IMAT 2026 registration opens on 26 August 2026. This step-by-step guide explains pre-enrolment, university preferences, test-centre booking, payment, the details to keep ready and what to do if India or Pakistan slots fill up.
IMAT 2026 booking quick plan
- 01
Non-EU candidates residing abroad should complete Universitaly pre-enrolment before booking.
- 02
Keep the same pre-enrolment university as your first IMAT preference.
- 03
Decide one preferred test centre and realistic travel-ready backups before slots open.
- 04
Pay on the first day with an international-payment-enabled card and save both confirmations.
01 — TimelineIMAT 2026 registration dates
IMAT registration is one of those tasks that looks simple until thousands of students try to complete it at the same time. The form itself is not difficult. The real challenge is getting your preferred test centre before its capacity is filled and completing the payment without an error.
Here are the official dates for the 2026/2027 cycle:
Official IMAT 2026 dates
| Event | Official date |
|---|
| Registration opens | 26 August 2026 |
| Registration closes | 9 September 2026 at 15:00 GMT+2 |
| IMAT 2026 exam | 29 September 2026 |
| Exam start in Italian centres | 13:30 Italian time |
| Test duration | 100 minutes |
Registration will be completed online through the official Universitaly portal. The closing time is strict, but students aiming for an international centre should not treat 9 September as their real deadline. Popular centres can fill much earlier.
The exact names and order of buttons may change slightly when the 2026 form goes live. The steps below follow the official requirements and recent Universitaly booking screens.
02 — ProcessFirst check: do you need Universitaly pre-enrolment?
This depends on your candidate category. It is also where many applicants make their first serious mistake.
Non-EU candidates residing abroad
If you are a non-EU candidate residing abroad, you should already have:
- an active Universitaly account;
- a completed pre-enrolment application;
- one chosen Italian university on that application.
When you register for IMAT, the same university used for pre-enrolment must be placed as your first university preference. Non-EU candidates residing abroad compete in the local ranking of the university where they submitted their pre-enrolment.
For example, if you pre-enrolled at the University of Pavia, Pavia must be your first university choice during IMAT registration. Do not pre-enrol at one university and then place a different university first in the IMAT form.
If you have not completed pre-enrolment yet, do it as soon as possible. Our Universitaly Pre-Enrolment Guide for International Students explains the account setup, university selection, document upload and submission process step by step.
Italian, EU and eligible-equivalent candidates
Italian citizens, EU candidates and candidates officially treated as equivalent do not follow the non-EU visa pre-enrolment route for IMAT.
However, you should still create your Universitaly account before registration day and complete your profile in advance. If you wait until slots open to create the account, verify your email and type every personal detail, other students may reach the payment page before you.
Do not decide your category only from the country where you live. If you are a non-EU citizen living in Italy, or a European citizen from a country outside the EU, confirm which legal category applies to you before registration.
03 — ProcessPre-enrolment and IMAT registration are two different processes
Completing one does not automatically complete the other.
Universitaly pre-enrolment connects a non-EU applicant residing abroad with the selected university and supports the later visa process.
IMAT registration enters the student into the admission test, records the university choice or preferences, allows one test centre to be selected and finishes with the exam-fee payment.
Even if your pre-enrolment has already been submitted or validated, you must return to Universitaly and complete the separate IMAT registration when it opens.
04 — StrategyWhat to prepare before 26 August
The fastest registration is the one prepared before the portal opens. Keep these items ready:
- Your Universitaly login details.
- Access to the registered email address.
- A valid passport or accepted identity document.
- Personal information exactly as written on the identity document.
- Your correct candidate category.
- Your final university preference order.
- For a non-EU applicant abroad, the university used for pre-enrolment.
- Your preferred test centre and at least two travel-ready backups.
- An international-payment-enabled credit or debit card.
- The cardholder, mobile banking app, OTP and 3-D Secure access.
- A second international card, if possible.
- A valid English certificate such as IELTS, only if you already hold one.
- Medical or DSA documentation if you need exam accommodations.
Use a laptop or desktop with a stable internet connection. Keep your phone charged for bank approval and OTP messages.
05 — ContextYour payment card must be ready before slots open
The IMAT fee is paid online while booking the test centre. Your credit or debit card should support:
- international transactions;
- online or e-commerce payments;
- OTP or 3-D Secure verification;
- a transaction limit higher than the fee and possible currency-conversion charges.
