Bologna IMAT 2026 overview

Bologna IMAT 2026 is the University of Bologna's admission cycle for two English-taught, single-cycle Master's degrees — the Italian equivalent of an integrated MD or DVM — decided by the national IMAT (International Medical Admissions Test), a Ministry-set entrance test. This guide, based on the University's own English summary of its call for applications, covers admission to:

• Medicine and Surgery — Ministerial class LM-41, taught entirely in English
• Veterinary Medicine — Ministerial class LM-42, taught entirely in English

Both programmes share the same admission test, with identical content at every Italian university offering English-taught medicine or veterinary medicine, set under Ministerial Decree No. 1005 of 6 August 2026. Two separate single national ranking lists are compiled — one per programme.

This guide walks through the call 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 longer official document — the call for applications is published in Italian, and the University states the Italian version prevails in case of legal dispute. Always cross-check anything decision-critical against Bologna's Medicine and Surgery programme page or the Veterinary Medicine programme page before you act on it.

Bologna IMAT 2026: Programmes & Seats

Seats are split by programme, then by candidate category. Italian citizens, EU citizens and non-EU citizens with EU-equivalent status compete on a national ranking; non-EU citizens residing abroad compete on a separate quota and a Bologna-specific local ranking.

Note that at Bologna, Veterinary Medicine currently offers only Years 1 and 2 — there are no places at Year 2 and beyond, so no separate transfer call for later years is published for this programme. The choice between Medicine and Surgery and Veterinary Medicine is made at registration and becomes irrevocable once the registration window closes.

Who's Eligible for Bologna IMAT 2026

Acceptance into either programme requires a five-year secondary school diploma or an equivalent qualification. Two exclusions apply: medical graduates who obtained their degree in Italy cannot sit the test for Medicine and Surgery, and veterinary medicine graduates who obtained their degree in Italy cannot sit the test for Veterinary Medicine. Beyond that, eligibility depends on citizenship and residency.

Italian citizens, EU citizens, and non-EU citizens with EU-equivalent status

Non-EU citizens are treated as equivalent to EU citizens if they meet the requirements listed on Bologna's Who are international students page — including candidates with double citizenship. These candidates must meet the EU-equivalence eligibility requirement by 9 September 2026, 15:00 Italian time, and are placed on the national ranking list. Anyone who doesn't meet the requirement by that deadline is automatically treated as a "non-EU citizen residing abroad" instead.

Non-EU citizens residing abroad

Candidates who don't meet any EU-equivalence requirement must follow the entry-visa procedure published on Bologna's international pages and are placed on the local (University of Bologna) ranking list rather than the national one. If this describes you and you don't hold EU citizenship, bear in mind that withdrawing from your studies also means losing your right to stay in Italy under that residence permit. For questions, Bologna's International Desk (internationaldesk@unibo.it) is the point of contact.

Bologna IMAT 2026 deadline calendar

This is the single most important table on this page. Every one of these dates is described as binding and mandatory in the official call — miss one, and you're excluded from the selection procedure regardless of the reason.

How to Register for Bologna IMAT 2026

Registration for Bologna IMAT 2026 happens entirely through the national Universitaly portal, available only from 26 August to 9 September 2026 (15:00 Italian time).

1. 1

   Access Universitaly and submit your email address as part of the registration form.

2. 2

   Choose Medicine and Surgery or Veterinary Medicine. This choice becomes irrevocable once the registration period closes.

3. 3

   Rank your preferred universities in order. This list can't be changed or completed after 9 September 2026, 15:00; the "first choice university" is the one you'll be assigned to, based on your ranking position and available places there.

4. 4

   Declare a language certificate if you hold one listed in Annex 2 to the call. Candidates who attended a school teaching in English for at least one school year are automatically considered as holding a qualifying certificate.

5. 5

   Non-EU candidates (both EU-equivalent status and residing abroad) must also complete additional steps on Studenti Online between 10 September and 5 October 2026 (13:00), registering under "IMAT – non-EU citizens" and uploading the relevant supporting documents — detailed below.

