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BMAT Score Guide & Test Statistics

BMAT Score Guide & Test Statistics | Prep Zone Academy

By now, you should have a solid idea of the BMAT test structure and know what schools you are applying to.

In the BMAT, questions in Sections 1 and 2 are worth 1 mark each, giving a total of 32 points and 27 points respectively.

There is no negative marking for Section 1 and 2, and hence it is in your interest to attempt all questions. The total raw scores of both sections are converted to BMAT’s scale, which runs from 1 (low) to 9 (high), up to one decimal place.

Your essay in Section 3 is marked by two examiners. Each examiner gives two scores – one for quality of content (on a scale of 0–5), and one for quality of written English (on the scale A, C, E).

For the quality of content, here are how the scores are determined:

  • Score 1: the essay has some bearing on the question but does not address it fully
  • Score 2: addresses most of the question, but has significant elements of confusion
  • Score 3: reasonably well-argued, may have weakness in the argument
  • Score 4: good answer with few weaknesses, all aspects of the question are addressed
  • Score 5: excellent answer with no significant weaknesses

For the use of written English, here are how the bands are determined:

  • Band A: Good use of English – clear, fluent, good use of grammar and vocabulary
  • Band C: Reasonably clear use of English – reasonably fluent, some errors
  • Band E: Rather weak use of English – not easy to follow, faulty grammar

For example, if one examiner gave you 3A and another marked your essay 3C, your average score would be 3B.

If there is a significant discrepancy, your essay will be reassessed by a third examiner.

What Is A Good BMAT Score?

Typical BMAT candidates will score around 4.6 out of 9.0.

The best candidates will score around 6.0, and a few exceptional candidates will score higher than 7.0.

However, as BMAT universities such as Oxbridge, Imperial and UCL are typically highly selective universities and there tend to be very few spots available for international students, it would be advantageous to score above 5.0.

Do note universities that require the BMAT will utilize the score in different ways.

For instance, Oxford University, splits the BMAT score according to section and places a different weightage to calculate a total percentage (Section 1=40%, Section 2=40%, and Section 3=20%). Whereas Imperial College uses a strict cut-off for BMAT scores and applicants that do not meet this cut-off are automatically rejected (in 2019, the cut-offs were 4.1 for Section 1, 4.2 for Section 2, and 2.5C for Section 3).

How are BMAT results used by Universities?

In general, your BMAT score will be taken into consideration together with your GCSE results and UCAS points to determine if you will be asked for an interview.

It’s important to maximize your BMAT score in every part since certain colleges prioritize certain BMAT scores more than others. However, not all universities publicly disclose how they utilize BMAT scores.

Nevertheless, each college will utilize your BMAT score in a unique way, and it may even differ within the same university (for example, different admissions tutors in Oxford or Cambridge). Typically, the results are taken into consideration together with your GCSE scores and UCAS points to determine who moves on to the interview stage. BMAT results may be more important to certain colleges than others.

In this guide, we go into further depth on how BMAT scores are used by colleges:

InstitutionHow BMAT scores are usedCourses
Imperial College LondonYour UCAS application's content is evaluated in addition to your BMAT score. There are cut-off scores, but they vary throughout the year. Imperial suggests using the cutoff scores from prior years as a reference.A100 Medicine
Lancaster UniversityFor Sections 1, 2, and 3, the quality of the English score is not considered. The best students will be given interview invitations.A100 Medicine & Surgery, A104 Medicine & Surgery with a Gateway Year
University College LondonAlong with the rest of your application, your BMAT score will be considered and evaluated by a tutor. There are no qualifying marks. They suggest: "A strong application will get high marks across the board." Candidates are less likely to succeed if their scores fall below the cohort average."A100 Medicine
University of CambridgeThe remainder of your application materials will be considered, and a tutor will also check your BMAT result. Cut-off scores are not used. The University of Cambridge advises: "There is no 'pass' grade for the BMAT; students with better BMAT marks are more likely to be called to interview."A100 Medicine
University of LeedsLeed's website doesn't say much about how the BMAT is used to decide who will be invited to an interview, but it does say that a decision is made based on all academic factors at once, including your BMAT score as well as your past and predicted grades. It is likely, then, that the applicants who are invited to an interview are ranked based on a score that takes into account all of these factors. However, interview requests are then extended to the top 1,000. If you are contacted for an interview, the MMI interview station will use your Section 3 essay as the starting point for the conversation.A100 Medicine,
A101 Gateway Year to Medicine,
A200 Dentistry
University of OxfordFor shortlisting purposes, your BMAT score and GCSE grades are crucial. A very strong BMAT score can make up for a somewhat subpar GCSE achievement, and vice versa.
BMAT results were weighted for entrance in 2020 such that Sections 1 and 2 scores were worth 40% and 20%, respectively, while Section 3 was worth 20%. In the Section 3 grade, the content quality received a double weighting.
A100 Medicine,
A101 Graduate Medicine, BC98 Biomedical Sciences
Brighton and Sussex Medical SchoolThe BMAT grades are computed:
- Up to nine marks for Sections 1 and 2, respectively, and;
- Up to 5 for each element of Section 3
The top 28 candidates will be rated based on their combined scores, and the top candidate will be invited to an interview.
A100 Medicine

BMAT Scores From 2021

The BMAT November 2021 results came out on the 26th November.

In Section 1, as you can see from the official chart below, about 36% of students scored at or above 5 and in Section 2, about 30% of students scored at or above 5. As from previous years, most students scored an A in section 3, with a content score of 3 being the most common (3.0).

BMAT November 2021 Test Statistics - Section 1 | Prep Zone Academy
BMAT November 2021 Test Statistics - Section 2 | Prep Zone Academy

Source: Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing

It’s better to look at these scores in terms of ranking, so we have converted them in a percentile form (with some approximations) and compared against the past two years.

BMAT November 2021 Test Statistics - Section 1 | Prep Zone Academy
BMAT November 2021 Test Statistics - Section 2 | Prep Zone Academy

The BMAT scores are similar to the 2019 sitting. As the Section 1 format was changed last year, students had found the test relatively easier in 2020, and the test makers seem to have since upped (back) the difficulty.

For Section 2, there was no change in the content, so the main cause of the change seems to be the continued disruptions due to the pandemic.

As these scores are lower than 2020, we expect the cut-offs to be lower this year as well. The unknown factor in this is however the number of students who took a deferral last year, possibly resulting in lesser number of seats available overall.

A score of 5.3 or above will be competitive this year, as it will bring you to the 80th percentile. The interview selection will depend on how the different universities use the BMAT score. It is best to focus on your interview preparations now to provide the universities with another excellent showing of your skills.