WHAT IS BIOMEDICAL ADMISSIONS TEST (BMAT)

What Is the BMAT?
The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) assesses a candidate’s scientific and mathematical knowledge, as well as his or her ability to solve problems, think critically, and communicate in a written format. These skills are considered central to undergraduate study at university.

Universities in the UK, Europe and Asia use the BMAT to select applicants for medical, dental, biomedical and veterinary degrees. For information on which universities request applicants to have taken the BMAT, please

Universities in the UK that request the BMAT
  • Brighton and Sussex Medical School
  • Imperial College London
  • Lancaster University
  • University College London
  • University of Cambridge
  • University of Leeds
  • University of Oxford

Certain universities in the UK require international applicants only to take the BMAT. These are:

  • Keele University
  • University of Manchester Medical School
For comprehensive information, please visit the websites of these two universities.
Keele University:
https://www.keele.ac.uk/medicine/undergraduate/medicine-mbchb/howtoapply/internationalstudents/internationalentryrequirements/ University of Manchester Medical School:
https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/medicine/apply/international/
Universities in Europe that request the BMAT

Croatia

  • University of Rijeka (applicants to Medicine)
  • University of Zagreb (applicants to Doctor of Medicine [in English])

Estonia

  • Estonian University of Life Sciences (applicants to Veterinary Medicine)
  • University of Tartu (applicants to Medicine [M.D.])

Greece

  • Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Medicine (applicants to Medicine [in English])

Hungary

  • University of Pécs (applicants to Medicine and Dentistry)

Italy

  • Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma (UCBM) ( applicants to Medicine and Surgery [M.D.] who are non-European citizens not resident in Italy)

Lithuania

  • Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (applicants to Medicine, Odontology, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine)

Netherlands

  • Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) (applicants to Medicine and Biomedical Sciences)
  • University of Twente (applicants to Technical Medicine)

Poland

  • Medical University of Gdańsk (applicants to Doctor of Medicine [M.D.])
  • Medical University of Warsaw (applicants to Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Dental Medicine)
  • Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin (applicants to Doctor of Medicine [M.D] [English Programme])
  • Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences (applicants to Veterinary Medicine)

Romania

  • Vasile Goldiș Western University of Arad (applicants to Medicine [in English])

Russia

  • Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow (applicants to General Medicine and Biology)

Spain

  • CEU Cardenal Herrera University (applicants to Medicine)
  • Universidad de Navarra (applicants to Medicine)

Universities in Asia that request the BMAT

Kazakhstan

  • Nazarbayev University School of Medicine (applicants to Medicine [M.D.])

Malaysia

  • University of Malaya, Malaysia (applicants to Medicine)

Singapore

  • Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Singapore (applicants to Medicine)

Thailand

  • Chiang Mai University (applicants to Medicine and Dental Surgery)
  • Chulabhorn Royal Academy (applicants to Medicine [M.D.])
  • Khon Kaen University (applicants to Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy)
  • King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (applicants to Medicine)
  • Mahidol University (applicants to Medicine and Dentistry)
  • Navamindradhiraj University (applicants to Medicine)
  • Srinakharinwirot University (applicants to Medicine)
  • Suranaree University of Technology (applicants to Medicine and Dental Surgery)
  • Thammasat University (applicants to Medicine and Dental Surgery)
The BMAT is two hours in duration, and it is divided into three sections: Section 1 – Thinking Skills; Section 2 – Scientific Knowledge and Applications; and Section 3 – Writing Task. For detailed information on each section of the test, please
Section 1 of the BMAT, called ‘Thinking Skills’, tests a candidate’s ability to solve problems and think critically. It consists of 32 multiple-choice questions, and candidates have 60 minutes to complete it.

Section 2 of the BMAT, known as ‘Scientific Knowledge and Applications’, assesses a candidate’s scientific knowledge and how well he or she can apply it. The knowledge tested is to the level covered in GCSE or iGCSE Science and Mathematics. Section 2 contains 27 multiple-choice questions, and candidates have 30 minutes to complete it.

Section 3 of the BMAT, which is the Writing Task, examines a candidate’s ability to effectively and concisely develop, organise and communicate his or her ideas in a written format. Candidates must select one ‘writing task’, which takes the form of an essay, from a choice of three, and they must complete it in 30 minutes.

The test specification for Sections 1, 2 and 3 of the BMAT can be found here:
https://www.admissionstesting.org/Images/535824-bmat-test-specification.pdf

To access practice questions for Section 1, Section 2 and Section 3 of the BMAT, please click below.

SECTION 1
SECTION 2
SECTION 3


How Is the BMAT Scored?

Each question in Section 1 and Section 2 is worth one mark. A candidate’s score is then converted and reported on a scale between 1.0 (lowest) and 9.0 (highest). It is important to note that the BMAT is not negatively marked, which means that candidates cannot lose marks for answering a question incorrectly.
Section 3 comprises two scores: one for the quality of the essay’s content, which is marked on a scale of 0.0 (lowest) to 5.0 (highest), and another for the quality of the written English, which is graded on a scale of A (highest) to E (lowest). To view the marking criteria for Section 3 of the BMAT, please follow this link:
https://www.admissionstesting.org/images/20757-section-3-marking-criteria.pdf

Candidates do not pass or fail the BMAT. Rather, they must aim to score as highly as possible. While the average BMAT score is around 5.0, a good BMAT score is considered to be 6.0, and an exceptional BMAT score is seen as 7.0 and higher.