Checked 29 October 2026. Marking and sections from Ministerial Decree 1005 of 6 August 2026 (the 2026 test). The 2027 decree has not been published; check the marking and section sizes against it when it is. The score sheets are illustrations, the study plan is a suggestion, and every calculation is ours.
Twenty points is a big jump on a 90-point test, but it is not a mystery. On the IMAT every question is worth the same, so 20 points is simply a number of questions you answer differently. This guide turns 20 points into questions, shows three example answer sheets and where 20 points could come from in each, explains when a guess is worth making, and gives a month-by-month outline to the 2027 test as a suggestion. All the rules come from the 2026 decree, DM 1005 of 6 August 2026; the 2027 decree has not been published yet.
DM 1005/2026, article 3(4) (the 2026 test).
- Your gap by section, from the counts you enter for each section
- A target for each section
- A month-by-month plan to September 2027
- 3 full timed mocks with the real marking
The marking and the five sections
Article 3(4) of the 2026 decree gives the marks: 1.5 points for each right answer, minus 0.4 for each wrong answer, and 0 for each question left blank. The maximum is 90 points. Article 2(2) sets the paper: 60 questions, each with five options and one correct answer, in five sections. Article 2(4) gives 100 minutes for the whole paper.
| Section (DM 1005/2026, art. 2(2)) | Questions | Maximum points | Share of the 90 points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading skills and knowledge from studies | 4 | 6.0 | 7% |
| Logical reasoning and problems | 5 | 7.5 | 8% |
| Biology | 23 | 34.5 | 38% |
| Chemistry | 15 | 22.5 | 25% |
| Physics and mathematics | 13 | 19.5 | 22% |
| Total | 60 | 90.0 | 100% |
Two facts follow from this table. First, biology and chemistry together are 38 questions, 57 of the 90 points: they have the most questions in which points can be lost, but where you personally can gain most depends on your own wrong answers and blanks, so set your priorities from your own sheet. Second, reading and logic together are only 9 questions. Even if all 9 went from wrong to right, the gain would be 9 × 1.9 = 17.1 points, so these two sections alone cannot give you 20 points. The same order also matters on ranking day. If two candidates have the same total, article 3(6)(a) ranks first the one with more points in biology, then chemistry, then physics and mathematics, then logic, then reading.
What 20 points means in questions
There are three ways to change one question, and each is worth a different number of points.
A blank turned into a right answer gains 1.5 points (from 0 to +1.5). To gain 20 points this way you need 20 ÷ 1.5 = 13.3 questions, so 14 questions: 13 would give only 19.5, and 14 give 21.0.
A wrong answer turned into a right one gains 1.9 points (from −0.4 to +1.5). To gain 20 points this way you need 20 ÷ 1.9 = 10.5 questions, so 11 questions: 10 would give 19.0, and 11 give 20.9.
A wrong answer turned into a blank gains 0.4 points (from −0.4 to 0). To gain 20 points only this way you would need 20 ÷ 0.4 = 50 fewer wrong answers. That is possible in arithmetic, but only on a paper with at least 50 wrong answers out of 60, all turned into blanks. For most papers, fewer wrong answers is a help rather than the whole 20 points.
| Change to one question | Points gained | Questions for +20 (our arithmetic) | What it may take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blank → right | +1.5 | 20 ÷ 1.5 = 13.3, so 14 | Finishing the paper in time; filling syllabus gaps |
| Wrong → right | +1.9 | 20 ÷ 1.9 = 10.5, so 11 | Fixing a misunderstood topic; reading the question more carefully |
| Wrong → blank | +0.4 | 20 ÷ 0.4 = 50 | Fewer guesses where no option can be ruled out (see the guessing rule below) |
| Mixed, e.g. 6 wrong → right and 6 blank → right | 11.4 + 9.0 | 12 questions, +20.4 | Both of the above, in your two weakest sections |
Our arithmetic on DM 1005/2026, article 3(4). Wrong to right gives the largest gain per changed answer; choose topics from your own errors.
