A major change to the IMAT exam since 2023

A major shift happened when the IMAT moved away from being written by Cambridge Assessment to being fully managed by the Italian Ministry. During the Cambridge years, cut-offs were generally lower:

• Around 40+ for EU students

• Around 50+ for non-EU students

Since the transition, scores have become more volatile and, in many cases, higher. There are a few key reasons for this:

• The exam style has changed, especially in logic and science balance. Previously the Cambridge-style questions required good reasoning skills to solve, whereas the Italian Ministry favors shorter, more direct questions.

• More students are applying each year

• Preparation resources have improved, increasing competition

• Some recent papers have been easier, pushing scores upward

The result is a more competitive environment where small differences in score can drastically change your outcome.

Why you should avoid aiming at the minimum score

Many students make the mistake of aiming for last year’s cut-off. This is risky for two reasons:

First, cut-offs can change dramatically from one year to the next. A score that was enough one year may not be enough the next. Second, the allocation system means that your university choice matters. A score that gets you into one university might not be enough for another. Instead of aiming for the minimum, you should aim for a safe margin.

What score you should aim for

Based on recent trends, a strong strategy is:

• Below 50: unlikely to secure a place in recent years

• 50 to 60: possible, but risky and dependent on the year

• 60 to 65: competitive for many universities

• 65+: strong position for most schools

• 70+: excellent score with high chances, including top universities

What to to take away from recent exam evolutions

The IMAT is not an exam where you aim to pass. It is an exam where you aim to outperform other candidates. Over the years, the trend has been clear. Competition is increasing, scores are rising, and relying on historical minimums is no longer a safe strategy.

If you are serious about getting into medicine in Italy, your goal should not be to reach the cut-off. Your goal should be to stay comfortably above it.