Additional Studenti Online steps for non-EU candidates (10 Sept – 5 Oct 2026, 13:00)

Both non-EU sub-categories follow the same first steps: access Studenti Online and select "Register" (or log in directly with Unibo credentials); candidates without a codice fiscale (Italian tax code) must use the "International Student Registration" section to create their UNIBO credentials, entering the same personal data used for the Universitaly test registration. From the home page, click Admission application – Take part in the selection, then Single cycle degree program, select "IMAT – non-EU citizens", and enter the required information. Where the two paths differ is the drop-down status you select and what you upload next.

Non-EU citizens with EU-equivalent status

Select NON-EU CITIZEN WITH EU EQUIVALENT STATUS from the drop-down menu and provide the documents proving EU-equivalent status listed on Bologna's "Who are international students" page. Special cases call for extra uploads:

• Candidates with a residence permit for study purposes registered for single learning activities (corsi singoli) must upload both the residence permit and a self-certification confirming the exam was passed by the test registration deadline.
• Candidates with a residence permit for study purposes currently enrolled in a degree programme at an Italian university must upload both the residence permit and a self-certification of enrolment.
• Candidates in either of the above cases must be aware that, if admitted, they'll need to apply for transfer or change of degree programme — because withdrawing from their current studies (rinuncia agli studi) means losing their residence permit and, with it, their EU-equivalent status.
• Candidates with an expired residence permit must upload both the expired permit and the postal receipt showing renewal is underway.

Non-EU citizens residing abroad

Select NON-EU CITIZEN RESIDING ABROAD from the drop-down menu instead. These candidates see their local ranking list on Studenti Online under "Requests in progress → Medicine and Surgery Non-EU citizens" once published. The official call states this ranking is published on 13 October (the document text reads 2025, which appears to be a typo carried over from a prior year's call — always confirm the live date in your Studenti Online account rather than relying on this alone).

Bologna IMAT 2026: Disability & SLD Arrangements

Candidates with disabilities, Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD), or special needs that may interfere with the test can apply for access arrangements, including extra time (up to 30% for SLD, Special Educational Needs or pathologies; up to 50% for legally recognised disabilities) and the use of aids such as a human reader, scribe, non-scientific calculator or video magnifier.

Requests must be submitted exclusively via Studenti Online, using the official Arrangements Application Form, by the same 9 September 2026, 15:00 deadline as test registration — email or in-person requests aren't accepted. Approved arrangements are confirmed by 15 September 2026. Candidates residing outside Italy must provide a legalised certification with a sworn translation into Italian or English.

For questions, contact the Service for Students with Disabilities and SLDs at ases.adattamentiammissione@unibo.it.

Bologna 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. Content is identical nationwide, for both programmes and at every test venue, designed and administered by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR).

Scoring (90 points max):

Before the test starts, invigilators distribute a sealed envelope containing a candidate data sheet, a question paper booklet with two blank sheets for drafts/calculations, an answer sheet and a cover sheet — all identified by matching barcodes that candidates confirm and sign at the end of the test.

Bologna IMAT 2026 Test-Day Rules

Candidates sitting at Bologna must arrive at the Quartiere Fieristico di Bologna by 10:30 for identification, with an original, valid form of ID (no copies, photocopies or scans) and proof of payment of the admission test fee. Rooms are assigned by date of birth, except for twins.

Candidates must use only the black pen provided at the venue. No bags, backpacks, papers, calculators, mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, earphones, webcams, manuals, textbooks, handwritten notes, blank sheets or reference material of any kind are allowed at the desk, and no communication between candidates is permitted.

