Status
Discontinued
Last sat October 2023
Preparation Guide
BioMedical Admissions Test (Discontinued) Preparation Guide
Format, scoring, key dates, strategy, and expert preparation support.
Discontinued
The BMAT was discontinued in October 2023 (last sitting for 2024 entry).
Cambridge Assessment decided to discontinue BMAT after October 2023. The final sitting was for 2024 entry.
Now replaced by: UCAT
BMAT at a Glance
Replaced by
UCAT
For most med schools
Final cycle
2024 entry
Reason
Provider withdrew
Cambridge Assessment closed BMAT
Key Dates & Deadlines
Discontinued
Test Status
Last administered in October 2023.
UCAT (most schools)
Replacement
See the UCAT guide.
Discontinued
Test Status
Last administered in October 2023.
UCAT (most schools)
Replacement
See the UCAT guide.
The BMAT was a UK medical-school admissions test discontinued by Cambridge Assessment after October 2023. Most former BMAT-using medical schools (Cambridge Medicine, Oxford Medicine, Imperial, UCL, others) have moved to the UCAT or to university-specific assessments.
The BMAT (BioMedical Admissions Test) was a two-hour pen-and-paper test previously used by several UK medical schools, including Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College London, and UCL, as part of their admissions process.
BMAT was discontinued after the 2023 testing cycle. It has been replaced by the UCAT for most medical schools, and by other assessments for some universities.
If you are applying for medicine in 2026 or later, you do not need to take the BMAT. Instead, check whether your chosen universities require the UCAT, an interview, or other assessments.
01Section 01
Test Format
01
Section 01
Test Format
The BMAT had three sections: Section 1 (Aptitude and Skills — 60 minutes, 32 multiple-choice questions on problem-solving and critical thinking), Section 2 (Scientific Knowledge and Applications — 30 minutes, 27 multiple-choice questions on GCSE-level science and maths), and Section 3 (Writing Task — 30 minutes, one essay from a choice of prompts).
This format is now obsolete. For current admissions test requirements, see our UCAT guide.
02Section 02
Scoring, Bands & What Universities Look For
02
Section 02
Scoring, Bands & What Universities Look For
Sections 1 and 2 were scored on a scale of 1–9. Section 3 was scored on a scale of 1–5 for content and A–E for quality of English.
These scores are no longer relevant for current applicants. Visit our UCAT guide for current medical-school admissions-test information.
03Section 03
Preparation Strategy
03
Section 03
Preparation Strategy
BMAT is no longer administered. If you are preparing for medical-school admissions, focus on UCAT preparation instead.
Many of the skills tested by BMAT (critical thinking, scientific reasoning, essay writing) remain valuable for medical-school interviews and applications.
Visit our UCAT preparation guide for current advice on medical-school admissions testing.
04Section 04
How This Test Compares to Its Predecessor
04
Section 04
How This Test Compares to Its Predecessor
Side-by-side with — what changed, what didn't, and what that means for preparation.
Dimension
BMAT
Replaced test
Status
Use UCAT
BMAT (discontinued)
Format
5 cognitive sections, computer-based
3 sections (aptitude, science, essay), paper-based
Duration
2 hours
2 hours
Scoring
300–900 per section, Band 1–4 SJT
1.0–9.0 (sec 1+2), 1–5 + A–E (sec 3 essay)
Used by Cambridge
No (Cambridge no longer uses an aptitude test for medicine)
Yes