both university and consular requirements.

Is Italian required?

There is no single Italian-language rule that applies to every English-taught course.

Some universities may not require Italian at admission.

Others may request:

• an Italian-language test
• a language certificate
• a specific level before clinical placements
• completion of an Italian course during the degree

Italian becomes important during clinical training because students must communicate with patients, doctors and hospital staff.

How the national ranking works

Italian, EU and equivalent candidates generally enter a national ranking based on:

• IMAT score
• preference order
• available places

Non-EU candidates residing abroad generally enter a local ranking for their selected university.

The national ranking can move when candidates:

• enrol
• withdraw
• fail to meet a deadline
• move to a higher preference
• lose their place

Ranking statuses

The exact wording may change in 2026, but the latest system included:

Students who decide to wait may need to confirm their continued interest through Universitaly.

Missing that confirmation can result in removal from the ranking.

Enrolment deadlines

Ranking deadlines are strict.

Under the latest complete procedure, assigned or booked candidates generally had 4 days to enrol.

The calculation included:

• the publication day
• no Saturdays
• no public holidays

Students waiting for later movements had a separate deadline to confirm their interest.

The 2026 timetable has not yet been published.

Documents should be prepared before the first ranking, especially:

• identity documents
• school qualification
• translations
• legalisation or apostille
• qualification assessments
• residence documents
• tax code, when required
• tuition payment details

Available places

The number of places for 2026/2027 has not yet been published.

For reference, the 2025/2026 public English-taught courses offered:

• 952 Medicine places for Italian, EU and equivalent candidates
• 530 Medicine places for non-EU candidates residing abroad
• 52 Dentistry places for the national-ranking category
• 8 Dentistry places for non-EU candidates residing abroad
• 45 Veterinary Medicine places for the national-ranking category
• 5 Veterinary Medicine places for non-EU candidates residing abroad

These figures are not confirmed for 2026.

Students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders

Students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLDs) can request test accommodations.

Under the latest complete rules, accommodations could include:

• up to 50% extra time for recognised disabilities
• up to 30% extra time for certified SLDs
• approved compensatory tools in serious cases
• a reader or other university-arranged support

Requests must normally be submitted before the registration deadline.

Foreign medical documents may need:

• legalisation
• certified translation
• recent medical evidence
• confirmation that the condition is recognised under Italian rules

Accommodation requests cannot normally be made for the first time on test day.

How to study for the IMAT

Until the 2026 syllabus is published, students can use the latest official programme as a working reference.

The main areas are:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Mathematics
• Logical reasoning
• Reading comprehension
• Knowledge acquired during previous studies

A clear preparation method should include:

• an initial timed simulation
• analysis of mistakes
• topic-based revision
• regular question practice
• repeated full simulations
• speed and accuracy tracking
• focused work on weak areas

Preparation time depends on the student’s starting level and consistency. There is no official number of months that guarantees admission.

TestBuddy combines simulations, exercises, a digital manual, artificial intelligence support and performance statistics in one platform. The TB™ Score helps students understand what they would score today and where they need to improve. It is possible to start for free.

Official information and documents

The IMAT 2026 date is confirmed in the official announcement from the Italian Ministry of Universities and Research.

Official exam updates, papers and admission notices are published on the Accesso Programmato portal.

The latest complete structure, scoring rules and ranking procedure are contained in the official 2025/2026 ministerial admission rules.

Information about the Italian-language Medicine admission system is available on the official Universitaly open-semester page.

Rules for international students, foreign qualifications, pre-enrolment and visas are explained in the official 2026/2027 international student procedures and the related foreign qualification assessment annex.

Visa applicants can use the official Universitaly international student portal, while post-arrival requirements are described in the official guide for the first steps in Italy.

Examples of university-specific requirements for international and underage students are available on the University of Bologna enrolment page.

An example of a university-specific English requirement is available on the University of Milano-Bicocca international admissions page.

Students can practise with the official 2025 IMAT paper and 2024 IMAT paper.