BMAT About the Test

The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) is a 2 hour pen and paper test consisting of 3 separate sections. The BMAT does not require a great amount of extra study as it relies on skills and knowledge that candidates should already have.

Background and development of BMAT

Test Format

Cambridge Assessment is responsible for producing and marking the BMAT. The test consists of the following three sections:

Section 1: Aptitude and Skills
Section 2: Scientific Knowledge and Application
Section 3: Writing Task

Separate answer sheets will be provided for each section.

Calculators may not be used in the BMAT.

Each section is designed to measure a specific construct as detailed below, although more detailed information can be found in the BMAT Specification

Section 1 - Aptitude and Skills

Table: Paper table
Section	What does it test?	Questions	Timing
Aptitude and Skills	This section tests generic skills in problem solving, understanding argument and data analysis and inference	35 multiple choice or short answer questions	60 minutes

Section 2 - Scientific Knowledge and Applications

Table: Paper table
Section	What does it test?	Questions	Timing
Scientific Knowledge and Applications	This section tests a candidate’s ability to apply scientific knowledge normally encountered in non-specialist school science and maths courses, up to and including National Curriculum Key Stage 4. BMAT Section 2 will always be based around the relevant version of the National Curriculum taken by the majority of the cohort.	27 multiple choice or short answer questions	30 minutes

Section 3 - Writing Task

Table: Paper table
Section	What does it test?	Questions	Timing
Writing Task	This section tests ability to select, develop and organise ideas and communicate them in writing in a concise and effective way	1 essay question from a choice of 4 questions	30 minutes

Any rough work should be done in the space provided on the Section 3 question paper.

Scoring

Each question, in Sections 1 and 2, is worth one mark. Total raw marks for each section are converted to the BMAT scale, which runs from 1 (low) - 9 (high). Scores are reported to one decimal place. Typical BMAT candidates will score around 5.0, which equates to approximately half marks. The best candidates will score around 6.0, and a few exceptional candidates will score higher than 7.0.

Section 3 essays are double marked, each examiner gives a score for quality of content on the scale of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and a score for quality of written English on a scale of A, C, E. To arrive at the final score marks from the two examiners are combined; the score for quality of content is reported as an average of the two marks given; and the score for quality of written English is combined to give a single letter (AA = A, AC = B, CC = C, CE = D and EE = E). An essay that receives a final score of B or D has been judged to fall between these bands, i.e. an essay scoring a B is judged to be between an A and C and a D is judged to be between a C and E. So, an essay given a 3C by one examiner and 4A by the other will receive a final score of 3.5B.

Delivery

The BMAT will take place on 3rd November 2010 at 9.00am. The majority of candidates will sit the BMAT at their own school or college; other candidates should use the Open Centre Network to locate a centre.

Results

A statement of results will be issued to each candidate on 24th November 2010. Candidates and centres will be able to download their results using our online results sites:

Results Online - Candidates
Results Online - Centres

Results Online 2010-11 - Information for Exams Officers (PDF, 135 KB)

2009 Explanation of Results (PDF, 27 KB)

Previous years’ explanation of results can be downloaded in PDF format:
2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008.

Results will be passed to any BMAT institution a candidate has applied to for use in their admissions process. The use of results varies between institutions; candidates should contact the institution(s) to which they have applied to in order to find out how their results will be used.

Table: Paper table
Section	Content	Time
Aptitude and Skills	35 multiple choice or short answer	60 minutes
Scientific Knowledge and Application	27 multiple choice or short answer	30 minutes
Writing Task	1 essay question from a choice of 4	30 minutes