BMAT in September vs BMAT in November?

Hey guys
You can now sit the BMAT in September or in November as you could before. I just wanted to know when you guys plan on sitting it (those of you planning on actually doing BMAT)?

I want to sit the UKCAT as well, which means if I sit BMAT in sept, I'll have have to spend roughly half the summer on UKCAT and the other half on BMAT prep. If I sit BMAT in November then I have the whole summer for UKCAT, but then I worry if I'll actually be able to prepare effectively for BMAT after school begins. And then ofc there's the fact that I'll know my BMAT results if I sit in september, letting me apply to unis I have a higher chance of getting into.

Idk what are you guys thinking??

Hi there!

It's a tricky one! Most students will be taking the UKCAT as well, so for many people a lot of the summer will be spent divided between UKCAT and BMAT prep and work experience.

Ultimately it's all about your personal preference, where you think your strengths lie, and how you revise. If you revise best by focusing on one thing at a time, and you have significant other commitments over the summer, it may be best to take the BMAT in November so that you can focus on getting a great UKCAT score. However, one thing to bear in mind about taking the BMAT in November is that it may be a little difficult focusing on BMAT prep, A-Level work and your UCAS application around the same time - but it has been done! It depends how well you can schedule your time and multitask effectively, so assess how you work best. Don't forget too that if you're applying to Oxford, you'll need to take the BMAT in November.

However, if you're planning on applying to several BMAT universities (but not Oxford!), and these are the ones you prefer, you may wish to boost your chances of getting in to these schools by taking the exam in September to give you the opportunity to apply strategically. Another benefit of taking the BMAT in September is that you will have the whole summer and free time to focus on UKCAT and BMAT prep, so you can allocate your time in the way you choose with few other commitments (but just remember to take time off to relax!). Another key thing to consider is that the earlier you book your UKCAT, the earlier you can begin BMAT prep for September too.

You can also read our blog on everything you need to know about the BMAT September here.

Hope this helps!
The Medic Portal

Thanks for the advice! I guess my main concern was if I would have sufficient time to prepare for UKCAT in the summer, but I'm hoping a few weeks will be enough

Hi there!

We'd say that UKCAT prep normally takes around 6 weeks - 4 weeks of regular revision and 2 weeks of intense revision and practice questions. So as long as you leave this time to prepare, you should be fine!

Hope this helps!
The Medic Portal

Hey there :-) Of course at the end of the day it's entirely up to you what you choose but we usually tell our students that about 4-5 weeks of preparation is enough for UKCAT. In addition, in terms of sitting the BMAT in November, true it means you apply before getting your results but it's not impossible to prepare well because many people have done that in the past. It's still only May and you've got plenty of time to think about how you want to structure your application :-)

Best,

Alex, 4th year UCL medic
6med

Hi All,

I think it is worth restating that, if you want to apply to Oxbridge and need to take BMAT, they will only accept the November sitting so that all their applicants take the same test. This is particularly annoying for anyone in Wales where the November test actually falls in the October/November half-term break, As a Careers Adviser, I raised this point with staff at Oxford and was a little taken aback by their response.

To repeat this, if the Oxbridge Entrance Tests/BMAT date falls within your half-term, check that you will be able to take the tests at your school as I know that many staff are aware of the problem and will open up specially to accommodate the tests. If they are not doing this, you will have to find another venue for the tests (a school which is opening up) and register to take the test with them.

Best of luck!

Cambridge accept BMAT-September, I think only Oxford for A100 and BioMed, and a me don't School in Hong Kong are the only ones the only accept the November test

Hey guys
You can now sit the BMAT in September or in November as you could before. I just wanted to know when you guys plan on sitting it (those of you planning on actually doing BMAT)?

I want to sit the UKCAT as well, which means if I sit BMAT in sept, I'll have have to spend roughly half the summer on UKCAT and the other half on BMAT prep. If I sit BMAT in November then I have the whole summer for UKCAT, but then I worry if I'll actually be able to prepare effectively for BMAT after school begins. And then ofc there's the fact that I'll know my BMAT results if I sit in september, letting me apply to unis I have a higher chance of getting into.

Idk what are you guys thinking??

Hey there :-) Of course at the end of the day it's entirely up to you what you choose but we usually tell our students that about 4-5 weeks of preparation is enough for UKCAT. In addition, in terms of sitting the BMAT in November, true it means you apply before getting your results but it's not impossible to prepare well because many people have done that in the past. It's still only May and you've got plenty of time to think about how you want to structure your application :-)

Best,

Alex, 4th year UCL medic



6med

Hi there!

We'd say that UKCAT prep normally takes around 6 weeks - 4 weeks of regular revision and 2 weeks of intense revision and practice questions. So as long as you leave this time to prepare, you should be fine!

Hope this helps!
The Medic Portal

Hi, you've stated how much time you think is really needed for UKCAT and I was wondering what you guys suggest is a good amount of time for the BMAT? Especially, if you're considering taking it in September like me!

Also initially, i thought of taking the UKCAT before school started in September and instead around the end of August, but now i suppose if i'm deciding to take BMAT - September then i'm going to have to take the UKCAT much earlier in August or late July.

im doing the bmat in september- but having serious doubts about doing it at all. i don't do physics or maths. will this be detrimental to my chances of getting a good bmat score???