Biomedical Sciences Admissions Test (BMSAT) Guide

Biomedical Sciences Admissions Test (BMSAT) Guide

Everything you should know before taking the BMSAT and how to be successful!

WHAT IS THE BMSAT?

The BMSAT (Biomedical Sciences Admissions Test) is a pre-registered admissions test used by the University of Oxford for all applicants to its undergraduate Biomedical Sciences degree course.

The BMSAT is both a knowledge and a skills test: it measures the applicant’s scientific knowledge as well as its application to new scenarios. It is designed to separate applicants with similar school grades by giving admissions tutors an idea of how readily they will adapt to the fast-pased learning environment of Oxford University Biomedical Sciences.

WHO NEEDS TO SIT THE BMSAT?

Applicants to Oxford’s Biomedical Sciences (Biomed, for short) course must sit the BMSAT in support of their application.

HOW IS THE BMSAT STRUCTURED?

The BMSAT is a 90-minute exam made up of 80 items. It will include 20 questions each on Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics. The test features multiple choice questions, for which answers will be marked automatically by the computer system.

CAN I CHOOSE WHICH QUESTIONS I ANSWER IN THE BMSAT?

Applicants will not be able to choose which questions they respond to as part of the test.

HOW IS MY SCORE IN THE BMSAT USED?

As with other admissions tests, the responses given in the BMSAT (and their scores) will be used to provide admissions tutors additional information about the applicant to help them make their final decision on shortlisting. Whilst it is very unlikely that an excellent score in the BMSAT will save an otherwise weak application, a very poor BMSAT score can damage an otherwise acceptable set of application materials.

WHAT IS A GOOD BMSAT SCORE?

The maximum marks an applicant can receive in the BMSAT is 80. Since this is a new test for the 2024 application cycle, we do not have a barometer against which to measure test results.

What we can say, however, is that Oxford rarely work with a pass/fail mark on their admissions tests. In other words, there is no specific number that, taken alone, will entirely make or break an application. Every element of the application is taken in context with the other elements.

DO I NEED TO KNOW SPECIFIC CONTENT FOR THE BMSAT?

The BMSAT combines the test of scientific knowledge with tests of its application to new scenarios. Therefore, applicants must both revise scientific content and be ready to use it in unfamiliar question styles or contexts.

Oxford University have specified that the Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics knowledge required for each section of the test will be based on material frequently covered in higher tier GCSE (or equivalent) science and maths syllabuses for UK secondary education. The University recommend visiting the UK Department of Education content specifications for GCSE single science and Mathematics for more specific information on what to revise.

How to register for the BMSAT

WHEN IS THE BMSAT IN 2024?

The test date for the BMSAT in 2024 is the 22^nd October. All applicants must sit the test on this exact day. This may be during half term, but with plenty of advanced notice this hopefully shouldn’t prevent your school or college from holding the test. Be aware that if you miss this date for whatever reason you will not be able to take the test on another day and your application will not be considered.

WHEN IS THE DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION?

The BMSAT, like many Oxford Admissions Tests, requires applicants to register in advance of sitting the test. 2024 applicants will have to register between the 15^th August and the 4^th October 2024 to be able to sit the test.

Candidates must be registered through an official Pearson VUE test centre. For most candidates this will be their school or college, but if not it can be done through an open test centre. We recommend reading the Oxford University BMSAT page for more details on how to register; the university will be releasing further information in due course.

Wherever you take your test, make sure that you have submitted all your details to the test centre and have received your candidate entry number as proof of entry by midnight on the 4^th of October, but ideally at least a few days prior. If you have extenuating circumstances (i.e. a situation beyond your control) that prevented you from registering on time, get in touch with the Oxford college you applied to immediately and alert them of your situation.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO TAKE THE BMSAT?

Oxford University and Pearson VUE do not charge applicants a registration fee. However, independent test centres do sometimes charge an administration fee for candidates to cover costs such as room hire and invigilation. Get in touch with your chosen test centre to clarify if this cost will apply to you.

How to Pass the BMSAT

The best advice we can offer to succeed the BMSAT exam is to begin exam preparation early and practise often.

Most students who don’t make it through the interview stages and feel their admissions test results let them down tell us that they didn’t spend enough time practising with unseen materials and working to the specific timings and requirements of the test paper.

START EARLY

Early preparation for the BMSAT will help you shine and impress admissions tutors. Additionally, the skills you practise here are useful for your interview, and beyond into your exams and future studies, so the impact of thorough preparation cannot be underestimated!

REFLECTION

Rather than powering on blindly through mock questions, take the time throughout your preparation to reflect on your performance so far and specific areas in which you can improve. Perhaps leave a little time between producing an essay and re-reading it; forgetting the specifics of your initial argument can give you some objectivity in revisiting and evaluating your previous performance.

Additionally, if a teacher, parent, or other trusted individual (with a good knowledge of Science and Maths) has spare time to read through your answers and give you some comments, this can be a great way to gain objective advice on your performance. To get expert advice and structured guidance from your mock tests, as well as bespoke BMSAT tuition, check out our admissions test packages.

No two students should have the same revision strategy for the BMSAT, since you all have varying abilities, so try to think about your own strengths and weaknesses so that you’re maximising your preparation time and focusing on the most important aspects.

DON'T RESTRICT YOUR PRACTICE MATERIALS

Don’t restrict your practice materials: This is especially useful advice for the BMSAT, since there are few official materials (yet!) for you to use. Beyond school science and maths questions, we recommend branching out into other past and present admissions tests such as the UCAT or the BMAT which might help you stretch your creative-thinking; just remember that if you struggle with these tests, that’s okay since they are covering slightly different content! If you run out of material, contact our admissions test tuition specialists for bespoke advice and practice materials.