Biomedical Admissions Test

The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) is an aptitude test used as part of the admissions process for Medicine, Biomedical Sciences and Dentistry in some universities in the United Kingdom, Singapore, Spain, Malaysia, Thailand, Hungary, Croatia and the Netherlands.

BMAT is a 2-hour, pen-and-paper test, which consists of three sections. The first two sections are both multiple choice questions and the third section is a writing task.

Section 1: Thinking Skills

This section is designed to test generic skills in problem-solving and understanding arguments. It is made up of 32 questions, with 60 minutes to complete.

Section 2: Scientific Knowledge and Applications

This section tests the ability to apply scientific knowledge typically covered in school Science and Mathematics by the age of 16 (for example, GCSE in the UK and IGCSE internationally). It is made up of 27 questions, with 30 minutes to complete. The scope of scientific knowledge include that of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

Section 3: Writing Task

This section tests the ability to select, develop and organise ideas, and to communicate them in writing, concisely and effectively. Applicants must complete one writing task from a choice of three questions, with 30 minutes to complete.

Calculators and dictionaries, including bilingual dictionaries, cannot be used in the exam.

For Sections 1 and 2 the total raw marks for each section are converted onto the BMAT 9-point scale. The scores are given to one decimal place. The scale is designed so that typical candidates who are invited for interview at the most highly competitive medical courses score around 5.0. The best candidates will score 6.0 or higher (roughly 10% of candidates in recent years) and a few exceptional candidates (>5%) will score higher than 7.0. The average score of all candidates tends to fall around 4.0-4.5.

For Section 3, candidates get two scores – one for quality of content (on a scale of 1– 5, with 5 being the highest) and one for quality of written English (on the scale A, C, E, with A being the highest). Each BMAT essay is marked by two examiners and the two marks are combined to give an overall score ranging from 1E to 5A. An image of the candidate’s Writing Task is supplied to each institution to which the candidate has applied.