So if you gain only by turning wrong answers or blanks into right answers, reaching at least +20 takes between 11 new right answers (all from wrong answers) and 14 (all from blanks). Including wrong-to-blank changes can change how many answers you need to change; work out your own mix. In this guide +20 is an illustrative goal: how fast any student improves depends on that student, and no official source gives a typical rate. Your own 2026 answer sheet shows which questions to work on.
- Your gap by section, from the counts you enter for each section
- A target for each section
- A month-by-month plan to September 2027
- 3 full timed mocks with the real marking
Three example score sheets, and where 20 points could come from
Universitaly shows each candidate their own answer sheet and score after the test. From it you can count right, wrong and blank answers in each section. The three sheets below are our illustrations, not real candidates: they show how the same goal of +20 needs a different plan for different papers. The section sizes match the 2026 decree, and every total is computed from the marking.
Sheet A: answers almost everything (35.4 points)
This student answers nearly every question, including many blind guesses: 30 right, 24 wrong and 6 blank, which is 30 × 1.5 − 24 × 0.4 = 35.4 points. Illustration only.
| Section | Right / wrong / blank | Points | Where +20 could come from | Points after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading skills and knowledge from studies | 2 / 2 / 0 | 2.2 | No change | 2.2 |
| Logical reasoning and problems | 2 / 3 / 0 | 1.8 | 1 wrong → right (+1.9) | 3.7 |
| Biology | 12 / 9 / 2 | 14.4 | 5 wrong → right (+9.5) | 23.9 |
| Chemistry | 8 / 6 / 1 | 9.6 | 3 wrong → right (+5.7) | 15.3 |
| Physics and mathematics | 6 / 4 / 3 | 7.4 | 2 wrong → right (+3.8) | 11.2 |
| Total | 30 / 24 / 6 | 35.4 | 11 questions changed, +20.9 | 56.3 |
Sheet B: runs out of time (39.6 points)
This student answers carefully but leaves a long tail of blanks at the end: 28 right, 6 wrong and 26 blank, which is 28 × 1.5 − 6 × 0.4 = 39.6 points. Illustration only.
| Section | Right / wrong / blank | Points | Where +20 could come from | Points after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading skills and knowledge from studies | 3 / 0 / 1 | 4.5 | No change | 4.5 |
| Logical reasoning and problems | 3 / 1 / 1 | 4.1 | No change | 4.1 |
| Biology | 12 / 2 / 9 | 17.2 | 6 blank → right (+9.0) | 26.2 |
| Chemistry | 6 / 2 / 7 | 8.2 | 5 blank → right (+7.5) | 15.7 |
| Physics and mathematics | 4 / 1 / 8 | 5.6 | 3 blank → right (+4.5) | 10.1 |
| Total | 28 / 6 / 26 | 39.6 | 14 questions changed, +21.0 | 60.6 |
Sheet C: mixed wrong answers and blanks (52.2 points)
This student sits a solid paper with a mix of wrong answers and blanks: 38 right, 12 wrong and 10 blank, which is 38 × 1.5 − 12 × 0.4 = 52.2 points. Illustration only.
| Section | Right / wrong / blank | Points | Where +20 could come from | Points after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading skills and knowledge from studies | 3 / 1 / 0 | 4.1 | No change | 4.1 |
| Logical reasoning and problems | 3 / 1 / 1 | 4.1 | 1 blank → right (+1.5) | 5.6 |
| Biology | 16 / 4 / 3 | 22.4 | 3 wrong → right (+5.7), 2 blank → right (+3.0) | 31.1 |
| Chemistry | 9 / 3 / 3 | 12.3 | 2 wrong → right (+3.8), 2 blank → right (+3.0) | 19.1 |
| Physics and mathematics | 7 / 3 / 3 | 9.3 | 2 wrong → right (+3.8) | 13.1 |
| Total | 38 / 12 / 10 | 52.2 | 12 questions changed, +20.8 | 73.0 |
Sheet A loses most of its points to wrong answers: 24 of them cost 45.6 points compared with right answers. Its 20 points come from 11 wrong answers turned right, mostly in biology and chemistry, which means learning those topics properly rather than guessing. Sheet B loses most to blanks: 26 of them, many at the end of the paper. Its 20 points come from 14 blanks turned right, which is mostly a pacing problem plus some missing topics. Sheet C needs a little of both: 12 changes spread across four sections.
