IMAT Guidelines: who can sit for the IMAT, how many places does IMAT have, what’s a good score for IMAT

Have you ever wondered whether you can take the IMAT test and what score you need to study medicine in Italy? Here is a brief guide to clarify your doubts.

The International Medical Admission Test (IMAT) is a standardized test used for admission to Italian medical schools offering English programs.

IMAT consists of 60 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), each with five options, which must be completed in 100 minutes.

Topics covered in the test include logical reasoning, general knowledge, biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics. The IMAT is a pen-and-paper test usually held once a year, typically between September and November.

Who can sit for the IMAT?

A high school diploma is everything you need to take the IMAT 2025 test !

Is there any age limit for taking the IMAT?

There is no age limit for applying to medical school in Italy. Students of all ages can pursue medical studies , and it is common for international students to apply between the ages of 25 and 35.

Many applicants come from different career backgrounds or have established families before deciding to study medicine.

Interestingly, mature candidates often handle the challenges of medical school more effectively, as they have already developed the self-discipline necessary for managing a demanding curriculum.

To be eligible for medical school in Italy, the only requirement is that applicants must have completed 12 years of schooling.

In a rare scenario, a younger candidate may benefit compared to an older one if two applicants have the same score on the IMAT (International Medical Admission Test). In such cases, several factors are taken into consideration to determine who is ranked higher. The first criterion is the individual scores in each section of the IMAT (such as logic, general knowledge, and biology).

If both candidates have identical scores across all sections (which is extremely unlikely), priority will then go to the candidate with an English Language Certificate. If both candidates possess this certificate, the younger candidate will have the advantage.

Can I sit the IMAT test even if I haven’t finished high school?

Short answer: Yes, you can take the IMAT even if you haven’t finished high school, but you won’t be able to use your score to apply to medical school.

The only requirement to sit for the IMAT is to register and pay the test fee. Your age or whether you are 1 or 5 years away from high school graduation does not matter. While finishing high school is not necessary to take the IMAT, it is mandatory to enroll in an Italian university . Therefore, if you take the IMAT before graduating high school and achieve a high score, you still won’t be able to enroll without having your high school diploma.

Before proceeding, let’s clarify a few essential points:

1. You CAN use your IMAT score if your high school diploma is ready by the enrollment date in the same year. It’s perfectly fine if you haven’t finished high school by July, when IMAT registration takes place, but you must have your diploma by the time of enrollment in October.
2. The IMAT score is ONLY valid for applications for the same academic year. For instance, an IMAT score obtained in 2025 will not be valid for entry in 2026.
3. There are no limits on how often you can register for and take the IMAT . This brings up an important question: are there any advantages to taking the IMAT even if you can’t use the score for that year? Let’s explore this further.

WHAT IF STUDENTS HAVE ATTENDED 11 YEARS OF SCHOOLING?

A candidate eligible for the IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test) must have completed at least 12 years of schooling to qualify for university in their home country. Importantly, you do not need any prerequisite courses, and your grades are irrelevant.

For most candidates, this means they need to have completed 12 years of high school. However, if you have not completed 12 years of high school, any missing years can be compensated by university studies.

Students intending to study in Italy at the higher education level must meet the following requirements if they hold a secondary qualification awarded after only 11 years of global schooling:

1. If you have a secondary school certificate issued after 10-11 years of schooling:

• You must provide evidence of completing either 2 years or 1 year of university studies, respectively, according to the educational system your qualification came from. Note that the years of university studies cannot be used to shorten the duration of your chosen Italian course of study; instead, they will only be considered for enrollment in the first year.
• Alternatively, you need to obtain an Italian upper secondary school diploma.

2. If you have a secondary qualification from 10 years of comprehensive schooling and have completed 3 years of university studies in your country:

• Italian institutions generally accept 2 years of your university studies to cover the gap in your secondary education, helping you reach the general requirement of 12 years of pre-university schooling.
• They will also assess your 3rd year of university studies to determine if it is possible to shorten the duration of your chosen Italian course.

Keep in mind that the Italian education system typically consists of 13 years of schooling. However, Italian institutions accept foreign secondary qualifications with 12 years of pre-university education, which aligns with the standards of educational systems in Western European countries.

3. If you have a secondary qualification that falls short of the required average of 12 years of pre-university schooling but have attended a post-secondary professional institution in your country:

• Your post-secondary studies may be accepted to cover the gap in your secondary education, provided you have completed them and obtained the relevant diploma.

Available places IMAT 2025

Below is a breakdown of all available places for the academic year 2024/2025:

• EU Medicine and Surgery: 919 places (+40 compared to 2023)
• Non-EU Medicine and Surgery: 475 places (+50 compared to 2023)
• EU dentistry: 42 places (equal to 2023)
• Non-EU dentistry: 18 places (equal to 2023).

What score is good for IMAT?

First of all, it’s important to note that the minimum IMAT score changes every year and depends on the difficulty of the test. On average, students tend to score higher on easier tests and lower on harder ones.

This is why you shouldn’t be satisfied with merely reaching the minimum score; instead, aim for the highest possible score!

For IMAT 2023 , the minimum score was 32.4 points. The last candidates to enroll ranked 699 for Dentistry at La Sapienza in Rome and 1319 for Medicine in Catania.

The IMAT 2024 ranking list is still being updated slowly but steadily, making it difficult to provide a precise minimum score at this time. However, as of the end of February 2025, there are only 45 seats available out of 953, with a minimum score of 55.4 for Medicine at Messina currently held by the candidate in position 1271.

Similar to the minimum score, the highest IMAT score also varies each year based on the test’s difficulty. In IMAT 2024, the top score was 86.6 for Milan, but candidates can score up to 90 points if they answer every question correctly.

Please note that these numbers refer only to the national ranking list for EU and non-EU students residing in Italy. There is a separate ranking list provided by individual universities for non-EU students living abroad, and it is impossible to make any predictions about those scores.

Do you want to prepare for the IMAT in the best possible way? Find out about our preparation courses .