All Previous IMAT Test Papers 2011-2024 | PDFs, Breakdown + Analysis

In this article, I have collected all previous IMAT papers from 2011 to 2024 (including the most recent one that was fairly different), available for download in PDF format. The International Medical Admissions Test (IMAT) is a challenging exam that assesses the skills and knowledge of prospective medical students worldwide (who want to study medicine in Italy). It is used by the universities in Italy that hold medicine in English courses. You will find them all on this page!

Please note that the admission exam was written by Cambridge until 2022, but 2023 and 2024 were different because Cambridge no longer wrote them. IMAT 2025 is expected to be written by a different company (or the Ministry of Education, similar to IMAT 2024), so it will most likely resemble the IMAT 2024.

You can use this page as a reference point to get past papers. However, I recommend only briefly looking at them and not trying to solve them unless you already know this material. In my opinion, using past papers as simulations right before the exam is the best preparation method.

On my website, you will also find free analyses and trends from past papers. You will understand which questions were asked in the past and which are most likely to be repeated. Nonetheless, it is valuable to know that the recent papers (that were not written by Cambridge) are significantly more helpful than the papers before 2022. Why is that? Because the Italian question style is different, and it’s essential to get used to it!

IMAT Past Papers, Changes, Topics, and Format

Students must familiarize themselves with the previous exam papers in order to increase their chances of success. The purpose of this article is to take a closer look at relevant past IMAT papers, starting from 2011 to 2022.

IMAT 2011 and 2012 are unlike future exams. These exams contained 80 questions and were considered less challenging than subsequent years. The questions were more straightforward, with fewer general knowledge required than in other years.

From 2013 up until 2019, we saw a considerable change in the exam’s structure. These exams had 60 questions written in a tricky way that was usual for Cambridge. Every question required logical thinking and analysis, even questions that weren’t in the ‘logic’ section. I took the IMAT in 2019, the first year they changed the logic section from having 20 questions, to having 10 and 12 general knowledge questions!

Despite this, the scores remained around the same. This is because no one manages to solve all 60 questions. As critical thinking and problem-solving questions take the most time to solve, past candidates chose to solve biology and chemistry questions instead. But also, perhaps because the number of candidates grew, it balanced out the increased difficulty.

In 2022, the exam’s structure saw yet another change. For the first time, there were 10 math and physics questions instead of 8, and 15 chemistry questions instead of 12. Three questions were taken away from biology. It remains to be seen how this change will affect the scores of the candidates.

Still, the most consequential change of the IMAT happened in 2023, where different companies composed the IMAT exams of 2023 and 2024, which were completely different than in the past. The questions were much easier, and we saw really high admission scores! I remember thinking (back in 2019) that the IMAT scores will never really reach 70+, that it seemed impossible. Currently, with the Italian Ministry of Education in charge of the IMAT, we not only see people getting 70, but also cut-offs becoming 70+ (which is truly amazing).

IMAT 2024 Past Paper PDF

IMAT 2023 Past Paper PDF

IMAT 2022 Past Paper PDF

IMAT 2021 Past Paper PDF

IMAT 2020 Past Paper PDF

IMAT 2019 Past Paper PDF

IMAT 2018 Past Paper PDF

IMAT 2017 Past Paper PDF

IMAT 2016 Past Paper PDF

IMAT 2015 Past Paper PDF

IMAT 2014 Past Paper PDF

IMAT 2013 Past Paper PDF

IMAT 2012 Past Paper PDF

IMAT 2011 Past Paper PDF

What Are The Most Important IMAT Topics To Study?

Now that we have reviewed all the past IMAT papers let’s discuss which topics are most important to learn for IMAT 2025.

IMAT 2024 was unique in regard to critical thinking. Before that, they used to ask about the 7 skills (assumptions, conclusions, etc.), but now they ask English and basic logic questions. The best way to prepare for this section is to be well-read and improve your English. However, the problem-solving topic is now different, which I will cover in the next paragraph.

Problem-solving is another crucial area to focus on when studying for the IMAT exam. There were questions about spatial recognition, folding shapes, 3D shapes, and more. From IMAT 2024, that’s no longer the case, and IMAT 2025 may continue to mainly focus on probability and statistics. My tip, based on my experience; don’t solve exams older than 2022 for this section, and focus on developiong your statistics and probability techniques.

