BMAT Past Papers
BMAT Section 1 is the largest paper archive UAT-UK publishes for the TARA: 21 papers, 2003 to 2023, each with an answer key. The 2023 paper, the last in the archive, instructs candidates to attempt all 32 questions in 60 minutes. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving — the same two names the TARA uses — are what this section practised.
Is the BMAT still used?
Not as a UAT-UK test. The live tests are the ESAT, the TMUA, and the TARA. Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing has closed its admissions-testing site and said it no longer delivers tests. UCAS’s 2023 note listed 18 October as the BMAT date in the year Cambridge Assessment was still delivering it for a final cycle. If you are applying for medicine now, read the course page for the test it names today. The papers below are practice, and for TARA candidates they are unusually direct practice.
BMAT past papers, Section 1, 2003–2023
| Paper | Question paper | Answer key |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2023 Open | 2023 Open |
| 2022 | 2022 Open | 2022 Open |
| 2021 | 2021 Open | 2021 Open |
| 2020 | 2020 Open | 2020 Open |
| 2019 | 2019 Open | 2019 Open |
| 2018 | 2018 Open | 2018 Open |
| 2017 | 2017 Open | 2017 Open |
| 2016 | 2016 Open | 2016 Open |
| 2015 | 2015 Open | 2015 Open |
| 2014 | 2014 Open | 2014 Open |
| 2013 | 2013 Open | 2013 Open |
| 2012 | 2012 Open | 2012 Open |
| 2011 | 2011 Open | 2011 Open |
| 2010 | 2010 Open | 2010 Open |
| 2009 | 2009 Open | 2009 Open |
| 2008 | 2008 Open | 2008 Open |
| 2007 | 2007 Open | 2007 Open |
| 2006 | 2006 Open | 2006 Open |
| 2005 | 2005 Open | 2005 Open |
| 2004 | 2004 Open | 2004 Open |
| 2003 | 2003 Open | 2003 Open |
These files are hosted by UAT-UK. SummitPapers links to the current official copy and does not re-host the PDFs. TARA preparation materials
How the 2023 Section 1 paper was set
- The 2023 paper is Section 1 of 3. The supervisor collected it before Section 2.
- 32 questions, 60 minutes, one mark each, no negative marking.
- Calculators were not permitted.
- Papers from 2003 to 2019 can feel different. UAT-UK’s archive does not reprint a year-by-year question count, so this page states 32 only for 2023, where the cover page says it.
Using BMAT Section 1 for the TARA
- Start at 2023 and work backwards.
- Use TSA Section 1 alongside it for longer Problem Solving items.
- Do not copy the 60-minute timing onto the TARA. The TARA is 40 minutes and 22 questions per module.
- Sections 2 and 3 are not in the UAT-UK archive and are not what the TARA assesses.
Common questions
Is the BMAT still used?
It is not one of the live UAT-UK tests, which are the ESAT, TMUA, and TARA. The public Section 1 archive ends in 2023. UCAS recorded 18 October 2023 as that year’s BMAT date, in what Cambridge Assessment treated as a final year of delivery. Medicine applicants should follow the test named on the current course page.
Where can I find BMAT past papers?
UAT-UK publishes all 21 Section 1 papers, 2003 to 2023, with answer keys, on the TARA preparation materials page. The links on this page open those files.
How many BMAT past papers are there?
21 Section 1 papers in the UAT-UK archive, one for each year from 2003 to 2023, each with an answer key. Sections 2 and 3 are not in this archive.
How many questions were on BMAT Section 1?
The 2023 Section 1 paper says to attempt all 32 questions, in 60 minutes, with no penalty for incorrect responses. Earlier years used a different specification, so do not assume 32 for every paper in the archive.
Can I use BMAT papers to prepare for the TARA?
Yes. UAT-UK says TARA Critical Thinking and Problem Solving share their history with BMAT Section 1, which is why these papers are on the TARA preparation page.
Can I convert a BMAT score into a TARA score?
No. There is no official conversion. The BMAT’s 1.0–9.0 scale was built from a different cohort and different papers.