If international payments are not active, contact your bank or enable them through the banking app now. A bank decline at the final step can cost valuable time. By the time the card issue is fixed, the selected centre may no longer be available.
It is sensible to keep a second authorised card ready. Do not rely on an unfamiliar wallet or payment method without checking whether the live Universitaly gateway accepts it.
The main MUR decree confirms that payment completes the registration, but it does not state the final public fee amount. Some websites are using the previous reference figure of approximately €130. Use that only for budgeting and pay the exact amount displayed on Universitaly when the 2026 form opens.
06 — ProcessDetails to keep ready for IMAT registration
IMAT booking is not the same as submitting a complete academic or visa file. Most students mainly enter personal, identity and choice-related information.
IMAT registration details checklist
| Item | What to do during IMAT registration |
|---|
| Passport or accepted ID | Enter the document type, number and expiry date exactly as shown. |
| Personal details | Check your full name, birth details, citizenship, email and residential address. |
| Pre-enrolment university | Non-EU candidates abroad must use the same university as their first IMAT preference. |
| English certificate | Declare or upload it if the form asks and you already hold an eligible certificate. Otherwise leave it blank. |
| Disability or DSA certificate | Follow the chosen university's instructions if you need support or additional time. |
Is IELTS mandatory for IMAT?
No. IELTS or another English-language certificate is not mandatory simply to register for or sit IMAT.
If you already have an eligible certificate, especially one already used in your pre-enrolment application, declare or upload it when the IMAT form provides the relevant field. A recognised language certificate can also be considered in the official tie-break order.
If you do not have IELTS, leave the optional field blank. Do not upload an unrelated document and do not enter a certificate you cannot prove. A university or visa authority may still have a separate language requirement, so check those rules independently.
07 — ProcessHow to register for IMAT 2026 on Universitaly
Step 1: Log in to your existing Universitaly account
Open the official Universitaly website and sign in with the account you prepared earlier.
If you are a non-EU applicant abroad, use the same account used for pre-enrolment. Do not create a second account for IMAT. Two profiles can lead to different passport spellings, duplicate records and avoidable support problems.
Before the booking day, check that your name, date of birth, citizenship and identity-document details match your passport.
Step 2: Open the IMAT registration section
Choose the national admission-test or IMAT area for the 2026/2027 academic year. Make sure you are registering for the English-taught admission test, not the Italian-language Medicine route and not another pre-enrolment application.
Step 3: Check your personal and document details
The form may ask for or display:
- first name and surname;
- country, province and city of birth;
- date of birth and sex;
- citizenship;
- codice fiscale, where applicable;
- email address;
- identity-document number and validity;
- complete residential address.
Read the details once before continuing. Your payment speed will not help if the final booking contains the wrong passport number.
Step 4: Select the correct course group
The 2026 process requires candidates to choose between:
- Medicine and Surgery and/or Dentistry and Dental Prosthodontics in English; or
- Veterinary Medicine in English.
Choose carefully. This selection becomes final when registration closes.
Step 5: Enter your university preference or preference order
For non-EU candidates residing abroad, place the university used for Universitaly pre-enrolment as the first preference. This is the university whose reserved non-EU ranking you will enter.
Italian, EU and eligible-equivalent candidates can arrange the university choices allowed by their ranking procedure in their genuine order of preference.
Do not copy another student's list without thinking about where you would actually study. Consider tuition, living costs, course location and whether you would genuinely accept the university.
University preferences become final at 15:00 GMT+2 on 9 September 2026.
Step 6: Select one IMAT test centre
If you choose an international centre, it can be outside the country where your university is located. If you take IMAT in Italy, the exam location is connected to your first university preference under the official procedure.
The 2026 country list includes India, Pakistan and UAE–Dubai. Exact cities, venues and reporting times should be checked on Universitaly and the later official centre notice.
Step 7: Add an English certificate if you have one
If the portal provides the option and you hold a recognised certificate, enter the correct qualification and score. Students without a certificate can leave this optional part blank.
Step 8: Review everything before payment
Check these details on the summary page:
- your legal name and identity document;
- candidate category;
- course group;
- university first preference;
- pre-enrolment and first-preference match, if applicable;
- selected test centre;
- email address;
- optional language-certificate details.
