Catania IMAT 2026 overview

Every year, the University of Catania opens a set number of seats on its English-taught, single-cycle Master's degree — the Italian equivalent of an integrated MD — to candidates who sit a national, MUR-set entrance test known as the IMAT. Catania IMAT 2026 is governed by the official bando (Prot. n. 0466945), signed by Catania's Rector, Prof. Enrico Foti, and the Dirigente dell'Area della Didattica, Dott. Giuseppe Caruso, on 10 August 2026, covering admission for the 2026/2027 academic year to:

• Medicine and Surgery — class LM-41, a six-year single-cycle Master's degree taught entirely in English

This guide walks through the bando in plain English: who can apply, exactly what's due and when, how the test and rankings work, and what happens after you win a seat. It's a summary of a long, dense legal document — you can read the official bando in full, or cross-check anything decision-critical against Catania's own university website before you act on it. For how this bando fits the national picture, see the IMAT 2026/2027 rulebook.

Programme & available seats

The degree runs six years, taught entirely in English, under Italy's numero programmato (capped-place) system. The Catania bando covers Medicine and Surgery only — there is no Dentistry or Veterinary Medicine track in this particular notice, even though the underlying national decree (D.M. 1005/2026) also governs those courses at other universities. Seats are split into two headline categories, with sub-quotas nested inside the second:

Extra-EU candidates with Italian citizenship who are not residents in Italy, and who hold a non-Italian qualification, also fall within the reserved extra-EU quota — see the University's international-students guidance at studiare-in-italia.it/studentistranieri for the full breakdown. Wondering how Catania stacks up elsewhere? See the full 2026/2027 seat breakdown for every public university, or vote on your shortlist in the IMAT university choice tracker.

Who's eligible

To sit Catania IMAT 2026, you need a diploma of upper-secondary education, and eligibility broadly follows Article 39, paragraph 5 of Legislative Decree 286/1998 (as amended by Law 189/2002). There are a few distinct paths, depending on citizenship, residency and where you obtained your diploma.

Italian, EU and equivalent-country citizens

Italian citizens, EU citizens wherever resident, and citizens of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland or San Marino can apply on equal terms, provided they hold a qualifying secondary-school diploma.

Foreign nationals residing in Italy

Also eligible are foreign nationals holding an EU long-term residence permit, or a residence permit for subordinate/self-employed work, family reasons, political or humanitarian asylum, or religious reasons, as well as foreign nationals legally residing in Italy for at least one year who hold a higher-education qualification obtained in Italy.

Holders of foreign diplomas

Candidates holding final diplomas from Italian schools abroad, or from foreign/international schools operating in Italy or abroad under bilateral agreements, are eligible if they meet the general study-entry conditions. A foreign qualification obtained after at least twelve years of total schooling is also valid, provided it's accompanied either by a "Dichiarazione di Valore" issued by the Italian diplomatic representation in the country where the qualification was obtained, or by an "Attestato di comparabilità del titolo" issued by Italy's ENIC-NARIC centre, CIMEA, requested online via www.cimea.it.

Extra-EU candidates requiring a visa, residing abroad

International candidates requiring a long-stay study visa must have submitted a university pre-enrolment application by 31 July 2026, through the international students section of the Universitaly portal. A certified English level of at least B2 CEFR is required for enrolment.

Not eligible: students already enrolled at Catania in the same degree course, and anyone already holding a degree (laurea or laurea specialistica, including under earlier academic systems) that carries the same legal standing as the one obtainable through this admission procedure.

Catania IMAT 2026 deadline calendar

This is the single most important table on this page. Miss the 9 September registration cutoff, and the bando is explicit that no exception reopens it.

How to register for the test

Registering for Catania IMAT 2026 happens entirely through the national Universitaly portal.

1. 1

   Register on Universitaly (www.universitaly.it), providing surname, first name, place and date of birth, citizenship, tax code, valid ID document details, residence address, an email address (or mobile number if you have no email), and any language certification you hold.

2. 2

   Rank your preferred test venues in order of preference. If you choose to sit the test in Italy, your first preference automatically becomes your assigned test venue — no exceptions or deferrals are allowed. If you intend to sit abroad, you must select a foreign venue listed in Tabella A annexed to D.M. 1005/2026. These choices become irrevocable at 15:00 GMT+2 on 9 September 2026, and this step is mandatory — skipping it means exclusion from the test.

3. 3

   Pay the participation fee using the method published on Universitaly once registrations open (26 August – 9 September 2026). A payment not accompanied by the online registration receipt does not entitle you to sit the test.

4. 4

   Non-EU candidates requiring a visa must additionally have completed the Universitaly pre-enrolment for international students by 31 July 2026, and will need a certified English level of at least B2 CEFR for enrolment.

Catania IMAT 2026 test format & scoring

60 questions, five options each (one correct answer), 100 minutes on the clock, starting at 13:30 on 29 September 2026, after check-in from 10:00. Content is identical nationwide and across all three courses covered by D.M. 1005/2026, set by Italy's Ministry of University and Research.

Scoring (90 points max):

Plug your practice numbers into our IMAT score calculator to see how they'd translate under this scoring system.