Candidates will be disqualified if they:

• Sit the test in a designated area different from their assigned one, unless officially authorised in writing by the Board of Examiners
• Keep or use bags, calculators, phones, smartwatches, notes, textbooks or any other unauthorised item
• Sign or mark the answer sheet, front or back, in an identifiable way
• Interact with, copy from, or try to exchange materials with other candidates, including the candidate data sheet or answer sheet
• Use a pen, pencil or writing device to change, add to or correct the answer sheet while placing it in the designated sealed box
• Keep writing on the answer sheet, or fail to return the black pen, after time is called

Bologna IMAT 2026 minimum scores & national ranking

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

• EU citizens and non-EU citizens with EU-equivalent status: ≥ 20 points
• Non-EU candidates residing abroad: > 0 points (candidates who leave every question blank are excluded from the ranking entirely)

CINECA compiles the single national ranking for each programme, covering EU and EU-equivalent candidates. A separate local ranking for non-EU candidates residing abroad is drawn up by each university, including Bologna. If two candidates tie on total score, the tie is broken in this order:

1. Higher score in Biology, then Chemistry, then Physics/Mathematics, then Logical Reasoning, then General Knowledge
2. Possession, declared at registration, of a recognised language certificate listed in Annex 2
3. Preference for candidates with a certified invalidity of 66% or higher, or disability status under Law 104/1992, Art. 3 comma 3 (must be documented to the assigned University within 15 days of assignment)
4. If still tied, the younger candidate prevails

Being deemed "idoneo non vincitore" (eligible but not admitted) applies only to this specific selection cycle and grants no automatic right of access in future academic years.

Enrolling After Bologna IMAT 2026

Once rankings are published on 26 October 2026, every candidate is marked either ASSEGNATO (assigned to their first-choice university and programme) or PRENOTATO (holding a lower preference, but able to enrol immediately or wait for a later ranking update to open up a better choice). Assigned candidates who miss their 4-working-day enrolment window automatically lose their right to enrol, regardless of the reason for the delay. Enrolling in a "prenotato" seat removes the candidate from the ranking for every other university they listed.

To formally enrol, candidates who matriculate for the first time must:

1. 1

   Log in to Studenti Online with the credentials obtained upon registration for the admission test, or with SPID.

2. 2

   Click on Registration, select the relevant Single Cycle Degree Programme, and complete the online form, uploading a passport-size photo.

3. 3

   Pay the first instalment of the annual tuition fee. Students with SPID have their academic career activated immediately after payment; others go through an identification procedure first.

After activation, students can access study plan submission, exam bookings, Wi-Fi and library resources, and will receive instructions by email for collecting their student badge.

Bologna IMAT 2026: Special Situations & Support

Recognition of previous academic credits

Students who apply for recognition of credits from previous academic studies must follow the online procedure on Studenti Online. Only credits earned in degree programmes taught in English can be recognised, and candidates who fail to submit the required documents will be enrolled in Year 1 without any credit recognition.

Transferring from another university (TRASFERIMENTO)

Candidates currently enrolled at another Italian university who wish to transfer to Bologna must apply for transfer at their current university, enrol at Bologna following the standard procedure, and pay both the first tuition instalment and a separate transfer fee.

Internal transfer within Bologna (PASSAGGI)

Candidates already enrolled at Bologna in a different degree programme must pay the tuition instalment for their current programme, confirm all previous payments are in order, and submit an internal transfer application on Studenti Online, paying the internal transfer fee.

Admission to Years 2–6 (Medicine and Surgery only)

Candidates who've already studied at university level and want to join directly at Year 2 or later do not sit this admission test to do so — instead they follow Bologna's separate "Call for transfer to Years 2–6, Medicine and Surgery Degree Programme." They may still sit the standard admission test for Year 1, but can only be placed in a later year if vacancies remain after that separate transfer procedure, and any such placement requires a certified Italian language level of at least B1 by the enrolment date. This pathway doesn't apply to Veterinary Medicine, since Bologna currently offers only Years 1 and 2 for that programme.

Non-EU students & foreign qualifications

Non-EU citizens with EU-equivalent status must send a copy of their residence permit and/or EU-equivalence documents to their Student Administration Office. Non-EU students residing abroad, and students holding a secondary school qualification obtained outside Italy, must upload the required enrolment documents by 26 February 2027.

Bologna IMAT 2026 FAQ

Bologna IMAT 2026 Contacts

Offices are closed from 10 to 14 August 2026 (summer holidays), on 7 December 2026 and on 24 December 2026 — plan urgent queries around those windows.