Take a screenshot of the summary before paying.
Step 9: Pay immediately to finalise the test-centre booking
Selecting a centre is not the final step. Complete the online payment using your international-payment-enabled card.
While the payment is processing:
- do not press Back;
- do not refresh the page;
- do not close the browser;
- complete the bank OTP or 3-D Secure approval immediately;
- do not start the same payment in another browser tab.
Treat the centre as booked only after the payment succeeds and Universitaly shows the registration as complete.
Step 10: Save both receipts
After successful payment, you should receive or be able to access:
- the payment receipt; and
- the IMAT test-centre or registration confirmation.
These may also be sent to the email address linked to your Universitaly account. Download the documents and save them on your phone, laptop and cloud storage.
If the email does not arrive, first check Spam and the Universitaly reserved area. If the booking or receipt is still missing, contact the official support email shown on the live registration portal. Include your name, account email, payment reference, transaction time and a screenshot of the status.
08 — ContextWhy you should book on the first day
For an international applicant, IMAT registration day is not the right time to compare universities or call the bank.
India and Pakistan are among the most competitive test-centre locations. Recent cycles and student reports show that regional capacity can disappear within minutes or a few hours. Dubai is also a popular backup and can fill after nearby centres close.
The safest plan is simple:
- Complete pre-enrolment beforehand if your category requires it.
- Create and verify your Universitaly account beforehand.
- Decide your university and test-centre order beforehand.
- Activate international card payments beforehand.
- Log in as soon as registration opens.
- Select one available centre.
- Pay immediately.
- Save the payment and confirmation receipts.
Waiting until the next day may mean travelling to another country for the exam.
09 — ContextWhat if the India or Pakistan test centre is full?
For a student in India, Dubai is often the most practical international backup because UAE–Dubai appears on the official 2026 test-centre country list and has relatively convenient flight connections from India.
If India is full:
- Check Dubai availability immediately.
- Confirm that your passport is valid.
- Check UAE entry or visa requirements for your nationality.
- Estimate flight and accommodation costs.
- Select Dubai and complete payment as soon as possible.
Do not assume Dubai will remain available for the whole registration window. Students from several nearby countries use it as a backup, so its capacity can also fill quickly.
The same principle applies elsewhere: choose the nearest available country you can legally and practically travel to. A test-centre booking is useful only if you can reach it on exam day.
10 — ProcessPayment deducted but booking not confirmed
If the bank shows a debit but Universitaly does not show a completed booking:
- Do not make a second payment immediately.
- Save the bank transaction reference and screenshot.
- Check your Universitaly reserved area.
- Check Inbox and Spam.
- Note the exact payment date, time and amount.
- Contact the official support address displayed on the portal.
Explain that the amount was charged but the test-centre confirmation was not generated. Attach only the information needed to trace the payment; never email your complete card number, CVV or OTP.
11 — AvoidMistakes that can cost you an IMAT slot
Registration errors and quick fixes
- 01
Creating the Universitaly account after registration opens
Create and verify the account before booking day.
- 02
Leaving non-EU pre-enrolment until the final moment
Complete it early and keep the same university as your first IMAT preference.
- 03
Using the wrong first-preference university
Match it with the university used for pre-enrolment.
- 04
Keeping international card payments disabled
Activate them and confirm the payment limit beforehand.
- 05
Waiting until the next day
Book and pay on the opening day for high-demand centres.
- 06
Deciding universities during registration
Finalise your preference order before slots open.
- 07
Assuming selection means confirmation
Treat the centre as booked only after successful payment.
- 08
Trying to book several centres
Select one realistic centre and finalise it.
- 09
Refreshing or closing the payment page
Wait for the gateway result and complete bank approval promptly.
- 10
Choosing an overseas centre without a travel check
Confirm passport, entry rules, flights and budget before paying.
- 11
Paying twice after a delayed email
Check Universitaly and the bank status first.
- 12
Declaring a certificate you do not hold
Leave optional certificate fields blank when not applicable.
- 13
Forgetting the receipts
Download both the payment receipt and booking confirmation.
12 — ChecklistFinal checklist for IMAT registration day
Ready-to-book checks
- ✓
Universitaly accountActive, verified and accessible.
