Overview

Every year, the University of Bari Aldo Moro opens a set number of seats on its English-taught, single-cycle Master's degree — Italy's equivalent of an integrated MD — to candidates who sit a national, MUR-set entrance test. The Bari IMAT 2026 admission call is governed by D.R. n. 2554, the official bando signed by Bari's Rector, Prof. Roberto Bellotti, on 7 August 2026, covering admission for the 2026/2027 academic year to:

• Medicine and Surgery — Medicina e Chirurgia, class LM-41, taught entirely in English at the Scuola di Medicina

This guide walks through what the bando actually says about the Bari IMAT 2026 process: who can apply, exactly what's due and when, how the test and rankings work, and what happens after a candidate wins a seat. It's a summary of a long, dense legal document — read the official bando PDF in full, or cross-check anything decision-critical against Bari's own Medicine and Surgery admissions page before you act on it. For how this 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. Unlike some other Italian universities, the Bari IMAT 2026 bando covers Medicine and Surgery only — there is no Dentistry track in this particular decree. 100 places are available for 2026/2027, split across three candidate categories:

Seats were set following the Consiglio della Scuola di Medicina's meeting of 19 May 2026, based on Table B annexed to Ministerial Decree n. 1005/2026. Any seats left unused in the non-EU-abroad ranking are reallocated to the general EU/non-EU-in-Italy pool in time for the relevant scorrimenti (waiting-list movements). Wondering how Bari 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 Bari IMAT 2026, eligibility 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.

Candidates with an Italian secondary diploma

Straightforward eligibility: holders of an Italian upper-secondary school diploma can apply directly.

EU citizens, and non-EU residents in Italy

EU citizens wherever resident, and non-EU citizens legally residing in Italy for at least one year, are eligible if they hold a higher-education qualification obtained in Italy.

International candidates with a foreign diploma

Candidates holding diplomas from Italian schools abroad, or from foreign/international schools covered by bilateral agreements, are eligible if they satisfy the general study-entry conditions — including the requirement of twelve years of total pre-university schooling — and obtain idoneità (recognition) of their foreign qualification through the "Apply Online! – University of Bari Aldo Moro" platform at apply.uniba.it. This pre-evaluation is mandatory for any candidate with a foreign qualification applying to any Bari degree course, not just Medicine.

Extra-EU candidates requiring a visa, residing abroad

Also admitted are extra-EU students not covered by Article 26 of Law 189/2002, holding a foreign qualification, following a two-step process: (1) pre-evaluation of the qualification via Apply Online!, and (2) — once that evaluation is positive — pre-enrolment for the visa on the Universitaly portal, per MUR's national circular for international students.

The full Bari 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 Bari IMAT 2026 happens entirely through the national Universitaly portal — the same mechanics used for every Italian university offering the IMAT (see the IMAT 2026/2027 rulebook for the general process).

All candidates

1. Register on Universitaly (www.universitaly.it), providing your email address and personal details.
2. Rank your preferred university venues in order, and declare any language certification you hold under Allegato 3 of the decree. If you choose to sit the test in Italy, your first preference automatically becomes your 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.
3. Pay the participation fee using the method published on Universitaly once registrations open. A payment not accompanied by the online registration receipt does not entitle you to sit the test.

Non-EU candidates residing abroad who need a visa

1. Complete the "Apply Online!" pre-evaluation of your foreign qualification and Universitaly pre-enrolment for your visa, in addition to the steps above.
2. Sit and pass the Italian language proficiency test — unless you already hold a B2 CEFR (or higher) certification from a recognised body.

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, 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 Bari must arrive by 11:00 with a valid ID document and payment receipt. Rooms are assigned by age, with an exception for twins. Extra-EU visa candidates must also show a valid passport with entry visa or residence permit (or the post office receipt confirming a permit request was filed).

Candidates must use only the black ballpoint pen provided by the administration. No personal stationery, phones, smartwatches, tablets, webcams, books, notes, or blank paper are allowed in the exam room, and no interaction between candidates is permitted. Once the test is over, candidates must immediately return the pen — anyone found holding a pen afterward is excluded.

