Everything You Need to Know About the BMAT

Every year, thousands of students from around the UK and beyond sit down to take the BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) admissions exam, hoping to score highly and earn a place in a prestigious medical, dental, or veterinary-based program.

Yet, unlike A-level courses that schools guide students through, the BMAT is completely the responsibility of the student. Students must sign up for the correct session of the BMAT, study for the exam, and sit the test without further guidance from teachers. Due to this, many are confused about where they should begin with the BMAT.

To make things as easy as possible for you, we’ve collected absolutely all the information you’ll need to know about the BMAT into this one article. By the end of this, you’ll be well on your way to signing up and preparing for the BMAT examinations.

How Is the BMAT Structured, and What Does it Test?

The BMAT is split into three parts, each with a different number of questions and each testing a distinct set of skills. The main purpose of the exam, according to the BMAT specification, is to ensure that students have the potential to succeed on an academically demanding university course.

To put this to the test, the BMAT examines three core areas:

• Thinking Skills - The most generic part of the exam will have students face a total of 32 multiple-choice questions. 16 of these will assess problem-solving, and 16 will assess critical thinking, with each section asking students to draw conclusions from texts, detect reasoning errors, identify similarities, and apply logic.
• Scientific Knowledge and Applications - The second section of the BMAT tests-core scientific knowledge and ability, with 7 questions on Biology, 7 on Chemistry, 7 on Physics, and 6 on Mathematics, adding to a possible total of 27 in this section. This will address fundamental concepts and ideas within each of these sciences, checking applied knowledge of each of the core subjects.
• Writing Task - Finally, students will write an extended essay, either generating a counter-argument, resolving a debate between two sides, or explaining the implications of a proposition. This section tests the student’s ability to produce extended logic in English, judging them on their organization of ideas, the quality of their response, and their skill in the English Language.

The specific subject knowledge that students will require is inside of the BMAT specification, with this being the perfect place to start any revision that the student intends to do. There are separate question papers for each part of the exam, with the first two being multiple-choice and the third being the essay.

Across the first two sections, students will get one mark per question, with their final grade then being put on a scale of 1.0-9.0. The final section is marked on the quality of English (A, C, and E) and a content mark of 1-5, with 5 being the highest quality.

From this, you’ll receive your final BMAT score, which can range from 1-9.

Who Takes the BMAT?

The BMAT is an admissions exam that’s generally targeted at four groups, each looking to study a degree related to the sciences. Students looking to study the following subjects will all enlist in the BMAT:

• Medicine
• Veterinary medicine
• Biomedical sciences
• Dentistry

Beyond this, there are also university recommendations, with some specific courses requiring the BMAT exam. This is typically on courses that have a large applicant pool, helping the universities in question to further find the top students that are applying.

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Be sure to check the course description and the specific entry requirements for the course you’re planning on taking to see if you, too, need to take the BMAT exam.

How Much Does the BMAT Cost?

The BMAT exam is not a free test to take, with the price that you have to pay varying depending on where you’re from. For example:

• If you’re a UK or EU citizen - The BMAT will cost you £75 or €88.
• If you’re based outside of the EU - The BMAT will cost you £100 or $137.

Additionally, there are some additional charges for students who either want to enquire about their specific exam breakdowns or appeal their final score. These both have a charge of:

• Results inquiries - £38 or €45 or $52 (depending on location).
• Appealing your final results - £38 or €45 or $52.

The vast majority of people will not need these final two additions, making the cost closer to what is stated above. In an attempt to make the BMAT accessible to everyone, despite their financial background, the BMAT also has a bursary scheme.

Can I Resit the BMAT?

The BMAT, just like the UCAT, is an admissions exam that only remains valid for the specific admissions cycle in which the student is applying. Alongside this, you cannot resit the BMAT in the same year, only being able to use one set of test scores for your university application.

That said, due to the fact that the BMAT is admission-year specific, if you were to take a gap year and then apply again, you would have to take the BMAT again. By definition, this makes the BMAT a test you can resit, but only if you take a year off before applying again to a program that requires this exam.

Final Thoughts

Although the BMAT may seem overwhelming at times, the most important thing to remember is that it is entirely possible to achieve highly on this exam if you give yourself enough time and surround yourself with the correct study materials.

One of the very best ways to boost your chances of performing well on the BMAT exam is to work with an online BMAT tutor. At TutorChase, all of our tutors achieved top marks on their BMAT exam, going on to study at world-class universities. With their help, you’ll be able to move through the BMAT exam, understanding exactly how the test works, learning the best revision tactics, and building up your confidence.

Alongside one of our top online BMAT tutors, you’ll be ready to flourish come exam day. Best of luck with the BMAT!