| Example sheet (illustration) | Right / wrong / blank | Score | Questions changed | Biology + chemistry share of the gain | Score after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sheet A | 30 / 24 / 6 | 35.4 | 11 | 73% | 56.3 |
| Sheet B | 28 / 6 / 26 | 39.6 | 14 | 79% | 60.6 |
| Sheet C | 38 / 12 / 10 | 52.2 | 12 | 75% | 73.0 |
In all three sheets, most of the 20 points come from biology and chemistry. That is a choice we made for the examples: we put most of the wrong answers and blanks in the two sections with the most questions (38 of the 60). Your own sheet may look different, and your plan should follow your own errors, section by section. To do the same count on your own paper, enter your right and wrong answers per section in the free score calculator, or compare your score with a university’s past published list in the score check.
- Your gap by section, from the counts you enter for each section
- A target for each section
- A month-by-month plan to September 2027
- 3 full timed mocks with the real marking
When guessing pays under −0.4
Each question has five options and one right answer. A uniformly random guess among five options has a 20% chance of being correct. Our arithmetic on article 3(4): the average value of that guess is 1/5 × 1.5 − 4/5 × 0.4 = 0.30 − 0.32 = −0.02 points. On average a blind guess is worth slightly less than a blank. Once you can honestly rule out one option, the average turns positive, and it grows with each option you rule out. The table assumes the remaining options are equally likely to be right; treat its last column as a suggestion for getting the most expected points, not a rule of the test.
| Options still open | Chance a guess is right | Average points per guess (our arithmetic) | Average over 10 such guesses | Suggestion (to maximise expected points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 20% | −0.020 | −0.20 | A blank has the higher expected points |
| 4 | 25% | +0.075 | +0.75 | Answering has the higher expected points |
| 3 | 33% | +0.233 | +2.33 | Answering has the higher expected points |
| 2 | 50% | +0.550 | +5.50 | Answering has the higher expected points |
The break-even point is a 21.05% chance of being right (0.4 ÷ 1.9). Above it, answering gives more expected points than a blank; below it, a blank gives more. Two warnings. First, these are averages: on a single question you either gain 1.5 or lose 0.4. Second, "ruling out" an option only counts if you are really sure it is wrong. If your eliminations are often wrong, your real chance is lower than the table says. Look at your 2026 sheet: in each section, divide your right answers by the questions you answered. If that number was low, practise eliminating options before you change how often you answer.
Guessing also moves your score much less than knowledge does. Ten guesses with four options open add only about 0.75 points on average; ten wrong answers turned right add 19. Use the guessing rule to stop wasting points, but put your study time into the topics.
An outline of about 11 months to the 2027 test (a suggestion)
The date of IMAT 2027 has not been published. The 2026 test was on 29 September 2026 (DM 1005/2026, art. 2(3)), so this outline assumes a test around the end of September 2027 and should be moved once the official date is out. It is our suggestion, not an official schedule. The order follows the points: biology and chemistry first, because they hold most of the marks, then physics and mathematics, then logic and reading. Plan the topics from Allegato A of the decree, the official syllabus, not from a list made by anyone else.
| Months (suggestion) | Main work | Timed work |
|---|---|---|
| November–December 2026 | Count your 2026 sheet by section. First pass through the biology and chemistry blocks of Allegato A, weakest topics first. | One diagnostic full mock in November, marked +1.5 / −0.4 / 0 |
| January–February 2027 | Finish the first pass: physics and mathematics, then logic and reading. Start an error log. | Short timed section sets each week; a full mock in late February |
| March–April 2027 | Second pass through your two weakest sections only. Redo every question in the error log. | Section sets at the 2026 pace (100 minutes for 60 questions); a full mock each month |
| May–June 2027 | Mixed revision across all sections. Work on the habit that cost you most: guessing blind or running out of time. | A full mock every three to four weeks |
| July–August 2027 | Official past papers and full mocks under test conditions; review each one section by section. | A full mock every two weeks |
| Final weeks before the 2027 test | Your error log and short timed sets only. No new topics in the last week. | One last full mock about ten days before the test |
If 20 points is your goal and you have about eleven months, that is about 1.8 points a month (20 ÷ 11), or roughly one question a month answered right that you used to miss. That is only an average for planning, not a promise of progress. Measure progress section by section, not only by the total. A total can stay the same while one section goes up and another goes down, and the section numbers tell you where the next month’s study should go.