- ✓
Passport detailsCorrect and identical to the identity document.
- ✓
Candidate categoryConfirmed before registration day.
- ✓
Non-EU pre-enrolmentAlready submitted when required.
- ✓
First IMAT preferenceMatches the pre-enrolment university.
- ✓
Test centre planOne preferred centre plus realistic backups.
- ✓
International card paymentsActive with a sufficient limit.
- ✓
Bank approvalOTP and 3-D Secure access ready.
- ✓
Booking timeLog in, select and pay on the opening day.
- ✓
ReceiptsSave the payment receipt and test-centre confirmation.
13 — ContextCongratulations! Your IMAT exam slot is booked. What comes next?
Now the administrative work is over. The next step is the one that will actually decide your admission: preparing for IMAT with complete focus and consistent effort.
From 26 August to the exam on 29 September, you have just over one month. That is enough time to make a real difference, but only if you stop collecting random resources and start following a clear study plan now.
In our IMAT 2026 Complete Preparation Guide, we explain how to organise this final month, which subjects deserve the most time, how to use past papers and which study resources are genuinely useful for IMAT preparation.
We also recommend the EuCrack IMAT 2026 Preparation Book for structured practice. Thousands of students are already studying with it. The book brings together 1000+ expert-selected questions across all five IMAT sections, so you can practise from one organised resource instead of wasting the final weeks searching through scattered PDFs.
If you begin now, practise every day and work honestly on your weak areas, you still have a strong chance to clear IMAT and turn your booked exam slot into a confirmed medical seat. Booking the centre was the first win. Now make the remaining month count.
IMAT 2026 registration FAQs
When does IMAT 2026 registration open?+
IMAT 2026 registration opens on 26 August 2026 through Universitaly.
What is the final registration deadline?+
The official deadline is 9 September 2026 at 15:00 GMT+2. International centres may fill well before that time.
When is the IMAT 2026 exam?+
The exam will take place on 29 September 2026.
Do non-EU students need pre-enrolment before IMAT registration?+
Non-EU candidates residing abroad should complete Universitaly pre-enrolment with their chosen university before IMAT booking. That university must then be placed as their first IMAT preference. Follow our Universitaly pre-enrolment guide if it is still pending.
Do Italian or EU students need Universitaly pre-enrolment?+
They do not follow the non-EU visa pre-enrolment route, but they should create and verify their Universitaly account before the booking day.
How many IMAT test centres can I select?+
You select one test centre and complete payment to finalise that booking.
Is IELTS compulsory?+
IELTS is not compulsory merely to register for or sit IMAT. If you already have an eligible certificate, declare it in the optional field. University or visa requirements should be checked separately.
What should an Indian student do if local slots are full?+
Check the nearest practical international alternatives immediately. Dubai is a common backup for Indian candidates, but it can also fill quickly. Confirm travel and entry requirements before payment.
Is a slot confirmed before payment?+
No. Treat the test centre as confirmed only after successful payment and the generation of the registration or centre-confirmation record.
What if I do not receive the receipts by email?+
Check Spam and your Universitaly reserved area. If they are still missing, contact the official support address displayed on the live portal and provide your payment reference and booking details.
Is the EuCrack IMAT 2026 Preparation Book useful if only one month is left?+
Yes. The final month is exactly when students need organised question practice rather than more unfinished theory or random material. The EuCrack book contains 1000+ expert-selected questions covering all five IMAT sections, helping you revise the syllabus, identify weak topics and improve speed and accuracy through daily practice. You can divide it into timed sets and build a practical revision routine for the weeks remaining before the exam.
Why use the EuCrack IMAT book instead of collecting free PDFs?+
Free PDFs can help, but they are often scattered, repeated, based on older patterns or missing a clear topic structure. The EuCrack IMAT 2026 Preparation Book gives you one focused resource built around the current syllabus, with 1000+ selected questions across five sections. Thousands of students are already using it for their preparation. If you want to spend the next month solving, reviewing and improving instead of searching for what to study next, this is the resource we recommend.
Premium practice materialEuCrack IMAT 2026 Preparation Book
Use the book as a structured practice resource during your final month. With 1000+ expert-selected questions across all five IMAT sections, it helps you practise daily, review weak areas and spend less time searching through scattered material.
1000+Questions
5Sections
2026Syllabus