In biology and chemistry, you’ll find questions that cover basic concepts with more advanced topics related to physiology (which surprisingly wasn’t even part of IMAT 2024, but I don’t think they will continue this trend for IMAT 2025). It’s necessary to have a solid grasp of basic concepts such as cell biology, mitosis, meiosis, and the reproduction of cells. They appeared a lot on the most recent IMAT (2024) so I would definitely focus on them. (And honestly they are so interesting to study as well!)

In chemistry, there are several key subjects that you must know by heart. Basic stoichiometry, gas laws, redox reactions, and periodicity are among the most important. These concepts may seem straightforward, but when studying them you should focus on practicing as much as possible. Review these concepts regularly and work through lots of questions. I had many students in the past that just read the material and theory – you shouldn’t do that. Even if you feel you comprehend the material well, unlike biology, theory alone won’t get you to pass the questions on the exam.

When Should I Practice IMAT Past Papers?

Okay, so let’s discuss when you should start practicing those papers for IMAT 2025 – which will likely take place in September 2025.

I have been teaching for the IMAT since 2020. On average, regular preparation for the IMAT exam usually takes 5-6 months for a student who starts from scratch (for example, people who are 5-10 years post-high school graduation), and around 2 intensive months for high school students who are about to graduate / recently graduated and studied a scientific subject during their last year. During the first three months, I usually recommend focusing on the IMAT study planner (you can find it on this website for free), studying from books, and watching videos. This will help you to build a strong foundation of the concepts and skills needed for the exam. It is not recommended to use any past IMAT papers during this period.

After completing the IMAT study planner, do questions from similar exams such as the SAT, BMAT, TSA, IB, MCAT, and more. Just note that BMATs and TSAs are no longer similar to the IMAT – They will help you understand if you know the material because the questions are really hard, but don’t expect the questions of IMAT 2025 to be identical to them.

Practicing as many questions as possible before trying to solve past papers will give you a more accurate simulation of the real IMAT itself. Also – solving diverse questions, with different styles and structures will allow you to anticipate any “surprises” on the IMAT – you never know, the questions can be really easy or really difficult, they can suddenly have someone different writing the questions and you should be ready as best you can, especially when it comes to an exam that determines your future!

To summarize, around three months before the exam, start solving one past paper per week, starting from IMAT 2013. You can use 2011 and 2012 as well, but as I said earlier, they are different from the more recent papers. Use these papers as simulations in order to get used to the real test conditions. Use a timer and a quiet place, without going to the bathroom for 100 minutes, while focusing wholly on the IMAT exam! – do not stress too much about your score because these exams were much harder and written by Cambridge, which is no longer writing them. Expect higher scores when you use IMAT 2023 and 2024 as simulations.

It is critical to simulate the real exam conditions as closely as possible. This will help you get used to the time pressure and focus required for the exam. When solving past papers, pay attention to the types of questions that take longer to solve and those that are easier for you. This will help you develop a strategy for approaching the exam and managing your time effectively.

After you finish solving a past paper, sit down and analyze every single question, understand why you got it wrong (or right!), and don’t only analyze your mistakes. To my students, I recommend having an Excel sheet where they can analyze their progress.

Using Past IMAT Papers as Simulators to Prepare for Exam Day – Final Tips

To conclude this article, here are the main points I want you guys to remember:

• IMAT 2011 to 2022 papers were written by Cambridge, which no longer writes it. Because of that, IMAT 2024 and 2023 were pretty different, easier, and “weirder” – it means that when you take the past papers as simulations, you might get lower scores – which is expected.
• When taking past papers, please make sure to simulate actual exam conditions. Use an analog watch, go to a quiet place like a library, print the paper, and get used to solving it that way. Sure, maybe the exams were different than what you should expect from IMAT 2025, but you should mainly focus on improving the knowledge and your strategy, time management, and stress management.
• Expect the unexpected – the IMAT could change. It’s only my assumption that IMAT 2025 will be easy and look like IMAT 2024 that I attached to this page, but you never know; that’s why I recommend students in my courses to solve as many questions as possible from as many different styles of question banks and conventions.