How to sit a mock so it shows you the 20 points
- One sitting of 100 minutes, with no notes and no pauses.
- Use the same guessing rule you plan to use on the day; our suggestion is to leave a question blank when you cannot rule out any option.
- Mark it +1.5, −0.4 and 0, section by section, and write down right, wrong and blank for each section.
- For every wrong or blank question, note the reason: did not know it, knew it but slipped, or ran out of time.
- Before the next mock, redo every logged question without looking at the answer.
Our suggested practice method, not an official instruction. The marking is from DM 1005/2026, article 3(4).
The three reasons in your error log point to three different fixes. "Did not know it" is a syllabus gap: put the topic into next month’s plan. "Knew it but slipped" is a checking habit: reread the question stem and the units before you mark an answer. "Ran out of time" is pacing: in 2026 there were 100 minutes for 60 questions, so about 1 minute 40 seconds each on average. A question that takes three minutes uses 80 seconds more than that average, time that then has to come from other questions.
If you are planning a second attempt
A 2026 result cannot be carried into 2027: article 3(7) of the decree says being eligible refers only to the selection in progress and gives no right to admission in later years. So 2026 eligibility cannot be carried forward, and anyone applying for 2027 must follow the 2027 admission rules once they are published. Your 2026 answer sheet is the best study guide you own, because it shows exactly where your points went. Our retake guide walks through reading it section by section and setting a target from past published university lists.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions is 20 points on the IMAT?
If you gain only by turning wrong answers or blanks into right answers, at least +20 takes between 11 and 14 new right answers. Turning a wrong answer right gains 1.9 points, so 11 of them give 20.9. Turning a blank right gains 1.5, so 14 of them give 21.0. Mixes that include wrong answers turned into blanks take more changes. These are our calculations on the 2026 marking: +1.5 right, −0.4 wrong, 0 blank.
Which IMAT section gives the most points?
Biology: 23 of the 60 questions, 34.5 of the 90 points in 2026. Chemistry is next with 15 questions and 22.5 points. Together they are 57 of the 90 points.
Should I guess on the IMAT?
It is your choice; this is what the arithmetic suggests. With all five options open and equally likely, a guess is worth −0.02 points on average, slightly less than a blank. If you can rule out one option it is worth +0.075 on average, two options +0.233, and three options +0.550. This is our arithmetic on the official marking, assuming the remaining options are equally likely.
Can I get 20 points from logic and reading?
Not from those two alone. Together they are 9 questions, so even if all 9 went from wrong to right the gain would be 9 × 1.9 = 17.1 points. The rest has to come from the other sections, and which ones depends on your own wrong answers and blanks.
Is the IMAT 2027 marking the same as 2026?
The 2027 decree has not been published yet. This guide uses the 2026 decree, DM 1005/2026: 60 questions, five options, 100 minutes, +1.5 / −0.4 / 0. Check it against the 2027 decree when it is out.
Can I keep my 2026 score for 2027?
No. Article 3(7) of the 2026 decree says eligibility applies only to the selection in progress and gives no right to admission in later years. The 2027 admission rules have not been published yet; follow them when they are.
Sources
- official — MUR — Decreto Ministeriale n. 1005 of 6 August 2026 (IMAT 2026 decree), articles 2 and 3 (University of Catania copy)
- official — MUR — DM 1005/2026, Allegato A (syllabus; University of Catania copy)
official = a document published by the conducting body. reported = a news or coaching site we could not check against an original. Where sources disagree this page says so rather than picking one.