The test will be annulled if a candidate:

• Sits the test in an unassigned exam room without prior authorisation
• Brings or uses phones, smart devices, unauthorised writing tools, books, notes, or blank paper
• Signs or marks the answer sheet in an identifiable way
• Interacts with other candidates or attempts to copy or swap materials
• Uses any writing implement while sealing the answer sheet or registry form into the collection containers

Minimum scores & national ranking

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

• EU and non-EU 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 national ranking for EU and Italy-resident non-EU candidates. A separate ranking for non-EU candidates residing abroad is compiled directly by the University of Bari. If two candidates tie on total score, the bando breaks the tie in this order:

1. Higher score in Biology, then Chemistry, then Physics/Maths, then Logical Reasoning, then Reading Comprehension
2. Possession, by the registration deadline, of a recognised language certification under Allegato 3 of D.M. 1005/2026 (self-certified)
3. Preference for candidates with a certified invalidity of 66% or higher, or disability status under Law 104/1992, Art. 3 comma 3
4. If still tied, the younger candidate prevails

Curious where past cut-offs landed? See our guide to what counts as a good IMAT score.

Enrolling

Enrolment (immatricolazione) is decided by your position in the merit ranking, the seats attributed to Bari in national programming, and the preferences you expressed at registration. Timing and procedures follow points 8, 9 and 10 of Allegato 2 to D.M. 1005/2026, and are published as they're confirmed on the site of Bari's U.O. Medicina e Chirurgia office.

The university will independently verify each candidate's secondary-school diploma; any false declaration discovered later results in loss of enrolment, even if exams have already been taken. Being deemed "idoneo" (eligible) in this selection cycle applies only to this specific procedure — it grants no automatic right of access in future academic years.

Enrolment beyond the first year for students transferring from a university in another EU or non-EU country is always subject to Bari's assessment of the student's prior academic path, exams taken, and the strict limit on places available per year of the course.

Special situations & support

Extra-EU candidates requiring a visa

Candidates in this category must have sat and passed the Italian language proficiency test (details published by UniBa's international students office), unless exempt through a B2 CEFR certification (or higher) from a recognised body, including those issued in partnership with Italian Cultural Institutes abroad.

Marco Polo programme

Three seats are reserved for Chinese candidates participating in the "Marco Polo" Project.

Disability & DSA support

Candidates with a certified invalidity or disability (Law 104/1992) are entitled to up to 50% extra time. Candidates with a Specific Learning Disorder (DSA, Law 170/2010) are entitled to up to 30% extra time; in cases of certified severity, compensatory tools may be permitted, including a non-scientific calculator, a magnifying video reader, a reading pen, or a reader-tutor assigned by the university. Prohibited even for DSA candidates: dictionaries, formularies, periodic tables, concept maps, computers, tablets, and smartphones. DSA diagnoses must be no more than 3 years old if issued before the candidate turned 18, or issued by accredited public or regional healthcare bodies if issued afterward.

Candidates residing abroad need legalised certification (with a sworn or certified translation into Italian or English) attesting the same condition under Italian rules. Requests, with supporting documents and a valid ID copy, must be submitted using the dedicated online form and sent by PEC to universitabari@pec.it, addressed to the Rector, by 9 September 2026. Candidates may be admitted provisionally with non-updated medical certification if delays are due to public health-service limitations, with the university reserving the right to request updated documentation later.

Foreign qualification prevalidation

Any candidate, EU or non-EU, resident or not resident in Italy, holding a qualification obtained abroad and intending to enrol in any Bari degree course must obligatorily request prevalidation through Apply Online! – University of Bari Aldo Moro before applying.

Contacts & who's in charge

The university's legal seat is Piazza Umberto I n. 1, 70121 Bari. All official communications go to the email address given at registration — it's the candidate's responsibility to keep it updated and check their status on Universitaly, since no individual notifications are sent.

Frequently asked questions