Test-day rules

Candidates sitting at Catania must arrive with a valid ID document for check-in at the time specified in Table 1 and in any later notices. Candidates without a valid ID cannot be admitted to the test. Rooms are assigned by age, with an exception for twins, who are kept together.

Each candidate receives a sealed packet (plico) containing a personal-data form, the test booklet with two scratch-paper sheets, an answer sheet, and a cover sheet bearing the packet's identification code. Candidates must use only the black pen provided by the university to fill in the answer sheet. No personal stationery, phones, smartwatches, tablets, earphones, webcams, textbooks, manuals, handwritten notes, or blank paper are allowed in the exam room — anything you're carrying that falls into these categories must be deposited in an uncontrolled area before the test starts.

The test will be annulled if a candidate:

• Sits the test in an exam room different from the one they're assigned to, without prior authorisation from the commission
• Brings or uses phones, smart devices, unauthorised writing tools, textbooks, notes, or reference material
• Signs or marks the answer sheet (front or back) in an identifiable way
• Interacts with other candidates, or attempts to copy or swap any material, including personal-data forms or answer sheets
• Uses a pen, pencil or any writing implement while sealing the personal-data form or answer sheet into the collection containers, in order to alter or add to the answer sheet

Catania IMAT 2026 minimum scores & national ranking

To appear in the Catania IMAT 2026 ranking at all, your final score has to clear a threshold:

• Comunitari and non comunitari candidates covered by Article 26 of Law 189/2002: ≥ 20 points
• Non-EU candidates residing abroad: > 0 points (and they must have answered at least one question — those who leave every question blank are excluded)

CINECA compiles the single national ranking for comunitari and non comunitari candidates covered by Article 26 of Law 189/2002, following the procedures in Allegato 2 of D.M. 1005/2026. A separate ranking for non-EU candidates residing abroad is defined directly by the University of Catania. If two candidates tie on total score, the bando breaks the tie in this order:

1. Higher combined score, in descending order, across the questions on biology, chemistry, physics and maths, then logical reasoning and problems, then reading comprehension and general knowledge
2. Possession, by the registration deadline, of a recognised language certification under Allegato 3 of D.M. 1005/2026 (self-certified under Article 46 of DPR 445/2000)
3. Preference for candidates with a certified invalidity of 66% or higher, or disability status under Law 104/1992, Article 3 comma 3
4. If still tied, the younger candidate prevails

Being "idoneo" (eligible) but not admitted in this cycle applies only to this specific selection round — it grants no automatic right of access to the course in future academic years. Curious where past cut-offs landed? See our guide to what counts as a good IMAT score.

Enrolling

Once the national ranking is published on 26 October 2026, candidates fall into one of two statuses:

• ASSEGNATO (Assigned): you've secured a place based on your first usable preference. You must enrol at the assigned university and course within 4 days (including the day of the ranking shift, excluding Saturdays and holidays), or you lose the right to enrol — no justification for a delay is accepted.
• PRENOTATO (Reserved): you didn't get your top preference but remain in line for a better-ranked choice in a future shift. You can enrol where you currently stand within the same terms, or wait for a subsequent scorrimento. If you do enrol while PRENOTATO, all your other preferences are automatically cancelled.

Enrolment is done exclusively through Catania's Smart_edu student portal (www.unict.it), in two steps: (1) the enrolment application, and (2) payment of the fixed fee of €156 (comprising the €140 regional study tax and the €16 virtual stamp duty). Students who want access to "Diritto allo Studio" financial benefits need to obtain the ISEE Università 2026 economic indicator and authorise the university to access INPS records. Non-residents in Italy pay a flat annual contribution of €150 instead.

Candidates who sat the test at a venue other than Catania must first register on Catania's own student portal (studenti.smartedu.unict.it) before proceeding to enrol.

Special situations & support

Extra-EU candidates requiring a visa

Candidates in this category must have completed pre-enrolment via Universitaly's international-students section by 31 July 2026, and will need a certified English level of at least B2 CEFR for enrolment.

Foreign qualification recognition

Any candidate holding a qualification obtained abroad, after at least twelve years of schooling, must accompany it with either a Dichiarazione di Valore from the relevant Italian diplomatic representation, or an Attestato di comparabilità issued by CIMEA (requested online via www.cimea.it).

Disability & DSA support

Candidates with a certified invalidity or disability under Law 104/1992 can receive compensatory tools and up to 50% extra time. Candidates with a Specific Learning Disorder (DSA) diagnosed under Law 170/2010 are entitled to up to 30% extra time, per the 2011 national DSA guidelines. DSA diagnoses must be no more than 3 years old if issued before the candidate turned 18, and must come from public local health authorities or accredited regional healthcare providers if issued afterward.

Required documentation — the invalidity report or Law 104 certification for disability, or the DSA diagnosis for learning disorders, plus a self-certification of authenticity and an ID document — must be uploaded to Catania's student portal by 9 September 2026. Candidates residing abroad need legalised certification, accompanied by a sworn or certified translation into Italian or English, which university officials will check against Italian recognition criteria.

For questions about these services, contact the Centro per l'Integrazione Attiva e Partecipata (CINAP) at cs.cinap@unict.it or visit www.cinap.unict.it.

Catania IMAT 2026 FAQ

Who to contact at Catania

The university's legal seat is Piazza Università n. 2, 95131 Catania.