What is GAMSAT? Exam Format, Scoring, Registration, and Top Universities Explained

Do you want to enroll in a graduate medical or health-related program in Australia, Ireland or the UK? GAMSAT is the test you need to clear. GAMSAT is one of the mandatory requirements set by universities in these countries as a part of their admission process. What is GAMSAT? The GAMSAT exam is a computer-based assessment that is developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) in collaboration with GEMPASS Australia Limited. This is a standardised examination that assesses the skills and abilities required for graduate entry programs. 

This blog will help you understand the GAMSAT examination. The courses for which it is required. Countries and universities accepting the GAMSAT scores, the exam format, the exam fees, the general application process, results, examination centres, difficulty level, and how you can prepare for the exam.

Understanding What is GAMSAT? 

The Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT) is a 5.5-hour computer-based test. It would assess your critical thinking, writing, and problem-solving skills. You will have to take this exam as part of your university admission process. That is, mainly in Australia, the UK and Ireland. The examination is taken for entry into health-related courses such as:

1. Medicine (MBBS/MD for graduate entry)
2. Dentistry
3. Pharmacy
4. Optometry
5. Veterinary Science
6. Physiotherapy
7. Podiatric Medicine
8. Physician Associate studies

The examination is conducted in two test cycles per year (March and September). It is considered a reliable indicator of your potential. The test results are valid forf 2 years.

Can Anyone Take the GAMSAT Exam?

Yes. GAMSAT can be taken by anyone who is applying for a course for which the exam is a prerequisite. Moreover, you must be able to meet the entry requirements set by the universities. What is the GMSAT eligibility? To be eligible to sit for the exam:

1. You must have completed or be currently enrolled in a bachelor’s or an undergraduate honours degree
2. Otherwise, you will meet the entry requirements set by the university at the time you are applying for admission.

Did you know? Even if your first degree is non-scientific, you can still take the GAMSAT. However, it might be difficult for you to score well without knowing the biological and physical sciences.

Countries Requiring and Accepting GAMSAT Scores

Now you know what GAMSAT is, do you know what countries require you to take the exam? The GAMSAT exam is mainly required and accepted by universities in the following countries.

1. Australia
2. UK
3. Ireland 

Universities in other countries, such as Singapore, the USA, and UAE, and New Zealand, also have GAMSAT test centres. This indicates that the exam results are accepted by universities in these countries as well.

GAMSAT Exam Format

The biology and chemistry questions are asked from first-year Biology & Chemistry topics, and physics questions are asked from Year 12 / A-Level paper. Your test paper answers are plagiarism-checked. AI detection is also in place to ensure fairness.  Now that you know key details, let’s understand what is the GAMSAT Format.

Section	Component	Mode	Focus	No. of Questions	Time Allowed
Written Communication	Section I	Remote Proctored	Two essays: Task A (socio-cultural), Task B (personal/social)	2 writing tasks	65 minutes
Reasoning in Humanities and Social Sciences	Section II	In-Person Test Centre	Interpretation, analysis, critical thinking in texts & visuals	62 multiple choice	100 minutes
Reasoning in Biological and Physical Sciences	Section III	In-Person Test Centre	Biology (40%), Chemistry (40%), Physics (20%)	Interpretation, analysis, and critical thinking in texts & visuals	150 minutes

What is a Good Score for GAMSAT?

Do you want to know what is a good GAMSAT score? GAMSAT scores are weighed on a scale from 0 to 100 for each of its 3 sections. The overall score is then calculated. At times, Section 3 is given double weightage while calculating the scores. Generally, a score of 50 in each section is considered the minimum score for eligibility in most universities. The average score falls around 56-58.

Region	Minimum Section Score	Competitive Overall Score	High/Exceptional Score	Average Cut-off for Interviews
Australia	50 in each section	64–68	70+	65–68
United Kingdom	50 in each section	59–62	63+	55–63
Ireland	50 in each section	55–59	60+	52–59

What is the GAMSAT Registration Process?

The GAMSAT exam registration takes place in three steps. First, you will create an ACER account, register for the test, and then you will complete the payment. The registration process is provided in detail below:

1. Visit the official ACER GAMSAT website and create a GAMSAT account 
2. Thereafter, register for the exam when the test registration window opens. 
3. You can choose your test centre location and the exam date
4. Pay the required registration fee online, and receive confirmation of the same 
5. Download your examination admission ticket. It will be available 3 weeks in advance of the test date.
6. Bring the admit card along with your ID on the day of the test.

After the test is taken, and the results are declared application to a medical school is made. In Australia, you can make the application through GEMSAS, in UK, the UCAS is there, and in Ireland, you make the application online through the Central Applications Office (CAO).

Popular Universities Accepting GAMSAT Scores 

Almost every university in Australia, the UK, and Ireland accepts the GAMSAT scores. Below we have listed some of the top universities in these countries.. It is important to note that apart from the universities listed below, a few universities in the USA, Singapore, New Zealand, and the UAE also accept the test scores. 

Top Universities Accepting GAMSAT Scores in Australia

The following are the top ten universities accepting GAMSAT exam scores in Australia. The QS World Ranking 2025 of these universities are provided for your reference.

S.No	University	QS World University Ranking 2025
1	The University of Melbourne	13
2	The University of Sydney	18
3	Australian National University (ANU)	30
4	The University of Queensland	40
5	Monash University	42
6	The University of Western Australia	77
7	The University of Adelaide	82
8	Macquarie University	133
9	Deakin University	197
10	Flinders University	336

Top 10  Universities Accepting GAMSAT Scores in the UK

Now that we know what is GAMSAT, let’s understand the top universities. The following are the top ten universities accepting GAMSAT scores in the UK

S.No	University	QS World University Ranking 2025
1	Imperial College London	2
2	University of Exeter	446
3	University of Liverpool	296
4	University of Nottingham	465
5	University of Dundee	599
6	University of Plymouth	576
7	St George’s, University of London	N/A
8	Swansea University	N/A
9	University of Sunderland	N/A
10	Keele University	N/A

Top Universities Accepting GAMSAT Scores in Ireland

The following are the top ten universities accepting GAMSAT scores in Ireland. The QS World Ranking 2025 of these universities are provided for your reference.

S.No	University	QS World University Ranking 2025
1	Trinity College Dublin (TCD)	87
2	University College Dublin (UCD)	126
3	University of Limerick (UL)	227
4	University of Galway	273
5	National University of Ireland, Galway	273
6	University College Cork (UCC)	273
7	Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland	251–300
8	Dublin City University	421
9	Maynooth University	801–850
10	Technological University Dublin	851–900

Also Read: What is the Physics Aptitude Test for Oxford?

How Long Does It Take to Get GMAT Results?

Generally, you receive your exam scores after two months. You will receive an email notification when the results are declared. You can access your results online at the ACER website. The results can be downloaded in a PDF format. The key details of the exam results are provided below:

Particulars	Result Details
March 2025 Exam Results	Late May 2025
September 2025 Exam Results	Mid-November 2025
Notification Method	Email notification when results are available
Access to Results	Available through your online GAMSAT account
Statement of Results Format	Online PDF (recommended to save/print a copy)
Access Duration	Up to 4 years

GAMSAT Exam Centres 

Unfortunately, the GAMSAT test centres are not available in India. This means if you are an Indian, you cannot take the test from India. You will have to travel to the UK, Australia, Ireland, or any other country where there is a GAMSAT exam centre and take the test from there. The GAMSAT test centres.

S.No.	Country	Number of Main Centres	Main Locations
1	Australia	Numerous (10+)	Adelaide, Ballarat, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Dubbo, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Townsville, Wollongong
2	Ireland	4–5	Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Sligo
3	UK	Numerous	Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Derry/Londonderry, Edinburgh, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Norwich, Plymouth, Sheffield, Sunderland
4	New Zealand	1–2	Auckland, Wellington
5	Singapore	1	Singapore
6	USA	1	Washington D.C.
7	UAE	1	Dubai

Also Read: University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT): Format, Registration Dates, Scores, Test Centres, and Universities Accepting Results 

Is The GAMSAT Actually Hard?

Yes. The GAMSAT exam is considered a difficult examination due to the knowledge required, the time constraints, and the emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving skills.What is GAMSAT difficulty level as per test takers?  According to most test takers-

1. You need to have an in-depth understanding of various scientific topics from biology, social sciences, physics, chemistry, and even the humanities! This makes the syllabus vast.
2. Compared to the kind of questions asked, there is a limited amount of time to answer the questions.
3. You cannot clear the test by rote memorisation. You must know how to apply your knowledge to solve complex problems.
4. Besides this, there is an essay writing section that is found to be challenging.

However, the exact difficulty level depends on individual to individual. Those who want a strong foundation in science tend to do well.

5+ GAMSAT Preparation Tips for Students

The GAMSAT is considered a difficult paper. Knowing what is GAMSAT is not enough. You must know how to prepare for the exam. Here are some useful tips that you can consider:

1. GMSAT is not an exam that you can study at the last minute. You need to start early preparation. Set specific and measurable goals, break down the syllabus into 3 sections and prepare.
2. This is not a standard science exam. Therefore, focus on reasoning skills rather than rote learning. Understand the concepts and learn how to apply them.
3. Practise by using the official materials available. You can visit the ACER website for the same.
4. To ace written communication practice, mark your own essays and seek feedback from a tutor.
5. Review your mistakes and work on your weaknesses. You must also identify the test patterns.
6. Lastly, ensure that you are taking frequent breaks and prioritising your sleep and nutrition. Also, learn to manage stress.

FAQs

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